The top 10 BTCC drivers of 2012
After a hard-fought, 30-race season and a championship fight which went down to the final round, AUTOSPORT's BTCC reporter Kevin Turner picks out the best performers of 2012
The top 10 British Touring Car drivers of 2012
1. Gordon Shedden (GB)
Championship position: 1st (408 points)
Team and car: Team Dynamics/Honda Racing NGTC Honda Civic
Starts: 30
Wins: 8
Poles: 0
Fastest laps: 8
Electrical gremlins, fire, disqualification (twice), and low turbo boost. Shedden had to put up with all these things during 2012, so it wasn't exactly an easy run to the championship. He nevertheless kept battling away and was invariably brilliant in the races, especially in the wet, with Honda's fine Civic chassis. Shedden also managed to put together a clean campaign, usually avoiding the incidents that were inevitable in such close racing. A deserving and popular new BTCC champion.
2. Jason Plato (GB)
Championship position: 3rd (376 points)
Team and car: Triple Eight NGTC MG6
Starts: 30
Wins: 6
Poles: 5
Fastest laps: 7
With the MG deal coming relatively late, Plato and Triple Eight were expecting 2012 to be a learning year. Technical problems - most notably at Oulton and Croft - showed the truth in that, but it didn't stop a title challenge. A shock victory at the Brands opener was a tad ahead of schedule, but the MG6 became a force in the dry in the second half of the season, even though its wet-weather form remained a weakness. There were a few unnecessary clashes, but overall Plato did a great job to take six wins and give himself a chance of the crown.
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