The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship has announced that 100% sustainable fuel will be introduced for 2025, whilst the use of hybrid power has been discontinued.
Maintaining its position at the forefront of national motorsport innovation and industry-leading standards, the BTCC will next year become the first championship in the UK to fully adopt sustainable fossil-free fuel for all of its cars.
The new fuel – designated Hiperflo ECO102 R100 – is specifically engineered to maximise performance, compatibility, and sustainability. The fuel is 100% fossil-free, meaning all components are derived from synthetic and biological (i.e. non-crude) sources. Hiperflo ECO102 R100 conforms to the highest FIA and ISCC compliances.
Following a thorough test and development programme of the fuel, the decision to introduce it means that the hybrid programme – which was officially launched for the 2022 season – will now come to an end.
From next season, cars will have the same power-boost output as in 2024 – and the same boost deployment format as previously used – with the additional power surge coming solely via turbo boost. Cars will also be some 55 kgs lighter and nimbler as a result.
A further tweak will see all notifications of the turbo boost deployment being removed from the timing screens, as it was felt this gave teams and drivers immediate information to try to counteract its use by other drivers.
“The introduction of 100% fossil free sustainable fuel for 2025 shows that the BTCC remains committed to innovation in motorsport,” explained BTCC Chief Executive, Alan Gow.
“As the highest profile championship in the UK, this introduction is a significant and essential step in maintaining the competitiveness and excitement synonymous with the BTCC, but in a more sustainable and forward-thinking way.
“The hybrid era was a great one for the BTCC. Six years ago, when we first announced hybrid, it was a technology still in its relative infancy within motorsport. We’ve successfully completed that programme – and really have no more to prove in that respect – whilst others have yet to catch up.
“But, as we’ve now ticked that box we can move further forward with the introduction of the fossil-free sustainable fuel, whilst very importantly delivering the same performance parameters that made this year’s BTCC such a memorable one.
“We don’t just sit still with the BTCC – we evolve, and we advance, as today’s announcement firmly underlines.”
Other rule tweaks have been ratified by Series Organisers TOCA ahead of the 2025 BTCC season, with information on these regulation changes to be released in the coming few days.