Shaun Watson-Smith
Encyclopedia
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. He was class B champion in 1995 driving his Opel two litre Astra
and also won his debut race in the South African Touring Car Championship. After finishing third in class in 1996, he went on to dominate the championship winning the title in 1997 and 1998. In 1999 he drove in the South African Touring Car Championship, finishing tenth on points in a Petronas Opel Vectra
. He went on to finish second in the final full year of the championship. From 2001 through to 2003, he raced in the WesBank V8 Series, driving a Opel Astra
. He never raced a full season, but won several selected races that he drove in.
In 2004 he got his big break in the British Touring Car Championship
driving a works Proton Impian for Petronas Syntium Proton, alongside team mate Fariqe Hairuman
. He impressed many people with his driving and pace that season, but the team was under-funded and the car was well off the pace of the other works teams. He placed fourteenth on points and at the end of the season Proton withdrew from the championship and he returned to South Africa.
Opel
Adam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
team, helping to develop the new car. He was class B champion in 1995 driving his Opel two litre Astra
Astra
-Religion and mythology:* Astra in Sanskrit* Astra Planeta:**Children of Astraeus in Greek mythology, gods of the five wandering stars**The wandering stars, or naked-eye planets, themselves-Comics and manga:...
and also won his debut race in the South African Touring Car Championship. After finishing third in class in 1996, he went on to dominate the championship winning the title in 1997 and 1998. In 1999 he drove in the South African Touring Car Championship, finishing tenth on points in a Petronas Opel Vectra
Opel Vectra
The Opel Vectra is a large family car that was engineered and produced by Opel. In the United Kingdom, the car was sold under the Vauxhall marque as the Vauxhall Cavalier and later as the Vauxhall Vectra, from 1995 onwards...
. He went on to finish second in the final full year of the championship. From 2001 through to 2003, he raced in the WesBank V8 Series, driving a Opel Astra
Opel Astra
The Opel Astra is a small family car engineered and manufactured by the German automaker Opel since 1991.It is branded as Vauxhall Astra in the United Kingdom, the Buick Excelle XT in China and the Chevrolet Astra/Vectra in Latin America...
. He never raced a full season, but won several selected races that he drove in.
In 2004 he got his big break in the British Touring Car Championship
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...
driving a works Proton Impian for Petronas Syntium Proton, alongside team mate 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...
. He impressed many people with his driving and pace that season, but the team was under-funded and the car was well off the pace of the other works teams. He placed fourteenth on points and at the end of the season Proton withdrew from the championship and he returned to South Africa.