Best Touring Car Champion 2005

[Hazard]

Quick poll in a quiet moment...who did it for you this year?

Gary, taking his first DTM championship - closely fighting reigning champion Ekstrom all season, whilst flying away from his fellow Mercedes men.

Andy, patiently picking up the points until he got to Macau, and ripping it away from Dirk for a second consecutive season.

Matt, finally getting the championship under his belt, and the first for an independant team in the BTCC.

(I've only left STCC and others out, as I don't really think there is fair representation on this board to compare them - including myself - it's not because they're all British, honest!)

[Dani Filth]

i'll go for Andy .. you can't beat a BMW driver that i actually like

[touringlegend]

Without a doubt - Andy Priaulx - he did just enough to be champion - and really that's all you have to do.

[andy_b]

Much as I like Neal, I voted for Gary. Both the DTM and WTCC had a depth of talent and could have been won by any of say 10 drivers by say mid season. Unfortunately that wasn't the case in BTCC, although its still amazing that an Independent won the BTCC.

[Mystery]

Voted for Gary here. I've been impressed by many of his drives this year. He's looked confident and assured behind the wheel and every bit the champion. They're all very worthy of their titles though and great to see British drivers performing well (shame they're not supported financially enough to see them into higher racing formulae but that's a moan for another thread i guess)

[E46]

Andy Priaulx of course. He had superb drives this year, and rarely did mistakes.

[retro_msport]

Gary for me... more to do with the cars than the driver, congrats to them all, its just that the DTM cars .. whats the word.. awesome.

[toot toot]

Got to be Gary for me, i don't think the other two would have stood a chance in DTM.

[Knowlesy]

Andy Priaulx.

[pink69]

Matt Neal, the fact the guy has tried and tried for 14 years as mainly an independent and win it with his family run team....kudos to them all!

[Draven]

Andy , did the job and did it well.

[Paddockman]

Definately Gary for me!

[j_t_8_8_8]

The best champion among them is Priaulx, even because he had the strongest opposition from other drivers and regulations

[Silk Cut Jaguar]

It was 50/50 between Gary and Andy for me so I just sided with the series I prefer most - DTM.

Matt Neal deserves kudos for finally becoming champion but he only had to beat Muller to clinch it, not an easy task, but both Paffett and Priaulx had to beat far more talented and numerous opposition.

[Simon_1983]

I went for Gary as I didnt follow any of the WTCC at all so wouldnt know how Andy competed during the season.

I didnt go for Matt cos I feel its not as good a championship as the DTM or WTCC

[FIRE]

Didn't see BTCC, so it's between Priaulx and Paffet. Hard decision but I pick Priaulx because I think WTCC is at a higher level.

[Les]

I went for Matt - he was not in works team

[R59]

Between the BTCC and WTCC it has to be Prelux, no doubt about it. The BTCC has such shallow competition these days, it's a joke.

Overall, Gary, because of the level and of competition in the DTM, and as has been pointed out, by mid season, any of about 10 could have won it.

Both of them have the ability, and age on their side, to rise to the very top.

One touring car champion that we have forgotten this year is the Italian Touring Car Champion - Alex Zanardi - if you put him in this poll, he'd win it for overcoming his disabilites, and keeping his blinding speed throughout.

Rob.

[tator2001uk]

andy, to win something once is good or lucky, twice in a row is CLASS

matt neal against all those drivers in the btcc this year means nowt copared to past championsh unfortunatly

[Alfa Fan]

Originally Posted by tator2001uk

andy, to win something once is good or lucky, twice in a row is CLASS

matt neal against all those drivers in the btcc this year means nowt copared to past championsh unfortunatly

In 2005, Matt beat

Yvan Muller
Jason Plato
Dan Eaves
Tom Chilton
Colin Turkington

is that list really that much worse than previous years? no.

[SALEEN S7R]

I went for Gary, mainly because he took more race wins throuhout the course of the season than Andy Priaulx did in the WTCC, yes Priaulx was consistant but so was Gary and Gary took signifcantly more race wins than Priaulx in a championship which is IMO equal on status. Very little in it but Paffet just about gets the nod for me.

[Joe Taylor]

I went for Andy - he overcame so much bad luck (punctures, wrong place wrong time etc) as well as possibly having substandard equipment compared to Schnitzer

[Splendid Cat]

I've gone for Paffett. Goodness me, tough choice bewteen him and Andy P.

Anyone that beats Tom K and Schneider is a deserving champ. IMHO of course

[Pete Fenelon]

Had I got here in time, I would've voted for Andy Priaulx.

The BTCC format devalues the championship - I like Matt, and I think he's a great driver, but winning a championship that's so contrived to give "entertainment" doesn't strike me as much of an achievement.

Gary Paffett is very good indeed, but he's got heavy Merc backing and with the works or works-associated DTM teams I always get a vague whiff of "this year it's so-and-so's turn to win" - Gary needs a DTM title before he can make the next career step... so let's make sure he gets one.

Andy (just about!) had the measure of his team mates and they made the BMW (which isn't a terribly racy car in some respects) look very good against the FWD opposition, particularly the Alfas. He's a wonderfully neat and tidy driver (I think he learnt his precision on the hills!), always looks unruffled, and I admit that I've been a fan of his right back to his hillclimb days.

[Hazard]

Thanks all by the way for contributing. Nice to see Andy do so well.

The threads concluded I believe so I'll close it now - plus this has invited more BTCC bashing than I intended...anyone would think we're in the CART/IRL forums!