In a bid to attract a wider variety of cars and more entrants, the BTCC is changing the regulations for the 2007 season, adopting the S2000 rules used in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) that runs across Europe.

According to the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship series director, Alan Gow, ‘The cars that ran previously were very much to a domestic formula, but we felt that it had pretty much run its course. By changing to the S2000 regulations we believe that it will open up the championship to other car manufacturers and there will be a greater variety of cars on the grid.’

WTCC-spec cars have been running in the BTCC for the past three seasons – most visibly the SEATs – but have carried weight penalties.

Last season’s BTCC-spec machines will still be able to compete in the 2007 championship but won’t be eligible to contest the drivers’ or manufacturers’ titles. However, Gow reckons that the cars will still be competitive enough for top-ten placings in individual races.

Not everyone’s happy
While Gow is upbeat about the changes, there’s rather less enthusiasm amongst some of the teams and drivers, including the 2005 and 2006 BTCC drivers’ champ, Matt Neal.

‘In some ways it’s good that we now have cars that comply with internationally recognised regulations,’ Neal explains, ‘but on the negative side the costs have escalated massively. What was always good about the BTCC regulations is that they did an excellent job of curbing costs.

‘What’s slightly frustrating is that the new cars are almost exactly the same as the BTCC-spec ones, but they’re also completely different in lots of very small but very expensive ways. And the BTCC rules were designed so that everyone could design a car to be on the pace – in the world series rules there are various little dispensations and concessions for certain teams, so there’s not a single standard we’re all working to.’

Neal, who will be driving an S2000-spec Civic in the 2007 season, has other concerns: ‘While in WTCC there are certain restrictions, say, in the suspension area, where you need to keep components similar to the road-car items, in other areas you have total freedom. The shells, for instance, are a ridiculous amount of money.’

But he adds: ‘All that said, it’s not the end of the world and we’ll be going all out to win. But it will be tough against the well-proven SEATs, especially as we’re starting from scratch.’

The 2007 BTCC season kicks off at Brands Hatch on March 31.