BTCC for beginners: your guide to the UK’s most competitive motorsport championship
13 September 2024The British Touring Car Championship is one of the most exciting four-wheeled racing series in the country, but if you are new to the championship, here’s a crash course in the cars, the races and more!
Why are some BTCC cars left-hand drive?
The BTCC grid is made up of modified road cars, and those original chassis can be either right or left-hand drive. Limitations on the number of modifications are strictly regulated, so the driving position remains in its original configuration.
Are BTCC cars FWD?
BTCC cars can be front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive depending on the drivetrain layout of the original model. Both have their strengths and weaknesses, with FWD favouring wet conditions, RWD boasting superior traction and so on. This creates a balance of performance through the field that, over the course of a season, produces thrilling title battles.
How does BTCC’s hybrid system work?
The introduction of hybrid power came to the BTCC in 2022, replacing its historical weight ballast system. As was the case with ballast, hybrid power is allocated to drivers based on their position in the championship (for qualifying and Race 1) or the previous race results (for the second and third races).
Those who are higher up receive less time – allocated in seconds per lap – compared to those further down who receive more, up to a maximum of 15 seconds per lap.
How many points for a win in the BTCC?
The winner of a BTCC race is awarded 20 points and they are earned all the way down to 15th place. Additional points are given to the fastest qualifier, the driver who sets the fastest lap in each race and any driver who leads a lap of a race.
In addition to the overall standings, the same points system is used in the Independent Drivers’ and Teams’ championships.
Position | Championship points |
|---|---|
1st | 20 |
2nd | 17 |
3rd | 15 |
4th | 13 |
5th | 11 |
6th | 10 |
7th | 9 |
8th | 8 |
9th | 7 |
10th | 6 |
11th | 5 |
12th | 4 |
13th | 3 |
14th | 2 |
15th | 1 |
Sessions through the weekend
Two 35-minute Free Practice sessions precede the grid-deciding qualifying session on Saturday. Qualifying is split into three separate sessions, culminating with the ‘Quick Six’ to determine the top six on the Race 1 grid.
On Sunday, three 30-minute races take place over the course of the day alongside the BTCC’s official support series races. For Race 2, the grid is the same as the finishing order of the first race while Race 3 features a lottery system reverse grid for the top 12 finishers of the second race.
Who won the BTCC in 2023?
Ash Sutton claimed a record-equalling fourth BTCC title in 2023 after a titanic title tussle with 2022 champion Tom Ingram.
