The rise and rise of the BTCC
If BTCC fans were pinching themselves last week when news of Alain Menu’s return broke, their arms are probably a touch sorer now that another legend of the sport, Fabrizio Giovanardi has announced his comeback.
If, as we suspect, the i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed on a deal for Colin Turkington to return to West Surrey Racing, that leaves us with an unparalleled seven champions on the grid for the 2014 season.
That’s more than when Super Touring was at its peak, when manufacturers paying big bucks with budgets of millions ruled the roost, and the old adage ‘Win on Sunday, sell on Monday’ was never more apt.
The cars may be somewhat more modest now, but the BTCC has well and truly got its mojo back.
In the post-Super Touring years, the series has thrived on its accessibility, and the ‘plucky privateer’- type driver has made up much of the grid, with limited manufacturer interest. While in Europe, manufacturers such as BMW, SEAT and Chevrolet could afford to pay the money to attract the likes of Yvan Muller, Andy Priaulx and Gabriele Tarquini, and the quality of the grids reflected this.
Today we have a much more level playing field. Manufacturers still rule the roost in the WTCC, but Alan Gow has used his nous to create a rule set for the BTCC which doesn’t rely on manufacturers to survive. And boy, has it worked.
NGTC may have its critics, but I’m not one of them. People can talk all day about how it’s not a pure racing formula, and all the cars are basically the same, but quite frankly, who cares?
Speak to any of the tens of thousands of punters who watch the BTCC every year, and they won’t be that bothered about technical nuances. They just want to see good, close racing, and they are getting that. The biggest gripe, of course, has centred around turbo boost, but that will become even less of an issue this year, if at all.
And equally as importantly, the teams have backed it. It may be something of a ‘spec’ formula, but teams are investing in something they know will last them for years, rather than having to buy costly second-hand S2000 cars every couple of seasons.
Something I find perversely encouraging is the lack of second-hand NGTC cars on the market. Teams can cannibalise stock parts for new models – which Adam Morgan is doing at present with his new Mercedes A-Class – so the process of upgrading is less financially draining. Because the rules are stable, the teams appear to be too.
The momentum is building and building, and more professional drivers are buying into it. Back in 2011, when NGTC first appeared, there were just two former champions on the grid, in Matt Neal and Jason Plato.
Fast forward to this season, and we have erstwhile competitors Plato and Neal, plus Gordon Shedden, reigning champion Andrew Jordan, and most likely, 2009 champion Colin Turkington.
Add to that Giovanardi and Menu, both legends of the BTCC and the wider touring car world, and you have – for my money – one of the strongest touring car grids out there.
The depth of the field is also rather impressive in 2014. Consider the likes of debutants Marc Hynes and Glynn Geddie, who both arrive with serious pedigree from their respective fields.
Add to that pacy youngsters like Sam Tordoff, Jack Goff, Aron Smith and Adam Morgan, and BTCC race winners such as Dave Newsham, Rob Austin and (probably) Mat Jackson and Tom Onslow-Cole, and you’ve got some serious driving talent there. And that’s without including Jack Sears Trophy champion Lea Wood, who very much deserves a drive.
Another point to bear in mind. When Gordon Shedden spoke to TcT at the Autosport Show, he pointed out that Honda is using the BTCC to launch the new Civic Tourer model. In other words, the marketing pull of the BTCC is once again big enough to advocate the ”Win on Sunday, sell on Monday’ mantra.
We also continue to get an unbelievable level of commitment from ITV. I’ve been a vocal critic of their sporting output in recent years, not least their coverage of the FA Cup, but they cannot be faulted one iota for their dedication to the BTCC.
I remain at pains to point out to people grumbling on forums about long advert breaks just how much they are getting for free – and remind them it was only as recently as 2007 that a cable subscription was needed to watch all the races live. In other words, ITV have done an amazing job.
Many BTCC fans will always look back on the Super Touring era as halcyon days – but what’s to say 2014 won’t be a season they will remember forever either?
