Drivers in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) will gain an extra shot of hybrid power assistance from the 2024 season onwards.
The BTCC became the first touring car competition in the world to move to hybrid power, making it compulsory for the 2022 season. Further refinement was made for 2023, but major changes are planned for next year.
After extensive testing, BTCC drivers will receive a combination of both hybrid power assistance and additional turbo boost to deploy.
It means pressing a single steering wheel-mounted button will result in double the amount of extra power on offer – estimated to be around 60hp.
A double shot of boost
Alan Gow, BTCC chief executive, said: “With the hybrid system now proven to be extremely reliable, the time is right to further develop its overall performance.”
Testing has shown the hybrid setup to be 97.3 percent reliable, making it no different to other major components used in a modern touring car.
The dominance of the 2023 BTCC season by now four-time champion Ashley Sutton, is also likely to have encouraged the organisers to attempt to improve the quality of racing.
Sutton claimed 12 race wins and six pole positions during the season, with a Max Verstappen-esque display of force. For a championship built around the promise of equal competition, making changes seemed impossible to ignore.
Further enhancements planned for 2024
As with this season, drivers will be able to choose when they deploy their turbo-hybrid boost during qualifying sessions and races. The duration of boost available to each driver is determined by their championship position for qualifying, and finishing position on race day.
The new turbo-hybrid power boost follows the BTCC’s announcement that it will introduce ‘fast six’ qualifying for the 2024 season.
Similar to the American IndyCar series, one single qualifying session will be replaced with shorter segments. This will result in a showdown between the fastest six drivers for pole position.
ALSO READ:
AUTOBEST Best Buy Car of Europe 2024 finalists revealed
Tired of touchscreens? New Skodas to get clever rotary Smart Dials
Spent £2.4m on a Rimac Nevera? At least charging it will be free…