British Touring Car Championship organiser TOCA has announced additional rule tweaks for the 2025 season, with the aim of enhancing the on-track spectacle and saving costs.
Following last week’s announcement that the series is abandoning its hybrid unit and switching to a fully sustainable fuel source, further changes have been announced which were discussed at the same teams’ meeting.
Engines
From 1 April 2025 a two-year engine freeze will come into effect, preventing further developments to the homologated engines for the 2025 and 2026 seasons, saving money for the participating teams.
Tyres
The requirement for the top ten finishers in race one to use the hardest available tyre compound in race two has been changed, with only the top three finishers now required to run the harder rubber.
Except for Thruxton, due to its higher speed and abrasive surface, all other events will feature a standard and option tyre compound, the latter being available to be used in one of the weekend’s three races.
Safety Car restarts
The restart procedure after a safety car intervention has been adjusted. From 2025, when the safety car lights are switched off, all cars must cease weaving, braking and accelerating, whilst maintaining a gap of no more than two car lengths from the car in front.
The race leader will be required to maintain an equivalent speed to the safety car, until the leader has passed a designated ‘restart point’ after which they can accelerate up to racing speed.
Jack Sears Trophy
Eligibility rules have been adjusted, such that any previous winner of the Jack Sears Trophy or driver who has scored more than one outright podium finish will not be eligible.
Qualifying Format
To avoid changeable weather disadvantaging either of the Part 1 qualifying groups, the rules regarding qualifying and formation of the race one grid have been tweaked.
Any cars which do not progress from Part 1 (“Q1”) Group 1 into Part 2 (“Q2”) will line up on the even-numbered side of the grid, whilst those not progressing from Group 2 will line up on the odd-numbered side of the grid.
This will prevent a repeat of the Donington Park season opener in 2024, where drivers in Group 1 were disadvantaged compared to Group 2, because the track conditions were wetter in their part of the session.
“Of course, the introduction of 100% sustainable fuel has been the headlining change for the 2025 BTCC season, but we always look at every aspect of our championship each year to see what can be improved,” said BTCC Chief Executive Alan Gow.
“I’m sure that these tweaks will all have a positive effect and will further add to the great racing that is the hallmark of the BTCC.”