Wtcc

[AlexC]

Alan, can you honestly tell us now that the BTCC hasn't suffered any losses due to the WTCC's creation?

Could we have lost out on works entries and some top drivers due to the creation of the WTCC?

[Alan Gow]

No....we have not lost any manufacturers to the WTCC at all. There are certainly no manufacturers that have abandoned their BTCC program or plans, in order to go to the WTCC. Not one.

The opposite actually happened; SEAT are only in the BTCC because they have a WTCC car that they can utilise and compete with. They could not have justified the cost of designing and building a bespoke BTCC car.

Other manufacturers that will join the BTCC will do so largely on the back of their WTCC campaign, in a similar way to SEAT (through being able to utilise the cars that were also built and developed for that series)......it is far cheaper for them to do it like that, than to start from scratch with a BTCC-only car.

Yes, we have lost a couple of drivers to the WTCC, but we also lose drivers to all sorts of other series over the years (DTM, FIA Sports Car and etc). And we also have drivers who come into the BTCC from other types of racing. It's perfectly normal for professional drivers to move to other series....thankfully, very few remain in the one championship all their professional life otherwise no new talent would come through.