The BTCC Media Team has been busy giving the official website an update over the winter months and has today launched the newly refreshed website – ahead of the Donington Park season opener!

The new responsive and high-speed website is all-device friendly with a look to suit this modern era of the BTCC, whilst it will contain all the favourite content enjoyed by our visitors, plus an ever-growing portfolio of new media content.

Latest news, photos, calendars, timetables, ticket information, drivers’/teams’ pages, video, social media, plus live TV, timing and audio interviews are all present, whilst further new features, such as the Championship’s Sustainability Strategy, will follow over the coming weeks and months.

As part of our new-for-2024 media and broadcasting strategy, which has included the recent announcement that the BTCC will be streamed live across the globe via TikTok, the new website is also a major part of this ongoing and improved approach.

• Hopes are high at Speedworks Motorsport-run squad as new BTCC season looms
• Former world champion Huff targeting ‘a big bagful of points’ in curtain-raising contest
• Jack Sears Trophy winner Watson returning to the scene of standout series debut

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK is approaching the forthcoming British Touring Car Championship campaign in positive mood, with an exciting new-look driver line-up and a home soil start at Donington Park next weekend (27/28 April).

The Speedworks Motorsport-prepared Toyota Corolla GR Sport is already 12 times a race-winner in the country’s premier motor racing series, and its road-going cousin is produced just a few miles up the road from the track at Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK (TMUK) in Burnaston.

The Corolla’s maiden BTCC victory came at Donington in only its sixth start in 2019, with another following last season. The British-built hatch has achieved four rostrum results in total at the Leicestershire circuit, which the championship will visit twice this year – once for the curtain-raising contest on the popular ‘National’ layout, and then again in late August when competitors will tackle the extended ‘Grand Prix’ loop, made famous by Ayrton Senna’s fabled wet-weather heroics just over three decades ago.

Behind the wheel of the two Toyotas will be former FIA World Touring Car Champion Rob Huff and reigning Jack Sears Trophy winner Andrew Watson. Huff was a double podium-finisher in the WTCC at Donington in 2011, and is embarking upon only his second full campaign in the BTCC – his first dating all the way back to 2004. Since then, the Cambridgeshire ace has plied his trade almost exclusively on the international stage, with substantial success.

In the sister Corolla, Andrew Watson similarly boasts a wealth of experience of competing on foreign shores, making a name for himself in GT racing before transferring his skills to tin-tops last season. The 29-year-old Northern Irishman stunned on his BTCC debut at Donington 12 months ago by qualifying inside the top eight – some way ahead of his two team-mates – and coming within a whisker of a podium finish in his very first race in the series.

The 2024 calendar features ten race weekends, with all of the action season-long to be broadcast live and in high-definition on ITV channels as well as the championship’s TikTok account.

Christian Dick, Team Principal, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK, said:

“There have been a lot of changes over the past few months, but one thing that has absolutely not changed is the burning ambition that drives every single member of this team – and the commitment to delivering no less than 100 per cent in the pursuit of perfection.

“And I don’t mean that lightly. The BTCC is so fiercely competitive that you can’t afford to leave a single stone unturned or so much as a tenth-of-a-second on the table if you want to win. That’s why we have worked harder than ever over the winter, to ensure we can go into the new campaign in the strongest possible shape and hit the ground running right from the first free practice session.

“The Corolla is a proven package in the championship, and even in its sixth season in the BTCC, we are still finding more pace and performance, with Rob and Andrew delivering useful feedback about areas for further improvement.

“Both drivers are quickly getting to grips with the Toyota and learning how to extract the best out of it, and I have no doubt that they will be capable of challenging for podium finishes from the outset. We’re all massively excited to get going and seeing what we can achieve this year!”

Rob Huff, Driver, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK, said:

“I think we’ve had a very positive pre-season, all-in-all. Testing has been predominantly wet, but it’s been nice for me to be able to settle into the team, form relationships with everybody and get my head around the car a bit and the way it operates. It’s very busy inside the cockpit compared to what I’ve been used to recently, from its manual sequential ‘box and changeable gear ratios to hybrid deployment – and that’s before you even begin to consider the different tyre compounds!

“I’ve been working very well with my engineer and crew exploring different set-up options and feel pretty comfortable in the Corolla now. It goes without saying that I would love another seven or eight days in the car before the season gets underway, but I’m sure everybody else is of the same opinion!

“Donington is probably one of the UK circuits I’ve been to most often and one I’ve always enjoyed – it’s fast-and-flowing with a really nice combination of corners. It’s also a home event for Toyota with the Burnaston factory just around the corner, so hopefully we will see a large crowd of guys and girls there from TMUK to cheer us on.

“The Corolla has a strong record at the track, so we’re keen to capitalise upon that and I’m targeting a good first weekend to start off as we mean to go on – with a big bagful of points!”

Andrew Watson, Driver, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK, said:

“I’m feeling really excited for Donington Park. It’s such a great circuit – especially in a touring car – and the perfect place to start the season. It tends to generate really good racing and obviously has very positive memories for me from last year.

“There has been a lot to get on top of during the off-season, but I think we have used our test days wisely to build a very solid foundation for the campaign ahead. Switching to right-hand drive has been a little bit different, but I got a good feeling from the Toyota straightaway and we’re finding more with every test. The Corolla’s base set-up seems to be really strong, so now it’s about extracting the most from it at each track.

“It’s great having Rob alongside me. He’s a super-nice guy, really open with so much experience and I’m already learning from him. He brings a lot of value to the team and will be a tough competitor for sure. We’ve been saying very similar things about the Corolla, too, which is reassuring – everybody is pulling in the same direction.

“I’m also really beginning to gel with my race engineer, Jack, so overall, I’m feeling good and my confidence is high. I’m in a top team and a great car, so there’s no point in denying it – the goal is to challenge for podium finishes and wins.”

• Former champion fully focussed on winning back his title in 2024
• EXCELR8 Motorsport star hails ‘best-ever’ pre-season build-up
• 30-year-old says team has ‘turned a huge corner’ over the winter

Tom Ingram leaves no doubt about his objective for the forthcoming British Touring Car Championship campaign – he wants to reclaim the biggest prize in UK motorsport, which he first lifted 18 months ago. He is confident he can do just that.

Ingram concluded last season in the country’s premier motor racing series placed second in the standings amongst the 31 high-calibre contenders – his second runner-up finish in the past six years. He has no intention of repeating the feat in 2024.

“My desire to win the title back is greater than it was to win it in the first place,” asserts the Team Bristol Street Motors star, a 27-time race-winner in the BTCC. “It’s natural that you want to win it once, but I don’t think I’d previously appreciated how much you want to get it back after losing it. I used to wonder how drivers kept on coming back for more, but now I understand you are never satisfied with just winning it once.”

Ingram’s title defence in 2023 was by no means a disappointment. He scored more points than in any of his previous nine campaigns in the championship and reached the rostrum 17 times from 30 starts – ascending the highest step at both Snetterton and Donington Park. He was, he acknowledges, ‘the only one to consistently take to fight to Ash [Sutton]’ – and now, he wants to turn the tables.

One of the factors that he identifies as a key issue last year was the team’s lack of representative running over the winter, meaning they were constantly trying to learn ‘on the job’ as the season progressed. Twelve months on, the situation could scarcely be more different.

“The 2023 pre-season period was absolutely shocking for us, with next to no dry track time followed by a predominantly dry season, which left us routinely on the back foot and playing catch-up,” the 30-year-old explains. “This year has been very different. It actually feels like the best pre-season we’ve ever had. We spent three days at Anglesey in amazing weather, which was massively productive. That played a major role in steering our direction and development of the car for the coming season.”

The car he refers to is the EXCELR8 Motorsport-prepared Hyundai i30N, which now benefits from the additional input of tin-top powerhouse Team Dynamics, with whom EXCELR8 has joined forces, relocating premises to share the renowned Midlands-based outfit’s state-of-the-art workshop. Team Dynamics has no fewer than 13 BTCC titles to its name – six Drivers’ crowns and seven Teams’ trophies – and Ingram believes the partnership could prove pivotal to a renewed assault on glory.

“Team Dynamics was the absolute benchmark in the series for many, many years,” reflects the talented Bucks-born ace. “It’s a hugely impressive facility they have, which I have no doubt played a significant role in that success.

“Alongside the move, we’ve had a very busy winter from an engineering perspective. We’ve taken everything right back to basics and have tried to be very strategic, analysing what worked last year and what didn’t. There’s no such thing as a silver bullet in this game, so rather than focussing on any one particular area, we have concentrated on trying to make small improvements across the board. I’m confident that will put us in really good stead once the serious business gets underway.

“The truth of the matter is that we were never far away last year. We were in the mix every weekend and were the only ones to regularly take the fight to Ash and keep him on his toes. It goes without saying that everybody else will have improved too – nobody ever sits still in a championship as tough and competitive as the BTCC – but I believe the steps we have taken with the Hyundai’s chassis over the past few months have yielded real gains, and testing seems to have corroborated that. 

“Honestly, it feels like we’ve turned a huge corner and that we’re in a really strong place in every area, and I feel like I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been too, both mentally and physically. More than anything, I think we’re all in such a positive headspace right now, because we know we are good enough and quick enough to win the title back, and we are aiming to hit it hard right from the start.

“The key, as ever in the BTCC, will be to be fast and consistent at every circuit. That, fundamentally, is what we need to do. Do I think we can turn the tables on Ash and NAPA Racing? Yes, I do.”

The new campaign will get underway at Donington Park on 27/28 April, with all of the action season-long to be broadcast live and in high-definition on ITV channels and the ITV Sport TikTok account.

Motorsport Games and the British Touring Car Championship has confirmed a new non-exclusive license agreement, effective immediately, that reinstates BTCC content in the highly acclaimed rFactor 2 racing simulation until the end of 2026.

Current BTCC content included in rFactor 2 comprises of eight different cars, which MSG will continue to update with the latest liveries from the 2024 season and beyond, plus a range of the current iconic circuits, such as Brands Hatch, Donington Park and Thruxton.

BTCC Chief Executive, Alan Gow, said: “The BTCC content within rFactor 2 was incredibly well received by our fans and the sim racing fraternity – so this new agreement provides for our BTCC content to continue to be updated and rolled out through to the end of 2026. I’ve no doubt this news will be very welcomed by sim racers everywhere.”

For further information on rFactor 2 visit www.studio-397.com or the game’s social media channels @rFactor2. You can purchase rFactor 2 through the Steam store page and BTCC content in the game’s item store both from Steam and inside the game.

Global Media Properties (GMP) proudly announces its appointment as the Exclusive Commercial Partnership Agency for the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship (BTCC). This partnership heralds a new era of strategic collaboration aimed at driving innovation, fostering new partnerships, and enhancing consumer experiences within the UK’s premier motorsport series.

The British Touring Car Championship is one of the most prestigious and longest running motorsport championships in the world. Since its inception in 1958, the BTCC has captivated tens of millions of fans in the UK and worldwide, with its non-stop action and entertainment.

In its capacity as the Exclusive Commercial Partner, GMP will spearhead the development and execution of a dynamic commercial strategy tailored to meet the evolving demands of modern businesses and audiences. This entails reimagining the BTCC’s commercial proposition to align seamlessly with contemporary content and ROI expectations while unlocking new avenues for growth and engagement.

Moreover, GMP will extend its expertise to BTCC teams, offering support in their pursuit of new partnerships and sponsorship opportunities, further enriching the competitive landscape of the championship.

Alan Gow, CEO of the British Touring Car Championship, remarked, “As we embark on this exciting journey with GMP, we are confident that their innovative approach and strategic insights will elevate the BTCC to new heights of commercial success and audience engagement.”

Greg Albrecht, CEO of Global Media Properties, commented, “Securing the BTCC as a client is a testament to our commitment to excellence and innovation in the field of commercial partnerships. We are eager to collaborate with Alan and his team to unlock the full potential of the championship and deliver unparalleled value to commercial partners and consumers alike.”

For more information about Global Media Properties and the British Touring Car Championship, please visit www.globalmediaproperties.co or www.btcc.net.

About Global Media Properties (GMP): Global Media Properties is an integrated agency providing innovative commercial solutions in the realm of sports, arts and culture, entertainment, and tourism. Utilising its four core verticals of sales, content creation, data/insights, and asset development, GMP strives to unlock new opportunities and enhance experiences for partners and audiences worldwide.

Contact: Greg Albrecht, CEO, Global Media Properties (GMP): +1 (416) 399-7293 or galbrecht@globalmediaproperties.co