2026 British Touring Car Championship

The 2026 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship (commonly abbreviated as BTCC) will be a motor racing championship for production-based touring cars held across England and Scotland. The championship will feature a mix of professional motor racing teams and privately funded amateur drivers competing in highly modified versions of family cars which are sold to the general public and conform to the technical regulations for the championship. The 2026 season will be the 69th British Touring Car Championship season, the 16th season for cars conforming to the Next Generation Touring Car (NGTC) technical specification.

This is the second season using 100% renewable fuels, with the hybrid boost being removed and being replaced with turbo boost. While the amount of power boost stayed the same the weight will be reduced by 55 kg (121 lb). In another change to the 2026 season will introduce qualifying races for all cars on the Saturday afternoon of each race weekend.[1][2]

Teams and Drivers

Team Car Engine No. Drivers Rounds
Constructor Entries
Team VERTU Hyundai i30 Fastback N Performance Hyundai/Swindon 3 Tom Chilton[3][4] TBC
80 Tom Ingram[4] TBC
TBA TBA TBC
TBA TBA TBC
NAPA Racing UK[5] Ford Focus Titanium Saloon Ford/Mountune 15 Lewis Selby[6] TBC
27 Dan Cammish[6] TBC
77 Sam Osborne[6] TBC
116 Ashley Sutton[6] TBC
Plato Racing Team RML[7][8][9] Mercedes-AMG A35 Saloon TOCA/M-Sport 32 Daniel Rowbottom[10] TBC
33 Adam Morgan[11] TBC
Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport[12] Toyota Corolla GR Sport Toyota/Neil Brown 50 Árón Taylor-Smith[13] TBC
52 Gordon Shedden[14] TBC
Speedworks Corolla Racing[15] 66 Josh Cook[15] TBC
19 Max Buxton[15] TBC
West Surrey Racing[16] BMW 330i M Sport LCI BMW/Neil Brown TBA TBA TBC
TBA TBA TBC
TBA TBA TBC
Independent Entries
LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing[17][18] Audi S3 Saloon TOCA/M-Sport 16 Aiden Moffat[19] TBC
88 Mikey Doble[20] TBC
Power Maxed Racing[18] 17 Dexter Patterson[21] TBC
Restart Racing[16] Hyundai i30 Fastback N Performance Hyundai/Swindon 22 Chris Smiley[22] TBC
132 James Dorlin[22] TBC
One Motorsport[23][16] Honda Civic Type R (FK8) TOCA/M-Sport TBA TBA TBC
TBA TBA TBC
Key
Eligible for the Jack Sears Trophy for drivers yet to record more than one outright podium
finish or Jack Sears Trophy championship at the start of the season.

Entering/re-entering BTCC

Lewis Selby made his debut with NAPA Racing UK, after competing with the team in Mini Challenge UK, to replace Daniel Rowbottom.[24]

James Dorlin returned to the BTCC with Restart Racing, after missing the last 3 rounds of 2025, replacing Daniel Lloyd.[22]

Changed teams

Árón Taylor-Smith and Gordon Shedden both moved from Toyota Gazoo Racing to Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport[13][14]

Aiden Moffat moved from LKQ Euro Car Parts with WSR to LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing, following the LKQ Euro Car Parts brand.[19]

Daniel Rowbottom and Adam Morgan left NAPA Racing UK and Team VERTU respectively to join the new Plato Racing Team RML, with Rowbottom becoming co-owner of the team.[10][11]

Dexter Patterson left Un-Limited Motorsport after a year and joined Power Maxed Racing in the Audi.[21]

Leaving BTCC

Jake Hill announced prior to Brands Hatch that he would leave Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport and the BTCC entirely.[25]

Senna Proctor left Team VERTU after competing with them in the last 7 rounds of 2025, instead taking up a reserve driver and driver coach role at NAPA Racing UK.[26]

Michael Crees confirmed he would not return after racing the first 2 rounds of 2025 with Team VERTU in the Autobrite Direct with Miller Oils livery.[27]

Nick Halstead left the BTCC after competing with Power Maxed Racing in 2025.[28]

Daniel Lloyd announced he will be taking a sabbatical from the BTCC after a 2025 campaign with Restart Racing.[29]

Team changes

NAPA Racing UK switched from the Ford Focus ST to the Ford Focus Titanium Saloon, their first car change since being under the NAPA name.[5]

West Surrey Racing reduced their team from a 4-car line-up to 3 cars, a consequence of their new British GT plan.[30]

Jason Plato entered 2 Mercedes-AMG A35 Saloon cars for his team, with the support of RML, creating Plato Racing Team RML, utilising the TOCA/M-Sport engine.[7][31]

One Motorsport returned to the series after missing the last half of 2025, still using the Honda Civic Type R (FK8).[23]

Power Maxed Racing dropped the Cupra Leon, which they ran for the last 4 rounds of 2025, for the Audi S3 Saloon along with returning to a 3-car line-up for the first time since 2023.[16][17]

Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport expanded their field to 2 cars and switched from the WSR BMW 330i to the Speedworks Toyota Corolla GR Sport.[12]

LKQ Euro Car Parts moved from West Surrey Racing to Power Maxed Racing, forming LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing. Dexter Patterson continued to run the standard Power Maxed Racing brand.[32][18]

Un-Limited Motorsport decided to step back in 2026, after 1 year in the BTCC.[33]

Race calendar

The 2026 calendar was announced on 2 May 2025.[34]

2026 BTCC Race Locations
Round Circuit Date
1 R1 Donington Park
(National Circuit, Leicestershire) 		18–19 April
R2
R3
2 R4 Brands Hatch
(Indy Circuit, Kent) 		9–10 May
R5
R6
3 R7 Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit
(300 Circuit, Norfolk) 		23–24 May
R8
R9
4 R10 Oulton Park
(Island Circuit, Cheshire) 		6–7 June
R11
R12
5 R13 Thruxton Circuit
(Hampshire) 		25–26 July
R14
R15
6 R16 Knockhill Racing Circuit
(Fife) 		8–9 August
R17
R18
7 R19 Donington Park
(Grand Prix Circuit, Leicestershire) 		22–23 August
R20
R21
8 R22 Croft Circuit
(North Yorkshire) 		5–6 September
R23
R24
9 R25 Silverstone Circuit
(National Circuit, Northamptonshire) 		26–27 September
R26
R27
10 R28 Brands Hatch
(Grand Prix Circuit, Kent) 		10–11 October
R29
R30

References

  1. ^ "BTCC introduces Qualifying race from 2026". btcc.net. 24 October 2025. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
  2. ^ "BTCC Qualifying Race regulations ratified". btcc.net. 24 November 2025. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  3. ^ "Tom Chilton extends BTCC deal with EXCELR8 into 2026". TouringCarTimes. 29 October 2025. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Team VERTU reveals 2026 BTCC Challenger". btcc.net. 19 March 2026. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
  5. ^ a b "NAPA Racing UK Brings Saloon Version of Ford Focus to BTCC". btcc.net. 27 February 2026. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
  6. ^ a b c d "NAPA Racing UK lock in driver line-up for 2026 BTCC season". 23 February 2026. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  7. ^ a b "Plato Racing confirms expected RML tie-up". TouringCarTimes. 21 November 2025. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  8. ^ "Plato Racing brings Mercedes-AMG A35 Saloon to BTCC grid". TouringCarTimes. 8 January 2026. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  9. ^ "Plato Racing provide first-look at Mercedes-AMG A35 Saloon". TouringCarTimes. 17 March 2026. Retrieved 17 March 2026.
  10. ^ a b "Daniel Rowbottom Join Plato Racing to Spearhead BTCC Challenge". btcc.net. 17 February 2026. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
  11. ^ a b "Adam Morgan completes Plato Racing driver line-up". TouringCarTimes. 3 March 2026. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  12. ^ a b "Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport launch two-car programme for 2026 season". btcc.net. 23 November 2025. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  13. ^ a b "Laser Tools Racing With MB Motorsport Welcomes Árón Taylor-Smith For 2026 Season". btcc.net. 11 December 2025. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  14. ^ a b "Three-time BTCC Champion Gordon Shedden Joins Laser Tools Racing With MB Motorsport For 2026". btcc.net. 27 November 2025. Retrieved 27 November 2025.
  15. ^ a b c "Speedworks Corolla Racing lock in Josh Cook and Max Buxton for 2026 campaign". TouringCarTimes. 6 March 2026. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  16. ^ a b c d "Plato Racing confirmed for 2026 season as BTCC announces TBL list". TouringCarTimes. 4 December 2025. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  17. ^ a b "Power Maxed Racing to run Audi S3 Saloons from 2026". TouringCarTimes. 2 October 2025. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  18. ^ a b c "Power Maxed Racing Partners With LKQ Euro Car Parts". btcc.net. 13 March 2026. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  19. ^ a b "Aiden Moffat unites LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing". btcc.net. 16 March 2026. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  20. ^ "Mikey Doble inks new deal with Power Maxed Racing". TouringCarTimes. 18 March 2026. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  21. ^ a b "Power Maxed Racing signs Dexter Patterson for 2026 BTCC campaign". btcc.net. 20 February 2026. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  22. ^ a b c "James Dorlin joins Restart Racing for 2026 season". TouringCarTimes. 16 March 2026. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  23. ^ a b "One Motorsport to miss remainder of the season as focus switches to 2026". TouringCarTimes. 26 August 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  24. ^ "NAPA Racing UK lock in driver line-up for 2026 BTCC season". 2026-02-23. Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  25. ^ "Jake Hill To Depart Laser Tools Racing With MB Motorsport And The BTCC • BTCC". 2025-09-24. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  26. ^ Ashby-Brown, Chris (2026-03-09). "Alliance Racing name Senna Proctor as BTCC Reserve Driver". TouringCarTimes. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  27. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2026-03-12.
  28. ^ "Nick Halstead Departs BTCC with a Special Fan Tribute". Power Maxed Racing. 2025-10-08. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  29. ^ "Lloyd Sabbatical". TouringCars.Net. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  30. ^ "WSR FlexiFly enter new era in British GT Championship in 2026 | WSR - West Surrey Racing". www.wsr-racing.com. 2026-02-20. Retrieved 2026-02-20.
  31. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2026-03-12.
  32. ^ "Power Maxed Racing Partners With LKQ Euro Car Parts • BTCC". 2026-03-13. Retrieved 2026-03-13.
  33. ^ Ashby-Brown, Chris (2026-03-06). "Un-Limited Motorsport to miss 2026 BTCC season". TouringCarTimes. Retrieved 2026-03-06.
  34. ^ "TOCA announces 2026 BTCC calendar". btcc.net. 2 May 2025. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
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