The British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) is now in its third season with hybrid powertrain technology. Each campaign of the TOCA-run series’ electrified era has resembled a different stepping stone in the journey so far. Year one was about getting to grips with the 48V system, year two exposed some of the sporting shortcomings, and year three is now about making improvements.
The headline change for 2024 is an increase in boost from the hybrid powertrain, which consists of a Cosworth hybrid system, Xtrac gearbox, Owen Developments turbo and an engine of the competitor’s choice.
Through upping the turbo, the amount of power available to each driver at the push of a button, for up to 15 seconds per lap, has doubled to around 60bhp. This is part of a drive to maintain the BTCC’s reputation as one of the most competitive series in the world.
An exciting on-track product, combined with a free-to-air television package on ITV, has been the recipe for huge success in recent years. However, last season, TOCA management figures took note of areas in the hybrid deployment that could be improved.
The wild variations in performance that occurred under the old success ballast system had become less noticeable, resulting in fewer overtakes. As BTCC technical director, Sam Riches, admits, the on-track competition ‘has not panned out as expected’.
Hybrid background
The low voltage, regenerative braking hybrid system was introduced as part of the BTCC’s efforts to promote sustainability and road relevance. As a championship with manufacturer involvement from Ford, Toyota, Hyundai and BMW, it was an unsurprising move. It was also a pioneering one, as the BTCC became the world’s first hybridised touring car championship.
Aside from backing automotive industry trends, it was hoped that new strategic options and engineering challenges for the teams would arise.
Hybrids replaced the previous success ballast system used by the series so, rather than being laden with extra weight (up to 75kg, depending on the previous race result), successful drivers
