Halfords, Team Dynamics and the BTCC

One of the UK’s biggest motorsports, the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) is a favourite among motorsport fans for its exciting and unpredictable races. 

Featuring ten rounds, drivers race modified road cars with points awarded for the top 15 finishers. At the end of the season, the driver awarded the most points wins the BTCC championship. 

The 2022 BTCC calendar kicks off at Donington Park on the 23rd-24th April.

The championship then visits eight more circuits over nine race weekends, ending at Brands Hatch on 8th-9th October. 

The BTCC is renowned for its exciting races, filled with wheel-to-wheel action and lots of overtakes – and you don’t have to miss a thing! 

Every race is broadcast live on ITV4 (with some also being live on ITV) and you can also watch highlights of every race on both ITV and ITV4. 

Ash Sutton is the reigning BTCC champion, having claimed his second championship in a row (and third in total) with victory in the 2021 season. He was joined on the podium by Colin Turkington in second and Josh Cook in third.

The 2022 BTCC season kicks off on the 23rd-24th April with a trip to Donington Park. You can find the full race calendar here.

BTCC drivers race road cars that have been specially modified and, as you’d expect, they’re fast! 

Depending on the circuit, some races average over 100mph. The record speed for a lap was set by former Team Dynamics driver Dan Cammish at Thruxton in the 2020 season, at a blistering 112.32mph.

Although BTCC teams use regular road cars, almost every aspect of the car is modified so that it’s ready for racing. As such, they’re very different to the road-worthy versions of the same vehicle, and BTCC cars are not road legal.

As BTCC teams use modified road cars, their cars can be either left- or right-hand drive, depending on the origin of the chassis. However, there are regulations in place limiting the parts and modifications available, which helps create a more even playing field. You can find the full list of regulations here.

From 2022, each BTCC car will contain a new hybrid system that’s been designed to slot into the existing cars with limited modification. This system consists of a motor that attaches directly to the gearbox, a large lithium battery that sits next to the driver’s seat and a cooling kit.

One of the key features of the new system is that drivers can press a button on their steering wheel and deploy a speed boost of up to 15 seconds per lap, which they can use to catch rivals or defend their positions. An external LED light will show whenever the hybrid technology has been activated, allowing fans to stay on top of the action.

The new system is also replacing the traditional weight-based success ballast system. In qualifying, drivers will be able to activate the system for a dedicated amount of time per lap based on their position in the championship. In races, drivers will be able to deploy their speed boost for a set number of laps based on their finishing positions on race day.