"Start Your Engines!" BTCC Set To Roar Back Into Action at Donington

Photo courtesy of the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC)

After six long months, BTCC fans countrywide are rejoicing as we can finally once again say, “It’s race weekend!” as the premier tin-top competition starts it’s engines this weekend for the 2024 campaign.

Whilst the winter break is often seen as an arduous affair by all those suffering from touring car withdrawal, this winter break has provided many talking points heading into the new season.

So, before we hit the tarmac, let’s take a quick look at what lies in store for 2024!

New grid size

The most notable difference right off the bat is that this year BTCC will be boasting a slimmer grid than last season. During 2023, 29 different drivers graced the paddock for at least half of the meetings, with a further 2 (Rob Huff and James Gornall) both making guest appearances at 1 meeting apiece.

This season will see only 20 drivers on the grid for the opening round at Donington Park this weekend, with only 1 more registered seat still open for the campaign (for Team BMW).
The reduction in drivers has fuelled much of the debate amongst over the close season, as reports rolled in over the winter of multiple drivers deciding not to return for this year.
 
Whilst BTCC Chief Executive Alan Gow has made no secret of his desire for a reduced grid size, it is the opinion of many that this will lead to a less dramatic championship battle. However, on the other side of the coin, others feel that a tighter grid will actually enhance the quality of the racing, something many felt was lacking in last year’s campaign.

Although notable by their absence this year, Dan Lloyd, Jack Butel, Stephen Jelley and George Gamble can still be seen at the meetings after all making a switch to the popular Porsche Carrera Cup GB which continues as part of the BTCC support package.

Photo courtesy of the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC

New regulations

A new tyre specification in play this year promises to spice up the action, as at all bar two weekends a mix of tyre compounds will be on offer. The driver who wins the first race will then have to choose the hardest tyre compound available for the second race, forcing teams to play more strategically.
​
Only the opening round at Donington Park this weekend and the June meeting at Thruxton will be the exceptions, where only a single tyre compound will be on offer.
There has also been a change to the hybrid capacity for this year, with BTCC doubling the power boost allowance in hopes that this will help to tighten up the pack, so to speak, after criticisms that racing was “too processional” throughout last season.

Photo courtesy of the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC

New teams

Team HARD.Racing’s financial struggles dominated much of the headlines at the start of the winter break as it was heavily suggested that Tony Gilham’s team would not be able to return to the competition. Having run 6 of the cars on the grid last year, their absence was seen as the catalyst behind the shrunken driver numbers this year.

However, from the ashes of Team HARD, we welcome Restart Racing to the competition this year, with its two-driver line-up of 2022 TCR Touring Car winner and former BTCC driver Chris Smiley and BTCC debutant Scott Sumpton, who also makes the switch from TCR. The team will run 2 ex-Team HARD Cupra Leons.

Late on during close season, it was also announced that Tony Gilham could not be kept away from the tin-top series as he returns under the guise of Unlimited Racing, with Daryl DeLeon, who had an impressive debut season last year, manning another of the ex-HARD Cupras.
Although not as much a new team as an expanded/rebranded one, Speedworks introduce their new two-man satellite LKQ EURO Car Parts with SYNETIQ outfit with Josh Cook and Aidan Moffat making the switch from OneMotorsport.

New Qualifying format

After introducing the popular Top Ten Showdown at most of the meeting last season, BTCC have switched gears again to bring us the equally exciting ‘Quick Six’ format for 2024, similar to that used in IndyCar.

The field of competitors will be split into two groups, competing in two 10-minute qualifying sessions. The six in each group who set the fastest times then compete in a further 10-minute session, with the top six becoming the ‘Quick Six’ that will do battle in the final round to determine the grid order for Round 1 on Sunday.
​
The intention behind this change is to bring more interest to the FP2 session, which will be used to determine the split of the initial two qualifying groups.
 
And let’s now take a look at those that will give us all of the action – The teams!

Photo courtesy of the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC

NAPA Racing UK (Alliance Racing)
Drivers: Ash Sutton, Dan Cammish, Dan Rowbottom & Sam Osborne

An unchanged line-up for the 2023 Team and Manufacturer champions, with all 4 drivers returning in the yellow-and-blue. Reigning Driver’s champion Sutton will be looking to set an all-time record this year as he hunts for his fifth title, but team-mate Dan Cammish will be keen to make up for the disappointing end to his last campaign but staking his own claim for the crown.
 
Team Bristol Street Motors (EXCELR8 Motorsport)
Drivers: Tom Ingram, Tom Chilton, Ronan Pearson & Nick Halstead

Similarly, the team at Bristol Street Motors unites in full with 2022 champion Tom Ingram looking to make good on last year and reclaim his title in what is set to be another classic battle at the top.

After a stellar maiden BTCC season last year, Ronan Pearson will also be looking to earn his spot on the rostrum after some heartbreaking near-misses in 2023, whilst Nick Halstead brings back the hugely popular Crazy Carts competition back for another season, also sporting his eye-catching new livery courtesy of his new sponsorship with Razor.
 
LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ (Speedworks)
Drivers: Josh Cook & Aidan Moffatt

As mentioned earlier, Speedworks Motorsport added a fourth Toyota Corolla machine to their arsenal with the establishment of their new satellite team. Last year’s Independent Driver’s champion Cook will be hoping that a new car will mean a new heigh of success this year, as he and team-mate Moffatt move over from OneMotorsport.
 
Team BMW (West Surrey Racing)
Drivers: Colin Turkington & Adam Morgan

In something of a shift this year, there will only be 3 BMW’s on the grid at the start of the season after the departure of Stephen Jelley to the Porsche Carrera Cup.

A pre-season test by Bobby Thompson gave fans high hopes to see one of their favourites behind the week of one of the WSR-run BMW 330e’s, but apparent funding issues have meant we may have to wait to see this happen.

Turkington and Morgan return in 2 of the WSR machines, with the Ulsterman still considered to be in with an outside chance of battling with Sutton for that record-setting fifth championship this year.
 
Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport
Driver: Jake Hill

The third BMW on the grid will again be flying the beautiful colours of Laser Tools Racing as Jake Hill looks to put aside the final-day disappointments of the last two seasons - which both saw him settle for 3rd place overall behind Ingram and Sutton both times – and stake his own claim for his first Driver’s championship.
 
Toyota Gazoo Racing (Speedworks)
Drivers: Andrew Watson & Rob Huff

The increasingly popular Speedworks outfit sees the second half of their enterprise fly the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing colours with another all-new pairing after George Gamble and Rory Butcher moved on to other ventures this year.

Last year’s debutant and Jack Sears Trophy winner Andrew Watson takes the next step in his BTCC career with a move from Power Maxed Racing, along with the long-awaited return of former World Touring Car champion, Rob Huff.

With a pedigree such as this, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing will surely be one of the contenders for the team to watch out for this year.
 
Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing
Drivers: Aron Taylor-Smith & Mikey Doble

The increasingly-popular Bidford-on-Avon unit return for their 10th season in BTCC with a new title sponsor, their trusty Vauxhall Astras and a trimmed-down two-man team, as Aron Taylor-Smith and Mikey Doble return to seek the Independent’s honours and possibly more.
 
Unlimited Racing
Driver: Daryl DeLeon

Tony Gilham sends out the newly-established Unlimited Racing with young charge Daryl DeLeon returning for his first full season. Can he be the one to bag that elusive first win for the Cupra Leon?
 
Restart Racing
Drivers: Chris Smiley & Scott Sumpton

Or will this honour go to the debuting Restart Racing, making their first appearance with BTCC returnee Smiley and debutant Scott Sumpton, both fresh off success in recent years in the TCR championship, running out in two ex-Team HARD Cupras of their own.

You can catch all of the qualifying action from 3:25pm this Saturday on the ITV Sport YouTube channel.

Full live coverage of Rounds 1, 2 & 3 kicks off on ITV4 and ITVX from 10:40am on Sunday, with each race this season also being broadcast live on TikTok for the first time ever! 

Chris Tetreault-Blay
BTCC Journalist @ F1 Journal