BTC-T Proton Impian
Encyclopedia
The Malaysian company Proton
announced it was to join the BTCC
in 2002 with its Impian saloon car. In fact, this was actually more of a semi-works effort run under the guise of Team Petronas Syntium Proton (Team PSP, a highly successful saloon car racing team from Asia who were backed by the might of the Petronas
oil company. Based in Norfolk
, the team built up the cars from roadcars from local dealerships, due to it being difficult to get bodyshells all the way from Malaysia. This hindered the car slightly, as it was overweight due to its origins, as are most racecars which don't come from bare bodyshells. It did have a strong Mountune Racing
engine however, which gave good speed on the straights and in the wet. David Leslie
gave the car several podium finishes in 2002, while teammate Phil Bennett
struggled to maintain the form he showed in 2001 at the Egg Vauxhall team. The status quo was maintained for 2003, but the car was still uncompetitive compared to the rest of the field and finishes in the lower half of the top ten was as good as it got.
For 2004, the driver lineup changed completely. South African driver Shaun Watson-Smith
and Malaysian youngster Fariqe Hairuman
were drafted in, but despite Watson-Smith's promising performances, the plug was pulled on the BTCC
programme at the end of their three year deal and the cars were taken back to Malaysia. It did get a new lease of life however, as Team PSP ran Hairuman, Mashlino Buang and Michael Briggs
in the Asian Touring Car Championship
in the rebadged Waja saloon as it was known in its home country. In a sparse field mixed with S2000
and Super Production machinery, the Waja did finally win its first races of its career. In 2007, Team Petronas went down the S2000
route, meaning the end of a 5 year programme for the Impian/Waja.
Proton
The proton is a subatomic particle with the symbol or and a positive electric charge of 1 elementary charge. One or more protons are present in the nucleus of each atom, along with neutrons. The number of protons in each atom is its atomic number....
announced it was to join the BTCC
British Touring Car Championship
The British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s...
in 2002 with its Impian saloon car. In fact, this was actually more of a semi-works effort run under the guise of Team Petronas Syntium Proton (Team PSP, a highly successful saloon car racing team from Asia who were backed by the might of the Petronas
Petronas
PETRONAS, short for Petroliam Nasional Berhad, is a Malaysian oil and gas company that was founded on August 17, 1974. Wholly owned by the Government of Malaysia, the corporation is vested with the entire oil and gas resources in Malaysia and is entrusted with the responsibility of developing and...
oil company. Based in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, the team built up the cars from roadcars from local dealerships, due to it being difficult to get bodyshells all the way from Malaysia. This hindered the car slightly, as it was overweight due to its origins, as are most racecars which don't come from bare bodyshells. It did have a strong Mountune Racing
Mountune Racing
Mountune Racing is a specialist automotive engineering company. It was formed in 1980 by Dave Mountain to provide Mini race engines.In the late 1980s, Mountune started preparing Cosworth YB engines for motorsport, producing numerous championships, and forging a long-term association with Ford...
engine however, which gave good speed on the straights and in the wet. David Leslie
David Leslie (racing driver)
David Leslie was a racing driver. He was most associated with the British Touring Car Championship, in which he was runner-up in 1999. He was particularly noted for his development skill, helping both Honda and Nissan become BTCC race winners...
gave the car several podium finishes in 2002, while teammate Phil Bennett
Phil Bennett
Phillip Bennett was a Welsh international rugby union fly half from 1969 to 1978. His flair and range of tricks, including his famous sidestep and swerve, meant he was a firm favourite with crowds.-Rugby career:...
struggled to maintain the form he showed in 2001 at the Egg Vauxhall team. The status quo was maintained for 2003, but the car was still uncompetitive compared to the rest of the field and finishes in the lower half of the top ten was as good as it got.
For 2004, the driver lineup changed completely. South African driver Shaun Watson-Smith
Shaun Watson-Smith
Shaun Watson-Smith is a South African racing driver who has mainly raced in Touring Cars. He first entered the national production car championship in 1991, winning the overall championship a year later in 1992. In 1994 he got a works drive for the Opel team, helping to develop the new car...
and Malaysian youngster Fariqe Hairuman
Fariqe Hairuman
-BTCC:Fariqe is possibly best known as a driver for Team PETRONAS Syntium Proton in the British Touring Car Championship in 2004.-ATCC:He is also known for having driven in the Asian Touring Car Championship...
were drafted in, but despite Watson-Smith's promising performances, the plug was pulled on the BTCC
British Touring Car Championship
The British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s...
programme at the end of their three year deal and the cars were taken back to Malaysia. It did get a new lease of life however, as Team PSP ran Hairuman, Mashlino Buang and Michael Briggs
Michael Briggs (racing driver)
Michael Briggs is a South African auto racing driver.-Career:He started saloon racing in 1987 with the national Group N Saloon Car Championship, winning the title five times. In 1991 he won the South African GTI Championship...
in the Asian Touring Car Championship
Asian Touring Car Championship
The Asian Touring Car Series is a touring car racing series that takes place each year across several Asian nations. It includes events at circuits in Malaysia, China and Indonesia. It ran as the Asian Touring Car Championship between 2000-2001, and 2005-2006.The championship consists of three...
in the rebadged Waja saloon as it was known in its home country. In a sparse field mixed with S2000
Honda S2000
The Honda S2000 is a roadster that was manufactured by the Japanese automaker Honda Motor Company. It was launched in April 1999 and was created to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary. The car was first shown as a concept at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1995, following which it was launched in...
and Super Production machinery, the Waja did finally win its first races of its career. In 2007, Team Petronas went down the S2000
Honda S2000
The Honda S2000 is a roadster that was manufactured by the Japanese automaker Honda Motor Company. It was launched in April 1999 and was created to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary. The car was first shown as a concept at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1995, following which it was launched in...
route, meaning the end of a 5 year programme for the Impian/Waja.
Car 1
- 2002 - David LeslieDavid Leslie (racing driver)David Leslie was a racing driver. He was most associated with the British Touring Car Championship, in which he was runner-up in 1999. He was particularly noted for his development skill, helping both Honda and Nissan become BTCC race winners...
- 2003 - Phil BennettPhil BennettPhillip Bennett was a Welsh international rugby union fly half from 1969 to 1978. His flair and range of tricks, including his famous sidestep and swerve, meant he was a firm favourite with crowds.-Rugby career:...
- 2004 - Fariqe HairumanFariqe Hairuman-BTCC:Fariqe is possibly best known as a driver for Team PETRONAS Syntium Proton in the British Touring Car Championship in 2004.-ATCC:He is also known for having driven in the Asian Touring Car Championship...
- 2005 - Mashlino Buang Asian Touring Car ChampionshipAsian Touring Car ChampionshipThe Asian Touring Car Series is a touring car racing series that takes place each year across several Asian nations. It includes events at circuits in Malaysia, China and Indonesia. It ran as the Asian Touring Car Championship between 2000-2001, and 2005-2006.The championship consists of three...
- 2006 - Mashlino Buang Asian Touring Car ChampionshipAsian Touring Car ChampionshipThe Asian Touring Car Series is a touring car racing series that takes place each year across several Asian nations. It includes events at circuits in Malaysia, China and Indonesia. It ran as the Asian Touring Car Championship between 2000-2001, and 2005-2006.The championship consists of three...
Car 2
- 2002 - Phil BennettPhil BennettPhillip Bennett was a Welsh international rugby union fly half from 1969 to 1978. His flair and range of tricks, including his famous sidestep and swerve, meant he was a firm favourite with crowds.-Rugby career:...
- 2003/04/05 - Unused
- 2006 - Michael BriggsMichael Briggs (racing driver)Michael Briggs is a South African auto racing driver.-Career:He started saloon racing in 1987 with the national Group N Saloon Car Championship, winning the title five times. In 1991 he won the South African GTI Championship...
Asian Touring Car ChampionshipAsian Touring Car ChampionshipThe Asian Touring Car Series is a touring car racing series that takes place each year across several Asian nations. It includes events at circuits in Malaysia, China and Indonesia. It ran as the Asian Touring Car Championship between 2000-2001, and 2005-2006.The championship consists of three...
Car 3
- 2003 - David LeslieDavid Leslie (racing driver)David Leslie was a racing driver. He was most associated with the British Touring Car Championship, in which he was runner-up in 1999. He was particularly noted for his development skill, helping both Honda and Nissan become BTCC race winners...
- 2004 - Shaun Watson-SmithShaun Watson-SmithShaun Watson-Smith is a South African racing driver who has mainly raced in Touring Cars. He first entered the national production car championship in 1991, winning the overall championship a year later in 1992. In 1994 he got a works drive for the Opel team, helping to develop the new car...
- 2005 - Fariqe HairumanFariqe Hairuman-BTCC:Fariqe is possibly best known as a driver for Team PETRONAS Syntium Proton in the British Touring Car Championship in 2004.-ATCC:He is also known for having driven in the Asian Touring Car Championship...
Asian Touring Car ChampionshipAsian Touring Car ChampionshipThe Asian Touring Car Series is a touring car racing series that takes place each year across several Asian nations. It includes events at circuits in Malaysia, China and Indonesia. It ran as the Asian Touring Car Championship between 2000-2001, and 2005-2006.The championship consists of three... - 2006 - Fariqe HairumanFariqe Hairuman-BTCC:Fariqe is possibly best known as a driver for Team PETRONAS Syntium Proton in the British Touring Car Championship in 2004.-ATCC:He is also known for having driven in the Asian Touring Car Championship...
Asian Touring Car ChampionshipAsian Touring Car ChampionshipThe Asian Touring Car Series is a touring car racing series that takes place each year across several Asian nations. It includes events at circuits in Malaysia, China and Indonesia. It ran as the Asian Touring Car Championship between 2000-2001, and 2005-2006.The championship consists of three...