Team Dynamics boss calls for a merit-based racing licence system for the BTCC

BTCC Honda squad Team Dynamics’ team principal Steve Neal has called for a driver licence system for the BTCC, similar to the FIA Super Licence, or recently announced CAMS Superlicence (Supercars), as well for a reduction in grid size.

2016 was a bumper season for entries in the British championship, with a minimum of 31 cars entered at each race weekend; but there were also a number of high profile incidents, particularly in the mid-part of the season, which saw the regulations hastily changed to introduce a more severe penalty of an instant race ban, though it was never used by the championship organisers.

“(Series director) Alan (Gow)’s got to look at this and see it’s cumbersome with 32 cars,” said Neal to TouringCarTimes.

“We can cut it down to 24 cars or something like that and we go for a proper TOCA BTCC licence, which you’ve got to achieve by performances in lower classes or other forms of motorsport.

“Some of the drivers shouldn’t be here,” he added. “We need to make sure these guys can handle themselves properly. When you see photographs of drivers with their overalls down around their waist and on the floor, to me, it’s appalling.”

Neal’s comments follow a similar call from Triple Eight team principal Ian Harrison back in August, after the team’s two cars were heavily damaged in incidents at Snetterton.

The entry list is traditionally confirmed in March, and as has been the case for the past two years, 30 TOCA BTCC licences (TBLs) will be available for the teams with two reserved by TOCA and potentially loaned out at the championship’s discretion.