The 2012 British Touring Car grid guide

New cars, fresh faces, and changed combinations. There's been a lot of activity in the British Touring Car Championship over the winter, with many teams building or buying new machinery.

Top 2012 team Honda is one of those, and starts as favourite with its NGTC Civic. Old rival Chevrolet has gone and has been replaced by MG, which returns with its MG6 run by Triple 8 and driven by Jason Plato.

But it's not just about the factory squads. Motorbase, WSR and Eurotech all have the machinery and drivers to give Honda and MG some headaches in what could be a very open championship battle.

Honda (Team Dynamics)
Car: Honda Civic

#1. Matt Neal (GB)
BTCC debut: 1991
Starts: 466
Wins: 43
Poles: 13
Fastest laps: 40
2011: BTCC champion

#52. Gordon Shedden (GB)
BTCC debut: 2006*
Starts: 165
Wins: 21
Poles: 8
Fastest laps: 22
2011: 2nd in BTCC

It might have had a few reliability issues in testing with the new NGTC Civic, but Honda still starts as one of the favourites. It has had more time to work on its new car than the only other works squad, MG, and has the resources to overhaul any of the teams that got a head start with NGTC last season.

Reigning champion Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden are proven race winners and both have shown the ability to fight for the title. Last year, Neal kept his points score ticking over that little bit better than his team-mate, but Shedden will be more hungry than ever to take a first BTCC crown.

MG (Triple 8 Race Engineering)
Car: MG6

#99. Jason Plato (GB)
BTCC debut: 1997
Starts: 360
Wins: 68
Poles: 33
Fastest laps: 61
Titles: 2 (2001, 2010)
2011: 3rd in BTCC

#44. Andy Neate (GB)
BTCC debut: 2005
Starts: 62
Best finish: 6th
Best qualifying: 3rd
Fastest laps: 0
2011: 18th in BTCC

A late deal to bring MG back into the BTCC means two-time champion Jason Plato shouldn't be setting the pace in the early part of 2012. However, given Triple 8's experience - and incredible record when running the works Vauxhall squad - and Plato's CV, it would be a surprise not to see them at the front by the end of the season. In the meantime, Plato will just be looking to pick up points and learn the car. If there's half a chance, and others don't score heavily early on, he'll get himself into the title chase. Team-mate Andy Neate will want to learn from Plato and achieve a consistency that was lacking last year.

Motorbase Performance
Car: Ford Focus ST

#4. Mat Jackson (GB)
BTCC debut: 2007*
Starts: 142
Wins: 16
Poles: 2
Fastest laps: 16
2011: 4th in BTCC

#5. Aron Smith (IRL)
BTCC debut: 2011
Starts: 3
Best finish:10th
Best qualifying: 15th
Fastest laps: 0
2011: 2nd in Renault Clio UK Cup, 24th in BTCC

#6. Liam Griffin (GB)
BTCC debut: 2011
Starts: 30
Best finish 9th
Best qualifying: 14th
Fastest laps: 0
2011: 21st in BTCC

One of the top privateer outfits, Motorbase expands to three cars full-time this year. To fight for the championship - as it did in 2011 - the team will need a good start. It stays with the turbocharged S2000 Ford Focus, which could be an advantage while other teams struggle to develop their new cars and find reliability. Mat Jackson can be relied upon to get the most out of the car and should be a title threat if he can avoid the odd scrape he got into last season. Aron Smith has limited BTCC experience, but has shown promise, while Liam Griffin will want to build on a difficult rookie season in 2011.

WSR
Car: BMW 320si

#8. Rob Collard (GB)
BTCC debut: 2003*
Starts: 233
Wins: 4
Best qualifying: 2nd
Fastest laps: 10
2011: 8th in BTCC

#18. Nick Foster (GB)
BTCC debut: 2011
Starts: 30
Best finish: 2nd
Best qualifying: 11th
Fastest laps: 0
2011: 14th in BTCC

#38. Tom Onslow-Cole (GB)
BTCC debut: 2007
Starts: 130
Wins: 7
Poles: 4
Fastest laps: 0
2011: 13th in BTCC

The team that took the title with Colin Turkington in 2009 adds another car to its line-up this season. It also brings in Neil Brown-prepared turbos to the well-proven BMW chassis. If it can make the combination work as hoped, there's no reason to think the rear-wheel-drive machines can't be in contention.

Rob Collard has come along way as a touring car driver and knows the BMW well, and it will be interesting to see how Tom Onslow-Cole will fare against him after a promising spell at Arena. Nick Foster was a solid pair of hands in his rookie BTCC season and could spring the odd surprise.

Eurotech Racing
Car: Honda Civic

#77. Andrew Jordan (GB)
BTCC debut: 2008
Starts: 119
Wins: 3
Poles: 1
Fastest laps: 1
2011: 6th in BTCC

#55. Jeff Smith (GB)
BTCC debut: 2010
Starts: 33
Best finish: 5th
Best qualifying: 6th
Fastest laps: 0
2011: 17th in BTCC

Eurotech has a great opportunity over the next two years. Running two new NGTC Honda Civics and working with the works team could allow the squad to challenge consistently at the front of the field. Andrew Jordan is now an established touring car driver and was superb on occasions last season. If the car is reliable, he will be expecting wins and has fine benchmarks in Neal and Shedden in the factory cars. Jeff Smith's car control makes him spectacular, but also prone to incidents, which team boss Mike Jordan will be trying to reduce in 2012.

Dynojet
Car: Toyota Avensis

#11. Frank Wrathall (GB)
BTCC debut: 2011
Starts: 26
Best finish: 2nd
Best qualifying: 3rd
Fastest laps: 2
2011: 12th in BTCC

Frank Wrathall and his team stepped up from the Ginetta G50 Cup last season and won many friends in the BTCC paddock. Once problems with the new NGTC car were overcome, Wrathall's Toyota Avensis showed an impressive turn of speed and the 25-year-old looked comfortable running at the sharp end.

The extra NGTC experience should have made Wrathall one of the favourites for 2012, at least at the start of the year, but his budget came together late. That has meant little testing with his revised Avensis, so even the man himself isn't quite sure where he is going to slot in. One to watch nevertheless.

Rob Austin Racing
Car: Audi A4

#13. Rob Austin (GB)
BTCC debut: 2011
Starts: 25
Best finish: 2nd
Best qualifying: 3rd
Fastest laps: 1
2011: 16th in BTCC

#31. Mark Hazell (GB)
BTCC debut: 2012
Starts: 0
Wins: 0
Poles: 0
Fastest laps: 0
2011: Did not race

Like Dynojet, Rob Austin Racing had to fight its way through NGTC issues early last year. Also like Frank Wrathall, Austin showed pace when the worst of the issues were behind him, but bad luck prevented the Audi team from scoring as heavily as its Toyota counterpart. The rear-wheel-drive machines have been 'vastly improved' with more new parts than old, according to Austin himself. The team boss is still looking for funding and is competing on a race-by-race basis, but is likely to be both spectacular and rapid whenever he appears. Mark Hazell is confirmed for the full year, but will take time to get up to speed in the BTCC.

Team ES Racing
Car: Vauxhall Vectra

#17. Dave Newsham (GB)
BTCC debut: 2011
Starts: 27
Best finish: 4th
Best qualifying: 8th
Fastest laps: 1
2011: 15th in BTCC

#78. Chris James (GB)
BTCC debut: 2011
Starts: 28
Best finish: 12th
Best qualifying: 19th
Fastest laps: 0
2011: Unclassified in BTCC

Team ES goes from running one normally-aspirated Chevrolet Lacetti last year to two turbocharged Vauxhall Vectras for 2012. Chris James will be doing well to join the midfield battle and has had a couple of testing incidents, but Dave Newsham could be more of a threat. The former Renault Clio Cup champion showed well when he had the chance last year and was quickest at the Silverstone media day in March. Few expect him to be a title contender, but it would not be a surprise to see Newsham scoring some solid points, especially in the early rounds.

Speedworks Motorsport
Car: Toyota Avensis

#33. Adam Morgan (GB)
BTCC debut: 2012
Starts: 0
Wins: 0
Poles: 0
Fastest laps: 0
2011: Ginetta GT Supercup champion

#50. Tony Hughes (GB)
BTCC debut: 2011
Starts: 17
Best finish: 14th
Best qualifying: 21st
Fastest laps: 0
2011: Unclassified in BTCC

A team with experience in Ginettas and GTs, Speedworks stepped into the BTCC last year with a new NGTC Toyota for Tony Hughes. The usual NGTC problems, combined with a driver of limited experience, made for a frustrating season.

Hughes will be hoping for more reliability in 2012, but the team's best results are likely to come from Adam Morgan. He has graduated to the BTCC as a prize for winning the 2011 Ginetta GT Supercup, a campaign that should help the 23-year-old score some points in his rookie year.

Thorney Motorsport
Car: Vauxhall Insignia

#66. John Thorne (GB)
BTCC debut: 2012
Starts: 0
Wins: 0
Poles: 0
Fastest laps: 0
2011: Selected British Endurance Championship races

Thorney has a decent record in UK club tin-top racing and spent much of last year preparing its striking NGTC Vauxhall Insignia. A brief appearance at Silverstone aside, the Brands Hatch opener will be the car's first proper outing.

Team boss John Thorne is confirmed in one car, while Rob Hedley is expected to join him later in the season in a second example. Given that the car, driver and team are unknowns at this level, it's hard to see the Insignia threatening the frontrunners, but the squad could become a popular minnow.

Tony Gilham Racing
Car: Honda Civic

#34. Tony Gilham (GB)
BTCC debut: 2011
Starts: 27
Best finish: 8th
Best qualifying: 11th
Fastest laps: 0
2011: 19th in BTCC

Tony Gilham scored points on his BTCC debut with a Triple 8 Vauxhall Vectra last year and showed some promise. As the TOCA-engined cars fell back slightly he found things tougher, and Gilham's switch to Geoff Steel Racing was no better as the team developed its turbocharged BMW.

This season, Gilham has his hands on one of the S2000 Civics that helped Honda to the 2011 manufacturers' and teams' crowns, so there's no doubting the quality of equipment. Gilham is unlikely to be challenging for race wins, but expect the luridly liveried Civic to score points.

Welch Motorsport
Car: Proton Persona

#12. Dan Welch (GB)
BTCC debut: 2011
Starts: 15
Best finish: 10th
Best qualifying: 11th
Fastest laps: 0
2011: 22nd in BTCC

Another to make the step into the BTCC with NGTC last year, Dan Welch impressed many with his pace and attitude. There was a late start with the Proton, probably one of the better looking cars in the series, and various niggles along the way that prevented better results.

With that experience behind them, team and driver should be better prepared coming into 2012. The only trouble is that more of the opposition will be running NGTC machines and most have more experience at this level or better resources. Nevertheless, Welch should be in the midfield battle for points.

Team Wood Racing
Car: Vauxhall Vectra

#43. Lea Wood (GB)
BTCC debut: 2010
Starts: 36
Best finish: 7th
Best qualifying: 13th
Fastest laps: 0
2011: 20th in BTCC

Lea Wood was never going to be challenging for wins in 2011 with the ancient Honda Integra-R, a model that won the title with Neal as far back as 2005. An inspired drive to seventh at a wet Oulton Park showed that Wood has some ability and this year he gets his hands on a Vauxhall Vectra.

The car isn't exactly in the first flush of youth, but it should be competitive enough to help Wood move up the field. How he compares with Newsham in Team ES Racing's similar car will be a good gauge of just how much potential Wood has.

AmD Tuning
Car: Volkswagen Golf

#48. Ollie Jackson (GB)
BTCC debut: 2011
Starts: 6
Best finish: 11th
Best qualifying: 15th
Fastest laps: 0
2011: 6th in British GT4 Championship, 6 races in BTCC

This popular team brings its Volkswagen Golf back to the championship for a third season. The car showed flashes of promise in 2011 and AmD has had its smoothest pre-season preparation this time around.

The ultimate potential of the Golf is hard to gauge and the same could be said for AmD's latest driver, Ollie Jackson. He is something of an unknown quantity, but his performances in British GT and the Porsche Carrera Cup suggest he should be able to hold his own. What would be good for AmD is if it could have driver stability this year after three different pilots raced the Golf last year.

*Stats do not include appearances in BTCC production class from 2000-04.