After two consecutive third place finishes in the BTCC championship, Jake Hill has everything in place earlier than ever for his attack on the title. That may seem straight-forward but there is a long road that got Jake to where he is today.
We talk to Jake on his path to today, his newborn son, his love for historic cars and what a worry-free pre-season looks like ahead of the 2024 season.
While official testing ahead of the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship doesn’t get underway until early April there will be a number of teams hitting the track over the coming weeks.
Teams can organise exclusive, semi-exclusive or even open test days at this time of year, and several will be taking advantage of the opportunity as UK temperatures continue to rise with Spring edging ever closer.
Alliance Racing will be travelling to Snetterton on 21 March, whilst Power Maxed Racing will also visit the Norfolk venue on 27 March.
There will also be an unofficial test day at Brands Hatch on 2 April as a number of teams have chosen to combine for two days of action, with the likes of Alliance Racing and EXCELR8 Motorsport being joined by Speedworks Motorsport and Restart Racing.
It should be noted that the details above are subject to change and may not include all test days scheduled, as a number of teams may also organise behind-closed-doors exclusive runs.
The first of three official test days takes place at Brands Hatch on 3 April, which will be the first time we will see the full 2024 line-up on-track together, before the BTCC circus moves to Croft in North Yorkshire on 10 April.
The final test day will be part of the BTCC’s official Season Launch at Donington Park on 16 April, with another six hours of running scheduled.
Under the regulations testing is not permitted after 5pm on Friday 19 April.
The 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will then commence at Donington Park with Rounds 1, 2 and 3 taking place on 27/28 April.
More information and updates will follow right here on the BTCC website and across the championship’s official social channels.
Enjoy our exclusive interview with Dan Rowbottom as he talks about his motorsport journey so far and his hopes for the 2024 BTCC season.
Dan is preparing to contest his fifth campaign in the UK's premier motorsport championship, and having taken the Jack Sears Trophy, pole positions and race wins during the first four years, we asked him if a title challenge is next on his list...
As we build towards the much-anticipated 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship Season Launch we thought we would take a look back at one of our previous iconic events.
It's ten years since this particular launch at Donington Park and it turned into another classic season as first-time champion Andrew Jordan attempted to defend his crown.
Colin Turkington would eventually go on to claim the title in a championship campaign that also included the likes of Jason Plato, Matt Neal, Alain Menu, Gordon Shedden and Fabrizio Giovanardi.
The 2024 edition is now less than two months away with the event taking place at Donington Park once again, with the 16 April date expected to attract a good crowd at the legendary venue.
Gates will open to the public from 10:00, with Circuit Owner MSV opening its food and refreshment outlets, whilst spectators can get up close and personal with the latest line-up in the open paddock area throughout the day.
Keep an eye across the BTCC, MSV and BARC channels for further information on each event nearer the time.
Nick Halstead will embark on a second full season in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship after re-signing with Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 for the 2024 campaign.
Halstead took part in his rookie campaign last year at the wheel of one of the team’s Hyundai i30 Fastback N machines, scoring a fine seventh-place finish during the season's opening meeting at Donington Park.
That would be one of two overall points finishes for Nick during the season, with a 15th-place coming later in the year at Knockhill.
Both of those results would come in challenging mixed weather conditions and helped Nick to finish seventh in the Jack Sears Trophy; the competition for drivers who have yet to score an overall BTCC podium.
With a season in the series now under belt, Nick will head into 2024 eager to make progress up the order and will do so with the added support of Razor as a result of a major new partnership agreed over the winter.
Razor is synonymous for its expansive list of rideables, which includes kick and electric scooters and a wide range of hoverboards.
BTCC fans will best know Razor for being the driving force behind Crazy Carts, the award-winning drift carts that Halstead introduced to the paddock last year. A selection of races with fellow drivers were held across the season, drawing in ever-increasing crowds as fans embraced the new initiative.
Nick’s new partnership with Razor will not only see him adopt the moniker of 'Mr Crazy Cart' on track but will also see his Hyundai rebranded as the Crazy Cart XXXL - with a unique and eye-catching livery to be revealed prior to the new season getting underway at Donington Park in April.
Nick Halstead said:
"I’m delighted to not only announce my return to the BTCC grid this season with EXCELR8, but also to announce a new partnership with Crazy Carts that is going to be bigger and better than ever before!
"The way that fans and my fellow drivers embraced Crazy Carts last season was fantastic, and the events we put on proved to be hugely popular. People started to call me Mr Crazy Cart as the season wore on, so the logical thing was to speak to the team at Razor and see what we could do to make it official for 2024.
"The livery of the Crazy Cart XXXL is going to look fantastic and will really stand out on track, where I’m hoping I can push for some strong results as the season goes on. It was a big challenge for me last year, but I felt I made good progress behind the wheel, and towards the end of the season, I was regularly displaying pace comparable with the top 15.
"What held me back was a lack of experience, and generally on a weekend, it was race two or three before I would say I really felt comfortable in the car and was able to push. Now I’m going to be heading into events with knowledge already under my belt, and even though the grid looks like being a lot tougher in 2024, it leaves me feeling optimistic about what can be achieved.
"Obviously, I want to try and fight for overall points finishes, but I’d also love to try and get a Jack Sears Trophy win during the season and take Crazy Carts onto the podium!"
James Dobson, EMEA Sales and Marketing Director at Razor, said:
“We are incredibly excited to work alongside Nick Halstead and the brilliant EXCELR8 team, and increasing Razor’s involvement in the BTCC presents an enormous opportunity to introduce new fans to its events.
“The 2023 Crazy Cart Championship was a massive success, and we are looking forward to building on last year’s popularity and introducing the races across the entirety of the BTCC season.”
Justina Williams, EXCELR8 Team Owner, said:
"We’re delighted to have Nick onboard again in 2024 and are keen to see what he can achieve in his second full season in the Hyundai. Last year was a big learning year given how different the BTCC is from what he had done before, but he worked hard with the team and that was reflected in the way his pace improved as the season went on.
"Off track, he had a huge impact in the paddock with the Crazy Carts Championship, and it’s great to see that initiative now grow as a result of the increased partnership with Razor.”
In case you've missed it... tickets for all events on the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship calendar are now on sale.
The eight circuits visited represent the very best of what UK motorsport has to offer. From Fife to Kent to Northamptonshire, with the trackside viewing and facilities guaranteeing fans get the best experience possible.
Motorsport Vision – circuit owners at Donington Park, Brands Hatch, Oulton Park and Snetterton – were the first to launch availability for all of its events.
BARC will be hosting two BTCC race weekends in 2024 – at Thruxton and Croft respectively – and tickets for both are available to purchase online, whilst Knockhill then added its name to the list of venues selling its tin-top tickets for next season.
Silverstone completed the 2024 line up by releasing their BTCC tickets just in time for Christmas. The iconic British circuit will host the penultimate race weekend, once again running the National layout.
A full weekend programme from the BTCC includes Free Practice and the all-new Quick Six Qualifying format on Saturday, before a high-octane triple header of races taking place on the Sunday. There will also be a full support programme too, so these events are not to be missed for any British motorsport fan!
Here is the full calendar for the 2024 season with further information and ticket booking hyperlinked. We look forward to welcoming you next year!
2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship
| Rounds | Date | Venue/Circuit/Tickets |
| 1, 2, 3 | 27/ 28 April | Donington Park (National) |
| 4, 5, 6 | 11/ 12 May | Brands Hatch (Indy) |
| 7, 8, 9 | 25/ 26 May | Snetterton (300) |
| 10, 11, 12 | 08/ 09 June | Thruxton |
| 13, 14, 15 | 22/ 23 June | Oulton Park (Island) |
| 16, 17, 18 | 27/ 28 July | Croft |
| 19, 20, 21 | 10/ 11 August | Knockhill |
| 22, 23, 24 | 24/ 25 August | Donington Park (GP) |
| 25, 26, 27 | 21/ 22 September | Silverstone (National) |
| 28, 29, 30 | 05/ 06 October | Brands Hatch (GP) |
One Motorsport can today (21 February) announce that it will take a planned pause from competing in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship for the 2024 season, with the aim of returning to the grid to fight for outright honours in 2025.
Having spent a number of years operating as a successful and totally independent front-running team in the UK’s premier motorsport series, Team Owner Steve Dudman has made the difficult decision to press pause on the outfits immediate involvement in the championship this year.
While the team may not be lining up on the grid this year, the team aims to undertake an extensive development programme and testing on its fleet of Honda Civic Type Rs, before a planned return to the entry list in 2025.
Since debuting in the BTCC, the Brackley-based outfit - formerly known as BTC Racing - has enjoyed tremendous success, with back-to-back Independent Drivers’ and Teams’ with a total of 19 wins and 52 podiums.
The highlight of earning the aforementioned Independents crowns in 2022 and 2023 showed the strength, dedication, and professionalism of every member of the race team, in particular the contribution and leadership of Paul Hartley.
“This has been an extremely difficult decision to make however it has been made for the betterment of the team and guaranteeing our future success in the sport,” said One Motorsport Team Owner, Steve Dudman.
“It goes without saying that everyone shall be facing their own challenges this year, from drivers to sponsors alike, and we are no different to that. There has been a lot of back and forth in regard to what our 2024 plans would be, but when I finally made this decision after discussion with TOCA, I knew deep down it was the right one at this time.
“We won’t be downing tools as we have clear programme of work that we want to carry out on both our chassis’, aero and cooling systems together with our engine programmes this year with our highly respected partners NBE. With what we hope will be a year on the sidelines, we can come back next season in a strong position and hit the ground running and with a fresh look in everything we do. We’ll be sure to keep everyone posted as things progress.
“I have to say a massive thank you to every team member, each supplier and race partner supplying us with such strong support in the championship that has been with us on this journey so far, as without them all, we wouldn’t have achieved anywhere near the amount of the success we have done in the series.
“A heartfelt thank you also goes to our three drivers from last year - Josh Cook, Aiden Moffat and Jade Edwards - for their unrelenting hard work and commitment. I’m sure they will enjoy plenty of success in their endeavours this year. A special mention to Bob & Donna Moffat, Phil & Sue Hartley, Debbie & Chris Palmer and the rest of the whole hospitality team, as well as our media team for their support in 2023. Also, a massive thank you to all of our friends, fans and supporters, you are all very special people to us.
“Finally, I’d like to thank Alan Gow and TOCA for their understanding and guidance on this matter. It goes without saying that we’ll be keeping a keen eye on the Championship this year and we wish the other teams and drivers the very best of luck for the forthcoming season."
Prior to the NAPA Racing UK announcement we caught up with Dan Cammish to talk about his BTCC journey and his hopes for 2024 and beyond.
From his six full seasons in the BTCC and his seven plus years in the TOCA paddock, Cammish gives un an insight into life as a driver a part of a champion team.
The 12-time winner also talks about his future, what to expect during the 2024 season and what could come after.
To watch the full video head over to the BTCC YouTube channel or Facebook page.
Following a stunning 2023 season that saw it win the Drivers’, Manufacturers’ and Teams’ Championships, NAPA Racing UK will once again compete in the biggest series in the UK with a four-car assault on the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, alongside partners Alliance Racing.
An unchanged driver line-up will be led by defending champion Ash Sutton, who goes into 2024 looking to become the first driver in history to win five Drivers’ championship titles.
Ash equalled the record held by Andy Rouse and Colin Turkington last year after a dominant campaign that included no fewer than twelve wins, with the 30-year-old emerging as the class of the field in a season that will live long in the memory.
“After an incredible two years with the team already and the latter being a record-breaking year claiming my fourth title, this now means I am fully focused to go after more. Let’s get 2024 underway, the car finished in a good place but that doesn’t mean it’s been left there. More development has been going on back at HQ and I can’t wait to get back in the hot seat,” said Sutton.
Dan Cammish embarks on his third year in NAPA Racing UK colours, looking to join Ash in challenging for the championship having shown race-winning pace across the past two seasons.
The multiple Porsche Carrera Cup title winner was a three-time victor last season as he played his part in the team’s championship success and goes into 2024 amongst the fancied runners in the battle for top honours.
“I am very much looking forward to continuing with NAPA Racing UK for 2023. I am very proud to be part of such a fantastic team and have learnt a great deal over the past two seasons. I intend to use everything at my disposal to bring NAPA Racing more success in the coming season and look forward to getting back on track soon with my team-mates,” said Cammish.
Daniel Rowbottom returns for his second season as part of the NAPA Racing UK family on the back of his strongest BTCC campaign to date last year. A race winner at Thruxton, Daniel secured his best championship finish so far and set a new personal best for points scored. With these two records, he will now be looking to join Cammish and Sutton in the hunt for championship honours.
“To go into 2024 with NAPA Racing UK is an amazing feeling, with one year under our belt we have a great understanding of how we all work. To be a part of the success of 2023, and to be able to have contributed in a positive way is a great feeling, but it has left me hungrier and more ready than ever. I’ve been in the gym since the flag fell at Brands GP and I don’t think I’ve ever placed myself in a better position to start a season. It’s going to be a great one, let’s go racing!” said Rowbottom.
The four-car line-up is once again completed by Sam Osborne. A career-best finish at Donington Park, combined with a total of 14 points finishes (almost doubling his previous best), meant that like Rowbottom – Osborne enjoyed the best season of his BTCC career in 2023. Osborne will once again be challenging for the Jack Sears Trophy title.
NAPA Racing UK will also continue to have a presence elsewhere on the TOCA package, with a three-car entry into the Vertu MINI CHALLENGE.
Ahead of the first race of the season for NAPA Racing UK, the team will be revealing the new livery and driver’s racewear for the season ahead in the coming weeks.
The Application of Hybrid Technology to the British Touring Car Championship claimed first prize for Outstanding Achievement in the field of Motorsport Engineering at a Silverstone ceremony earlier today (16 February).
The IMechE’s Automobile Division held its annual presentation of the Adrian Reynard Motorsports Medal, an award that recognises an individual or a team of people, working in the field of motorsports engineering, who have demonstrated an outstanding technical achievement or have made a significant contribution to the advancement of engineering in motorsports.
The award, this year, was presented to both TOCA – operator of the BTCC – and Cosworth Electronics Ltd, for their joint efforts in applying hybrid technology to the British Touring Car Championship.
TOCA introduced hybrid technology in 2021, before its competitive debut the following season, which now sees each car provided with a certain amount of additional ‘boosts’ to use during qualifying and the races.
The technical definition of the hybrid system was led by TOCA and the development and application of the system to the BTCC race cars was undertaken jointly by TOCA and Cosworth Electronics. The two companies worked closely together on this project, which is why they were both recognised.
Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, said: “We are extremely proud that TOCA – alongside its trusted partner in Cosworth Electronics – has been recognised for an outstanding achievement in the field of motorsport engineering.
“It required a huge effort after announcing the project back in 2018 – becoming the first major touring car championship to do so – with everything that then happened in the world significantly adding to that challenge.
“The introduction of hybrid technology has been widely praised and a huge success and we are delighted that its engineering advances have also been rewarded today. Incorporating hybrid ensures the BTCC remains absolutely relevant to manufacturers, sponsors and the public, as well as further enhancing our great racing.
“It’s important that I acknowledge and thank the outstanding work from Cosworth, the teams, our suppliers and my TOCA Technical Team for playing their part in winning this fantastic award.”
Richard Woodgate, Lead Applications Engineer at Cosworth Electronics, said: “The requirements given by TOCA to Cosworth, to supply the first ever cost-effective Hybrid system for touring car competition was a huge challenge. Using our expertise in the knowledge of drivetrain technology and electronics, we are thrilled to have achieved just that, a turn-key solution that could be used by any formula, with practicality, costs, ease of use and performance at the fore.
“We are very proud of every team member who has contributed to this ground-breaking achievement within the motorsport sector, this award will go towards spurring on our next generation of engineers chasing the demanding challenges of an ever changing, cleaner and efficient motorsport arena.”