What's New For BTCC 2026?

2026 sees one of the biggest changes to the race weekend format in a long time, but that is not the only new addition for the British Touring Car Championship 2026 season. We have new cars, new drivers and even a new team.

Don’t worry if you need an overview on what’s new, this blog will take you through everything to look out for this year.

BTCC introduces a Qualifying Race

Saturdays have become unmissable with the qualifying format changing from a three stage, fastest lap battle, to a race to pole. 

The new qualifying format will work as follows:

• The pack split into two groups 
• The group with the fastest lap will set the odd numbers on the grid for the qualifying race
• A race to pole will take place for approx. 15 minutes of action
• The grid is set for race 1 on Sunday

This has been changed to create more excitement on a Saturday and encourage more fans to the circuit in a similar style to other major motorsport series. The teams have welcomed this switch up and time will tell if the drivers go all out or proceed with caution in an effort to preserve their cars for the Sunday races.

Team Plato has entered the championship

One of the biggest talking points ahead of the 2026 season is the arrival of Team Plato. Yes, that Plato, two time champion and BTCC legend Jason Plato is back in the paddock, but this time running his own outfit rather than sitting behind the wheel.

Team Plato has been building over the past year, assembling a mix of experienced engineers and young talent hungry to make their mark. While they may be new on the grid, there’s no shortage of touring car know-how, including their experience drivers in Dan Rowbottom and Adam Morgan.

The big question is whether this new team can hit the ground running or if 2026 will be more of a learning year. Either way, their presence adds another fascinating storyline to an already stacked grid, and you can be sure they’ll attract plenty of attention wherever they go.

New challengers for three teams

It’s not just drivers shaking things up this year, three teams arrive with brand new machinery, giving the 2026 grid a very different look.

Power Maxed Racing are one of the standout stories, switching to an Audi S3 after a difficult 2025 season that saw their campaign disrupted by a factory fire. This fresh start could be exactly what they need to bounce back and re-establish themselves in the midfield fight.

Team Plato also fall into this category with their new Mercedes package, while NAPA Racing UK have made a more subtle but still significant change. They’ve moved from the familiar Ford Focus to the Ford Focus Saloon, which could offer different aerodynamic characteristics and performance gains depending on the circuit.

New cars always bring a level of unpredictability, and it’ll be fascinating to see which of these teams can unlock their package the quickest.

Laser Tools swap a BMW for Toyotas

Another change comes from Laser Tools Racing, who head into 2026 with a completely different look.

After running the BMW with former champion Jake Hill, the team now enters a new era following his departure at the end of 2025. Alongside that change, they’ve made the switch to Toyota Corolla machinery with not one but two cars.

A new car, a new direction, and a fresh chapter, Laser Tools Racing could either take a few rounds to settle or come out of the blocks stronger than expected. Look out for the iconic shiny blue livery on the grid.

2026 rookie: Lewis Selby

Every BTCC season brings rookies to watch, but we only have one brand new driver for 2026, Lewis Selby.

Selby arrives with from the Mini Challenge cup and joins Napa Racing. The step into BTCC is always a big one, but he looks well-equipped to handle the challenge.

As with any rookie, the key will be adaptation learning the circuits, managing tyre wear, and dealing with the close-quarters racing that defines the championship. If he can settle in quickly, there’s every chance he’ll be knocking on the door of the points positions before long.

Keep on track with Kwik Fit

This year we have our all new stand at the tracks where you can get a cap or race our remote controlled cars to test your racing skills. Make sure you have peace of mind before travelling this season with our free vehicle health check at your local Kwik Fit centre. 

But don't worry if you can't make it. Keep updated via our social media channels.