Are we looking at a British Touring Car Championship GOAT? That's the question that series watchers are asking when it comes to reigning champion Ash Sutton. The greatest of all time? Well, three titles in just six seasons sure is a stunning return for the 28-year-old, and now he bids for a record-equalling fourth not only with a new team and car but also having switched from rear-wheel to front-wheel drive. That's a tall order in itself, without also factoring in the biggest BTCC technical shake-up in a generation as hybrid power comes to Britain's top motorsport series. It's a giant season all round for the BTCC.
The 2022 action will begin on 24 April at Donington Park, the first of 10 rounds. Three bump-and-grind races in a day featuring the cream of Britain's best tin-top talent remains a huge crowd-pleaser, either in the metal at the circuits or remotely via ITV4's excellent live TV coverage.
Ahead of the red lights going out, we called on ITV4's co-commentator, 1992 BTCC champion Tim Harvey, to guide us through the major talking points - and there are plenty of them, too, following a winter of surprise driver and team switches.
IN RUDE HEALTH
A grid of 30 cars carrying the colours of a bountiful mix of sponsors is a sure sign that the BTCC has emerged from the pandemic in fine fettle.
"If you look at the number of genuine commercial sponsors, it has never looked better," says Harvey, who admits that he was worried what effect Covid would ravage on the series. “I was sceptical to say the least. To attract commercial partners when you can't offer any tickets to events or hospitality, purely relying on the TV and specialist press media coverage, was tough.”
The BTCC ran behind closed doors in 2020, with full crowds only returning partway through last year.
Esta historia es de la edición April 13, 2022 de Autocar UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición April 13, 2022 de Autocar UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
The venomous nature of the Cobra
Last week, Matt Prior drove a totally new kind of AC Cobra. This is a car with one of the strongest allures of all - but also an incredibly complex and controversial history.
SKODA KAMIQ
A long getting-to-know-you trip to Spain reveals all
THE SEVEN-YEAR TITCH
Outgoing baby Jag is plush, practical and now eminently affordable
'Our time has come'
Honda may be late to the EV party, but a barrage of bold new battery-powered cars is on the way. JAMES ATTWOOD speaks to boss Toshihiro Mibe at its R&D base to find out what's in store
Lion kings
Plush, powerful four-door cars are an endangered species - and now Peugeot has called time on its latest, the 508 PSE. STEPHEN DOBIE compares it with its most significant ancestor, the 505 GTI
VOLKSWAGEN GOLF
Wolfsburg gives the lesser-known Golf PHEV a big-impact refresh
PORSCHE PANAMERA GTS
Stuttgart's latest 'bahnstormer targets driver appeal over outright punch
MERCEDES-AMG GT 63 PRO
Hardcore variant of V8 sports car engineered with track days in mind
TESLA REVEALS ROBOTAXI
Firm unveils Cybercab coupé and 20-seat Robovan in autonomy push
DACIA PLOTS AMBITIOUS EXPANDED EURO LINE-UP
Firm teases something different’ ahead of impending C-segment reveal