British Touring Car Championship

Auto racing championship

"BTCC" redirects here. For other uses, see BTCC (disambiguation).

Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship

Category| Touring cars
Country| United Kingdom
Inaugural season| 1958
Classes| Manufacturers & Independents
Drivers| 22 (2024)
Teams| 7 (2024)
Constructors| BMW, Cupra, Ford, Hyundai, Toyota, Vauxhall
Note: The constructors in bold are currently represented in the Manufacturers Championship.
Engine suppliers| Turbocharged 2.0 litre I4
Tyre suppliers| Goodyear
Drivers' champion|  Jake Hill
Makes' champion| BMW
Teams' champion| NAPA Racing UK
Official website| btcc.net/
Current season

The British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), officially known as the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship for sponsorship reasons, is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom, currently organised and administered by TOCA. It was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and was renamed as the British Touring Car Championship for the 1987 season.[1] It is one of the oldest, most popular and most prestigious touring car series in the world.[2] The championship, currently running Next Generation Touring Car regulations, has been run to various national and international regulations over the years including FIA Group 2, FIA Group 5, FIA Group 1, FIA Group A, FIA Super Touring and FIA Super 2000. A lower-key Group N class for production cars ran from 2000 until 2003.

## History

[edit]

### Early years

[edit]

The Austin A105 with which Jack Sears won the 1958 British Saloon Car Championship

The championship was initially run with a mix of classes, divided according to engine capacity, racing simultaneously. This often meant that a driver who chose the right class could win the overall championship without any chance of overall race wins, thereby devaluing the title for the spectators – for example, in the 1980s Chris Hodgetts won two overall titles in a small Toyota Corolla prepared by Hughes of Beaconsfield, at that time a Mercedes-Benz/Toyota main dealer when most of the race wins were going to much larger cars; and while the Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500s were dominating at the front of the field, Frank Sytner took a title in a Class B BMW M3 and John Cleland's first title was won in a small Class C Vauxhall Astra.

### Modern era

[edit]

#### Super Touring cars

[edit]

Ford won the championship in 2000, the final year running Super Touring regulations.

In 1990, the BTCC introduced a class for cars with an engine displacement up to 2.0 litres which would later be adopted by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile and become the Super Touring regulations that were used in various championships in Europe and around the world. In their first year, these cars were run alongside a second class which continued to allow larger engines and was once again dominated by the Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500, however from 1991 they became the only cars eligible to compete. The new one-class system was popular with manufacturers from the beginning with six manufacturer supported teams from BMW, Ford, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Toyota and Vauxhall entered in the championship. During the first seasons, the cars were not fitted with aerodynamic aids such as a front splitter or a rear wing which were allowed from 1995 after Alfa Romeo caused controversy a year earlier, when they entered the 155 fitted with a rear wing – an item that was delivered with the road-going version of the 155, however unfitted in its boot. Audi joined the BTCC in 1996 with its four-wheel drive A4 Quattro, and went on to take that year's title.[3] The continuously high number of manufacturer-backed teams meant rapid development on the cars and quickly growing costs to compete which caused several manufacturers to withdraw from the championship until the 2000 season, when only Ford, Honda and Vauxhall remained in the championship. To this day, the 'super touring era' during the 1990s is still looked at as the most successful period of the BTCC. The high number of manufacturer-backed teams provided very close competition, close and hard-fought racing on track and many spectators at the circuits.[4]

#### BTC Touring and Super 2000 cars

[edit]

Previous generation BTC Touring cars racing at Brands Hatch, April 2006Touring Cars at a BTCC during race at Brands Hatch, April 2011

In order to reduce the costs to compete in the championship, the organisers introduced new regulations for the 2001 season. The BTC Touring regulations cut costs dramatically but both manufacturer and spectator interest was low. The Super 2000 rules were adopted for the 2007 season. The 2000s saw cheaper cars than the later Supertouring era, with fewer factory teams and fewer international drivers.

#### Next Generation Touring Car

[edit]

Andrew Jordan in his NGTC Honda Civic during practice at Thruxton Circuit, April 2012

In 2009, the BTCC released details of its Next Generation Touring Car (NGTC) specification, to be introduced from 2011. The introduction of these new technical regulations were designed to dramatically reduce the design, build and running costs of the cars and engines as well as reducing the potential for significant performance disparities between cars. The NGTC specification also aimed to cut costs by reducing reliance on WTCC/S2000 equipment, due to increasing costs/complexity and concerns as to its future sustainability and direction.[5]

##### Current NGTC cars

[edit]

Currently, the cars used are a mix of 2.0 L saloons (sedans) such as the BMW 3-Series and Infiniti Q50, and hatchback cars such as the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Ford Focus, based on models from a variety of manufacturers, using NGTC regulations. S2000 cars continued running in the Jack Sears Trophy until the 2014 season.

### Teams

[edit]

BTCC teams are a mixture of manufacturer entries (currently BMW and Toyota) and independent teams such as BTC Racing, and Motorbase Performance.

In 2010, following Vauxhall's decision to pull out of the series, there were two new works teams, : Chevrolet, run by RML; and Honda, run by Team Dynamics.[6]

In 2005, Team Dynamics became the first independent outfit to win the BTCC drivers and team championships; Matt Neal won the overall and independent drivers contests in his Team Dynamics Honda Integra. This included finishing all 30 championship races that year, something no other driver had achieved before and only equalled by Adam Morgan some 10 years later in 2015. This ended Vauxhall's run of 4 victories in the drivers and teams championships between 2001 and 2004. Neal and Dynamics were also victorious in 2006, before Vauxhall won the 2007 title with Italian Fabrizio Giovanardi. Team Dynamics also achieved the first overall independents race win in the 'Supertouring' era when Neal won a round of the 1999 BTCC at Donington Park, earning the team prize-money of £250,000.

As a result of Matt Neal's championship victories, and the fact that Team Dynamics were designing and building their own S2000 Honda Civic Type R (with unofficial support from Honda), they were no longer entered into the Independents category, and were classed as neither an "independent" or "works" team until the 2009 season, when the Manufacturers championship was renamed Manufacturers/Constructors Championship to allow both Team Aon and Team Dynamics to compete with at the time the sole works entry of Vauxhall.

## Car regulations

[edit]

VXRacing Vectra being checked by the scrutineers

### Current regulations

[edit]

As of the 2014 British Touring Car Championship, all cars are built to the same regulations:

* Next Generation Touring Car. New set of regulations specifically developed for the BTCC as a way of moving the sport forward and cut costs for competitors. Introduced from 2011, these new technical regulations were designed to dramatically reduce the design, build and running costs of the cars and engines as well as reduce reliance on WTCC/S2000 equipment. NGTC cars initially maintained performance parity with S2000 cars until the 2013 season when full NGTC cars became the main championship class with Hybrid S2000/NGTC cars running in a secondary class. From the 2014 season, only NGTC cars are eligible to compete in the BTCC.

### Cost control measures

[edit]

There are strict limits to the modifications which can be made to the cars, which are intended to reduce the cost of running a competitive team, which had become prohibitive in the final years of the Super Touring rules. These cost reductions saw a rise in independent entries – teams or individuals entering cars purchased from the manufacturer teams when they update their chassis.

With the introduction of the NGTC rules, all cars share a number of common components provided through a contract with RML Group. This has allowed many independent teams to enter without the need for manufacturer support, and negating the need to source ex-works cars. Teams can install an engine from their marque's broad 'family' of cars, or opt to lease an engine from TOCA, built by Swindon Engines which also helps to make the cost of entry more affordable.

To further keep costs in check, the BTCC uses a single tyre supplier, with Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company the current supplier of rubber to all the teams. The following compounds are used: Hard, Medium, Soft and Wet.

### Fuels

[edit]

The rules previously allowed for a variety of different fuels in a bid to encourage more efficient cars. In 2004 Mardi Gras Motorsport independently entered a Liquified petroleum gas powered Super 2000 Honda Civic Type-R (which was subsequently replaced by a more competitive BTC-Touring Peugeot 406 Coupé, still LPG powered), and in 2005 Tech-Speed Motorsport converted an ex-works Vauxhall Astra Coupé to run on bio-ethanol fuel. In the middle of 2006, Kartworld's owner-driver Jason Hughes converted his 4-cylinder MG ZS to run on Bio-Ethanol, soon followed by the West Surrey Racing cars of championship contender Colin Turkington and Rob Collard, and for the final event at Silverstone, Richard Marsh converted his Peugeot 307 to run on bio-ethanol fuel. Only Hughes continued on this fuel in 2007 and 2008. The regulations also permitted cars to run on diesel; attempted first in the 2007 season by Rick Kerry in a BMW 120d E87 run by Team AFM Racing. In 2008 SEAT Sport UK entered two Turbo Diesel Power SEAT Leons – the first diesel powered manufacturer entered cars. At the start of the 2010 season, it was announced that Team AON racing had converted both of their Ford Focus ST cars to run on LPG. In 2024, Daryl DeLeon ran his Cupra Leon on 100% sustainable fuel for the final two meetings. Such fuels were introduced full-time for the 2025 Season.

Under current NGTC regulations, all entrants use Carless HiperFlo 300 which is a 101/102 RON and 89/90 MON unleaded gasoline with approximately 2% oxygen content that meets the FIA 'Appendix J' gasoline specification.

### Previous regulations

[edit]

The following regulations have been applied to the championship:

* 1958 – unique BTCC regulations[1]
* 1959 – FIA Appendix J Category C[1]
* 1960 – 'silhouette' special saloon cars (1000cc)[1]
* 1961 to 1965 – FIA Group 2[1]
* 1966 to 1969 – FIA Group 5[1]
* 1970 to 1973 – FIA Group 2[1]
* 1974 to 1983 – FIA Group 1[1]
* 1983 to 1990 – FIA Group A[1]
* 1991 to 2000 – 2 Litre Touring Car Formula, later becoming FIA Super Touring
* 2001 to 2011 – BTC Touring. The BTCC developed and introduced this specification in 2001, in response to the spiralling costs of the Super Touring specification. However, with the Super 2000 specification being used in the newly reformed World Touring Car Championship, the popularity of the BTC-T spec with top teams and manufactures was short lived. Therefore, from the 2007 season, BTC-T spec cars were no longer allowed to win the championship outright. The 2010 season was meant to be the last year BTC-T cars would be eligible to enter the championship, however Series Director Alan Gow announced a one-year extension to allow BTC-T to compete in 2011 (with their base-weight +50 kg on the 2010 season). Only cars that competed in 2010 would be eligible to race in 2011.[7]
* 2004 to 2013 – Super 2000. Regulations first introduced to the BTCC in 2004, allowing teams to build cars eligible to race in several different Touring Car Championships, including the World Touring Car Championship. Car built to this specification were eligible to compete until the end of the 2013 season, however the last fully S2000 cars were entered in the 2011 season.
* 2010 to 2013 – S2000/NGTC Hybrid. From the 2010 season, teams with S2000 chassis were allowed to use an NGTC engine with their car. As of the 2012 season, all teams with S2000 chassis, used NGTC turbo charged engines. This hybrid specification was eligible until the end of the 2013 season.

## Circuits

[edit]

Current circuits of the BTCC

Being a national championship, the British Touring Car Championship has visited circuits throughout the United Kingdom over its long history. Currently the series visits eight different tracks in England and Scotland over the course of ten meetings. These tracks are: Brands Hatch (Indy Layout), Donington Park, Thruxton (the fastest track ever visited by the BTCC, with an average speed of 111.31 mph, set by Andrew Jordan during qualifying in 2014), Oulton Park, Croft, Snetterton, Knockhill, and Silverstone (National and International layouts), with a return to Brands Hatch (GP Layout) at the end of the season.

In the past, the BTCC has visited Mondello Park in Ireland and Pembrey in Wales. A street race around the city of Birmingham known as the Birmingham Superprix, was held in 1989 and 1990.

Aintree, Crystal Palace, Goodwood, Ingliston, Mallory Park and Rockingham have also hosted rounds in the past.

## Race format

[edit]

Championship contenders Jason Plato (SEAT) and Fabrizio Giovanardi (Vauxhall) collide during a BTCC race at Snetterton in July 2007. The BTCC is known for being a high-contact series.[8]

On the Saturday of a race weekend there are two practice sessions followed by a 30-minute qualifying session which determines the starting order for the first race on the Sunday, the fastest driver lining up in pole position.

Each race typically consists of between 16 and 25 laps, depending on the length of the circuit. A race may be extended by three laps if three or more laps have been run behind a safety car.

The grid for race two is based on the finishing order of race one.[9] For race three, a draw takes place to decide at which place the grid is 'reversed'. This means drivers finishing race two in positions 6th through 12th could take pole position for race 3 depending on the outcome of the draw. For example, if ball number 7 is drawn, the driver finishing in 7th position in race two starts on pole, 6th place starts in second place, 5th place starts in third etc. Drivers finishing in 8th place and beyond would start race three in their finishing order for race two. The draw is normally conducted by a celebrity or VIP, live on TV. For 2014, this was changed so that the driver who finished Race 2 in 10th position made the draw. Fabrizio Giovanardi has twice[10][11] managed to put himself on pole position by drawing out number 10.

Before 2006, the driver finishing in 10th place in race two took pole position for race three. This initiated deliberate race 'fixing', whereby some drivers attempted to finished in 10th place during race two to gain pole position in race three. This "reverse grid" rule polarised opinion: some fans enjoy the spectacle afforded by having unlikely drivers on pole position while faster ones have to battle through the field; others feel it detracts from the purity of the racing. For example, some drivers might decide to slow down and let others pass them, thereby improving their own starting position for the "reverse grid" race, which is contrary to the spirit of motor racing – which is to try to come first in every race. It also led to some safety concerns as drivers would slow dramatically on the approach to the finish line, with cars behind forced to take evasive action to avoid collecting slower cars ahead. These factors contributed the rule change for the 2006 season.

## Points system

[edit]

### Current points system

[edit]

Points are awarded to the top fifteen drivers in each race as follows:

Current BTCC points system (2012–Present)

Race  |  1st  |  2nd  |  3rd  |  4th  |  5th  |  6th  |  7th  |  8th  |  9th  |  10th  |  11th  |  12th  |  13th  |  14th  |  15th  | Pole Position  | Fastest Lap  | Lead A Lap
R1  | 20  | 17  | 15  | 13  | 11  | 10  | 9  | 8  | 7  | 6  | 5  | 4  | 3  | 2  | 1  | 1  | 1  | 1
R2  | 20  | 17  | 15  | 13  | 11  | 10  | 9  | 8  | 7  | 6  | 5  | 4  | 3  | 2  | 1  |  | 1  | 1
R3  | 20  | 17  | 15  | 13  | 11  | 10  | 9  | 8  | 7  | 6  | 5  | 4  | 3  | 2  | 1  |  | 1  | 1

* No driver may collect more than one "Lead a Lap" point per race no matter how many laps they lead.

### Previous points system

[edit]

Points are awarded to the top ten drivers in each race as follows:

BTCC points system

Race  |  1st  |  2nd  |  3rd  |  4th  |  5th  |  6th  |  7th  |  8th  |  9th  |  10th  | Pole Position  | Fastest Lap  | Lead A Lap
R1  | 15  | 12  | 10  | 8  | 6  | 5  | 4  | 3  | 2  | 1  | 1  | 1  | 1
R2  | 15  | 12  | 10  | 8  | 6  | 5  | 4  | 3  | 2  | 1  |  | 1  | 1
R3  | 15  | 12  | 10  | 8  | 6  | 5  | 4  | 3  | 2  | 1  |  | 1  | 1

* No driver may collect more than one "Lead a Lap" point per race no matter how many laps they lead.

## Television coverage

[edit]

The BBC screened highlights of every race from 1988 to 2001. The F1 commentator at the time, Murray Walker, commentated. From 1997, some races were screened live with Charlie Cox joining Murray Walker. After 1997 the commentary team was Charlie Cox and John Watson with Murray Walker dedicating his time to Formula 1.

In the UK, ITV covered the series from 2002, with commentary from Ben Edwards and former champion Tim Harvey, with Toby Moody replacing Edwards after he replaced Martin Brundle on the BBC's F1 coverage in 2012 and David Addison replaced Toby Moody[12] for the 2013 season. In 2006 the ITV coverage included highlights from the first and second race of the day and live coverage of the third and final race. This returned in the second half of 2007, after the first five meetings had been on ITV3 (a digital channel with fewer viewers), with a half-hour late-night highlights show. Experienced motorsport presenter Louise Goodman joined the ITV team from 2007.[13] ITV also has a Sunday night show called Motorsport UK, featuring many of the supporting races. From 2008, the races were screened live on ITV4, along with the support races.

The current coverage consists of Saturday's Qualifying Sessions and support races live on ITVX. Sunday coverage starts an hour before Race 1 and finishes after Race 3. All of Sunday's Coverage is aired on ITV4. ITV has a one-hour highlights programme on the Monday night following the race.

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (February 2011)

|

This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (December 2014)

|

TV Coverage of 2022 season

Country | TV Network | Language | Qualifying | Race 1 | Race 2 | Race 3 | Notes
United Kingdom[14] | ITV4 / ITV4 HD | English  | No  | Live  | Live  | Live  | Up to 7 Hours of coverage per meeting (also shows live and delayed coverage of support races). Simulcast High Definition coverage on ITV4 HD
No  | Highlights  | 90 minute highlight show of all 3 races and qualifying
ITV Sport Website | English  | Live  | Live  | Live  | Live  | Live video stream. Highlights available to watch anytime after the race via the Race Archive
ITV / ITV HD | English  | No  | Highlights  | 90 minute highlight show of all 3 races and qualifying. Simulcast High Definition coverage on ITV HD

## Live timing

[edit]

Live timing for the BTCC and its support races, as well as testing, is provided by Timing Solutions Ltd from their website. This service allows you to follow free practice and qualifying as well as race day action via a timing screen from your computer or mobile phone.

## Previous champions

[edit]

Main article: List of BTCC champions

Currently, five championships are awarded per season. The overall driver's championship is the driver gaining the most points overall throughout the season. Since 1992, the Independents driver championship has also been awarded to the leading non-manufacturer-backed driver. There are also awards for the best overall team, leading manufacturer and, since 2005, the top independent team. Previous championship titles were awarded to the leading "Production" (or "Class B") driver and team between 2000 and 2003. The Jack Sears Trophy was introduced for the 2013 season and was awarded to the highest scoring driver competing in S2000 machinery. For 2014, with S2000 cars no longer eligible to compete, it was awarded to the drive that had made up the most places from their grid position throughout the season. From the 2015 season the Jack Sears Trophy has been awarded to the highest placed rookie driver at the end of the season. For the 60th anniversary year in 2018, any driver who had yet to take an overall podium was eligible to contest the Jack Sears Trophy.

Season  | Overall  | Independent  | Secondary Class

|
|
|

Drivers' Champion
(Car)  | Manufacturers / Makes
Champion[15] | Teams' Champion[15] | Drivers' Champion  | Teams' Champion  | Drivers' Champion  | Teams' Champion
1958 |  Jack Sears
(Austin A105 Westminster)  | none | none |  |
1959 |  Jeff Uren
(Ford Zephyr Six)  | none | none
1960 |  Doc Shepherd
(Austin A40 Farina)  | none | none
1961 |  Sir John Whitmore
(Austin Seven)  | none | none
1962 |  John Love
(Morris Cooper)  | none | none
1963 |  Jack Sears (2)
(Ford Galaxie & Ford Cortina Lotus)  | none | none
1964 |  Jim Clark
(Ford Cortina Lotus)  | none | none
1965 |  Roy Pierpoint
(Ford Mustang)  | none | Weybridge Engineering Company[16]
1966 |  John Fitzpatrick
(Ford Anglia)  | none | Team Lotus[17]
1967 |  Frank Gardner
(Ford Falcon (Sp)rint)  | none | none
1968 |  Frank Gardner (2)
(Ford Cortina Lotus) & (Ford Escort Twin Cam)  | none | none
1969 |  Alec Poole
(Austin Cooper 970S)  | none | none
1970 |  Bill McGovern
(Sunbeam Imp)  | none | none
1971 |  Bill McGovern (2)
(Sunbeam Imp Rallye)  | none | none
1972 |  Bill McGovern (3)
(Sunbeam Imp)  | none | none
1973 |  Frank Gardner (3)
(Chevrolet Camaro Z28)  | none | none
1974 |  Bernard Unett
(Hillman Avenger GT)  | none | none
1975 |  Andy Rouse
(Triumph Dolomite Sprint)[18] | Chevrolet Camaro[18]
Triumph Dolomite[18] | none
1976 |  Bernard Unett (2)
(Chrysler Avenger GT)  | none | none
1977 |  Bernard Unett (3)
(Chrysler Avenger GT)  | none | none
1978 |  Richard Longman
(BL Mini 1275GT)  | none | none
1979 |  Richard Longman (2)
(BL Mini 1275GT)[19] | BL Mini[19] | none
1980 |  Win Percy
(Mazda RX-7)  | none | none
1981 |  Win Percy (2)
(Mazda RX-7)  | none | none
1982 |  Win Percy (3)
(Toyota Corolla)  | none | none
1983 |  Andy Rouse (2)
(Alfa Romeo GTV6)  | none | none
1984 |  Andy Rouse (3)
(Rover Vitesse)  | none | none
1985 |  Andy Rouse (4)
(Ford Sierra XR4Ti)  | none | none
1986 |  Chris Hodgetts
(Toyota Corolla GT)  | none | none
1987 |  Chris Hodgetts (2)
(Toyota Corolla GT)  | none | none
1988 |  Frank Sytner
(BMW E30 M3)  | none | none
1989 |  John Cleland
(Vauxhall Astra GTE 16v)  | none | none
1990 |  Robb Gravett
(Ford Sierra RS500)  | none | none
1991 |  Will Hoy
(BMW E30 M3)  | BMW | none
1992 |  Tim Harvey
(BMW E36 318is)  | Vauxhall | none |  James Kaye |
1993 |  Joachim Winkelhock
(BMW E36 318i)  | BMW | none |  Matt Neal
1994 |  Gabriele Tarquini
(Alfa Romeo 155 TS)  | Alfa Romeo | none |  James Kaye (2)
1995 |  John Cleland (2)
Vauxhall Cavalier | Renault | Vauxhall Sport |  Matt Neal (2)
1996 |  Frank Biela
(Audi A4 Quattro)  | Audi | Audi Sport UK |  Lee Brookes
1997 |  Alain Menu
(Renault Laguna)  | Renault | Williams Renault Dealer Racing |  Robb Gravett
1998 |  Rickard Rydell
(Volvo S40)  | Nissan | Vodafone Nissan Racing |  Tommy Rustad | Production Class
1999 |  Laurent Aïello
(Nissan Primera)  | Nissan | Vodafone Nissan Racing |  Matt Neal (3)  | Drivers' Champion  | Teams' Champion
2000 |  Alain Menu (2)
(Ford Mondeo)  | Ford | Ford Team Mondeo |  Matt Neal (4)  |  Alan Morrison |
2001 |  Jason Plato
(Vauxhall Astra Coupe)  | Vauxhall | Vauxhall Motorsport | none |  Simon Harrison | GR Motorsport
2002 |  James Thompson
(Vauxhall Astra Coupe)  | Vauxhall | Vauxhall Motorsport |  Dan Eaves |  James Kaye | Synchro Motorsport
2003 |  Yvan Muller
(Vauxhall Astra Coupe)  | Vauxhall | VX Racing |  Rob Collard |  Luke Hines | Barwell Motorsport
2004 |  James Thompson (2)
(Vauxhall Astra Coupe)  | Vauxhall | VX Racing |  Anthony Reid
2005 |  Matt Neal
(Honda Integra)  | Vauxhall | Team Halfords |  Matt Neal (5)  | Team Halfords
2006 |  Matt Neal (2)
(Honda Integra)  | SEAT | Team Halfords |  Matt Neal (6)  | Team Halfords
2007 |  Fabrizio Giovanardi
(Vauxhall Vectra VXR)  | Vauxhall | SEAT Sport UK |  Colin Turkington | Team RAC
2008 |  Fabrizio Giovanardi (2)
(Vauxhall Vectra VXR)  | Vauxhall | VX Racing |  Colin Turkington (2)  | Team RAC
2009 |  Colin Turkington
(BMW E90 320si)  | Vauxhall (8)  | VX Racing |  Colin Turkington (3)  | Team RAC
2010 |  Jason Plato (2)
(Chevrolet Cruze)  | Honda | Honda Racing Team |  Tom Chilton | Team Aon
2011 |  Matt Neal (3)
(Honda Civic)  | Honda (2)  | Honda Racing Team |  James Nash | Triple 8 Race Engineering | Jack Sears Trophy
2012 |  Gordon Shedden
(Honda Civic)  | Honda / Team Dynamics[20] | Honda Yuasa Racing Team |  Andrew Jordan | Pirtek Racing (Eurotech) | Drivers' Champion  | Teams' Champion
2013 |  Andrew Jordan
(Honda Civic)  | Honda / Team Dynamics[21] | Honda Yuasa Racing Team |  Andrew Jordan (2)  | Pirtek Racing (Eurotech) |  Lea Wood | Not awarded
2014 |  Colin Turkington (2)
(BMW 125i M Sport)  | MG / Triple Eight[22] | eBay Motors |  Colin Turkington (4)  | eBay Motors |  Dave Newsham
2015 |  Gordon Shedden (2)
(Honda Civic Type R)  | Honda / Team Dynamics (3)[23] | Team BMR RCIB Insurance |  Colin Turkington (5)  | Team BMR RCIB Insurance |  Josh Cook
2016 |  Gordon Shedden (3)
(Honda Civic Type R)  | BMW | Team JCT600 with GardX |  Andrew Jordan (3)  | Motorbase Performance |  Ashley Sutton
2017 |  Ashley Sutton
(Subaru Levorg GT)  | BMW | Team BMW |  Tom Ingram | Speedworks Motorsport |  Senna Proctor
2018 |  Colin Turkington (3)
(BMW 125i M Sport)  | BMW | Team BMW |  Tom Ingram (2)  | Speedworks Motorsport |  Dan Cammish
2019 |  Colin Turkington (4)
(BMW 330i M Sport)  | BMW | Halfords Yuasa Racing |  Rory Butcher | Cobra Sport AmD |  Rory Butcher
2020 |  Ashley Sutton (2)
(Infiniti Q50)  | BMW | Laser Tools Racing |  Ashley Sutton | Laser Tools Racing |  Michael Crees
2021 |  Ashley Sutton (3)
(Infiniti Q50)  | BMW | Laser Tools Racing |  Ashley Sutton (2)  | Laser Tools Racing |  Dan Rowbottom
2022 |  Tom Ingram
(Hyundai i30 Fastback N Performance)  | BMW | NAPA Racing UK |  Josh Cook | Rich Energy BTC Racing |  Bobby Thompson
2023 |  Ashley Sutton (4)
(Ford Focus ST)  | Ford / Alliance Racing | NAPA Racing UK |  Josh Cook (2)  | One Motorsport with Starline Racing |  Andrew Watson
2024 |  Jake Hill
(BMW 330e M Sport)  | BMW (10)  | NAPA Racing UK |  Árón Taylor-Smith | Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing |  Mikey Doble

## Manufacturers'/Constructors' championship winners (1991–present)

[edit]

Year  | Make  | Car  | Wins

|
|
|

1991  | BMW | BMW M3 | 8/14
1992  | Vauxhall | Vauxhall Cavalier | 5/15
1993  | BMW | BMW 318i | 8/17
1994  | Alfa Romeo | Alfa Romeo 155 | 9/21
1995  | Renault | Renault Laguna | 10/25
1996  | Audi | Audi A4 | 8/26
1997  | Renault | Renault Laguna | 14/24
1998  | Nissan | Nissan Primera | 9/26
1999  | Nissan | Nissan Primera | 13/26
2000  | Ford | Ford Mondeo | 11/24
2001  | Vauxhall | Vauxhall Astra Coupé | 25/26
2002  | Vauxhall | Vauxhall Astra Coupé | 15/20
2003  | Vauxhall | Vauxhall Astra Coupé | 11/20
2004  | Vauxhall | Vauxhall Astra Coupé | 11/30
2005  | Vauxhall | Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch | 8/30
2006  | SEAT | SEAT León | 11/30
2007  | Vauxhall | Vauxhall Vectra | 10/30
2008  | Vauxhall | Vauxhall Vectra | 8/30
2009  | Vauxhall | Vauxhall Vectra | 6/30
2010  | Honda | Honda Civic | 10/30
2011  | Honda | Honda Civic | 13/30
2012  | Honda | Honda Civic | 13/30
2013  | Honda | Honda Civic | 9/30
2014  | MG | MG6 GT | 7/30
2015  | Honda | Honda Civic Type R | 7/30
2016  | BMW | BMW 125i M Sport | 4/30
2017  | BMW | BMW 125i M Sport | 7/30
2018  | BMW | BMW 125i M Sport | 3/30
2019  | BMW | BMW 330i M Sport | 11/30
2020  | BMW | BMW 330i M Sport | 6/27
2021  | BMW | BMW 330i M Sport | 5/30
2022  | BMW | BMW 330e M Sport | 9/30
2023  | Ford | Ford Focus ST | 16/30
2024  | BMW | BMW 330e M Sport | 13/30

## Series sponsors

[edit]

The BTCC has had several championship sponsors over the years.

Year | Sponsor

|

1960 | SupaTura
1972 | Wiggins Teape Paperchase
1974 | Castrol Anniversary
1975 | Southern Organs
1976 | Keith Prowse
1977–82 | Tricentrol
1983–85 | Trimoco
1987–88 | Dunlop
1989–92 | Esso
1993–2000 | Auto Trader
2001 | theAA.com
2002–04 | Green Flag
2005–07 | Dunlop
2008–09 | HiQ
2010–18 | Dunlop
2019- | Kwik Fit

## Manufacturer/Constructor Entries

[edit]

The BTCC features entries with the backing, funding and technical support of a motor manufacturer. This may be a motor racing team running cars on behalf of the manufacturer or cars being run directly by the factory. Below is a timeline of manufacturer/constructor entries from the beginning of the 2-litre era.

Manufacturer/Constructor Entries

1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999  | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009  | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023
| Alfa Romeo |
| Audi |
BMW |  | BMW
| Chevrolet |
Ford |  | Ford |  | Ford |  | Ford
| Honda |  | Honda |  | Honda |  | Honda |
| Hyundai
| Infiniti |
| Mazda |
| MG |  | MG |
Mitsubishi |
Nissan |  | Nissan |
| Peugeot |  | Peugeot |
| Proton |
| Renault |
| SEAT |
| Subaru |
Toyota |  | Toyota
Vauxhall |  | Vauxhall |
| Volvo |
1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999  | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009  | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023

## Support races

[edit]

Each BTCC race meeting, the crowds are kept further entertained by the appearance of high-profile supporting championships, known as the TOCA Support Package, from the manufacturers Ford, Ginetta, Porsche and Renault.[24]

### TOCA support package

[edit]

Further information: F4 British Championship, Ginetta GT Supercup, Ginetta Junior Championship, Porsche Carrera Cup GB, and Renault Clio Cup United Kingdom

A Ginetta G50 Supercup car. Porsche Carrera Cup GB Race at Donington Park

The TOCA Support Package consists of five main support championships, which support the championship at almost every round, along with several smaller championships supporting one or two events. All the support championships are either Single Make Championships or Formula racing.

After previously supported the BTCC in the late 1990s and then in 2013 and 2014, the British Formula Ford Championship announced that it was folding to become the MSA Formula, the FIA's Formula 4 championship in the UK for the 2015 season. Known as F4 British Championship from 2016, the championship uses Mygale carbon-fibre monocoque chassis and a Ford 1.6L EcoBoost engine as used in the more modern Formula Ford cars.[25]

The Ginetta GT Supercup is a GT style, multi class championship. The main class is the G55 class, utilising Ginetta's G55 car. The second class, known as the G50 class, utilises the older and less powerful Ginetta G50. Most weekends in 2013 see three Supercup races with a few rounds hosting only two races. Ginetta also run a championship on the support package that caters for up and coming young talent in the form of the Ginetta Junior Championship. These 14- to 17-year-olds race in identical Ginetta G40J cars with strict regulations which help keep costs down. In 2013, the championship ran two races at all BTCC weekends. The Ginetta Championships left TOCA and are now on the British GT support bill.[citation needed]

Out of all the current support series, the Porsche Carrera Cup GB is the longest serving support championship. Drivers compete in identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (Type 997) cars which produce 450 bhp. The three tier championship splits drivers according to their racing experience. Professional drivers compete in the Pro class, with semi-professional and amateur drivers racing in either Pro-Am1 or Pro-Am2. From 2013, the Carrera Cup has held two races at each BTCC meeting.

Finally, the Renault Clio Cup UK allows aspiring touring car drivers to showcase their talent in this single make series, utilising Clio Renaultsport 200 cars. The championship awards three different titles for drivers. Along with the overall drivers' championship, younger rookie drivers can chase points for the Graduate Cup and older gentlemen drivers can seek points for the Masters Cup. During 2013, the Clio Cup will hold two races at all BTCC weekends except the rounds at Croft and Knockhill.

For 2020, the Renault Clio Cup UK has been replaced by the Mini Challenge, which joins from the British GT package. The Clio Cup has joined the British GT Package instead.

### Previous support races

[edit]

A SEAT Cupra Championship race, at Croft during 2008. |

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (February 2011)

|

* Formula Renault UK \- Early in 2012, the long supporting Formula Renault UK championship announced that it had cancelled its 2012 season after only receiving six entries and hoped to return for the 2013 season.[26] However, it was reported in the media that the series was ended definitively in September 2012.[27]
* SEAT Cupra Championship – was a one make series that ran for six years between 2003 and 2008, and as a support package to the BTCC between 2004 and 2008. The series folded after SEAT UK ended its racing activities.
* Formula BMW UK
* Renault Spider Cup
* Formula Vauxhall
* Formula Vauxhall Junior
* Lotus Elise Championship
* Vauxhall Vectra Championship
* Ford Fiesta Championship

## See also

[edit]

* List of British Touring Car Championship records

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i BTCC History 1958-1990 Archived 23 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from www.btcc.net on 13 August 2012
2. ^ "Which is the best tin-top series?". Archived from the original on 21 April 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
3. ^ "Anatomy of a Super Touring car 1996 Audi A4 quattro B5". DriveMycom. 27 February 2018.
4. ^ "BTCC history from 1991 to 2000". btcc.net. British Touring Car Championship. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
5. ^ "Technical overview: NGTC". btcc.net. British Touring Car Championship. 2 June 2009. Archived from the original on 19 February 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2010.
6. ^ A BTCC.NET Article. Archived 4 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
7. ^ Hudson, Neil. "BTC-spec cars get another year". touringcartimes.com. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
8. ^ Briggs, Gemma (30 August 2009). "Herbert goes back to his roots after horror crash". The Independent. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
9. ^ "Key rules and regulations". BTCC. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
10. ^ "British Touring Car Championship Croft - Race 2 Report - 29/6/14".
11. ^ "Turkington wins tough third Thruxton race".
12. ^ Addison named new BTCC commentator | BTCC News
13. ^ Meissner, Johan (13 March 2007). "ITV continues live BTCC coverage". TouringCarTimes. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
14. ^ [1] Archived 23 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine
15. ^ a b BTCC Champions Archived 13 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from www.touring-cars.net on 15 August 2012
16. ^ 1965 British Saloon Car Championship Retrieved from touringcarracing.net on 15 August 2012
17. ^ 1966 British Saloon Car Championship Retrieved from touringcarracing.net on 15 August 2012
18. ^ a b c 1975 Southern Organs British Saloon Car Championship Retrieved from touringcarracing.net on 9 September 2012
19. ^ a b "1979 Tricentrol British Saloon Car Championship", touringcarracing.net Retrieved on 7 May 2018
20. ^ 2012 BTCC Manuf-Constr. Standings, btcc.net, as archived at web.archive.org
21. ^ 2013 BTCC Manuf-Constr. Standings, btcc.net, as archived at web.archive.org
22. ^ 2014 BTCC Manufacturers – Constructors Standings, btcc.net, as archived at web.archive.org
23. ^ 2015 BTCC Manufacturers – Constructors Standings, btcc.net, as archived at web.archive.org
24. ^ BTCC.net Archived 4 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
25. ^ Mitchell, Scott (17 September 2014). "New UK FIA Formula 4 series MSA Formula to use Mygale chassis". Autosport.com. Haymarket Media. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
26. ^ Paice, Simon (19 March 2012). "Formula Renault UK Axed for 2012". The Checkered Flag. Black Eagle Media Network. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
27. ^ Bradley, Charles, ed. (27 September 2012). "No TOCA return for Renault". Autosport. Vol. 209, no. 13\. Teddington, Middlesex: Haymarket Publications. p. 79\. "The decision to end Formula Renault UK brings down the final curtain on a series that ran continuously in Britain from 1989 until the end of 2011 – with a number of Formula 1 drivers, including world champions Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Räikkönen, racing in the championship early in their careers."

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to British Touring Car Championship.

* Official site
* SuperTouringRegister.com
* TouringCarTimes.com

* v
* t
* e

Car make and models which have competed in the BTCC since the start of the 2 litre era (1991–present)

Alfa Romeo|

* 147
* 155
* 156
* Giulietta

Audi|

* A4 (B5), (B8)
* S3

BMW|

* 1 Series (E81)
* 1 Series (F20)
* 3 Series (E30)
* 3 Series (E36)
* 3 Series (E90)
* 3 Series (G20)

Chevrolet|

* Cruze 4dr
* Cruze 5dr
* Lacetti

Ford|

* Focus ST Mk2, Mk3, Mk4
* Focus RS,
* Mondeo Mk.1, Mk.2
* Sierra (Sapphire), (RS Cosworth)

Honda|

* Accord v, vi
* Civic iv, vii, viii, ix, x
* Integra

Hyundai|

* I30 Fastback

Infiniti|

* Q50

Lexus|

* IS200

Mazda|

* 323F
* Xedos 6

Mercedes-Benz|

* A Class

MG|

* 6
* ZS

Mitsubishi|

* Carisma
* Galant
* Lancer
* Starion

Nissan|

* Primera (P10), (P11)

Peugeot|

* 306
* 307
* 405
* 406

Proton|

* Gen-2
* Satria
* Impian
* Persona

Renault|

* 19
* Clio
* Laguna

Rover|

* 216 GTi

SEAT|

* Leon
* Toledo

Subaru|

* Levorg

Toyota|

* Avensis
* Carina
* Corolla

Vauxhall|

* Astra G, H, K
* Belmont
* Cavalier
* Insignia
* Vectra B, C

Volkswagen|

* Golf Mk.5
* CC

Volvo|

* 850
* S40

* v
* t
* e

Circuits of the British Touring Car Championship (1958–present)

Current (2025)|

* Donington Park
* Brands Hatch
* Snetterton
* Thruxton
* Oulton Park
* Croft
* Knockhill
* Silverstone

Former|

* Aintree
* Birmingham
* Crystal Palace
* Goodwood
* Ingliston
* Mallory Park
* Mondello Park
* Pembrey
* Rockingham

* v
* t
* e

British Saloon/Touring Car Championship

BSCC (1958–1986)|

* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986

BTCC (1987–present)|

* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024
* 2025

* Champions
* Records
* Teams and Drivers

* v
* t
* e

Support series to the British Touring Car Championship

Current|

* Mini Challenge UK
* Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain
* F4 British Championship

Previous|

* British Formula Ford Championship
* Ginetta Junior Championship
* Ginetta GT Supercup
* Renault Clio Cup United Kingdom
* Formula Renault UK
* SEAT Cupra Championship
* Formula BMW UK
* Renault Spider Cup
* Formula Vauxhall
* Formula Vauxhall Junior
* Lotus Elise Championship
* Vauxhall Vectra Championship
* Ford Fiesta Championship

* v
* t
* e

Motorsport in the UK

International|

* Formula racing
* Formula One (British Grand Prix, European Grand Prix)
* Formula E (London ePrix)
* A1GP
* Superleague Formula (SF round UK)

* Sports car racing
* FIA WEC (6 Hours of Silverstone)
* ELMS
* Blancpain GT (Endurance Cup, World Challenge Europe)
* IGTO
* 24H Series (24H Silverstone)
* FIA GT1 Championship (RAC Tourist Trophy)

* Touring car racing
* FIA WTCC (WTCC Race of UK)
* 24H TCE Series (24H Silverstone)

* Stock car racing
* NASCAR Whelen Euro Series (American Speedfest)

* Rallying
* FIA WRC (Rally GB)
* FIA WRX (World RX of Great Britain)

* Motorcycling
* MotoGP (British motorcycle Grand Prix)
* WSBK (Donington Park)

* Motorcycle speedway
* Speedway Grand Prix (Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain)

* Radio-controlled racing
* IFMAR Worlds (1:12 Elec. Track, 1:10 Elec. Off-Road, 1:8 IC Off-Road)
* EFRA Euros

Open Wheel|

* BRDC British Formula 3
* Monoposto Racing Club
* F4 British Championship
* MSV Formula 3 Cup
* British Formula One Championship
* British Formula 3000
* British Formula 3
* Formula Ford
* Walter Hayes Trophy
* Formula Renault UK
* Formula BMW
* Formula Palmer Audi

Saloon/Sports Car|

* British Touring Car Championship
* British GT Championship
* Britcar
* Ginetta GT4 Supercup
* Ginetta GT5 Challenge
* Ginetta Junior Championship
* Kumho BMW Championship
* MaX5 Racing Championship
* Renault Clio Cup
* Pickup Truck Racing
* Porsche Carrera Cup GB
* TVR Tuscan Challenge
* Welsh Sports and Saloon Car Championship
* BRDC Sportscar Championship
* SEAT Cupra Championship

Motorcycle|

* British Superbike Championship
* British Supersport Championship
* Isle of Man TT
* North West 200
* Thruxton 500

Rally|

* British Rally Championship
* British Rallycross Championship
* Scottish Rally Championship

Hill Climb|

* British Hill Climb Championship
* Goodwood Festival of Speed

Endurance|

* Britcar (Silverstone Britcar 24-Hour) • Willhire 24 Hour • 2CV 24 Hour Race

Karting|

* British Schools Karting Championship
* British Universities Karting Championship
* Formula A
* ICA
* Junior ICA

Stock Car (Full/Short Oval)|

* ASCAR Racing Series
* BriSCA F1
* BriSCA F2
* Banger racing
* National Hot Rods
* Superstox
* V8 Hotstox

Grass Track|

* Autograss
* Grasstrack Speedway
* Lawn mower racing

Drifting|

* European Drift Championship
* British Drift Championship
* JDM Allstars

Historics|

* Goodwood Revival
* Oulton Park Gold Cup
* Silverstone Classic
* VSCC

Motorcycle speedway|

* British Speedway Championship
* British Speedway Under 21 Championship
* British Speedway Under 18 Championship
* Speedway Elite League
* Elite League Knockout Cup Craven Shield
* Speedway Elite League Riders' Championship
* Elite League Pairs Championship
* Speedway Premier League
* Premier League Knockout Cup
* Speedway Premier Trophy
* Speedway Premier League Riders' Championship
* Speedway Premier League Pairs Championship
* Speedway Premier League Four-Team Championship
* Speedway Conference League
* Speedway Conference League Riders' Championship
* Speedway Conference League Four-Team Championship

R/C racing|

* BRCA National Championships

Defunct championships / races are indicated in italics

* v
* t
* e

Super Touring championships

Australian Super Touring Championship|

* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002

Belgian Procar Championship|

* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997

British Touring Car Championship|

* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000

Central European Supertouring Car Championship|

* 1994
* 1995
* 1996

Czech Supertouring Car Championship|

* 1996
* 1997

French Supertouring Championship|

* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999

Super Tourenwagen Cup|

* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999

Italian Superturismo Championship|

* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999

Japanese Touring Car Championship|

* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998

Portuguese Touring Car Championship|

* 1993
* 1994

Campeonato de España de Turismos|

* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997

South African Touring Car Championship|

* 1994
* 1995
* 1996

Swedish Touring Car Championship|

* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002

Asia-Pacific Touring Car Championship|

* 1994
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999

European Touring Car Championship|

* 2000
* 2001

North American Touring Car Championship|

* 1996
* 1997

South American Super Touring Car Championship|

* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000

Touring Car World Cup|

* 1993
* 1994
* 1995

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