BTCC TO STREAM LIVE ON TIKTOK IN WORLD-FIRST DEAL

ITV SPORT AND BTCC IN GROUND-BREAKING MOVE WITH SOCIAL MEDIA GIANT

TOCA – organisers of the BTCC – is delighted to announce today (27 March) that every race of the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will be streamed LIVE around the globe via TikTok, thanks to a world-first agreement with its partners at ITV Sport.

This ground-breaking agreement is in addition to the BTCC’s expansive and existing UK television contract with the ITV network, which sees around eight hours of broadcast - live and free - from each event across ITV4 and ITVX, as well as the continued highlights and catch-up offerings across the network.

As the BTCC continues to look to bring the championship to a new audience, an agreement has been finalised to ensure that EVERY race will also be streamed LIVE and IN FULL via the ITV Sport TikTok channel – both in the UK and globally.

It is the first ever sport to be streamed live via TikTok by ITV Sport, and it is also thought that it is the first major sporting organisation to stream its entire competition all season across the giant social media platform.

Following its launch in 2016, TikTok has since become one of the world's most popular online platforms, now reaching more than one billion active monthly users worldwide, with some 45% of those in the 18-34 age group, whilst women make up around 57% of all users - further highlighting ways in which the BTCC will be brought to a new, younger and more diverse demographic.

The announcement is also fantastic news for the BTCC’s loyal global fanbase, as this agreement will see every race in the UK’s premier motorsport championship broadcast live right around the world for the first time in its illustrious 66-year history.

This forward-thinking world-first decision is one of the most significant in the history of the BTCC and the result of a broadcasting strategy review that started in September last year. Details of the full broadcast schedule will be published over the coming weeks.

The 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship comprises 30 races across 10 race weekends at the UK’s finest circuits, with the season opener taking place at Donington Park on 27/28 April.

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, said: “This is a truly ground-breaking move for the BTCC. I’m incredibly proud that we will be the first major motorsport championship in the world to have its entire race season streamed live on TikTok. It’s the real ‘cherry on the top’ of our ongoing and vast UK coverage, which is live and free on ITV4 and ITVX.

“Most importantly, this agreement will introduce the BTCC to a massive new and completely different demographic – a younger and more diverse audience – which is exactly what we, and in fact all of motorsport, are looking to achieve. This is very big news for the BTCC, our teams and our partners as we cement the future of the UK’s most prestigious motorsport championship.”

Andrew Hill, Senior Producer at ITV Sport, said: “This is a hugely exciting and innovative development in ITV’s production of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship. Live streaming BTCC races on TikTok, alongside our regular ITV4 and ITVX coverage, will help us to reach a much wider audience and enable a new generation of fans to enjoy the thrills and spills of the number-one championship in British motor racing.”

Brands Hatch Indy

A natural amphitheatre offering unrivalled views of the action from various vantage points, Brands Hatch is known as one of Britain’s best-loved motor racing circuits. Its unique combination of dips, cambers, fearsome corners and hills means it is still one of the world’s most renowned racing venues. The BTCC has been going to Brands Hatch since the series began back in 1958.

The 2024 campaign will see the BTCC call into Brands Hatch for both the second event of the season as well as the finale, and the action-packed Indy layout is set to host the initial visit to Kent, with Rounds 4, 5 & 6 of the campaign, on 11/12 May.

The historic race track has seen some spectacular BTCC entertainment over the many years the championship has been visiting, and has been the scene of many a nail-biting finale.

Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing lift the covers on 2024 livery

Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing has today (27 March) revealed the striking new livery that will adorn the Vauxhall Astra challengers of Árón Taylor-Smith and Mikey Doble for the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season.

The unveiling sees Evans Halshaw feature prominently across the two front-wheel-drive machines, as well as the race suits of Taylor-Smith and Doble, after being announced as the new title sponsors of the Worcestershire-based squad last week.

Showcasing a number of other key commercial partnerships as well, both cars - decked out in their now recognisable blue, yellow and white colour scheme - look set to be two of the most eye-catching cars on the grid.

This season will see the team compete in the UK’s premier motorsport series looking to go one better in both the Independent Teams’ and Drivers’ Championship, having claimed runners-up laurels in each category last year.

Multiple race-winner Taylor-Smith has his sights set on adding to his silverware collection whilst Doble - who was one of the standout rookies in 2023 - is eager to capture the coveted Jack Sears Trophy.

Adam Weaver, Power Maxed Racing Team Principal, said: “We’re extremely proud to continue working with all of our fantastic partners, as well welcoming some new ones, ahead of what promises to be another ultra-competitive year in the BTCC.

“Everyone has been working extremely hard behind the scenes so it is great to finally be able to showcase our new look. The real work begins next month but with the developments on the cars we’ve undertaken - and the testing schedule we’ve got in place - we’re feeling confident.”

“Flying the Evans Halshaw branding this year has injected even more life into the entire Power Maxed Racing crew and the car really does looks incredible,” added Irishman Taylor-Smith.

“To be able to build on all of our fantastic partnerships very exciting too. Everything has really come alive - from the car, to the suits and all of the team wear - which is fantastic to see. It’s a bit cliché but if the car goes as well as it looks we should be on for a great season.”

“I think the new livery is going to kick a new lease of life into the Astra this year,” concluded Doble. “It’s got a very modern appeal to it and I reckon it’’s going to look even smarter when its out on-track.

“As always, it’s great to welcome new sponsors onboard and I hope they, as well as the amazing BTCC fans, enjoy our eye-catching new livery, race wear and merchandise this season.”

The 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season officially launches at Donington Park on Tuesday 16th April before returning to the Leicestershire venue a little over one week later for the opening rounds on the 27-28 April.

Donington Park GP

The return to the Donington Park GP circuit produced the most significant headline when the schedule was announced for the 2023 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship and we are glad to have the layout back on the calendar for 2024.

Whilst the venue is famed for many reasons – including the notorious Ayrton Senna performance in the 1993 European Grand Prix – it has also produced some unforgettable BTCC memories.

The last BTCC race took place on the layout before its calendar break was in 2002, when the race winners were James Thompson in a Vauxhall Astra Coupe and Alan Morrison in a Honda Civic Type R, but the venue hosted many iconic moments beforehand.

Team BMW confirms Turkington and Morgan as 2024 challenger is unveiled

Team BMW has today (26 March) launched its challenge for the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship by confirming the continued presence of both Colin Turkington and Adam Morgan in its line-up of BMW 330e M Sport race cars.

The BMW 3 Series, which will once again wear the famous M colours synonymous with unprecedented success in global motorsport for more than 40 years, will be prepared and run by 16-time BTCC champions WSR.

Featuring revised front and rear-end styling inspired by the latest BMW 3 Series production model, the hybrid racing car features aerodynamic, cooling and chassis upgrades aimed at enhancing looks and performance across for the 30-race series.

The hybrid 330e M Sport will be powered by a UK-supplied 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine, with the latest technology to improve emissions and using 20% sustainable fuel as BMW seeks a record-breaking tenth BTCC Manufacturers’ title.

Working hand in hand with BMW’s engine-manufacturing facility at Hams Hall, BMW’s engine-manufacturing facility in Warwickshire, a number of different engine types were analysed before preparation for the BTCC regulations was completed by Neil Brown Engineering (NBE).

Northern Irishman Colin is one of the BTCC’s most successful drivers with 67 wins, 181 podium finishes and a record four overall championships and five Independents’ crowns to his name as well as an FIA World Touring Car Championship victory.

Having made his BTCC debut in 2002 with WSR, he now embarks on an eighth-straight season with Team BMW as he chases a record fifth title.

Adam Morgan joined Team BMW for the 2023 season and scored a podium finish on his debut weekend with the Sunbury-on-Thames team on his way to ninth in the standings.

Adam, from Blackburn, has 11 wins and 41 podiums to his name and is the most recent driver to have taken a WSR-designed and built BMW to victory for an independent team.

Details of a fourth WSR-run BMW will be provided in due course.

Pre-season testing is due to begin at Snetterton this week with the 2024 BTCC beginning at Donington Park, East Midlands, on April 27-28 for the first of ten triple-header rounds at circuits across the UK.

Colin Turkington said: “I’m extremely pleased to be a part of Team BMW for the 2024 season and to race the BMW 330e M Sport. This will be my 18^th year with WSR and you couldn’t ask for a better team to be a part of. The team have worked incredibly hard over the winter to enhance the performance of our BMWs and I’m focused on being the best, most competitive version of myself I can be when so that we can put ourselves in the hunt for podiums and wins right from the season-opener at Donington.”

Adam Morgan said: “It’s going to be my second year with Team BMW and I’m raring to go after what’s felt like a very long winter. In 2023 we scored a podium at our first weekend together but now the target has to be getting that first win with WSR and making sure we’re in the hunt for victories and podiums at every event. If we do that then we’ll be in for a very good season and Colin and I will have a strong shot at winning the Teams’ Championship for Team BMW. I’m looking forward to trying out the upgraded BMW and to see what we can do this season.”

Dick Bennetts, Team Principal, said: “The new season is nearly upon us and it’s once again an honour to represent BMW in the UK’s leading motor racing championship. The target is to add to the 16 overall championships won by WSR in the BTCC and in Colin and Adam we have two first-rate drivers at Team BMW to help us achieve this. We’ve worked on several areas of the BMW 330e M Sport over the winter, all aimed at improving overall performance and we must thank the team at Hams Hall for their help with our first UK-supplied engines since becoming part the BMW family and to NBE for making them race-ready. I say it every year, but the level of competition keeps on increasing so once again we have to make sure we perform better than ever if we’re to achieve our goals this year.”

Nick Halstead

Biography

Halstead was a relative latecomer to racing, making his debut in 2017 and winning the Am category of the Ginetta GT5 Challenge in just his second season.

Halstead went on to become a regular on the BTCC support package in the Ginetta GT4 Supercup, scoring 16 podiums – including five wins – in his debut year alone, and then entered the British GT Championship in the GT4 Pro/Am class in 2020, ending the year as Vice Champion.

In 2021, Halstead made his Championship debut, after Rick Parfitt was unable to take part at Croft. Improving throughout race day, the Kent racer secured a best finish of 21st during the third contest on the 2.13-mile circuit.

In 2023, he embarked on his first full season in the Championship with defending champions BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8.

Halstead returns to the renamed Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS in 2024 looking to add to his two points scoring results of 2023, with a best result of seventh coming in the opening round at Donington Park.

Rob Huff

Biography

Rob Huff competed in the BTCC back in 2004 for Seat – racing a Toledo Cupra to two victories – one at Brands and one at Snetterton – and a further three podiums, including one at Silverstone on the way to seventh in the standings.

Huff then went on a world tour to begin a 13-year stint in the WTCC. Becoming World Champion in 2012 in the Chevrolet Cruze. During his last season of WTCC, Huff made an appearance in the BTCC for Power Maxed Racing at Silverstone securing his eighth podium in the series in the final race of the day. After 2017 the Cambridgeshire man competed in the World Touring Car Cup and during his last season he again made an appearance in the BTCC, this time at Knockhill for Team HARD.

Now in 2024, 20 years after his debut season, Huff will compete in his second full season of BTCC racing with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK.

Daryl DeLeon

DeLeon started karting in 2008, and his first race followed five years later at Rye House Kart Raceway. The 17-year-old has since become champion in the Bizkart Rental Championship and HKC Honda Clubman category and taken wins in the finals for the Motorsport UK British Kart Championship and UKC Ultimate Karting Championship.

In 2021 he contended in a handful of Radical SR1 events, claiming a double win at Donington Park and was also a class podium finisher at the Algarve Circuit in the Radical Intercontinental Cup.

The winning run has continued into 2022 taking another victory during the first round of the SR1 season at Donington Park in April, and a follow-up triumph at Brands Hatch.

In 2023, Daryl DeLeon made his BTCC debut as a part of Team HARD’s line-up scoring 6 points. In 2024 he will drive for Unlimited Motorsport.