Heading into the 2018 season TOCA and BTCC have made two announcements. One relates to the rule changes for the 2018 season and the other marks a special championship race to mark the 60 year anniversary.
Here are the announcements from BTCC:
Rule changes agreed for 2018 BTCC season
A number of rule changes have recently been ratified by TOCA that will take effect from the opening round of the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship:
Increase in driving standards penalties
– Fines will be increased, with a significant additional championship fine applied on top of any MSA fine.
– From next year a ‘strike’ will last for 12 months from the date applied, rather than just the same season (This then brings them into line with the 12 month penalty points system on MSA race licence).
– Strikes gained during a 12 month period will result in the following penalties;
3rd strike – back of the grid
4th strike – one race ban
5th strike – two race ban
6th strike – three race ban
7th strike – banned from the championship for the rest of that season
– A relatively minor but straightforward on-track incident, involving and affecting only two cars, that can be simply rectified by swapping their finishing positions post-race (or which has already been fully redressed within one lap by the offending driver) will not necessarily constitute a ‘strike’.
3rd race grid draw
The partial reverse-grid draw will now extend to 12 ……i.e. the reverse-grid draw will be from positions 6-12 (rather than 6-10).
Jack Sears Trophy
Eligible drivers will be those that have never scored an outright podium position.
Any driver subsequently scoring an outright podium during the season, will be ineligible for the JST from the next season.
Boost adjustments
If needed, these will take place once per season – at around the mid-season point – as was done in 2016.
Driver changes
A team is now permitted a maximum of two permanent driver changes per season (previously one).
Mandatory Driver and Team manager regulations tests
A driver or Team Manager cannot take part until they have successfully passed a mandatory regulations test.
60 mile BTCC showpiece to take place at Snetterton in 2018
A special ‘Diamond Double’ race has been announced as part of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship’s 60th anniversary diamond jubilee celebrations in 2018.
The third race at Snetterton on Sunday 29 July will be an extended 60-mile contest, with all cars competing without any success ballast and with double championship points on offer.
Furthermore, there will be a separate qualifying session on Saturday 28 July for this showpiece race, with all cars qualifying at their base weights.
The 2018 season will still comprise of 30 races across ten weekends, with all other races following the regular format as per recent seasons.
Snetterton – also well known for the BTCC Night Race in the 1990s and 2000s – has long been a staple of the summer calendar for race fans and this exciting addition is set to add yet further fever to the festival atmosphere.
Alan Gow, BTCC Series Director, said:
“We are delighted to confirm this special extended race as part of the BTCC’s diamond jubilee celebrations. As well, there will be a number of additional activities to celebrate our 60th anniversary throughout 2018 which will be revealed over the next few months. We believe this 60-mile race, roughly double the distance of a normal BTCC encounter, will add a further sporting twist to what will be a fantastic and memorable season. I am sure our loyal teams, drivers, venues, officials, sponsors, partners, marshals and of course our fans will share in this excitement, making the Snetterton race weekend an unmissable event in 2018.”
The 2018 season will begin on 7/8th April at Brand Hatch.
(c) photographs courtesy of BTCC
Neil Simmons
Twitter: @world_racing