BTCC News: BTCC preparing to host opening rounds behind closed doors
The British Touring Car Championship is preparing to host its opening rounds behind closed doors when the series finally kicks off in August


BTCC organiser TOCA revealed a new calendar on Monday morning, with the first round taking place at Donington Park on 1-2 August, the first of no fewer than four events that month.
The championship, which has been cut from 10 rounds to nine, will run through to mid-November on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit.
With Silverstone announcing that the British Grand Prix will take place behind closed doors if it runs on its scheduled date of 19 July, that raised questions as to whether the BTCC - which begins just two weeks later - will have to operate in the same way as the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic continues.
BTCC chief Alan Gow told Autosport: "Obviously that's entirely in the hands of the government, but if we have to [run behind closed doors] then we will - that goes without saying.
"I'm sure our fans would rather watch the BTCC on ITV than not watch the BTCC at all."
According to estimates, at least 1500 people work in the BTCC across the headline act and its five supporting championships, meaning that restrictions would likely be placed on personnel should race events have to take place without spectators.

"That depends on what stipulations we have to run under," said Gow.
"If the British Grand Prix gets the go-ahead to run behind closed doors, then we won't have a problem at all - I don't know how many thousands they have working!
"If the government say you can have no more than 2000 we're fine, but if they said 1000 we'll have to cut our numbers down accordingly.
"We can cut it to suit, and we have already started drawing up plans to limit the number of working personnel the teams have."
That would mean all personnel non-essential to the running of the car would have to stay at home and watch the BTCC on TV.
Gow said that existing BTCC personnel, extending to hospitality and catering, numbers "roughly 40 per car", but that cutting this to those "working on the car and getting it on track averages about 10 people per car, plus the driver".
"It's quite easy to work within limited numbers, if we're given them," he continued.
At present, Motorsport UK is only committed to not issuing event permits until 30 June, one month before the BTCC season is due to make its belated start.
"Who knows whether we'll be able to start in July?" said Gow.
"I put it down to a reasonable assumption that August would be a safer bet than July, and having said that the BTCC doesn't normally run in July anyway."

BTCC News: Revised 2020 calendar issued with hopes of an August start
BTCC News: BMW team warns that shunt could wreck season

Latest news
Ellis named as replacement for injured Auer in Bathurst 12 Hour
DTM race-winner Philip Ellis will make his Bathurst 12 Hour debut this week as a stand-in for the injured Lucas Auer.
Winning MSR Acura "super lucky" with Daytona 24 gearbox scare
The Meyer Shank Racing Acura team was "super lucky" to win the Daytona 24 Hours despite its malfunctioning gearbox for most of the race, according to team boss Michael Shank.
Bourdais “surprised” Cadillac was beaten on pace in Daytona 24 Hours
Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac driver Sebastien Bourdais said he was surprised that the victorious Acura ARX-06 outperformed his new V-LMDh in the Daytona 24 Hours IMSA SportsCar Championship season opener.
Daytona 24: MSR Acura opens GTP era with win, Proton snatches LMP2 by 0.016s
Meyer Shank Racing scored its second consecutive victory in the Daytona 24 Hours in the first race for the IMSA SportsCar Championship's new GTP regulations, leading an Acura 1-2 finish.
Autosport writers' most memorable moments of 2022
The season just gone was a memorable one for many of our staff writers, who are fortunate enough to cover motorsport around the world. Here are our picks of the best (and in some cases, most eventful) from 2022
How the BTCC's new hybrid era aced its first test
Expectations were high for the start of the British Touring Car Championship’s hybrid power era, and despite nerves and problems to solve prior to its debut the new rules gained widespread approval. Here’s how the first test at Donington Park was passed and the thorough examinations that are to follow
The Ford BTCC superteam combining two reigning TOCA champions
Reigning BTCC champion Ash Sutton and Porsche Carrera Cup GB victor Dan Cammish form a potent line-up at the Motorbase-run NAPA Racing team as the series adopts hybrid power. With Sutton bringing the key components of his title-winning Laser Tools Racing set-up, and Cammish eager to prove a point on his return, their dynamic is set to be one of the season's major talking points
The stalwart tin-top boss still shaping careers more than 40 years on
Veteran team manager Marvin Humphries and former Tech-Speed team boss has worked not only with stars of the British Touring Car Championship, but legends including Gil de Ferran, Hans Stuck and Tom Sneva in a long and varied career that has spanned five decades across tin-tops, single-seaters and sportscars
The grassroots rise that shaped an understated BTCC star
Having started out in club-level competitions alongside his own university engineering studies, Josh Cook's journey to becoming an established frontrunner in the British Touring Car Championship is atypical. But it's these experiences that have moulded the 30-year-old into a humble star, respected throughout the paddock
Ranking the top 10 BTCC drivers of 2021
A refresh in equipment and some returning faces helped contribute to a supremely competitive 2021 British Touring Car Championship campaign. Ash Sutton was crowned a three-time champion, successfully defending his 2020 title, but faced stiff competition in the final year before the switch to hybrid. Autosport picks out the best performers
Why the BTCC's ballast increase couldn't stop champion Sutton
Ballast will be gone from the BTCC next year as hybrid power enters the scene, but for its final season the maximum was increased from 60kg to 75kg. Despite having to carry that nearly all season, Ash Sutton was always the favourite to pocket a third title - the 27-year-old getting his reward for a season of speed tempered by savvy to nail his opportunities
The much-loved tin-top superstar bowing out at 59
OPINION: It's not often that a driver achieves widespread affection for their personality, as well as their on-track performances. One such individual is Gabriele Tarquini, who will soon bring the curtain down on a remarkable career that has yielded touring car titles on the European and global stage - and, famously, in Britain too
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.