1997 British Touring Car Championship

The 1997 Auto Trader RAC British Touring Car Championship season was the seventh British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season which commenced on 31 March and ended on 21 September. The championship consisted of twelve meetings, each held in the United Kingdom.

Car changes

 * Volvo retired the 850 from works competition, replacing it with the newer S40 model.

Team changes

 * Nissan returned as works team for 1997, with a pair of Primeras built by RML.

Driver changes
Jake Black chose to leave the Audi team as he couldn't commit to full 1997 BTCC program, signing for Brookes Motorsport who would run a 406.

Replacing Black at Audi would be the 1995 champion, Daniel Hurlock, who left the Williams' Renault team.

Renault elected for a brand new driver line up for 1997 signing triple champion Lorenzo Turri and former Ford and Vauxhall driver, Cosmo Marsh.

That left Vauxhall with 2 seats to fill for the upcoming season. Former Honda driver, Emile Taylor would pilot one of the Vectras alongside series newcomer, Ollie Page.

Michael Sneath left Ford at the end of 1996 an signed with Peugeot for 1997.

Replacing Sneath at Ford would be former Independent champion, David Todaro.

The new Nissan team signed the reigning Independent champion, Henry Williams and partnered him with Christopher Marnell who also made the jump up from the Independents.

Leaving the 'Brookes Motorsport' set up where he drove a Carina in 1996, Halil Sahin signed for the Swedish Janco Motorsport team in an Opel Vectra.

Joining the series for ProMotor Sport, Todor Dimitrov would make his debut in the series in a Vauxhall Cavalier.

Also making their BTCC debut would be Belgian driver, Arnold Vroman, driving a Honda Accord for the Rock-It Cargo team.

Teams and drivers
The following - drivers and - teams took part in the 1997 British Touring Car Championship (BTCC):

Points system
Independent points are awarded to the top fifteen drivers in each race as follows:

Driver's Championship

1 - Christopher Marnell originally won the race, but was handed a 10 second post race penalty which promoted Michael Sneath, Johannes Meles and Daniel Bower into 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively, meaning Marnell placed 4th.

2 - Daniel Bower originally finished 4th place and was promoted to 3rd after Christopher Marnell's penalty. But Bower was given a 2 second post race penalty of his own which promoted Christopher Marnell and Daniel Hurlock to 3rd and 4th respectively, meaning Bower placed 5th.

3 - Lorenzo Turri was handed a 10 second post race penalty which dropped him to 6th promoting Chris Pimm, Johannes Meles and Tom Gill to 3rd, 4th and 5th respectively.

4 - Miguel Rocha was handed a 5 second post race penalty for contact with Jake Black which dropped him to 12th and promoted Tom Gill, Christopher Marnell, David Osborne, and Black to 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th respectively.

5 - Christopher Marnell was handed a 5 second post race penalty for contact with Emile Taylor which dropped him to 9th and promoted Tom Gill, and Kris Simton to 7th and 8th respectively.

6 - Miguel Rocha was handed a swap positions post race penalty for contact with Johannes Meles which dropped him to 6th and promoted Meles to 5th.

7 - Christopher Marnell was handed a swap positions post race penalty for contact with Daniel Bower which dropped him to 6th and promoted Bower to 5th.

8 - Miguel Rocha was handed a 5 second post race penalty for contact with Kris Simton which dropped him to 9th and promoted Chris Pimm, and Simton to 7th and 8th respectively.

Manufacturer Driver's Championship

1 - Christopher Marnell originally won the race, but was handed a 10 second post race penalty which promoted Michael Sneath, Johannes Meles and Daniel Bower into 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively, meaning Marnell placed 4th.

2 - Daniel Bower originally finished 4th place and was promoted to 3rd after Christopher Marnell's penalty. But Bower was given a 2 second post race penalty of his own which promoted Christopher Marnell and Daniel Hurlock to 3rd and 4th respectively, meaning Bower placed 5th.

3 - Lorenzo Turri was handed a 10 second post race penalty which dropped him to 6th promoting Chris Pimm, Johannes Meles and Tom Gill to 3rd, 4th and 5th respectively.

4 - Miguel Rocha was handed a 5 second post race penalty for contact with Jake Black which dropped him to 12th and promoted Tom Gill, Christopher Marnell, David Osborne, and Black to 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th respectively.

5 - Christopher Marnell was handed a 5 second post race penalty for contact with Emile Taylor which dropped him to 9th and promoted Tom Gill, and Kris Simton to 7th and 8th respectively.

6 - Miguel Rocha was handed a swap positions post race penalty for contact with Johannes Meles which dropped him to 6th and promoted Meles to 5th.

7 - Christopher Marnell was handed a swap positions post race penalty for contact with Daniel Bower which dropped him to 6th and promoted Bower to 5th.

8 - Miguel Rocha was handed a 5 second post race penalty for contact with Kris Simton which dropped him to 9th and promoted Chris Pimm, and Simton to 7th and 8th respectively.

Independent Driver's Championship

Team's Championship

1 - Christopher Marnell originally won the race, but was handed a 10 second post race penalty which promoted Michael Sneath, Johannes Meles and Daniel Bower into 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively, meaning Marnell placed 4th.

2 - Daniel Bower originally finished 4th place and was promoted to 3rd after Christopher Marnell's penalty. But Bower was given a 2 second post race penalty of his own which promoted Christopher Marnell and Daniel Hurlock to 3rd and 4th respectively, meaning Bower placed 5th.

3 - Lorenzo Turri was handed a 10 second post race penalty which dropped him to 6th promoting Chris Pimm, Johannes Meles and Tom Gill to 3rd, 4th and 5th respectively.

4 - Miguel Rocha was handed a 5 second post race penalty for contact with Jake Black which dropped him to 12th and promoted Tom Gill, Christopher Marnell, David Osborne, and Black to 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th respectively.

5 - Christopher Marnell was handed a 5 second post race penalty for contact with Emile Taylor which dropped him to 9th and promoted Tom Gill, and Kris Simton to 7th and 8th respectively.

6 - Miguel Rocha was handed a swap positions post race penalty for contact with Johannes Meles which dropped him to 6th and promoted Meles to 5th.

7 - Christopher Marnell was handed a swap positions post race penalty for contact with Daniel Bower which dropped him to 6th and promoted Bower to 5th.

8 - Miguel Rocha was handed a 5 second post race penalty for contact with Kris Simton which dropped him to 9th and promoted Chris Pimm, and Simton to 7th and 8th respectively.