Christopher Leonard Hodgetts (born 6 December 1950 in Tanworth-in-Arden, Warwickshire) is a British former racing driver. He began his racing career in 1979, driving in the Clubman Class A championship.

BTCC career

Hodgetts debuted in the British Touring Car Championship in 1980. His first overall podium place came in 1981 when he came second. He was consistent in the top five after that, mostly driving for the works Toyota team. He came fourth in 1983, fifth in 1984, second in 1985, before winning the series in 1986 and 1987 at the wheel of a Group C Toyota CorollaAE86. The 1988 season was not a success. The new Group A Toyota Supra needed a lot of development and only a handful of good results were gained. His last race in the BTCC was in 1990. That season, he drove for the works Vauxhall team, helping to develop the new Vauxhall Cavalier. Towards the end of the year he switched to a Ford Sierra, before calling time on his BTCC career. During the 1989 season, Hodgetts was driving for Brooklyn in an iconic red Ford Sierra RS500.

After the BTCC

Besides racing in touring cars, Hodgetts also found success in sports car racing. He shared the BRDC C2 Championship with Tim Harvey in 1989 before retiring and won the TVR Tuscan Challenge in 1990. The 1994 season saw Chris in the Rover Turbo Challenge. He also drove in the World Sportscar Championship on occasion and had seven starts in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, representing team such as Mazdaspeed, Courage Compétition and Spice Engineering. He had a best finish of seventh place overall in the classic 24 hour race. In 1995 he won the GT2 title in the British GT Championship, driving a Marcos LM600. He retired after 1998, when he drove a Lola in the ISRS.

Hodgetts now works for Racing Team & Drivers as a driver instructor. His son Stefan raced in the BTCC in 2004.

Racing record

Complete British Saloon / Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position – 1980–1990 in class) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap – 1 point awarded ?–1989 in class)

YearTeamCarClass12345678910111213DCPtsClass
1980Hughes of BeaconsfieldToyota Celica GTBMAL 3†OUL 1†THR ?SIL 9SIL 7BRH DSQMALBRHTHR RetSIL ?6th451st
1981Hughes of BeaconsfieldToyota Celica GTBMAL Ret†SIL RetOUL 1†THR 11BRH 8†SIL 12SIL ?DON 1†BRH 8THR ?SIL 72nd741st
1982Chris HodgettsToyota Corolla GTBSILMALOULTHRTHRSILDON RetBRH RetDONBRHSILNC0NC
1983Brooklyn MotorsportFord Escort RS1600iCSIL 13OUL 14THR 13BRH RetTHR 12SIL 7DON RetSIL 13DON 9BRH 11SIL 103rd432nd
1984Brooklyn MotorsportFord Escort RS1600iCDON 10SIL 11OUL 11THR RetTHR RetSIL ?SNE 13BRH 11BRH RetDON 16SIL Ret5th452nd
1985Brooklyn Motorsport / ECSFord Escort RS1600iCSIL 10OUL 9THR 9DON 10THR 7SIL 13DON 14SIL 13SNE 10BRH 13BRH 10SIL DNS2nd771st
1986Team Toyota GB/DuckhamsToyota Corolla GTCSIL 9THR 4SIL 7DON 4BRH 12SNE 7BRH 5DON 7SIL 81st851st
1987Chris Hodgetts Motor SportToyota CorollaDSIL 8OUL 8THR 5THR 11SIL 9SIL 12BRH 7SNE 7DON 9OUL 3/5‡DON 8SIL1st841st
1988MIL MotorsportToyota Supra TurboASIL 8OUL RetTHRDON RetTHR 12SIL RetSILBRH33rd713th
Brooklyn MotorsportFord Sierra RS500BRH 7BIR CDON 3SIL Ret
Demon TweeksBMW M3BSNE RetNC0NC
1989Brooklyn MotorsportFord Sierra RS500AOUL 8SIL 6THR RetDON DNQTHR RetSIL 7SIL 8BRHSNEBRHBIR 4DON 1140th614th
JQF EngineeringSIL 5
1990Vauxhall MotorsportVauxhall CavalierBOULDON Ret‡THRSILOUL 15SIL 12BRH RetSNE 11BRHBIR 8DON16th469th
Hawaiian TropicFord Sierra SapphireTHR 7SIL 13

† Events with 2 races staged for the different classes.

‡ Endurance driver.

External links

Sporting positions
Preceded byAndy RouseBritish Touring Car Champion 1986–1987Succeeded byFrank Sytner