TYPES OF CAR

In 2006, the BTCC is open to drivers, manufacturers and teams using two types of car: either BTC Touring or "Super 2000". BTC Touring is for cars that were built to meet the technical specifications introduced in 2001. Super 2000 is for the cars that meet the technical specifications currently used in the FIA World Touring Car Championship. Both types of cars will compete for the BTCC outright, with no separate "class" system. A ballast system is used to bridge any performance gap and this can be reviewed five times during the season. Uniquely, cars competing in the BTCC can use either petrol, diesel, bio-ethanol or gas-powered engines.

NATIONAL HOMOLOGATION OF S2000 CARS

A Competitor not registered in the BTCC Manufacturers Championship may make application to the Administrator to Homologate a car solely for the BTCC that fully complies with Art 263 Super 2000 of the FIA Technical Regulations and the FIA Super 2000 Homologation Regulations as published by the FIA at the 1st April 2006 subject to the following:
If a car is FIA homologated for S2000 then National Homologation is not permitted and any cars entered must be run to that FIA homologation.
If a car is FIA homologated in Groups A & N then a BTCC S2000 Kit will be homologated by TOCA for use in the BTCC.
If a car is not FIA homologated the Group A & N plus the S2000 Kit will be homologated by TOCA for use in the BTCC.
Any TOCA homologation for the BTCC would be chassis based.
If a Manufacturer subsequently FIA homologates a S2000 Kit or in Groups A & N these FIA homologations would supersede the BTCC homologations but would not obsolete existing cars.

RACE FORMAT

All 10 BTCC meetings feature three rounds of equal distance, each counting towards a driver's championship points total. All races commence with a standing start off the grid. There are no mandatory pitstops: each race is a straight sprint race to the chequered flag.

FREE PRACTICE

The BTCC action on each race weekend begins on the Saturday morning with two 40-minute free practice sessions. If a session is disrupted, the BTCC's Clerk of the Course is not obliged to resume it.

OFFICIAL QUALIFYING

A 30-minute qualifying session is held on Saturday afternoon. This determines the starting grid order for the first of Sunday's three races. Should two drivers set the same time, the one setting it first will be ahead of the other on the grid.

STARTING GRIDS

The first race's starting grid takes the order from Saturday afternoon's qualifying session. Race two's starting grid is decided by the finishing order in race one. Race three's starting grid is decided by the finishing order in race two, but with the added twist of a random number of positions within the top ten being reversed. The winner of race two will select a number at random between six and ten, which will decide how many of the top ten from race two will be reversed for race three. For example if they pick number seven, then the car which finished seventh in race two will be on pole position, sixth will be second and so on. All other drivers outside of the allocated number to be reversed will be given a grid slot from their finishing place in race two.

Drivers retiring from the race will be allocated starting positions for the next race depending on the number of laps completed before retiring. The free practice, qualifying, race and starting grid process is repeated at each race meeting.

CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS SYSTEM

Points are awarded in every race and all 30 rounds are counted. There are five titles to be won: Drivers' Championship, Manufacturers' Championship, Teams' Championship, Independents' Trophy for Drivers, Independent Teams' Trophy.

BTCC CHAMPIONSHIP FOR DRIVERS

In each race, the following points are awarded to classified finishers:
1st - 15 points
2nd - 12
3rd - 10
4th - 8
5th - 6
6th - 5
7th - 4
8th - 3
9th - 2
10th - 1

i - Pole position: One additional point will be awarded to the driver who starts on pole position for the first race of each meeting.

ii - Fastest lap: One additional point will be awarded to the driver setting the fastest lap in each race. If two or more drivers achieve the same fastest lap time each will be awarded one point.

iii - Race leader: One additional point will be awarded to each driver who is classified as the race leader (on crossing the start/finish line during the course of the race) during each race. A driver can only earn this point once, irrespective of how many times he or she has led that race.

BTCC INDEPENDENTS TROPHY FOR DRIVERS

Independent drivers are not manufacturer-supported. Points are awarded as per the BTCC Drivers Championship, but with no additional points for Pole Position, Fastest Lap or leading a race. Independents Trophy competitors also score points in the BTCC Drivers Championship.

BTCC CHAMPIONSHIP FOR MANUFACTURERS

Points are awarded to a maximum of two nominated cars of the same make, provided they are listed as a classified finisher in the final results. Points are awarded as per the BTCC Drivers Championship, but without additional points for Pole Position, Fastest Lap or leading a race. Manufacturers must nominate their two points-scoring cars at or before the drivers briefing at each race meeting. The other placings of a make will be ignored and only the nominated cars will be eligible for Manufacturers points.

BTCC CHAMPIONSHIP FOR TEAMS

Points are awarded to the two highest-placed cars from each team in each race (provided they are listed as a classified finisher in the final results). Points are awarded as per the BTCC Drivers Championship, but without additional points for Pole Position, Fastest Lap or leading a race.

BTCC INDEPENDENTS' TEAM TROPHY

The Independents' Team Trophy: Independent teams will be regarded as those who are not entered with Manufacturer support. Points will be awarded to the teams listed as classified finishers in the Final Results at each Race. Teams that qualify for entry into the Independents Teams Trophy will also score points in the Teams Championship.

POINTS AWARDS

If two or more drivers, teams or manufacturers finish the season with the same number of points, the higher place in the Championship shall be awarded to:

- the holder of the greatest number of first places.
- if the number of first places is the same, the holder of the greatest number of second places.
- if the number of second places is the same, the holder of the greatest number of third places and so on until a winner emerges.

INDEPENDENTS

A driver/team will be classed and registered as an independent driver/team and be eligible for any points available as part of the Independents' Trophy for Drivers and/or Independents' Team Trophy provided that he/she and/or the team entering the driver meets the following minimum criteria:

- is the bona fide owner of the competing car and components used in the competition or otherwise enters into a commercial arrangement with regard to the leasing, rental or hire purchase of the car with the owner of the car and/or
- is given the use of the competing car and components as a result of an award, competition or prize previously approved by the Administrator and which is open to more than 10 contestants and
- does not receive any substantial and direct or indirect financial assistance from any manufacturer or importer above the level which would normally be available to other competitors who may compete with the same marque of car and
- ensures that the day to day control and management of the team is not exercised or influenced directly or indirectly by a manufacturer or importer (whether or not registered for the Championship for Manufacturers) and
- has registered their independent status on the drivers registration form

TYRES

Dunlop is the BTCC's official tyre supplier. Competitors are each permitted a maximum of 16 new slick tyres plus four previously marked tyres per driver per Meeting, except at a driver's first Meeting where a maximum of 20 new tyres may be used and except at the Thruxton Meeting where all drivers will be permitted a maximum of 20 new tyres of an alternative specification. Tyres from the Thruxton Meeting cannot be used as previously marked tyres at any other Meeting. Substitute drivers are permitted a maximum of 16 new tyres plus the four previously marked tyres of the driver they have substituted. There is no limit on the number of grooved tyres. The use of tyre warmers is prohibited.

SUCCESS BALLAST

A system of "Race success ballast" weight handicaps will be applied to drivers in the BTCC at the end of the first and second Races at each Meeting based on the order of finishing published by the official timekeepers as authorised by the BTCC Clerk for each of those Races prior to any judicial action in respect of any Sporting or Technical issue.

The success ballast awarded after the First Race will be effective for the Second Race in the same Meeting. The success ballast awarded after the Second Race will be effective for the Third Race in the same Meeting. There will be no accumulation of success ballast weight.

The race results of any guest driver will be disregarded for the purpose of determining success ballast weight handicap.

A system of "Championship success ballast" weight handicap will be applied to the top 5 drivers in the BTCC by the BTCC Clerk at the end of the third Race at each Meeting based on the order in the Drivers Championship published by the official timekeepers as authorised by the BTCC Clerk prior to any judicial action in respect of any Sporting or Technical issue. The Championship success ballast will not be applicable for Meeting No.1 of the Championship.

The Championship success ballast awarded after the Third Race of a Meeting will be effective for the free practice sessions, official qualifying session and the First Race at the following Championship Meeting.

A success ballast weight handicap will be applied to drivers finishing in the first Race and the second Race at each Meeting and in the order in the Drivers Championship after the third Race at each Meeting according to the following scale: -

1st position: +42 Kg
2nd: +30 Kg
3rd: +18 Kg
4th: +9 Kg
5th: +0 Kg
6th or lower: 0 Kg

-NEW FOR 2006- Cars which are registered for the Championship after the date of April 9th 2006 or those that miss one or more Meetings will carry a Late Entry Ballast of 45kg at their first Championship Meeting. This will be reduced to 30kg for their second successive event and 15kg for their third successive Championship Meeting. Success ballast is also applicable to these Late Entries, up to a maximum weight of 45kg.

REVIEW OF HANDICAPS

Weight handicaps, minimum car weights, throttle body size and/or the maximum permitted engine rpm of both types of car can each be reviewed by the BTCC Series Director up to five times during the course of the season.

DRIVER DISCIPLINE

A range of penalties can be imposed against offending drivers. These include fines, "drive-through" penalties, point deductions, exclusion from results, suspension from the next race(s) and so on. Video evidence made available within ten days of an incident may be used as grounds for an enquiry, even if the incident has already been investigated.

ENDORSEMENT OF DRIVERS' LICENSES

Should a driver be attributed a total of eight or more penalty points by the BTCC Clerk and/or the BTCC Stewards during the current Championship, the BTCC Clerk will deduct up to a maximum of 8 Championship points from the total score of that driver even if this results in a minus score.

Should a driver subsequently be attributed a total of 12 or more penalty points by the BTCC Clerk and/or the BTCC Stewards during the current Championship, the BTCC Clerk will deduct up to a maximum of 23 Championship points from the total score of that driver even if this results in a minus score. In addition, the BTCC Clerk will refer the matter to the Administrator who may impose further penalties.

The deduction of Championship points in this way will only apply to the Drivers' Championship, the Independents Trophy for Drivers Championship and will not apply to the Manufacturers' or Teams' Championship or Independents Teams Trophy.

DRIVE-THROUGH PENALITIES

These are served in the pit lane and drivers must serve them within three laps of being instructed to do so. Additional offences may result in a fain or exclusion. Drivers deemed to have committed an offence carrying a drive-through penalty in the last six laps of a race shall instead be punished by means of a time penalty of between 30 and 60 seconds being added to their final race result.

PIT LANE SPEED LIMIT

Competitors must not exceed 40mph while driving in the pit lane. Drivers exceeding this may be fines or lose their qualifying times. If the limit is broken during a race, that driver may be ordered to serve a drive-through penalty.

SAFETY CAR

The BTCC Safety Car may be sent onto the circuit at any time during a race. All laps completed by the Safety Car period will be counted as racing laps.

SPARE CARS

No replacement cars are permitted at any race meeting.

SPARE ENGINES

Entrants are permitted to use a maximum of four engines during the course of the championship. Any extra engines used will result in deduction of ten points from the entrants Manufacturer/Teams Championship scores for each additional engine. Substitute drivers will use the engine allocation of the driver they replace.

RACE STOPPAGES

If the race is stopped before the leader has completed two laos it will be delcared null and void. The race may be re-started with competitors taking their original grid positions. If the race is stopped after the leader has completed two laps but before the 75 per cent of the scheduled distance it may be restarted. Competitors will line up on the starting grid for the re-start in the order of their positions when the race was stopped. Race results will be decided by the finishing order at the end of the restarted race only. Competitors not running when the race was stopped may be permitted to rake the restart at the discretion of the BTCC Clerk of the Course, but from the back of the grid. If the race is stopped after the leader has completed 75 per cent of the original distance then the BTCC Clerk of the Course is not obliged to restart it and may declare it a final result.

WET RACES

Competitors will be permitted two reconnaissance laps before forming on the starting grid, if the BTCC Clerk of the Course decides that conditions have deteriorated sufficiently since qualifying. The onus is on competitors to ensure their cars are fitted with a tyre suitable for the track conditions at the time. At the order of the BTCC Clerk, if conditions have deteriorated while competitors and their teams are on the starting grids, they will be permitted to fit treaded, wet weather tyres.

FALSE STARTS

Competitors judged to have made a false start will serve a drive-through penalty.

TESTING

Testing is unrestricted until 7 days before the start of the first Championship Meeting of the 2006 Championship.

During the course of the 2006 Championship testing will be permitted for entrants on Circuit General Test Days up to a maximum of 4 days per registered driver. This testing cannot be undertaken at a venue that hosts a Meeting of the 2006 Championship until after that Meeting. The venue and the purpose of the test must be notified at least 48 hours in advance to the Co-ordinator, only previously marked dry weather tyres are permitted, a Championship sealed engine must be used. TOCA reserves the right to attend all such tests, costs of this attendance will be charged to the entrant.

Testing will be permitted at the following BTCC official organised tests:

A pre-season test day - Brands Hatch Indy Circuit, Tuesday, March 28th.

Registered teams and drivers may nominate a venue within the UK (but not including any venue that hosts rounds of the Championship) upon registration that they may use for shakedown tests during the course of the Championship. This is the only venue they may use for such a test unless with the prior written approval of the Administrator.

Prior to undertaking a shakedown test, the team concerned must notify the Co-ordinator in writing a minimum of 48 hours prior to the commencement of the test. TOCA reserves the right for a BTCC Official to attend such a test as an observer.

A shakedown test is deemed to be a short operations check on a car prior to the car being presented for a BTCC Race Meeting. Prior to the first BTCC Race Meeting only Dunlop tyres marked and used at one of the BTCC test sessions are permitted. Thereafter, Dunlop tyres marked and used at the previous Race Meeting are the only tyres permitted.

RACE NUMBERS

Numbers 1-10 inclusive will be allocated to the top ten drivers from the 2005 MSA British Touring Car Championship. Any of these numbers not used by a 2005 driver will only be re-allocated at the sole discretion of the Administrator. All other numbers will be allocated at the Co-ordinator's discretion.