2026 British Touring Car Championship

The 2026 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship (commonly abbreviated as BTCC) will be a motor racing championship for production-based touring cars held across England and Scotland. The championship will feature a mix of professional motor racing teams and privately funded amateur drivers competing in highly modified versions of family cars which are sold to the general public and conform to the technical regulations for the championship. The 2026 season will be the 69th British Touring Car Championship season, and the 16th season for cars conforming to the Next Generation Touring Car (NGTC) technical specification.

This is the second season using 100% renewable fuels, with the hybrid boost being removed and being replaced with turbo boost. While the amount of power boost stayed the same the weight will be reduced by 55 kg (121 lb). In another change to the 2026 season will introduce qualifying races for all cars on the Saturday afternoon of each race weekend.

Entering/re-entering BTCC

Lewis Selby made his debut with NAPA Racing UK, after competing with the team in Mini Challenge UK, to replace Daniel Rowbottom.

James Dorlin returned to the BTCC with Restart Racing, after missing the last 3 rounds of 2025, replacing Daniel Lloyd.

Ricky Collard return to the BTCC with Team VERTU replacing Senna Proctor, having last raced in 2023 with Toyota Gazoo Racing UK.

Changed teams

Árón Taylor-Smith and Gordon Shedden both moved from Toyota Gazoo Racing to Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport

Aiden Moffat moved from LKQ Euro Car Parts with WSR to LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing, following the LKQ Euro Car Parts brand.

Daniel Rowbottom and Adam Morgan left NAPA Racing UK and Team VERTU respectively to join the new Cataclean Plato Racing

Dexter Patterson left Un-Limited Motorsport after a year and joined Power Maxed Racing in the Audi.

Nicolas Hamilton moved from Un-Limited Motorsport to Team VERTU in the Draper Tools livery, replacing Adam Morgan.

Senna Proctor moved from Team VERTU and joined NAPA Racing UK as a reserve driver and driver coach for Sam Osborne.

Leaving BTCC

Jake Hill announced prior to Brands Hatch that he would leave Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport and the BTCC entirely.

Senna Proctor left Team VERTU after competing with them in the last 7 rounds of 2025, instead taking up a reserve driver and driver coach role at NAPA Racing UK.

Michael Crees confirmed he would not return after racing the first 2 rounds of 2025 with Team VERTU in the Autobrite Direct with Miller Oils livery.

Nick Halstead left the BTCC after competing with Power Maxed Racing in 2025.

Daniel Lloyd announced he will be taking a sabbatical from the BTCC after a 2025 campaign with Restart Racing.

Team changes

NAPA Racing UK switched from the Ford Focus ST to the Ford Focus Titanium Saloon, their first car change since being under the NAPA name.

West Surrey Racing reduced their team from a 4-car line-up to 3 cars, a consequence of their new British GT plan.

Jason Plato entered 2 Mercedes-AMG A35 Saloon cars for his team, with the support of RMLand the sponsor of Cataclean, creating Cataclean Plato Racing, utilising the TOCA/M-Sport engine.

One Motorsport returned to the series after missing the last half of 2025, still using the Honda Civic Type R (FK8).

Power Maxed Racing dropped the Cupra Leon, which they ran for the last 4 rounds of 2025, for the Audi S3 Saloon along with returning to a 3-car line-up for the first time since 2023.

Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport expanded their field to 2 cars and switched from the WSR BMW 330i to the Speedworks Toyota Corolla GR Sport.

LKQ Euro Car Parts moved from West Surrey Racing to Power Maxed Racing, forming LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing. Dexter Patterson continued to run the standard Power Maxed Racing brand.

Un-Limited Motorsport decided to step back in 2026, after 1 year in the BTCC.

The 2026 calendar was announced on 2 May 2025.

• Official website
• TouringCarTimes