Why the BTCC’s TBL and entry lists are two different things

The BTCC rumour mill cranked up a gear after the announcement yesterday that all 32 TOCA BTCC Licences have been handed out for the 2017 season, with a capacity grid again set to do battle on track next year.

That all 32 were handed out could be seen as something of a surprise in itself, with many within the paddock suggesting towards the end of 2016 that the grid could be reduced in number as some programmes drew to an end and others failed to materialise.

As it is however, series organisers instead head towards the festive period with a capacity grid in place; albeit one that features a selection of changes to last year.

In theory, the grid should now be set ahead of the season opener at Brands Hatch in early April – in terms of cars at least – with the only pieces of the jigsaw remaining being which drivers will be behind the wheel.

On the most part, that may well be the case, but – as was shown twelve months ago – there is still a lot that could change before the cars hit the track to get the 2017 season underway.

It was early November last year when the TBL list for 2016 was revealed but the make-up of the grid based on that list was totally different to the grid that then appeared for the opening meeting – with more changes following as the year went on.

For a start, three teams that would be granted TBLs wouldn’t even make it onto the grid, with Rob Austin Racing and Support Our Paras Racing both electing to hand back their licences and Houseman Racing selling its TBL to Eurotech.

When Eurotech’s plans to race three cars were then shelved, it meant four TBLs were available – which would ultimately end up in the hands of BKR and Team HARD; the former joining the grid and the latter expanding from a one car team to run three Toyotas.

AmDTuning.com would also change from a two car entry to a single Audi S3 after selling a TBL to Maximum Motorsport along with the Ford Focus that had been raced by Mike Bushell, whilst Honda’s third TBL would only be used for one meeting before Andy Neate’s ill-fated spell with the team came to an end.

That licence would later be used by Eurotech to run Dan Lloyd being going back to TOCA, where it would remain unused through to the end of the season.

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Looking towards 2017, both licences that were with BKR in 2016 will not be used by Nico Ferrari’s team next year, which meant three TBLs were immediately available – alongside the one returned by Dynamics/Eurotech this year.

One of those TBLs has gone to AmDTuning.com to allow the team to expand to a two-car team, with the other two ending up in the hands of Power Maxed Racing.

Crucially, the two that are now with PMR are designated as the TOCA Loan Licences – which means the two TBLs that were used last year by the team have moved on.

Logic would dictate that the two ex-PMR licences are those that are now with BTC Norlin Racing, with the only other change for 2017 being the loan of Welch Motorsport’s TBL to Motorbase to allow the Ford team to run a third car.

Although there is unlikely to be as many changes to the list as there were last year, the TBL list isn’t set in stone with the chance that deals could still be done before the official entry list is revealed in March, subject to ratification by TOCA.

In fact, paddock sources have suggested that one team was looking to do a deal to either loan out or sell a licence as late as last week – a licence it is listed as still having in its possession.

So until we head to Donington Park for Media Day, the rumour mill can continue to turn and who knows, maybe there’ll be a twist or two still to come before the full make-up of the 2017 grid is revealed…

NB: TOCA has now clarified that an amendment to the regulations for 2017 will prevent teams from moving TBLs now that the entry deadline has passed – full details of which can be found here