Patrick Watts
Encyclopedia
Patrick Watts is a British auto racing
driver. He excelled in single make series in the eighties and competed in saloons in the nineties, mainly in the British Touring Car Championship
. He still makes occasional appearances in historic racing events.
.
in the Peugeot Sport team with the Peugeot 405
. A good year for both driver and team saw him end the year in eighth place, including four podium finishes. Team mate for 1994, Eugene O'Brien, was replaced by newcomer Simon Harrison
in 1995. A slightly more troubled season ended with Watts in tenth place with two podiums.
The new look Total Team Peugeot had a new car in 1996 with the all new Peugeot 406
, along with a new team mate for Watts. Harrison was replaced with 1992 champion and fellow Farnborough racer Tim Harvey
. It what was always going to be a year of learning for Peugeot, the car failed to perform on the track, and he finished one down in sixteenth place, one position behind Harvey the lowest position for a works driver.
Despite higher hopes for 1997 with MSD running the team, the car performed little better despite an improvement towards the end of the season. In Germany the car was dominating but the British effort struggled mainly due to budget restrictions. Again he finished the year down in sixteenth. With the team struggling, he left at the end of the year and was replaced in 1998 by Paul Radisich
.
, where his race ended after a collision with Jason Plato
.
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
driver. He excelled in single make series in the eighties and competed in saloons in the nineties, mainly 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...
. He still makes occasional appearances in historic racing events.
Early career
His first title came in 1979, winning the National Mini 850 Championship. Between 1980 and 1982 he drove in various saloon cars before getting his first taste of the BTCC for Rover Metro Team in 1983 and 1984. In 1986 he raced in the Fiat Uno Turbo Championship. More titles followed, winning the inaugural Honda CRX Championship in 1988, and again in 1990. Also that year he won the Mazda MX5 championship. In 1991 he stepped up to the ESSO Production Saloon Car Championship, winning yet another title with a Peugeot 309Peugeot 309
The Peugeot 309 was a small family car manufactured between 1985 and 1993 in England and France.The 309 was originally intended to be badged as a Talbot and, as development progressed, to be called the Talbot Arizona...
.
BTCC Mazda
His success in 1991 earned him a drive in the 1992 British Touring Car Championship for the new works Shell Mazda Racing Team in a Mazda 323. The one car the team put out was not on the pace of most of the other works teams, and he finished the season in sixteenth place. In 1993, the team switched to a distinctively painted single Mazda Xedos 6. The new car performed much better than the 323, with some promising results throughout the year [Patrick lead races and qualified on the front row on more than one occasion]. Unfortunately his season was spoiled by often being caught up in several incidents, and he ended the championship in fifteenth place. Mazda did not continue to run a team in 1994, despite showing promise in 1993 [although a team of 2 semi-works cars ran half of the season].BTCC Peugeot
In 1994 he replaced Robb GravettRobb Gravett
Robb Gravett is a British retired racing driver and team owner, a winner of the 1987 Willhire 24 Hour, and the 1990 British Touring Car Championship winner with his own Trakstar team, in a Ford Sierra prepared by Australian magnate Dick Johnson...
in the Peugeot Sport team with the Peugeot 405
Peugeot 405
The Peugeot 405 is a large family car released by the French automaker Peugeot in July 1987 and which continues to be manufactured under licence outside France. It used TU/XU petrol and XUD diesel engines....
. A good year for both driver and team saw him end the year in eighth place, including four podium finishes. Team mate for 1994, Eugene O'Brien, was replaced by newcomer Simon Harrison
Simon Harrison
Simon Harrison is a British auto racing driver. Racing mainly in saloon cars, he is best known for his time spent in the British Touring Car Championship.-Racing career:...
in 1995. A slightly more troubled season ended with Watts in tenth place with two podiums.
The new look Total Team Peugeot had a new car in 1996 with the all new Peugeot 406
Peugeot 406
The Peugeot 406 was a large family car made by the French automaker Peugeot from 1995 to 2004. Available in saloon, estate and coupé bodystyles with a choice of petrol or turbodiesel engines, the 406 replaced the Peugeot 405 in Peugeot's lineup, and was itself replaced by the Peugeot 407...
, along with a new team mate for Watts. Harrison was replaced with 1992 champion and fellow Farnborough racer Tim Harvey
Tim Harvey
Tim Harvey is a racing driver from England. He was the 2008 and 2010 Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain Champion. A household name in the 1990s, Harvey won the prestigious BTCC title in 1992, and was a frontrunner for most of the late 80s and early 90s...
. It what was always going to be a year of learning for Peugeot, the car failed to perform on the track, and he finished one down in sixteenth place, one position behind Harvey the lowest position for a works driver.
Despite higher hopes for 1997 with MSD running the team, the car performed little better despite an improvement towards the end of the season. In Germany the car was dominating but the British effort struggled mainly due to budget restrictions. Again he finished the year down in sixteenth. With the team struggling, he left at the end of the year and was replaced in 1998 by Paul Radisich
Paul Radisich
Paul Radisich is a New Zealand racing driver of Croat origin. He has competed in saloon cars for many years - both European-style tourers and the V8 Supercars of Australia and New Zealand.-Early years:...
.
Post BTCC
He competed in the first two rounds of the Australian Touring Car Championship in 1999 (Peugeot 406), winning one race at round one and finishing 2nd in both races of round two. The race commentators called him "Paddy the Pom". After that he has done a few races including the Armajaro British Historic Rally Championship from 2004. His Touring Car efforts of the nineties were recognised in 2004 when he was selected to drive in the BTCC MastersBTCC Masters
The BTCC Masters was a one off race organised between TOCA director Alan J. Gow and SEAT. The race took place at Donington Park on September 26, 2004 at the end of the final race of the 2004 British Touring Car Championship season.-Race Concept:...
, where his race ended after a collision with Jason Plato
Jason Plato
Timothy Jason Plato is a British racing car driver currently competing in the BTCC for Silverline Chevrolet. He is a two time BTCC champion having previously won the series in 2001 when driving for Vauxhall and 2010 for Silverline Chevrolet. He has finished in the top 3 in the championship 8 times...
.