BTCC: What Changes In 2020?

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Image sourced from BTCC.net

What’s in store for the 2020 BTCC.

With fans getting their first look at the new cars at ASI and with testing just a few weeks away, we take a look at all of the changes ahead of the upcoming 2020 season.

Rules

There are very few rule changes to look out for this year, just minor tweaks rather than full on rules resets.

The first change is the tyre supplier, well sort of! The tyres will change from Dunlop to its sister company, Goodyear.

Drivers will no lonnger be required to announce in which race they will use the option tyre, they can make the choice on race day, which certainly leaves the door open for interesting strategy calls.

Image sourced from BTCC.net

The final rule change lies with the success ballast, which this year will increase to 60KG for 1st and then reduce in 6KG increments down to 10th place.

Snetterton and Croft will see some circuit specific rule changes, with the drivers using all three tyre compounds on race day, following a successful trial last year.

Also at Snetterton, a new qualifying format will be trialled which will see the drivers fight for the fastest lap time for 25 minutes rather than the normal 30 with the top ten drivers then progressing to a ten minute session to determine the top ten positions on the grid.

Drivers

This year will see 2019 Mini Challenge UK winner James Gornall making his debut with TradePriceCars to replace Mark Blundell who has left the series to focus on his other projects. A further nine drivers will change teams, these changes are;

  • Ashley Sutton will move from Team BMR to Laser Tools Racing
  • Mike Bushell will move from AmDTuning.com to Team HARD
  • Andrew Jordan will move from BMW Pirtek Racing to Team BMW
  • Jake Hill will move from TradePriceCars.com to AmDTuning.com
  • Bobby Thompson will move from Team HARD to TradePriceCars.com
  • Sam Osborne will move from Excelr8 Motorsport to AmDTuning.com
  • Tom Chilton will move from Motorbase Performance to BTC Racing
  • Senna Proctor will move from Team BMR to Excelr8 Motorsport
  • Michael Crees will move from Team HARD to BTC Racing.

Teams

The end of the 2019 season saw the four year agreement between Subaru and Team BMR end, with the manufacturer not entering a team submission this year.

Team BMR will rebrand as BMR Engineering to design cars for other teams. They have entered a partnership with Laser Tools Racing, who will expand to a two-car entry.

BTC Racing have also expanded and will field three cars for 2020.

Excelr8 Motorsport will cease  running the MG6 GT and will instead debut the Hyundai i30 Fastback N Performance whilst Team HARD will switch from running one of their Volkswagen CCs to an ex-West Surrey Racing BMW 125i M Sport.

Calendar

2020 sees the addition of the Silverstone international circuit, which will take the usual September slot of the national circuit.

To accommodate this change, Thruxton will host just one race, rather than the two, and the Silverstone national circuit has moved to April.

The season will open on 28th March at the iconic Donington circuit, rather than Brands hatch as it has done in previous years.

The full calendar with all dates can be found at http://www.btcc.net/calendar/

 

 

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