Ballast system overhauled

The base weight of all BTC Touring cars has now been increased to 1174kg (from 1150kg) and they can now lose as well as gain weight. Weights on the cars will change after each race and will reflect only the performance in that event - so no accumulation of ballast.

All cars will race in round 1 (the sprint race on Easter Monday) at 1174kg. The top four in that race will gain weight (42, 30, 18 & 9kg), the fifth place car remain on 1174 and sixth down to ninth and below will lose weight (9, 15, 21 &24kg) for round 2 (the feature race).

That makes the biggest difference 66kg, between a race winner and those who finish ninth and below. Weights will then be re-allotted to reflect the result in round 2 for qualifying and sprint race at the following meeting, and so-on.

2001 BTC Production runner-up James Kaye shook down his new Synchro Motorsport BTCP Honda Civic Type R in the second free practice session at Brands. In just seven laps Kaye worked down to within two seconds of the ultimate class pace. He expects to be right up there by the end of the weekend. Synchro - which is run entirely by Honda employees in their spare time - should have its second car, for Dave Allen, ready for the second BTCC meeting of the year at Oulton Park.

The BTCC race against time brigade at Brands include the Edenbridge and B&Q teams. Edenbridge's BMWs both suffered broken suspension bolts in the first free practice session and team boss Peter Briggs decided to put them away until stronger bolts could be made. Briggs expects them to be out for qualifying. Team B&Q only ran one Honda Accord today, and that wound up with roof damage after Jim Edwards Jr tipped it up at Paddock. Nevertheless it expects to repair the Edwards car and have a second Accord for John B&Q in qualifying tomorrow.