2005 BTCC calendar announced

[Matt_S]

From Crash.net:

TOCA has confirmed the calendar for the 2005 British Touring Car Championship, with the series returning to the National circuit at Silverstone and the full Grand Prix circuit at Brands Hatch.

The championship will visit the same nine circuits it has raced on this season, quashing rumours that the Motorsport Vision tracks, Brands Hatch, Snetterton and Oulton Park, would be missing from the calendar.

Series director Alan Gow is pleased to have reached agreement with Jonathan Palmer for the BTCC to continue racing on his circuits, especially the Grand Prix circuit at Brands, which will host the final round of the season.

“I am delighted that Jonathan Palmer and Motorsport Vision have reaffirmed their full support of the BTCC by wishing to retain all their rounds,” he said. “This support includes a return to Brands Hatch's full-length Grand Prix circuit for the final event, which will provide another exciting, new element to the championship. We are also hoping to install a large Starvision screen at this event, so spectators don't miss out on any of the action that takes place on the GP section.”

Gow is also delighted that the series will switch the race at Silverstone to the National circuit after a ten year absence.

“The return to Silverstone's ‘National' layout means more/shorter laps and added action for our fans,” he said. “We last raced there in 1995 and the racing was always full of drama and incident, particularly for spectators in the grandstands around Woodcote corner – the sight of the BTCC field arriving head-on down the Club straight into the stadium section with cars fanned out across the track made for an unforgettable spectacle.”

The announcement ends speculation that new circuits could be added to the calendar, although Gow admitted he would like to take the touring cars to Castle Combe.

“We seriously considered taking the BTCC to Castle Combe for the first time,” he said, “but unfortunately there is no room on our calendar for them at this time. However, make no mistake - Castle Combe is certainly top of our list of new venues to visit in the near future.”

Rockingham was another circuit that had been suggested, having hosted a round back in 2003, but Gow says that was never an option for this season.

“It should be noted that Rockingham did not seek a date on our calendar, as the circuit had made a policy decision not to host any high-profile championships other than its own,” he said.

The Australian, who is aiming to take the series back to the heady heights of the 1990's, believes that the calendar will provide fans with another action packed season.

“My priority was to ensure that none of our races conflict with Formula One Grands Prix next year,” he said, “something that is vitally important to our TV scheduling, more details of which will be announced at a later date.

“I believe our 2005 calendar provides the BTCC, our partners and our fans with a great geographical spread and, allied to the use of the two different circuit lay-outs at Silverstone and Brands Hatch, also gives a couple of new and interesting tweaks to the championship.”

2005 British Touring Car Championship Calendar:

9-10 April Donington Park (National)
30 April-1 May Thruxton
28-29 May Brands Hatch (Indy)
18-19 June Oulton Park (Island)
9-10 July Croft
23-24 July Mondello Park
6-7 August Snetterton
27-28 August Knockhill
17-18 September Silverstone (National)
1-2 October Brands Hatch (Grand Prix)

[BootsOntheSide]

Seems liek tehy've picked compeltely the wrong day to issue this - it's going to be lsot under everything else.

Great to see both Brands tracks in use again, and the ten race are nicely spaced-out, although the 3 week gap after Knockhill isn't ideal.

[John Winter]

Can someone explain to me why all touring car championships nowadays only drive 10 races?

[touringcarnut]

Originally posted by John Winter
Can someone explain to me why all touring car championships nowadays only drive 10 races?

Costs. It would be hard for the likes of WSR and other independents to fund 13 meetings of the championship like in 2001 and before. There's three races in each meeting, so 30 rounds is enough really for the level of money available in the BTCC. It would be nice to avoid the near 6 month gap between seasons though. I notice that the forthcoming season will just shade into October.

Pleased to see that Gp track back for Brands and the National circuit for Silverstone, all good news. Shame about Rockingham, it was a great race there in 2003.

[racingdad]

Originally posted by John Winter
Can someone explain to me why all touring car championships nowadays only drive 10 races?

BTCC - 3 races at each meeting = 30 races. Enough for anyone

[luke]

The contravesity of having an extra round suporting the British Grand Prix at silverstone highlighted 10 was enough although the races would have been non championship.

[Kicking-back]

Looks like a good calendar to me - particularly pleased they've avoided clashes with F1.

[Matt_S]

Find it a bit bizarre the stance Rockingham have taken - I would have thought most tracks would love to have the major series racing on them

[Hazard]

Foolish Rockingham. A good calendar. Planning already to go to Thruxton & the Brands Hatch GP!

Wish Rockers was there though, and a couple of new tracks.

And some special silly things...like a night race would be nice.

[racingdad]

Originally posted by Matt_S
Find it a bit bizarre the stance Rockingham have taken - I would have thought most tracks would love to have the major series racing on them

They didn't make any money when they ran the BTCC, so it is a sound commercial decision.

[touringlegend]

Looks a pretty sound calendar to me - and good to see two visits to Brands not on the same layout.

It still puzzles me why the use the Island layout at Oulton I think the shorter circuit is far better for Touring Cars.

[touringcarnut]

Originally posted by touringlegend

It still puzzles me why the use the Island layout at Oulton I think the shorter circuit is far better for Touring Cars.

I have to agree with you on this, I think the shorter track has a better flow to it and produces better racing. The grid seems to get strung out on the Island layout.

[sceptic]

But surely Island is better than the Fosters circuit used by F3.

[McKay]

The Island Circuit is better for viewing, but thats only for those at Knickerbrook and Cascades. If youre any where else around the track its not so good. It's true the Island layout spreads them out, it's the hairpin and the chicane. The Fosters track is the best, its shorter and the cars come round more often, and they stay close together, check out 1996 and 1998 and 1999 races there.

[rdjones]

Looks good but, I have a few things I would like to point the Oulton Park round is the same weekend as Le Mans, Silverstone National what wrong with the International lay out and still 2 trips to Brands Hatch which is very suprising.

[Alfa Fan]

The Fosters track is fantastic, BTCC defintly should return there.

[Steve Burns]

Originally posted by sceptic
But surely Island is better than the Fosters circuit used by F3.

British F3/GT use the full International Circuit.

[runnyhunny]

The Fosters layout is awful - there are no decent over-taking spots! I'm sure it's amazing to drive, but not so good for the 'racing'.

I'd like to see the full International layout being used. The banked Shell hairpin is great!

[luke]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
Looks like a good calendar to me - particularly pleased they've avoided clashes with F1.

Means more live coverege for ITV

[luke]

The internaional circuit with out the chicanes would be great.

[Hazard]

Looks like Rockingham believes the Toca statement has been somewhat untrue.

Rockingham website

[acf8181]

Originally posted by rdjones
Silverstone National what wrong with the International lay out

cause its easier to overtake...trust me theres gonna be absolutly loads of it that weekend. its basically a triangle.

noted that gow mentioned it was vital not to clash with any gp's, due to tv coverage...are we gonna get the majority of the events live then?

[McKay]

Hopefully well get most of them live, not sure if we will. Some people might not like racing on every single sunday on itv, i wouldnt mind but i know some people would.

Silverstone national used to be a triangle except for the maggots corner before becketts hairpin. The track then went down the straight to the woodcote hairpin. That was a great track, a very good F3 race there in 1988.

[acf8181]

silverstone national is a bit different now, the turn onto the back straight used to be where the becketts grandstand is now, so the straight is shorter. in those days it used to then just have a sharpish right hander at woodcote, i believe tim harvey had a bif fford crash there one year which ended his single seater career.

its changed a bit since the btcc last raced on it, in the early '90's. there used to be a slight chicane after the bridge on the club straight, thats now gone, and brooklands curve is now more open.

[KayBee]

Originally posted by luke
The internaional circuit with out the chicanes would be great.

Unfortunately, I believe, the licensing requirements mean that both chicanes have to be used when either of the longer circuits is used.