Dunlop evaluating hard BTCC tyre as replacement for soft in 2016

The series' tyre supplier has organised a collective test at Snetterton on July 16 and will use it to assess three alternatives to the current soft-compound tyre for 2016.

Dunlop will task four teams - MG (with Andrew Jordan), Honda (Matt Neal), Team BMR (Colin Turkington) and WSR (driver to be confirmed) - with helping it evaluate two new soft-compound tyres, based on its LMP2 range, to "ensure that is does not favour one type of car over another".

Another car will be used to see if the Thruxton-specification hard is a viable option for next year.

The soft tyre has been part of the BTCC since 2013. Each driver must use it in one race at each weekend except Thruxton, where a special hard-compound tyre is used in all three races.

It has come under fire at times, particularly at Donington Park earlier this year where two-time champion Jason Plato suggested it was one variable too many for the championship.

The test could involve as many as 25 cars, with those not helping Dunlop free to run their own programmes.

Motorbase is edging closer to its BTCC return, with the team set to run a EcoBoost-powered Ford Focus each for Mat Jackson and James Cole.

It is not known if WSR will run all three cars or just two, but Triple Eight is taking only one MG for Jordan and Power Maxed Racing will run one Chevrolet Cruze.

Neither Rob Austin Racing Audi is taking part, while Adam Morgan, Aiden Moffat and Simon Belcher will be absent.