Author: Chris Ashby

BTCC begins new hybrid era at Thruxton Season Launch

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship officially lifted the curtain on the 2022 season at Thruxton Circuit this evening (April 12) with the launch of the all-new hybrid era. 

Becoming the first major touring car series in the world to integrate hybrid power into all of its race cars, the Season Launch event at the home of the British Automobile Racing Club saw the capacity 29-car grid unveiled and details on the new TOCA Hybrid shared.

First announced back in 2019 by Series Organisers TOCA, the hybrid system has been designed and developed by the world-renowned Cosworth Electronics. 

Drivers will be in control of when to deploy the hybrid system via a button on the steering wheel, which will see cars receive up to 15 seconds per lap of additional hybrid power – a benefit that can strategically be used to either attack or defend during racing conditions.

Full details on the new TOCA Hybrid introduction can be found HERE.

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, said: “When we announced in 2018 that we would be integrating hybrid power for this year, nobody knew the enormous headwinds that would confront us.

“The pandemic, the ongoing global supply chain issues (particularly with microchips and electronics), the further disruptions as a result of the terrible invasion of Ukraine and the significant price increases of just about everything across the board have all provided huge challenges to the project.

“So, it’s important that I acknowledge and thank the outstanding work that Cosworth, the teams, our suppliers and my TOCA Technical Team have put in to get where we are today. Yes, we were all up against it – we still are in some other areas – but the great effort that everyone has made against all those obstacles is something that we should all be incredibly proud of. So, my sincere appreciation goes out to everyone that really put their shoulders to the wheel and got this programme done.

“Whilst hybrid is the headline news for this year, we also have the introduction of a completely new TOCA engine by M-Sport which will be used by half the grid, the introduction of the new 20% sustainable fuel and a whole new Cosworth ECU and electronics system.

“So, with everything that is new for this year, it’s been a massive undertaking and we shouldn’t underestimate for a moment everything that went into this. Being the first touring car championship in the world to go hybrid meant there were no learnings that we could take from others, but I’m delighted that we’ve achieved this important milestone in the long and proud history of this championship.

“And of course, we will reap the rewards going forward, as hybrid keeps the BTCC absolutely relevant to the world around us and has future-proofed the championship – and the teams’ investments – for at least the next five years.

“Kwik Fit, Goodyear and ITV continue as our incredibly loyal, enthusiastic and highly committed partners and remain vital to the ongoing success of the BTCC, with the latter providing even greater coverage in 2022.

“We’re all looking forward to this new era in the BTCC and I thank everyone for playing their part in this amazing championship.”

The greater coverage that Gow alluded to is that the BTCC will once again enjoy live free-to-air TV coverage.

Whilst ITV4 will continue as the ‘home’ of the BTCC with its all-day-live and free-to-air coverage, both the Brands Hatch Indy (May 15) and Oulton Park (June 12) events will also be broadcast live on ITV for three hours on each race day.

“I’m incredibly proud that, once again, the BTCC reaches new heights in our UK television broadcasting,” added Gow. “As I’ve said many times, our live and free-to-air broadcasts are the envy of the sport – so for the ITV Network to further evolve and increase their coverage of the BTCC once again underlines their tremendous enthusiasm for, and commitment to, our great championship.”

Porsche Carrera Cup GB gears up for 20th anniversary season

The Porsche Carrera Cup GB is set to embark on a milestone season this year with the fastest single-marque GT championship in the UK celebrating its 20th anniversary by introducing a brand new car.

Having been at the forefront of one-make competition both nationally and internationally for two decades, the ultra-competitive series is set to usher in a new era in 2022 as it takes centre stage on the British Touring Car Championship support bill.

Going from strength to strength in recent years, the championship is set to scale new heights with the arrival of the sensational ‘Type 992’ 911 GT3 Cup – which made an appearance during testing at Thruxton last year.

Powered by an evolved 4.0-litre six-cylinder boxer engine producing 510 hp and 470 Nm torque, the car features a six-speed sequential gearbox which, for the first time, uses a paddleshift with an electronic actuator for faster, seamless gear shifts.

Providing a springboard for the careers such as former champions Dan Harper, Harry King, Charlie Eastwood and Dan Cammish, the championship is undoubtedly set to add another name to the aforementioned list in 2022.

With the likes of Redline Racing, JTR, Team Parker Racing and Richardson Racing, amongst several others, the battle for supremacy at the front of the field is set to be as competitive as ever.

Notable names to look out for over the course of the season include 2021 race winners Kiern Jewiss and Will Martin, Porsche GB Junior victory Adam Smalley, GT ace Seb Morris, Sprint Challenge GB champion Theo Edgerton and British GT title holder Gus Burton – to name but a few. 

The 20th season of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB gets underway at Donington Park on April 23/24.

Goodwood roars into life with action-packed 79th Members’ Meeting

Goodwood Motor Circuit lifted the curtain on what is set to be another captivating year of motorsport thrills on the West Sussex grounds this past weekend (April 9/10) as the 79th Members’ Meeting took centre stage.

Returning to its traditional Spring slot on the calendar after two COVID-affected years, the two-day spectacle took those in attendance on a spirited trip down memory lane 

Open to members and fellows of the Goodwood Road Racing Club, the event is staged to recapture the intimacy and camaraderie of the members-only race weekends held in Goodwood’s heyday – with the British Automobile Racing Club playing a significant role.

Arguably one of the highlights of the weekend was the two-part Gerry Marshall Trophy, which saw some of the most iconic tin tops that once graced the British Touring Car Championship go wheel-to-wheel.

Part one saw the Chevrolet Camaro pairing of Tetley and Buncombe comfortably win before Tetley underlined his dominance with a measured victory in the second bout.

Patrick Blakeney-Edwards enjoyed a memorable 79MM as he claimed an impressive brace of victories; one in the AFP Fane Trophy and the other in the Varzi Trophy.

The Derek Bell Cup saw a frenetic battle at the front however it was Andrew Hibberd that piloted a stunning Brabham-Ford BT18 to victory. Elsewhere, the team of Minshaw and Keen worked well to guide a 1964 Jaguar E-Type to claim overall honours in the Graham Hill Trophy.

Fans of two-wheeled racing were well catered for too courtesy of the Hailwood Trophy & Sheene Trophy. Levi Day and Dan Jackson scored a win apiece however it was Jackson that emerged on top on the combined result.

In the Surtees Trophy, less than half a second separated the top two at the end of a pulsating 25-minute encounter with Oliver Bryant narrowly getting the better of Rob Hall.

Andrew Kirkaldy, James Colburn, Charles Rainford and James Thorpe triumphed in the Robert Brooks Trophy, Sopwith Cup, Weslake Cup and Peter Collins Trophy respectively to round out the weekend.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at the Goodwood 79th Members’ Meeting, CLICK HERE. 

Thruxton opens new spectator viewing area around high-speed Noble corner

Thruxton Circuit will give spectators even more choice on where to watch the on-track action this year after recently opening a new viewing area overlooking the high-speed Noble corner.

In what is the latest development to take place at the Hampshire venue, significant work – much of it in ground preparation and new fencing – during the off-season will now give visitors a brand new vantage point to watch the action on two and four wheels in 2022.

Visitors will be able to watch competitors negotiate the Complex (Campbell, Cobb, Seagrave), then thread their way through the left-hander of Noble before powering their way towards Goodwood and on to Church, which remains the fastest corner in UK motorsport.

Circuit commentary unfortunately won’t be available at the new viewing section due to local planning restrictions however fans can tune in to Radio Thruxton – available on 87.7FM – to ensure they keep abreast of the action.

Pat Blakeney, Thruxton Circuit Manager, said: “I’m delighted to be able to open up this viewing area to spectators as it’s been on my wish list for a number of years. The view from here is absolutely stunning and one that spectators have previously never seen before”.

Thruxton’s first event of the season takes place on Wednesday 13th April as the British Touring Car Championship stages its 2022 Season Launch before the Classic Sports Car Club takes centre stage on April 23/24.

ROKiT British F4 edges closer to the start of new season

Preparations for the 2022 ROKit F4 British Championship certified by FIA continued this week as the single seater series held its official Season Launch at the Home of British Motor Racing, Silverstone.

Taking centre stage around the National circuit, teams and drivers had the opportunity to meet the media, showcase their liveries and take part in nearly six hours of testing ahead of the Donington Park curtain-raiser later this month. 

The 2022 campaign is one of change Britain’s FIA Formula 4 category with new organisers in Motorsport UK, the introduction of a new chassis, engine and tyre providers and a whole host of prizes that have been designed to create a pathway for drivers within the sport.

Many of Europe’s leading teams have entered the championship for this season including Virtuosi Racing, Hitech GP and Chris Dittmann Racing, who have joined Carlin, Phinsys by Argenti and JHR Developments – who set the pace on during Tuesday testing.

Joseph Loake, who enters his second season with the team, ended up setting a benchmark time of 54.032 seconds to claim the early bragging rights ahead of team-mate and fellow sophomore racer Georgi Dimitrov. 

Carlin and McLaren F1 Junior Ugo Ugochukwu ended the day third fastest whilst the Argenti duo of Aiden Neate and Mercedes F1 Junior Daniel Guinchard, who rounded out the top five.

Filling the remainder of the top ten was Williams F1 Junior Oliver Gray, Eduardo Coseteng, Louis Sharp, Michael Shin and Noah Lisle.

Less than three weeks now remain until the 2022 ROKiT British F4 season begins in front of a capacity trackside audience and ITV4’s television cameras at Donington Park.

Ginetta recruit Driving Standards Representatives for 2022 season

Ginetta has announced that it has recruited Tom Onslow-Cole, Jonny Kane and Thomas Erdos as its Driving Standards Representatives for the 2022 season.

Boasting a wealth of motorsport experience between them, the trio will be present at race events throughout the season with the aim of ensuring fair and competitive racing across Ginetta’s quartet of domestic championships. 

One Driving Standards Representative will be in attendance at each Ginetta race weekend to work directly with the Clerk of the Course and Ginetta. 

Working on all judicial procedures for breaches of the regulations regarding driving standards and driver conduct on and off track, the representative will utilise their racing experience and knowledge to assist in creating a transparent and consistent process for the application of penalties.

Ginetta’s four domestic championships this year are the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship, Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge and Ginetta GT Academy. 

Steph Bush, Ginetta Championships Manager, said: “This is an exciting new development for Ginetta and one that we are proud to be implementing. We feel it is vital to have a clear and consistent approach to managing driving standards and the judicial processes across our championships.

“Our driving standards representatives have a wealth of experience and will be a great asset to our team and the Clerk of the Course, as well as to the drivers and teams who should benefit from a clearer understanding of the consequences of breaching driving standards.

“Ginetta bring a lot of new drivers into British motorsport every season, many of whom go on to race in different categories in the UK and abroad, so we feel it is important to try and promote the highest driving standards possible for them to carry through their racing careers.”

BARC quartet serve up spectacular Oulton Park race day

The British Automobile Racing Club took centre stage at Oulton Park this past Saturday (April 2) where four championships played their part in what proved to be an entertaining race day. 

Organised and run by the Club’s North West Centre, the sun shone on the picturesque Cheshire venue as an enthusiastic crowd lined the bankings to watch a frenetic day of wheel-to-wheel action.

After kicking off their 2022 season at Silverstone last month, the British Endurance Championship took centre stage for a two-hour contest which ultimately ended up being dominated by the Rob Boston Racing Mercedes AMG GT3 of Wayne Marrs and Tom Jackson.

Set a blistering pace to snare pole position during a truncated qualifying session, the duo proved to be in a league of their own as they charged to victory – lapping the entire field in doing so. 

Behind, MacG Racing’s Jonny MacGregor piloted his Taranis to second place whilst the pairing of Chris Goddard and Charlie Hollings guided their RNR Performance Cars Ferrari 458 Challenge to the third step of the podium. 

Further endurance thrills around the 2.69-mile International circuit came in the shape of the Praga Cup. Despite a number of incidents producing a lengthy safety car period in the early stages, the fledgling category produced plenty of edge-of-the-seat moments.

Despite losing a door and subsequently spinning, Idola Motorsport’s Miles Lacey and Tommy Foster clinched victory ahead of Jimmy Broadbent and Gordie Mutch. 

The Legends Cars National Championship lifted the curtain on a brand new season and the 5/8 scale machines didn’t disappoint as they delivered a trio of exhilarating encounters. 

Matthew Isherwood charged to what was his maiden win in the series in race one before multiple title winner John Mickel chalked up his 150th in race two. Reigning champion Miles Rudman came to the fore in a red flag interrupted third contest to make it three different winners from three races. 

Rounding off the day’s track action was the season-opener for the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship, the flagship category for the BARC North West Centre.

Boasting a bumper entry list which included a number of former champions, the 12-lap bout saw Andrew Southcott claim victory in his MG Midget Lenham. 

To view the full classification of results from all sessions from Oulton Park, CLICK HERE.

Watch all of the action that was streamed throughout the day on the BARC’s official YouTube channel HERE.

Where To Watch BARC LIVE: Oulton Park – April 2

Oulton Park provides the backdrop for the British Automobile Racing Club’s latest race meeting this coming Saturday and it’s not to be missed.

Organised and run by the Club’s North West Centre, this weekend marks the first of several trips to the picturesque Cheshire venue over the course of the year – and our TV cameras will be there to capture all the action.

After enjoying a sensational start to the season at Silverstone last month, the British Endurance Championship and Praga Cup are back to take centre stage whilst the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship make their first appearance of 2022.

Make sure you don’t miss any of the on-track entertainment by using the key timings and links below:

Saturday Race Show – Starting from 12:45 – Facebook | YouTube

To find out more information on this weekend’s race meeting at Oulton Park, including the official entry lists and timetable, CLICK HERE.

Don’t miss any future BARC LIVE events either by subscribing to our YouTube channel HERE.

BTCC teams complete first Hybrid Installation Test day at Donington Park

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship commenced its official pre-season testing programme today (March 29) as Donington Park played host to the opening Hybrid Installation Test.

Becoming the first major touring car series in the world to integrate hybrid power, all competing cars will run the TOCA Hybrid system in 2022 – which has been designed, supplied and will be serviced by Cosworth Electronics.

All teams were in attendance at the Leicestershire venue as a total of 23 cars hit the track, however not all of them ran the new hybrid system as some are still awaiting the installation of parts.

Morning running under the flightpath of East Midlands airport was delayed due to fog but when conditions improved it was four-time champion Colin Turkington that set the fastest time, leading a BMW 1-2-3-4 ahead of Stephen Jelley, Adam Morgan and Jake Hill. 

Turkington continued his front-running pace in the afternoon session as he set a benchmark time of 1:09.104 ahead of Gordon Shedden, Tom Ingram, Dan Cammish and Morgan.

As is the case during test sessions, overall lap times are unlikely to be representative as each team and driver works through their own respective programmes.

Two further official test days are scheduled for Croft (6 April) and Thruxton (13 April), where it is expected that all cars will run the TOCA Hybrid system.

To view the full classification of times from the first Hybrid Installation Test at Donington Park, CLICK HERE.

Hendy Performance leads the way with BARC Safety Car

The British Automobile Racing Club has extended its partnership with Hendy Group – the UK’s premier family motor group – with the supply of the Club’s new Safety Car for the 2022 season.

Adorned with a spectacular livery to complement the sleek bodywork, the all-new Kia ProCeed GT-line will be in action at all BARC race meetings this year. The Safety Car will play an essential role at the start of races, and will also be deployed should the officials decide that a Safety Car intervention is required to neutralise the action temporarily.

BARC’s relationship with Hendy Performance has been led to date by Thruxton Circuit which has a number of Hendy cars on its prestigious driving experience fleet. It is a natural fit for the South’s premier race circuit to join forces with one of Southern England’s most successful companies – the Hendy Group turned over almost £1 billion in 2021.

On 24th July, Thruxton will host the Hendy Performance Open Day for the second time, a family-friendly celebration of all things fun and the Hampshire venue. The day is free to attend and tickets can be obtained from the Thruxton website: thruxtonracing.co.uk.

Ben Taylor, BARC Chief Executive, said: “We very much value the relationship that has been created with Hendy Group and the success of the Hendy Performance Open Day last year was a clear indication that the fit between the two organisations is very effective.

“We have extended that involvement for this year and the new Safety Car will be up and down the UK’s motorway to all our race meetings, at the head of the racing pack on the track, and in front of hundreds of thousands of viewers in the course of the season. It should be a great promotional asset for both parties.”

Sun shines on Silverstone as BARC serves up blockbuster weekend

The British Automobile Racing Club basked in the Spring sunshine at Silverstone this past weekend (March 26/27) as a number of championships kick-started their 2022 campaigns, serving up two days of blockbuster entertainment on the International layout around the Home of British Motor Racing.

Headlining the weekend’s track action was no less than eight races from the Classic Touring Car Racing Club, in particular the Super Tourers which proved to be a smash-hit as they wound back the years to a golden era of the British Touring Car Championship. 

Jason Minshaw piloted the 1998 Rickard Rydell title-winning Volvo S40 to victory in the opening bout before Anthony Reid – who was reunited with his 1998 Nissan Primera – claimed the plaudits in race two after a thrilling battle with Minshaw and John Cleland. 

Stephen Primett drove his Ford Escort Mk1 to the top step of the podium in both amalgamated Pre ’66 & Pre ’83 races whilst Dave Griffin did the same in the combined Pre ’93 and Jaguar Challenge encounters. 

The theme of one driver reigning supreme in both contests continued in the Classic Thunder and Blue Oval Saloon Series races as Jason Davies triumphed in his Ford Sierra Cosworth. 

Big grids ran throughout the Caterham Graduates Championship too, which saw two drivers lay down their markers as the early pace-setters. Jamie Winrow was in a league of his own in the 135 bouts whilst Harry Senior starred in the combined 150 and Sigmax races.

Harry Hickton enjoyed the perfect start to the new Junior Saloon Car Championship season as he charged to a commanding pair of race wins. Entering the season as one of the title favourites in the one-make series, Hickton didn’t put a wheel wrong to prevail out front. 

James Card completed a clean sweep in the Kumho BMW Championship as he picked up where he left off last year, clinching pole position and then following it up with back-to-back victories in his trusty E36 M3.

Rounding off the weekend’s racing was an abundance of wheel-to-wheel action from the Mini 7 Racing Club. With the battle for supremacy going down to the wire, the Dunlop Mini Challenge supported by Mini Spares Miglia class saw Rupert Deeth and Andrew Jordan share the spoils.

There was further success for the Jordan family as Andrew’s father, Mike, produced a superlative display in the Dunlop Mini Challenge supported by Mini Spares Se7en category bagged an impressive pair of race wins. 

To view the full classification of results from all sessions from Silverstone, CLICK HERE. 

Watch all of the action that was streamed live across both days on the BARC’s official YouTube channel HERE.

Issue 1 of 2022 BARC Magazine hits members’ doorsteps

The latest issue – the first of 2022 – of the British Automobile Racing Club magazine has landed, exclusive to all members.

Alongside rounding up the latest news, checking in with our centres and Martin Hunt’s latest Marshal Matters blog, we have a number of must-read features too.

We recap what was a momentous BARC Awards Evening back in February, unearth what is set to be a new era for the ROKiT F4 British Championship and delve into the archives to look back on years gone by, plus much more.

To become a member of the BARC and to receive a copy of the magazine, head to https://www.barc.net/membership/.