THE BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
22 APRIL – 8 OCTOBER 2023
The British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) is one of the most anticipated motor racing championships in the world. The 2023 season will span 30 action-packed races, across 10 events, from April to October at the UK’s most-renowned circuits, from Brands Hatch to Silverstone.
Team BMW aims to continue the history-making run of success for the 2023 season and are targeting a record breaking tenth - eighth consecutive - BTCC Manufacturers title. Making up the WSR team, Colin Turkington aims for a record-breaking fith drivers title, alongside Stephen Jelley and friend of the brand Jake Hall. With the addition of Adam Morgan, Team BMW can list 78 series wins between them - numbers unmatched by any other team on the grid.
1958-TODAY: OVER 60 YEARS OF THE BTCC.
The BTCC has a proud heritage dating back to 1958. Ken Gregory, manager of British Formula One superstar Stirling Moss, felt that there was a gap for manufacturers to exhibit their new and increasingly popular ranges of passenger cars. Gregory suggested to the British Racing and Sports Car Club – of which he was secretary – that running a championship alongside 500cc Formula 3 could boost the profile of saloon car racing.
The first race took place on Easter Monday 1958, with the very first BTCC coming to a conclusion later that year. While the rules and regulations of BTCC have shifted and changed over the years, providing production cars with a platform to compete has always been the rationale behind the championship.
WEST SURREY RACING: TEAM BMW.
From a title-winning debut season in the 1981 British Formula 3 Championship and four more crowns with some of the greatest names in motorsport, West Surrey Racing (WSR) is one of the most successful UK-based racing teams in existence. It has entered the BTCC every year since 1996 and began a highly-successful relationship with BMW in 2007. In total WSR has entered over 700 races in the BTCC with 102 race wins, 325 podium finishes, 125 fastest laps and 36 pole positions. It has won 15 overall BTCC titles and is also a race winner in the FIA World Touring Car Championship - all with BMW.
In 2023 Colin Turkington, Stephen Jelley, Adam Morgan, Jake Hill will all race the WSR-designed, built and run BMW 330e M Sport race car, which is equipped with an electric-hybrid powertrain for the first time.
COLIN TURKINGTON - TEAM BMW.
Nationality: British
Car: BMW 330e M Sport
BTCC Drivers’ Champion: 2019, 2018, 2014, 2009
BTCC Debut: Oulton Park, 2002
BTCC Races: 509
BTCC Wins: 63
BTCC Podiums: 174
BTCC Fastest Laps: 69
STEPHEN JELLEY - TEAM BMW.
Nationality: British
Car: BMW 330e M Sport
BTCC Debut: Brands Hatch, 2008
BTCC Races: 234
BTCC Wins: 4
BTCC Podiums: 12
BTCC Fastest Laps: 2
ADAM MORGAN – TEAM BMW RACING WITH MB MOTORSPORT
Nationality: British
Car: BMW 330e M Sport
BTCC Debut: Brands Hatch, 2012
BTCC Races: 322
BTCC Wins: 11
BTCC Podiums: 37
BTCC Fastest Laps: 13
JAKE HILL – LASER TOOLS RACING WITH MB MOTORSPORT
Nationality: British
Car: BMW 330e M Sport
BTCC Debut: Croft, 2013
BTCC Races: 200
BTCC Wins: 6
BTCC Podiums: 31
BTCC Fastest Laps: 8
LOOKING TOWARDS THE 2023 SEASON.
Mario Moser, Customer Support Director, BMW Group UK, said: “We are delighted to continue our partnership with West Surrey Racing [WSR] and are excited for the start of the 2023 BTCC season, where we will strive for success on the track with our BMW 330e M Sport racing cars. The driver line-up for this season is incredibly strong and we have a shared ambition with WSR to win the Drivers’, Teams’ and Manufacturers’ titles for 2023. Our race car livery will once again be one of the most iconic designs in the paddock and we look forward to the start of the season at Donington Park.