Tag: BTCC

Organisers of the British Touring Car Championship – TOCA – have today (December 2) released the list of TOCA BTCC Licences that have been allocated to teams for the 2025 season.

Following the entry approval date of December 2nd 2024 for all TOCA BTCC Licences (TBLs), the grid of the UK’s premier motorsport series will expand to 24 cars next year – having stood at a maximum of 21 during the recent 2024 campaign.

Alliance Racing, EXCELR8 Motorsport and Speedworks Motorsport continue to hold four licences and they have been joined by reigning Manufacturer-Constructor champions West Surrey Racing, who will look to expand back to four cars on a full-time basis.

Power Maxed Racing and Restart Racing will again look to field two entries while Un-Limited Motorsport has acquired an additional TBL to take its total to two.

After a year on the sidelines, One Motorsport look set to make a triumphant return to the BTCC too with two TBLs being allocated to the Brackley-based squad.

Teams will announce full details regarding their respective entries (drivers, team names and sponsors) over the coming weeks and months, prior to the release of the finalised entry list for the forthcoming season in April.

2025 TOCA BTCC Licence Allocation
EXCELR8 Motorsport – 4
West Surrey Racing – 4
Alliance Racing – 4
Speedworks Motorsport – 4
Power Maxed Racing – 2
Un-Limited Motorsport – 2
Restart Racing – 2
One Motorsport – 2

The 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season commences on April 26/27 around the Donington Park National circuit.

Series organisers of the British Touring Car Championship, TOCA, have confirmed further changes to its latest regulations ahead of the 2025 season. 

Following the ground-breaking announcement that the UK’s premier motorsport series will introduce 100% sustainable fuel next year, a number of other amendments have now been ratified between TOCA and all competing teams. 

As of April 1st 2025, a two-year engine freeze will come into effect, so that no further developments can be made to the homologated engines for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.

This decision ensures that the highest-level of competitiveness of each engine will remain but will also significantly save costs to the teams over the next two years.

On the topic of tyres, it will now be mandatory for the three overall podium finishers in Race 1 to run the hardest Goodyear tyre compound available in Race 2 – as opposed to the previous top ten finishers.

A new safety car procedure will be also introduced to ensure a smoother, closer and safer restart to all sessions.

When the Safety Car lights are turned off – indicating it will accelerate away from the pack and return to the pit-lane – all cars must cease weaving, braking and/or accelerating and stay no more than two car lengths from the car ahead of them.

The race leader will be required to maintain approximately the same speed the safety car was using when it extinguished its lights, until the leader has passed the new ‘Restart Point’ – designated at each circuit by TOCA and to be positioned between the final corner and the start/finish control line – after which the leader can then accelerate up to racing speed.

In the battle for the coveted Jack Sears Trophy, drivers that have either previously won the competition or have scored more than one outright podium in the BTCC will not be eligible for the Jack Sears Trophy from next year.

Finally, the qualifying format has been looked at with the grid positions for cars that do not progress from both groups in the first Part of the Qualifying session undergoing a change for 2025.

Those from Group 1 who do not progress into Part 2 will line up on the even numbered side of the grid and those from Group 2 on the other side – thus preventing a change in track or weather conditions having an adverse effect on those groups and their subsequent grid positions.

“Of course, the introduction of 100% sustainable fuel has been the headlining change for the 2025 BTCC season, but we always look at every aspect of our championship each year to see what can be improved,” said BTCC Chief Executive, Alan Gow.

“I’m sure that these tweaks will all have a positive effect and will further add to the great racing that is the hallmark of the BTCC.”

Tickets for the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship’s 2025 visit to Croft Circuit are now on sale.

In what is the biggest event of the year at the British Automobile Racing Club operated venue, the UK’s premier motorsport series will descend on North Yorkshire to kick-start the second half of next season on August 2-3.

Three high-octane tin top races will top the bill while a bumper supporting cast which includes the all-new Mairon Freight UK TOCA Junior Championship will also take centre stage.

Tickets can be purchased at advance prices online today via: https://croftcircuit.co.uk/racing/btcc

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.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship has announced that its 2025 Season Launch will take place at Donington Park, while Croft has also been chosen to host two official pre-season test days.

Croft will welcome the UK’s premier motorsport series on April 1-2 for two days of testing before the Season Launch, and the final official pre-season test day, will be staged at Donington Park on April 15.

As is now customary, drivers and teams will carry out official pre-season media-related activities and interviews on April 14 before television and photography will also make up the early morning activities the following day. The ‘Class of 2025’ will then embark on six hours of testing at the Leicestershire venue.

Both Croft and Donington Park will be offering free entry to spectators, with refreshments available, whilst fans will be able to get autographs and photos with drivers during a pitlane walkabout at Donington Park.

The 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship campaign begins around Donington Park’s National layout on April 26/27.

Jake Hill has shared his delight after he was crowned British Touring Car Champion for the first time in his career at Brands Hatch last weekend (October 5/6).

On what proved to be a dramatic final day of the season on the Grand Prix layout of the Kent venue, the Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport driver produced a champions drive in the finale to edge out Tom Ingram and lift the coveted prize.

Entering the weekend tied on points with Ingram in the standings, the BMW 330e M Sport racer charged to a hard-fought victory in race one before then shadowing Ingram in second place in the penultimate contest.

Those results set up a tantalising title showdown which saw Hill leading by a solitary point. In what was simply a winner-takes-all situation, Hill held his nerve in wet conditions to power past Ingram in the early stages and from there he didn’t look back as he cruised to the crown.

“It’s just a massive, overwhelming feeling of emotions,” said Hill. “This is the first championship I have ever won and we’ve gone and made sure it is the British Touring Car Championship – I can’t quite comprehend it all at the moment.

“That last race was all about just staying calm because Tom was initially very strong and had the initiative. After a few laps though I could see he didn’t have the pace and then it was about pick my moment. It swung massively in my favour suddenly and thankfully it went our way.

“This means so much though as I thought my career was done in 2018, when I pulled out halfway through, and then Shaun Hollamby saved the day. A mixture of Shaun and me being team-mates with Mark Blundell started this journey again.

“I owe the latter part of my career to Shaun for taking a risk on me and giving me a cheap enough drive that we could somehow get the money together to do it, which we did. My Dad also just never, ever gave up and now we’re BTCC champions!”

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship brought the curtain down on its 2024 season in action-packed style at Brands Hatch this past weekend (October 5/6) as Jake Hill was crowned champion for the first time.

On what was one of the most dramatic final days of the season in recent memory, the Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport driver held his nerve in front of a capacity crowd on the world-famous Grand Prix circuit to cement his status as a tin top great.

Arriving at the Kent venue tied on points with Tom Ingram at the top of the standings, Hill charged to an impressive eighth win of the season in race one before adding a brace of podium finishes – the latter of which was enough to seal the coveted title.

Hill’s journey to clinching the biggest prize in UK motorsport has been nothing short of sensational this year with one pole position, eight wins and a further eight podium finishes being tallied over the course of the ten-event campaign.

Whilst unable to overhaul Hill from clinching the coveted crown, Ingram settled for runners-up laurels whilst outgoing Ash Sutton, Colin Turkington and Dan Cammish completed the top five in the standings.

Elsewhere, NAPA Racing UK claimed the Teams’ Championship for a third straight season but they were unable to stop BMW from sealing a record-breaking tenth Manufacturers-Constructors Championship.

Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing were the dominant force on their way to a maiden Independent Teams’ Championship while drivers Árón Taylor-Smith and Mikey Doble clinched the Independent Drivers’ and Jack Sears Trophy titles respectively.

Qualifying on Saturday afternoon set the scene for an action-packed Final’s Day as Turkington secured the Goodyear Wingfoot Award – which is awarded to the top qualifier – by snaring his fourth pole position of the campaign.

Race one would see drama ensue from the get-go as Ingram found himself caught up in an incident that ended the races of Sutton and Josh Cook within a couple of corners. Hill would escape unscathed from the incident and ultimately powered his way to a crucial win.

The tables would turn in race two as Ingram produced a stellar opening few laps to dispatch both Hill and Turkington before he cruised to victory. That result meant that just one point – in Hill’s favour – separated the pair heading into the final race of the year.

In what was an epic showdown, Sutton produced a clinical display in the wet conditions to sign off his tenure as champion with a victory however it was behind him where everyone’s attention was fixed.

Ingram initially got the better of Hill in the opening exchanges although it didn’t take long for the tide to turn and soon it was the BMW driver on the front foot. At mid-distance he found a way past Ingram and from there he didn’t look back as he went on to finish in second place.

With Ingram unable to strike back, Hill held his nerve and swept his way to an emotional first BTCC title.

To view the full classification of results from all BTCC sessions at Brands Hatch, as well as the final championship standings, CLICK HERE.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will return in 2025, with a brand-new season poised to start at Donington Park on April 26/27.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship has moved ever-closer to a sustainable fuel future after running an extensive trial in a fully competitive environment at the Home of British Motor Racing, Silverstone, last weekend (September 21/22).

Working closely with long-term partners Haltermann Carless on this ground-braking project, the UK’s premier motorsport series is aiming for all cars entered into the championship to run 100% sustainable fuel.

Silverstone marked the latest milestone in the development process as the Duckhams Racing with Un-Limited Motorsport car of Daryl DeLeon ran the latest 100% sustainable fuel for the full duration of the race weekend with support from Haltermann Carless, M-Sport and Aero Tec Laboratories Ltd (ATL).

DeLeon contested every session with absolutely no fuel issues reported, and critically the pace and performance results were recorded to be equal of those cars running the regular controlled championship fuel.

The Hiperflo ECO102 R100 is a fully sustainable fuel, which meets FIA criteria as an advanced sustainable fuel. The fuel is a pure drop-in solution, it requires no hardware modifications to existing engines and crucially delivers no loss in performance compared to the current control fuel used in the championship. 

The fuel itself achieves a greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction of approximately 55% on a well-to-wheel (WtW) basis compared to the fossil fuel baseline. If the full BTCC grid adopted this fully sustainable fuel for the entire season, it would result in a CO2 reduction of approximately 50,000 kg, equivalent to the combined weight of around 37 BTCC cars.

Series Organiser – TOCA – will continue to work closely alongside Haltermann Carless over the coming weeks and months with the plan to move fully to a 100% sustainable fuel as the championship’s chosen controlled fuel. The DeLeon car is expected to continue running the fuel at the Brands Hatch season finale next weekend (5/6 October).

“We are delighted with the significant progress we have made with regard to 100% sustainable fuel – working closely alongside Haltermann Carless and our teams – with last weekend’s results representing a significant milestone in the project,” said BTCC Chief Executive Alan Gow.

“The development work doesn’t stop here, however, as we actively strive to even further improve the efficiency and performance of the sustainable fuel going forward.

“This is an important and essential step for the BTCC as we continue to look to maintain the competitiveness and excitement synonymous with our championship, but in a more sustainable way.”

Adrian Stuart, Haltermann Carless Head of Performance Fuels Sales UK, added: “In recent years, the focus in motorsport has shifted toward sustainable fuels, a challenge we have embraced with the same dedication that has fuelled our success with the BTCC over the past 30 years.

“At Silverstone we were able to showcase a fully sustainable fuel during a championship weekend and we would like to thank to Daryl DeLeon and Duckhams Racing for supporting this trial. This is just the beginning, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with the BTCC and engine partners to bring even more sustainable, high-performance fuels to the racetrack in the future.

“This is a significant development and enforces our commitment to driving low-carbon solutions through our motorsport brands, Carless Racing Fuels and ETS Racing Fuels. More breakthroughs are on the horizon as we continue to innovate and refine our fuel formulations.”

Six drivers will head into the final three races of the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship next month in mathematical contention to be crowned champion following an action-packed weekend (September 21/22) at Silverstone. 

Jake Hill and Tom Ingram head to Brands Hatch in less than two weeks’ time tied on points at the top of the standings while reigning champion Ash Sutton is 33 points in arrears in third place. 

With a total of 67 points set to be on offer around the Grand Prix layout of the Kent venue, the trio of Dan Cammish, Josh Cook and Colin Turkington also remain in contention to lift the biggest prize in UK motorsport. 

Qualifying around the Home of British Motor Racing on Saturday saw no end of drama as three drivers, including pole sitter Aron Taylor-Smith, fell foul of post-session ride height checks and were excluded from the classification. 

Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing’s Taylor-Smith mastered the wet conditions to clinch his first pole position in almost a decade however it was soon cruelly stripped from him as he, team-mate Mikey Doble and Hyundai’s Dan Zelos failed to meet the required parameters in parc ferme.

Taylor-Smith’s demise boosted championship contender Ingram to the top of the times while four-time champion Turkington and Cook also gained vital ground, moving up to second and third on the grid for race one. 

Both Ingram and Hill emerged as the toast of the BTCC field on race day as they mastered the extremely wet conditions to take a share of the spoils, with 2022 title winner Ingram claiming an impressive brace. 

Race one saw Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS’ Ingram hold off a late charge from Hill – who had hustled his way from fifth on the grid – and Cammish in race one to claim a pivotal fourth win of the season in his Hyundai i30 N. 

Hybrid deployment became the narrative of the contest for the top two as Hill used a majority of his allowance to close in on Ingram, while the latter held back some additional power to ensure he could hang on in the latter stages. 

The weekend’s second contest saw Hill and Ingram renew their battle however this time it was the BMW driver that reigned supreme as he found a way past Ingram at mid-distance and then pulled clear to triumph for the seventh time this year. 

Ingram would be unable to hang on to second place with both Turkington and Cook finding a way past. Further down the order, Sutton saw his title aspirations dealt a blow as he was forced to serve a drive through penalty after running as high as third at one stage. 

More rain hit the circuit for race three and after just nine laps the red flag was waved with driving conditions deemed impossible. After a lengthy delay, racing did resume and those in attendance were treated to another captivating contest as Ingram triumphed again.

Working his way into an early lead, Ingram looked fairly comfortable out front however the looming presence of Sutton – who had made his way forward from 12th – set up a thrilling finish; Ingram though was able to hold on.

With that victory and Hill finishing fifth, the pair now head into the final three rounds of the campaign dead-level on points, although Hill holds first place having won more races over the course of the season. 

Alliance Racing/Ford top the Manufacturers’/Constructors’ Championship by just four points from BMW, whilst NAPA Racing UK holds an extremely healthy lead in the Teams’ table.

Taylor-Smith and Power Maxed Racing have moved into an unassailable points lead in the Independents’ championships, while team-mate Mikey Doble has provisionally clinched the Jack Sears Trophy.

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

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will bring the curtain down on its 2024 campaign at Brands Hatch on October 5/6.

The British Touring Car Championship will be further raising sustainability awareness at its penultimate event of the season at the Home of British Motor Racing, Silverstone, this weekend.

Earlier this year the UK’s premier motorsport championship released its ‘Sustainability Strategy’, which outlined its ongoing ambition for the BTCC to become a global leader in sustainable improvements and carbon neutrality for national level motor racing.

This coming weekend will see the series highlight some of its ambition with a number of ITV features, social media campaigns, written articles and audio interviews being published.

Some of the aspects to receive focus at Silverstone will be the testing of 100% sustainable fuel (see story in coming days), recycling of major components, preparation of a travel planning and mileage log, the launch of a BTCC sustainability award and many more.

The BTCC aims to achieve its sustainability ambitions by developing and executing the policies and practices outlined in its strategy, striving for carbon neutrality even where reductions in emissions are minimal due to the nature of our sport.

Implementation of the strategy, through measured and achievable actions with realistic time frames, will be continually assessed with success criteria and key performance indicators to improve environmental impacts across 6 central pillars: Cars, Circuits, Suppliers and Partners, Teams, Central Functions and Fans.

“Whilst the BTCC’s ‘Sustainability Strategy’ is ongoing and is something that we work on every single day, we believe that raising awareness of these ambitions during a race weekend is a great way to further inform and support our incredible fanbase,” said BTCC Chief Executive, Alan Gow.

“There are many ways in which we can all improve and get involved, looking at our own individual and collective approach to making the world a more sustainable environment.”

The battle for supremacy in the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship saw more twists and turns play out this past weekend (August 24/25) as Colin Turkington, Ash Sutton and Dam Cammish scored a victory apiece at Donington Park – however it is Jake Hill that leads the way in the standings.

Entering the home stretch of the campaign, the UK’s premier motorsport series returned to the Leicestershire venue – albeit this time on the longer Grand Prix circuit – where a bumper trackside crowd was treated to blockbuster entertainment.

Proceeding’s began with LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ’s Josh Cook coming out on top of a breathless qualifying to claim his first pole position in more than two years, and on the home soil of Toyota UK no less.

In what proved to be a captivating fight for pole position, Cook edged out Team BMW’s Turkington to secure the bragging rights while Mikey Doble impressed in his Vauxhall to net third ahead of Sutton and Tom Ingram.

As he has done in each race meeting since the summer break, Turkington reigned supreme in Sunday’s opening encounter as he leapfrogged Cook at the start and then powered clear to clinch a pivotal fifth win of the season.

Despite coming under late pressure from Sutton, Turkington never looked likely to relinquish the lead as he bolstered his own championship aspirations while his BMW stablemate Hill rocketed up the order to complete the podium.

Ingram would endure a less than ideal start to his race day as contact from Doble sent him tumbling down the order on lap one. With the help of a safety car intervention closing the pack up, the Hyundai driver recovered to sixth however things would get worse come race two.

Fighting his way up to second place in no time at all, Ingram looked as though he could wrestle the lead off Sutton; that was until a stone pierced his radiator and forced him to retire as engine temperatures continued to rise.

The departure of the Team Bristol Street Motors driver meant that Sutton, who had grabbed the lead off Turkington on lap one, claimed a crucial win while the Northern Irishman and Hill filled the remaining spots on the rostrum.

The twists and turns of the BTCC title race threw up more drama in the weekend’s final contest as Sutton’s joy was short-lived as he scored zero points after getting caught up in an incident on the opening tour that saw him take an excursion through the gravel.

Out front, Alliance Racing’s Dan Cammish – another title contender – produced a wheel-perfect drive to claim his first win of the season however all eyes were on Ingram as he charged from the back of the grid to clinch runner-up laurels ahead of Aron Taylor-Smith.

Heading into the penultimate event of the season towards the end of September, Hill holds a nine-point advantage at the top of the Drivers’ Championship ahead of Ingram; Sutton, Turkington and Cammish complete the top five.

A strong weekend for NAPA Racing UK saw them continue their march at the summit of the Teams’ Championship, whilst Ford hold a narrow lead over BMW in the battle for the Manufacturers’/Constructors’ title.

Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing are on the verge of securing the Independent Teams’ crown for the first-ever time while Taylor-Smith is closing in on the Independent Drivers’ Championship. His Vauxhall team-mate Doble controls the Jack Sears Trophy leaderboard.

To view the full classification of results from all BTCC sessions at Donington Park, CLICK HERE.

The penultimate event of the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will see Rounds 25, 26 & 27 play out around the Home of British Motor Racing, Silverstone, on September 21/22.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship enjoyed one of its most thrilling events of the 2024 season so far this past weekend (August 10/11) as Colin Turkington, Jake Hill and Rob Huff blasted their way to victory around Knockhill. 

As the UK’s premier motorsport series begins its approach towards the business end of the campaign, the annual trip north of the border saw further twists and turns play out in the battle at the top of the standings – which continues to be headed by Tom Ingram. 

Four-time champion Turkington was once again the driver to beat during Saturday’s qualifying session as he claimed a third pole position of the year, but only after edging out the impressive Árón Taylor-Smith to top spot by 0.035s.

Like he did at Croft, the Team BMW was perfection personified in race one as he converted his front row start into a commanding lights-to-flag win. However while the Northern Irishman cruised to victory, the battle for second place had everyone captivated. 

Taylor-Smith had held firm during the first half of the contest however both Adam Morgan and Josh Cook began to apply pressure as the race drew towards ints conclusion, with both drivers finding a way past at the chicane.

Once clear of the Vauxhall driver, Cook then launched a sensational move around the outside of Morgan at turn one to snatch second place away. Despite quickly pulling away, Cook was unable to making any inroads into Turkington, who had scarpered up the road. 

After battling back from – by his own standards – a tough qualifying, Turkington’s BMW stablemate Hill came to the fore in race two as he utilised the soft tyre to record his sixth win of the season.

The Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport driver wasted no time in fighting his way to the front and once he got into the lead there was no looking back. NAPA Racing UK’s Dan Rowbottom followed Hill’s charge to net second while Turkington tallied more valuable points in third.

An argument could be made that the BTCC saved its best till last as race three proved to be one to remember as TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK’s Rob Huff withstood race-long pressure from Ingram to claim a second win of the season. 

Ingram was another driver that was recovering from a tough qualifying showing but despite his best efforts, he could do nothing to find a way past Huff who was wheel-perfect in his Toyota Corolla GR Sport. 

Huff would hold firm either side of a brief safety car period to triumph while Ingram claimed a well-earned podium; and he was joined on the rostrum by his Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS team-mate Tom Chilton.

Heading back down south, Ingram now leads Hill by three points in the Drivers’ Championship with Ford and NAPA Racing UK topping the Manufacturer-Constructor and Teams’ categories respectively after seven events. 

Aron Taylor-Smith and Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing continue to close in on clinching the Independent Drivers’ and Independent Teams’ crowns, whilst Mikey Doble is the current pace-setter in the Jack Sears Trophy. 

To view the full classification of results from all BTCC sessions at Knockhill, CLICK HERE.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season continues in less than two weeks’ time when the series travels returns to Donington Park – this time on the Grand Prix circuit – on August 24/25.