1958 BTCC race start - Snetterton
1982 Vince Woodman heads the BTCC field in a Ford Capri during the GP support race at Brands Hatch
1997 BTCC race start - Donington Park
2004 BTCC Race start - Thruxton
- The British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) has been in existence for just over 40 years now, the inaugural season being in 1958. That first title was won by Jack Sears, driving a Riley - even though he hadn't driven one all season. Both he and Tommy Sopwith, who had spent the year behind a wheel of a 3.4 Jaguar, finished the season on equal points. To decide the title a timed 'shoot out' in identical cars, a Riley, was won by Sears. In those early days the series featured separate classes for different types of saloon car, and this trend continued up until 1991 when the one-class system was introduced. Almost overnight the rules were simplified negating the complicated class structures that had been so difficult for the average race enthusiast to understand. Prior to 1991 it wasn't unusual to see V8 powered Chevrolet Camaros racing against 1 litre Hillman Imps, although in 1976 the engine sizes were limited to 3 litres. The complicated class system generally favoured the smaller engined models, however, and of the 33 seasons proceeding the rule changes in 1991 only 6 were won by competitors in the larger engine divisions. An example of this is the case of the Ford Capri, the most successful car in BTCC history with 60 race wins in total. Even with it's domination of the event in the seventies it never actually ran out as a championship winner. From 1991 the regulations became a lot easier to understand, by both the general public and the competitors.
- The Super Tourer is born
- The 'Super Tourers', as the cars became known, all conformed to a set of general basic rules. The rules underwent subtle changes each season but were adhered to by all teams competing within the BTCC. As a general guide all cars were limited to no more than 2 litres, a maximum of 6 cylinders, with a rev limit of 8500rpm. The actual body shell had to be identical to that used for road going versions and be no longer than 4.2 meters, with at least 25,000 models having been built. The fuel used, to be standard unleaded petrol and catalytic converters became standard on all cars. A minimum weight of 975 kg was enforced. From the start of the 2000 season 'success ballast' was also introduced. Race winners having to carry 40kg of extra ballast weight for the following meeting. Second place drivers got a 30kg penalty, with third place gaining 20kg.
- Championship points were awarded to the first ten drivers as follows; 15-12-10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 with an extra point being awarded for drivers attaining pole position for either race or leading a lap of the feature race. (Super Tourer class only)
- The race series consisted of a programme of qualifying rounds at circuits around the UK. From 1998 each round comprised of two races, a short 'sprint' race and a longer 'feature' race. The sprint race was a non stop, "lights to flag", charge of a race over a set number of laps. The feature race was usually double the number of laps of the sprint and consisted of compulsory pit stops. Each car had to make at least one pit stop to change at least two of its tyres.
- The 1999 championship saw the first night race in the series, under lights, at Snetterton, with Silverstone added for 2000. Also that same year a number of 'Class B' cars were entered in order to bolster the small number of Super Tourer entrants. These cars complied with FIA Super Production regulations, or the National Saloon Championship (NSC) regulations, where some entrants also competed in the same season.
- During 2000, BMP (British Motorsport Promotions) took over the running of the BTCC from TOCA and the decision to opt for a two class series was taken for the start of the 2001 season. Manufacturers were claiming that the 'Super Tourer' BTCC was becoming too expensive to compete in and it was felt that changes were needed in order to attract more entrants back into the series.
- All change for 2001
- For 2001 two separate classes contested the BTCC, as in 2000, but the regulations had been much revised by BMP for the new season. The 'Super Tourer' class had been replaced with 'BTC Tourer' specification. The second class, 'BTC Production' class cars, were loosely based on the specifications of the NSC cars that ran in 2000. The first two rounds of the season saw each class competing in separate 'Sprint' races and then jointly race in the 'Feature', however the format was revamped from round three onwards. For the remainder of 2001 both BTC(T) and (P) class cars competed together in both races with the Tourer(T) cars leaving the grid before the Production(P) class field in a staggered start for the sprint race. The (P) class cars actually raced a lap less with the (T) field playing catch up. The feature race starts involved both classes starting together with a 'rolling' start. The race points scoring system remained unchanged, although he success ballast weight limits were modified. For the 2002 season the sprint race format was revised, yet again, with all cars starting from the grid at the same time.
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In an effort to cut down on development and build costs, much more commonality of parts was introduced into the BTCC for the start of the 2001 season. It was estimated by BMP, the series promoters, that the cost of running a two car 'BTC Tourer' team for 2001 was in the region of £1.5 million as opposed to approximately £10 million during 2000. The new spec cars had engines no larger than 2 litre and were limited to 270 bhp, although some modifications were allowed to improve reliability. All cars were fitted with a competition standard 6 speed sequential gearbox. The body shell must be based on the standard road car with only modifications being made to safety and strength criteria. Cosmetic aerodynamic packages have been allowed to improve the cars appearance, only, but bigger wheel arches can be fitted to enable larger wheels and tyres. It is felt that the new regulations make for much closer racing and will eventually attract more teams into the BTCC. The BTC Touring grid included only two works teams Vauxhall (Astra Coupe) and Peugeot (406 Coupe) for the 2001 season with MG entering late in the season with the MG ZS. All these manufacturers committed for 2002, and were joined by Proton (Impian) and Honda (Civic Type R) for the start of the season.
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The rules were slightly 'tweaked' for the start of the 2003 season with both races at each round consisting of the same number of laps and both rounds having pit stops. Qualifying rules were also changed. The first race grid positions were decided by a single 20 minute session. The grid for the day's second race was decided by the finishing order of the first race.
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SEAT joined the championship, as a works concern, for 2004 choosing to enter the Toledo Cupra with MG effectively pulling out from the series although they supplied manufacturer 'expertise' to the WSR independent entry. A three race format was introduced, with all three races being of the same duration. An initial qualifying period decides the grid positions for the first race, the finishing positions in the first race decide the starting line up for the second race, although the top ten placings are reversed - ie winner starts 10th. The finish positions of race two decide on start positions for race three. Compulsory pit stops were axed. The series reverted back to a single entry class, with the demise of the Production class, but two types of car were eligible to race. The BTC Touring Class remained, and the series was opened up to the 'Super 2000' cars used in the European Touring Car Championship. All cars run on Dunlop controlled tyres, and the use of tyre warmers is forbidden. Engines can be either petrol, diesel or gas powered, with a maximum of four engines per car being permitted during the course of the championship. By the seasons close, however, Proton had announced that they would not be contesting the 2005 championship.