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www.racetechmag.com 30 TOURING CARS State of the nation

TOUR GUIDE The FIA wants a set of national Touring Car regulations. Andrew Charman analyses the state of the sport today

ABOVE Crowd pleaser. A big field, a variety of cars and lots of action have made the BTCC a big hit with an equally big audience

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VER the weekend of June 8 2014, spent ever mushrooming budgets to a the currently uber-successful British degree that very soon after would cause the OTouring Car Championship (BTCC) collapse of not only in the hosted as a one-off guest support event the UK but globally. rapidly-growing Super Touring Car Series, a Two decades on the BTCC grid is even historic championship for cars that were the bigger, with a wider variety of cars. But BTCC of two decades ago. by far the majority are private entries, For the crowd of around 40,000, and a the drivers are mostly British, the costs much larger audience watching the live TV reputedly a tenth of what was spent in coverage, the 26-car STCC field lined up those final, manic days of Super Touring. on the Oulton Park grid provided a direct And while still highly regarded around comparison with the 31-car BTCC field that the globe, it is now a national series in a would occupy the same space less than an Touring Car environment that now has hour later. The more knowledgeable could its own Championship, of greater see a symmetry between two periods when cost and complexity, and firmly aimed at the BTCC was at the pinnacle of success, but manufacturers and international drivers. also several significant differences. In trying to understand Touring Cars of In the late 1990s the BTCC not only 2014 the first man to ask is one familiar to topped the British motorsport chart but those British crowds. Because while Alan was regarded as the ‘top Tin Top’ series Gow has headed the BTCC for virtually all worldwide. The Super Touring regulations, of its most successful years since the early born in Britain, had spread throughout the 1990s, since 2010 he has also been president globe, to and America and many of the FIA’s Touring Car Commission – a body points inbetween. The blue-riband BTCC that has charged itself with coming up with was dominated by international drivers a series of national Touring Car regulations racing for up to 10 manufacturers, who before the end of 2014.

Ebrey/BTCC

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Gow sums up the global state of Touring national series ran to the same Uzbekistan, for example, can use.” Car racing in 2014 as “fractured”. The regulations as the WTCC, with the resultant He is keen to point out that the FIA won’t days of trying to think that one rule fits all, mushrooming costs for those trying to be creating a new set of regulations, but as in Super Touring, are he contends long compete in the national series. instead endorsing existing programmes gone, with each major motorsport nation So for 2014 the WTCC cars are more that it feels will work well on a wider seemingly doing its own thing whether it be spectacular looking, the technical basis. “What we are doing is an audit of the BTCC in Britain, DTM in , V8 regulations freed up, the costs as a result the technical regulations of fairly healthy Supercars in Australia, Pirelli World Series in raised to levels generally acceptable only to Touring Car series around the world and the USA – the list goes on. manufacturers. “A world championship of then we will sit down and say okay, these That fractured outlook will never be anything should be better or faster than a completely erased but it can be lessened, and national championship,” Gow says. He adds the FIA’s aim is basically to promote a little that by doing this a gap is naturally built: LEFT Two hats: more regulation sharing between nations, to “Those regulations are not going to be used Alan Gow has core Touring Car produce a ‘ladder’ in similar manner to how by national championships because they responsibilities at in single-seaters, F4 and F3 lead to GP2 and couldn’t afford to use them.” both a national and finally . Such regulation sharing Now the Commission is working on a two- international level would work for all: to give just one example, tier set of regulations for national series. the poorer nations would provide a ready “One is for top end, and one for smaller, outlet to pass on the used cars from the more basic cars,” Gow says, providing a series run by more wealthy nations. framework for nations to adopt if they First step in this programme was to make desire to. “If you are say a Uzbekistan and the FIA’s World Touring Car Championship you want to start a national touring car (WTCC) a distinct step above national championship, what do you do? We need series. Not so long ago the BTCC and other to have a few technical regulations that a Ebrey/BTCC

ABOVE Identitity change: Adam Morgan’s Mercedes A-Class is a prime example of the BTCC NGTC formula’s flexibility – most of Ebrey/BTCC its components spent the 2013 in a Avensis shell

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WTCC – is it working, will it expand?

THE World Touring Car Championship “It is a double-edged sword – cost- should be in it. While not a WTCC is half a season in to its new era. As effective for manufacturers but more competitor, Neal has had extensive series boss Francois Ribeiro explained difficult for privateers,” he admits. experience of the series in both its in Race Tech 163, the regulations The answer to that could be a feeder current and previous Super 2000 are designed to produce faster, more series. Ribeiro has already expressed format through expert analyst duties spectacular, noisier cars, boasting his desire for a development series with TV broadcaster (and series carbon-fibre bodywork and race along the lines that GP2 is to Formula promoter) Eurosport. suspension, and to keep the WTCC a One. He has also been quoted as “A support series that concentrated step above the various national series. considering using a 2-litre turbo engine on the Euro rounds would work well, Asked to sum up that first half- as in the BTCC’s NGTC formula, but as it would attract the current SEAT season, Alan Gow admits that the Gow does not believe any second and Clio competitors,” Neal series currently appears somewhat WTCC series would embody any says. He adds, however, that care one-sided, with the cars of Citroën national regulations such as those would have to be taken to ensure that fighting amongst each other while the currently being evolved by the FIA. the support event did not outshine rest – principally the works the main event. team, and the RML customer-built SPRINGBOARD SERIES He believes cost would be a major , with the Lada team factor: “The cars would need to be following behind – try to keep up. “The WTCC needs to do what they lower spec than Super 2000, a bit But Gow also believes that the French do in Australia which is to have a like an updated . An NGTC team’s domination, founded on a major development series for older cars to run car would not be the best idea; they budget and many months of testing alongside half a dozen of the WTCC are not expensive to run but they are before joining the series, will not last. events, and to use this as a springboard expensive to build.” “The difference is that Citroën hit the for drivers into the championship. For Neal the jury remains out on the ground running. It will take a bit of time “It would also give the WTCC entrants WTCC’s long-term prospects. “I hear but Honda will eventually close the gap somewhere to sell their cars, because that other manufacturers are looking and so will the RML Chevrolets.” going forward selling WTCC cars at the series and it needs at least He is also confident that the series will on will be an issue as no national one, possibly two more, with the kind evolve and draw more manufacturers championship is going to run them.” of resource Citroën has, to make it in. “As a world programme it’s still Multiple BTCC champion Matt work, to evolve it. Currently it’s not that a very cost-effective exercise, even Neal agrees with the concept of a difficult to get out of the first qualifying though the cost of the cars has gone Euro-support series to the WTCC, session into the final shootout – the up, and the cost of running them. though not necessarily with what cars series needs to be more edgy.”

FIA/WTCC

ABOVE Citroën leads the WTCC field at the Salzburgring, Austria. The French cars’ inter-team battle currently dominates the action

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BELOW Wide choice. The BTCC’s NGTC regulations encourage a wide variety of body shapes that add to the WTCC and exclusive supplier in V8 Supercars). Should a manufacturer decide to go all- appeal of the series Subframes and suspension come from GPR out to win the BTCC, the only areas it could Motorsport. This firm also maintains a parts spend large amounts of money would be supply in the paddock for these likely to be on driver salaries and according to Gow, damaged items and thus removes the need for “The size of its awning and such like. teams to carry their own costly inventories. There’s nothing they can spend to make The result is a championship of immense the cars go quicker; it’s good old-fashioned variety and competition, but without engineering and racing.” spiralling costs. While building the cars is So surely such a set of regulations must more expensive than originally planned be a strong contender for becoming FIA- – a legacy, Gow believes, of making the endorsed? The FIA would gain cost and car ‘bullet-proof’ and strong to a level durability advantages, while the suppliers distinctly above what is required for one season’s racing – they are much, BTCC NGTC spec parts much cheaper to run. Gow claims as little as 10 Bodyshell 2, 3, 4, 5-door car on sale in UK per cent of the budgets dealer network, 4.4m long required in the 1990s are Engine Own-built to strict TOCA spec or TOCA engine built by needed today – some teams Swindon Engines have run the same wheel Intercooler PWR bearings all season, and there Turbocharger Owen Developments have been examples of teams Fuel tank ATL taking the spec components Gearbox Xtrac out of one shell and installing AP Racing them in a completely Pedal box AP Racing different one for the following Steering rack Titan Motorsport season. As reported in our Steering motor DC Electronics news pages this month, Dave Subframes GPR Motorsport Suspension GPR Motorsport Andrew Charman Bartrum of leading team Motorbase is planning to Dampers Penske are the two we want to endorse.” build a BMW 3 Series, using Brakes AP Racing It is very easy to assume that the BTCC’s the componentry from one Wheels Air jack AP Racing NGTC (Now Generation Touring Car) of his existing Ford Focus cars Electronics Cosworth formula would be in pole position to be – an exploratory project with Fire extinguisher Lifeline adopted as the first of those two regulation no serious cost implications. sets. In summary NGTC works around the BELOW The NGTC regulations basis of fitting specified components into a have brought an unprecedented shell of the entrant’s choice. number of manufacturer shapes into the BTCC, such as the MG 6 IS NOW THE ONE? here in the hands of Marc Hynes

The NGTC car uses a 2-litre turbocharged engine. This can either be bought off the shelf as a complete package from BTCC organiser TOCA (built by Swindon Engines and branded the TOCA engine), or a team can build its own, but to very strict specifications mandated by TOCA. Other specified components include a gearbox by Xtrac, clutch and pedal box by AP Racing. Titan Motorsport supplies the steering rack, powered by a motor sourced from DC Electronics. There is an ATL fuel tank, brakes and air jack supplied by AP Racing, electronics from Cosworth and dampers by Penske. Team Dynamics provides wheels, with colour the only option (the company is also a player in Ebrey/BTCC

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www.racetechmag.com 36 TOURING CARS State of the nation

and teams in the BTCC would gain they find some that work and are available of national Touring Car regulations will potential places to sell more components, to the FIA, they may publish those.” exist but whether any country wants to pick to move on used cars. them up or not is entirely up to them.” Gow, however, is keen to point out that NO NEED TO ADOPT Which of course is a useful get-out for NGTC is not necessarily the answer. “There’s the BTCC. Some might find it strange that no agenda, and the BTCC is just one set of Gow also emphasises that once the a British series could decide not to adopt regulations we are looking at. For example regulations are finalised, which he wants regulations decided upon in a commission there’s a couple of sets of regulations in the to do in time for the FIA’s World Council headed by the same person that leads the USA, around the Pirelli World Series (see to endorse before the end of 2014, there series. But, should the FIA decide to go in sidebar) that are working well. will be no compulsion on the part of any a different direction to NGTC, it would be “I don’t decide,” he maintains. “We have national series to adopt them: “There may equally strange for the BTCC to abandon a Touring Car Commission that can look at be series in 2016 run to these regulations a formula that is clearly working so very sets of regulations across the globe and if but equally there might not – the two sets well for it…

notably a standard chassis specification credentials of the S60, pitching the Alternative view 1 which manufacturers added their own angle of the first luxury car brand to identities to. An immediate sign of enter the V8 V8 Supercars success was the arrival of two badges in with a genuine factory-backed team. the 2013 series – a works team But he adds that the Next-Generation AUSTRALIA’S V8 Supercars and a Mercedes-Benz privateer squad. regulations have played a major part in Championship for very many years seemed For 2014 the news was even better, that, and reflect changes in the Australian to run to a simple formula unaffected by with Volvo confirming an entry of a team automotive environment. the world outside – the big Commodores of S60 models under its Racing “Where once it was all about Ford of versus the Falcons of Ford. banner. And while the Swedish brand has a and Holden, those 60-odd car brands It survived Super Touring’s attempt to successful competition history in Australian are all now fighting for a slice of the break Australia, and was so healthy it Touring Cars, V8 Supercars might not have action, so you’ve got to stand out from even generated a supporting development seemed the obvious fit for a brand today the crowd,” he says. “V8 Supercars is series of older cars that could match the renowned for its safety campaigns and already one of the most watched sports 30-plus grids of the main event. In 2008, most recently an innovative new range of in this country, and the Car of the Future however, the series realised it had to plan small-capacity engines. regulations have certainly allowed us and ahead, cut costs, improve safety and According to Australia other brands to enter, prevented it from hopefully widen its appeal. Marketing Manager Oliver Peagram, becoming a two-horse race, and spiced One of its two manufacturers pulling however, it was essential to find a way up the Championship.” out could have had dire consequences. for the brand to rise above 60 or so rival Volvo has already seen success in its Indeed, some time after the launch of the car makers competing for one million new programme – a win in the non- series’‘Car of the Future’ project Holden new registrations in the continent. “You championship round at the confirmed it would end production of road need to have audience relevance around F1 GP meeting, three pole positions and cars in Australia in 2017 – though the your brand, as well as quality vehicles, then victory in round 14 of the series, brand has since extended its participation and in Australia, Volvo has great market the 400 in May. in V8 Supercars. awareness for its SUV models but there is With five manufacturers already The Car of the Future, or Next- still opportunity for the brand in the Euro represented and a series becoming Generation Supercar, was introduced for luxury sedan segment,” he says. increasingly attractive to others, V8 the 2013 season. It took many ideas from Peagram sees V8 Supercars as the ideal Supercars will clearly remain the face of NASCAR’s similarly-named project, most environment to showcase the performance Australian Touring Cars for some time yet.

RIGHT Big V8s are still the popular recipe in Australia but updated, cost- effective regulations have brought in new marques such as Volvo Volvo

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Alternative view 2 BELOW The Pirelli World Challenge classes encourage a wide variety of entries and the regulations are Pirelli World Challenge getting the attention of the FIA

THOSE who believe that the only and estates with 230 to American ‘tin tops’ are the machines 260 bhp, with naturally of the all-embracing NASCAR, need to aspirated or forced experience the Pirelli World Challenge, a induction engines championship that dates back to 1990 both permitted. – when it employed similar regulations to Touring Car A-spec, European . Succeeding Trans-Am new for 2014, evolves as the premier series organised by the the TC class, adding Pirelli World Challenge Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), the more strict limits to championship today runs as a support to the modifications allowed to keep costs such as the Ford Fiesta, Fiat 500, Mini the IndyCar series. down, and restricting power to around 200 Cooper or Kia Rio. It provides a very cost- Today’s Pirelli World Challenge offers five bhp from basically stock engines. Eligible effective entry into . classes stretching across GT and Touring models range from the UK idea of a Touring The wide-ranging regulations of the Car specifications. The girds are so well Car, such as the or Ford Pirelli World Challenge really do provide supported that generally the GT and Focus, to roadsters such as ’s MX-5. something for all. With the series firmly Touring Car sections run as separate races. Touring Car B-spec is even more limited, established and popular, it is no surprise Touring Car (TC) is open to two- with only suspension modifications that the FIA’s Touring Car Commission is roadsters, coupes, hatchbacks, saloons permitted, and is for effectively superminis reputedly studying it closely.

BELOW Makes battle: Alternative view 3 German manufacturers , BMW and Mercedes-Benz are DTM the three pillars of the DTM

WHILE a championship based in the industrial powerhouse of Europe, the Audi Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters or DTM is in many ways as out on a limb, its own entity, as the Australian V8 Supercars series. It was reborn in 2000 from the former Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft, which along with an FIA version, the International Touring Car Championship, had collapsed in 1996. The costs of over spaceframe chassis – many of the engines with 2-litre turbo units. running the cars, that were considered drivers describe the handling as closer Efforts have also been made to unite with more complex than F1 machines, had to a single-seater race car. The drivers the Grand Touring division of NASCAR’s spiralled out of control. are a distinct mix of former F1 stars and Grand-Am series in the USA. This led to The post-2000 series was created with those trying to earn an F1 chance through an agreement signed in March 2013 to less-expensive regulations, but like its impressing in the DTM – for example when launch an American version of the DTM, predecessor has remained bankrolled by BMW pulled out of the WTCC its multiple which is planned to run primarily as a Germany’s car manufacturers. Initially it champion, , was transferred support to NASCAR events and start was , Audi and Mercedes-Benz. Opel less than successfully to the DTM squad. between 2015 and 2016. pulled out in 2007 and rumoured entries The DTM has tried to break out of its Many observers remain unconvinced that from and remarkably, MG- German core audience several times – this series will happen. The presence of a Rover did not happen, leaving Audi and rounds were held for several seasons US manufacturer is considered essential, Mercedes to provide half of the 20-car at Britain’s Brands Hatch, for example. and with most US brands already heavily grid each. Since 2012 BMW has joined More recently it has embarked on a involved in motorsport – whether it be the series, winning it in its first season. more significant expansion programme, NASCAR, the TUDOR United SportsCar Today’s DTM cars are rear-wheel-drive, signing an agreement with ’s Championship or the Pirelli World Challenge with 470 bhp V8 engines, and in truth are Super GT series to run to similar – there is so far no sign of any home prototypes, with road car body shapes regulations, including replacing its V8 interest in competing in a US DTM.

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