# 1990 British Touring Car Championship

The 1990 Esso RAC British Touring Car Championship season was the 33rd British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season and marked the last year of the Group A era. It was also the final year of the multi-class format.

## Changes for 1990

* Classes changed from four to two. Group A cars now ran alongside the all new 2 litre Touring Car Formula, with a view to a single class formula for 1991. This was to encourage new manufacturers to enter the series, with a more even field of cars and cheaper running costs. BMW and Vauxhall already entered works teams this year, with other manufacturers showing interest for future seasons.
* One hour endurance races increased from one to two.

## Season summary

The first race was won by Andy Rouse in his Ford Sierra RS500. He also won the first 1 Hour endurance race at Donington Park GP with David Sears. The next race at Thruxton was won by Robb Gravett. Gravett also won the next six races including the second 1 Hour endurance race at Brands Hatch with Mike Smith. Rouse won the Birmingham Superprix. This would be best remembered for the last lap accident between Frank Sytner and John Cleland. It would be the last time that the BTCC would race on the track. Gravett then won at Donington. The last two races, at Thruxton and Silverstone, were won by Rouse and Gravett. It was Gravett who won the championship, despite the team's struggle to run through the season on a low budget with no main sponsor.

## Teams and drivers

| Team | Car | No. | Drivers | Rounds | Endurance Drivers |
| Class A ||||||
| ICS plc | Ford Sierra RS500 | 1 | Andy Rouse | All | David Sears$^{D†}$ Gary Ayles$^{B†}$ |
| Labatt's Team | Ford Sierra RS500 | 3 | Tim Harvey | All | Slim Borgudd$^†$ |
| Labatt's Team | Ford Sierra RS500 | 10 | Laurence Bristow | All | Tomas Mezera$^{D†}$ Paul Radisich$^{B†}$ |
| FAI Auto Parts | Ford Sierra RS500 | 4 | Sean Walker | All | Ian Flux$^†$ |
| Listerine Racing Team | Ford Sierra RS500 | 5 | Mike Newman | 1, 3–6, 10–11, 13 | |
| Listerine Racing Team | Ford Sierra RS500 | 5 | Andy Middlehurst | 9 | |
| Listerine Racing Team | Ford Sierra RS500 | 15 | Graham Goode | All | Mike Newman$^{D†}$ Dave Brodie$^{B†}$ |
| Trakstar Motorsport | Ford Sierra RS500 | 11 | Robb Gravett | All | Stig Blomqvist$^{D†}$ Mike Smith$^{B†}$ |
| Trakstar Motorsport | Ford Sierra RS500 | 12 | Mike Smith | 1, 6, 13 | |
| Trakstar Motorsport | Ford Sierra RS500 | 14 | Graham Hathaway | 2 | Mike Smith$^{D†}$ |
| Hathaway Racing | Ford Sierra RS500 | 14 | Graham Hathaway | 3–7, 9 | Vince Woodman$^{B†}$ |
| Brodie-Brittain Racing | Ford Sierra RS500 | 20 | Dave Brodie | 8, 11–12 | |
| Stuart Donnan Racing | Ford Sierra RS500 | 21 | Stuart Donnan | 10, 13 | |
| Judge Developments | Ford Sierra RS500 | 22 | Dennis Leech | 4–6, 9–12 | |
| Crypton Engineering | Ford Sierra RS500 | 24 | Amato Ferrari | 9–10 | |
| Class B ||||||
| Vauxhall Motorsport | Vauxhall Cavalier | 50 | John Cleland | All | Chris Hodgetts$^†$ |
| Vauxhall Motorsport | Vauxhall Cavalier | 70 | Chris Hodgetts | 5–8, 10 | Bob Berridge$^{B†}$ |
| Vauxhall Motorsport | Vauxhall Cavalier | 70 | David Coulthard | 9 | Bob Berridge$^{B†}$ |
| Vauxhall Motorsport | Vauxhall Cavalier | 70 | Bob Berridge | 11 | Bob Berridge$^{B†}$ |
| Vauxhall Motorsport | Vauxhall Cavalier | 70 | Markus Oestreich | 12–13 | Bob Berridge$^{B†}$ |
| Hawaiian Tropic | Ford Sierra Sapphire | 51 | Ray Bellm | 1–4, 6, 11 | James Shead$^{D†}$ |
| Hawaiian Tropic | Ford Sierra Sapphire | 51 | Chris Hodgetts | 12–13 | James Shead$^{D†}$ |
| Ecosse Motorsport | BMW M3 | 52 | Ian Forrest | All | Bernard Hunter$^{D†}$ Tony Bridge$^{B†}$ |
| Ecosse Motorsport | BMW M3 | 53 | Hugh Chalmers | 1–2, 4–5, 7, 10 | Jimmy McRae$^†$ |
| Ecosse Motorsport | BMW M3 | 53 | Jimmy McRae | 3, 6 | Jimmy McRae$^†$ |
| Ecosse Motorsport | BMW M3 | 53 | John Llewellyn | 8 | Jimmy McRae$^†$ |
| Ecosse Motorsport | BMW M3 | 53 | Karl Jones | 9 | Jimmy McRae$^†$ |
| Ecosse Motorsport | BMW M3 | 53 | Jim McGaughay | 11, 13 | Jimmy McRae$^†$ |
| Ecosse Motorsport | BMW M3 | 53 | Chuck Nicholson | 12 | Jimmy McRae$^†$ |
| BMW Team Finance | BMW M3 | 55 | Frank Sytner | All | Kurt Luby$^†$ |
| BMW Team Finance | BMW M3 | 56 | Kelvin Burt | 1, 13 | Kelvin Burt$^†$ |
| BMW Team Finance | BMW M3 | 56 | Kurt Luby | 2–3, 6, 9–10, 12 | Kelvin Burt$^†$ |
| BMW Team Finance | BMW M3 | 56 | Tim Sugden | 4–5, 7–8, 11 | Kelvin Burt$^†$ |
| Techspeed Motorsport | BMW 318is | 57 | Nick Baird | 1–6, 8, 10–13 | David Carvell$^{D†}$ Nigel Corry$^{B†}$ |
| Techspeed Motorsport | BMW 318is | 57 | Robin Brundle | 7 | David Carvell$^{D†}$ Nigel Corry$^{B†}$ |
| HWR Motorsport | Vauxhall Belmont | 58 | Jeff Wilson | 11–13 | |
| BRR Motorsport | BMW M3 | 59 | Ian Flux | 12–13 | |
| John Maguire Racing | Mitsubishi Starion | 60 | Mark Hales | All | Graham Scarborough$^†$ |
| Pyramid Motorsport | BMW M3 | 66 | Nick Whale | 1–3, 5–13 | Gerrit van Kouwen$^†$ |
| Pyramid Motorsport | BMW M3 | 77 | Godfrey Hall | 1–12 | David Leslie$^†$ |
| Pyramid Motorsport | BMW M3 | 88 | John Clark | 1, 3–11, 13 | David Leslie$^{B†}$ |
| Pyramid Motorsport | BMW M3 | 88 | David Leslie | 12 | David Leslie$^{B†}$ |
| Arquati Racing Team | BMW M3 | 69 | Jerry Mahony | 1–6, 8 | Robbie Stirling$^{D†}$ |
| BMW Team Sweden | BMW M3 | 90 | Nettan Lindgren | 1–2, 5–7, 9–13 | Peggen Andersson$^†$ |
| Vic Lee Motorsport | BMW M3 | 99 | Jeff Allam | 3–13 | Vic Lee$^{B†}$ |
| PG Tags Racing | Honda Civic | 100 | Ray Armes | 1–7, 9–13 | Jeremy Rossiter$^†$ |