By Mick Palmer

BTCC Chief Executive Alan Gow has stated that he believes that an element of hydrogen power will be used in the British Touring Car Championship “probably be in the next two to three years.”

In a video interview released by BTCC media partners Diagonal Comms, Gow revealed to MD Matt Bishop that he believes “hydrogen is probably the next big thing” that the championship will utilise in the next few years, with the series pushing their drive for further sustainability.

The championship has already made the decision to shift to 100% sustainable ‘drop in’ fuels for 2025, after ditching hybrid units that have been present in the series since 2022. In a recent interview with Touring Car Magazine, Un-Limited Motorsport team manager Dave Tyson spoke about trialling the new fuel across the final two rounds of 2024, and explained how the teams should have no problems in adapting.

With new BTCC regulations yet to be announced for implementation in 2027, the statement may be taken as a signal that yet another shift in power sourcing could shape the future for the BTCC. Gow firmly stated that this will not be the case when he pointed out that sustainable fuel will be a fixture for the next five years, with a hydrogen element possibly being connected in some way.

With the cost of the hybrid units used over the last three seasons raising the eyebrows of some observers, the BTCC gaffer was keen to stress that cost control must be part of the movement towards hydrogen, to prevent teams suffering financially, or going out of business, and to ensure the core product – the racing – remains exciting.

WATCH- ALAN GOW INTERVIEW

Gow said: “We will happily open the doors to hydrogen development within our championship. It’ll probably be in the next two to three years that we would have a hydrogen element within the championship, and it may be only a couple of cars running hydrogen as part of the development exercise. I can’t imagine it’ll be the whole field swapping over.”

During the conversation the historical significance of the BTCC welcoming alternative fuels such as diesel and LPG was discussed. AFM ran a BMW 120d for Rick Kerry in 2007 before Seat also took the diesel route in 2008, and Mardi Gras entered John George in an LPG Honda Civic for the first few rounds of 2004, before Tom Onslow-Cole and Tom Chilton scored wins for Team Aon in their Ford Focus LPG programme in 2010.

The removal of the hybrid for 2025 came as a leftfield shock for fans at the beginning of this month after three years of use. The controversial element faced a tough opening year in the BTCC and Gow stated: “The first year was a bit of a nightmare.” Reliability issues caused some upset and the BTCC boss added: “Cosworth had a lot of problems bedding the system down.”

The final year with the system seemed to have settled fans, and most of the grid alike, with high quality competition across most of the season – although a couple of drivers did still feel negative. One-off-the record conversation did see a driver telling Touring Car Magazine that ‘the challenge has gone, unlike under ballast’ where you had to change the car during the day and that drivers were only ‘given punishment or advantage’ in certain corners where hybrid was used.

The BTCC is implementing further sustainability targets which includes pushing for developments in bodywork materials, tyre construction and brake materials. This is to ensure that more environmentally conscious construction and disposal techniques are adopted for the components. Team certification with sustainability accreditation and better transport planning are also on the horizon.

For fan facing developments fully digital tickets along with plans for 100% recycling or composting of waste is part of the steps being undertaken, with circuits publishing environmental policies also.

These challenges have key waypoints over the next decade with the ambition to ensure that the BTCC becomes carbon neutral and a leader in motorsport sustainability.