Updated: 2021 BTCC calendar – Thruxton behind closed doors | GRR
The British Touring Car Championship has issued a revised calendar ahead of the new season, in a hope of maximising the chance of fans being trackside. So peel your eyes from the TV upon which they have been glued recently, and take a look at this – the official 2021 BTCC calendar.
Update: Thruxton behind closed doors, Snetterton and Brands Hatch move
Updated 11:30 Monday 15th March. TOCA, which organises the BTCC, has tweaked the 2021 BTCC calendar in light of the continuing Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions on crowds in place. The opening round at Thruxton will go ahead as expected on the 8th and 9th May, but will be held behind closed doors, with no spectators allowed.
In order to try and make sure crowds will be allowed at the BTCC’s remaining rounds, the second and third events have been pushed back, with Snetterton’s following event now set for 12th-13th June and the races on Brands Hatch’s Indy circuit moving to 26th-27th June. It is hoped that by the time these dates roll round there will be no or fewer restrictions in place, allowing “substantial” crowds to attend.
No further changes have been made, with the series still set to race at Oulton Park on the last weekend of July before races at Knockhill and Thruxton again in August.
2021 BTCC Calendar
|
Rounds |
Date |
Track (Layout) |
|
1-3 |
8th-19th May |
Thruxton |
|
4-6 |
12th-13th Jun. |
Snetterton (300) |
|
7-9 |
26th-27th Jun. |
Brands Hatch (Indy) |
|
10-12 |
31st Jul.-1st Aug. |
Oulton Park (Island) |
|
13-15 |
14th-15th Aug. |
Knockhill |
|
16-18 |
28th-29th Aug. |
Thruxton |
|
19-21 |
18th-19th Sep. |
Croft |
|
22-24 |
25th-26th Sep. |
Silverstone (National) |
|
25-27 |
9th-10th Oct. |
Donington Park (National) |
|
28-30 |
23rd-24th Oct. |
Brands Hatch (Grand Prix) |
Retaining a full 10-meeting, 30-race calendar, the opening rounds have been pushed back by five weeks and will now start on 8th and 9th May at Thruxton, although this will now be behind closed doors. The shift means that it will be the first time since 2010 that the Hampshire circuit holds the season-opening round.
From there the championship heads straight up to Norfolk for the Snetterton 300 rounds just one week later. Brands Hatch will follow, with three races around the Indy circuit on 13th June, before heading into a stretch of three racedays in one month through August.
Oulton Park hosts the fourth meeting of the year across 31st July and 1st August, ahead of Knockhill on 14th and 15th August and the second Thruxton meeting on 18th and 19th August. The second back-to-back of the year takes place in September, with Croft’s meeting on the 18th and 19th swiftly followed by Silverstone on 25th and 26th September.
Donington Park, which opened the 2020 season, moves much later in the year to become the penultimate round of the year on 9th and 10th October, before a return to the traditional season-closing Brands Hatch GP circuit on 23rd and 24th October.
With now just under four months until the season kicks off, Goodwood Road and Racing will keep you up to date with the drivers and teams for what will be one of the mostly hotly anticipated seasons in many years.
Who is racing?
For the full list of who's racing in the BTCC in 2021, read BTCC 2021 drivers and teams.
Where can I watch it?
It’s too early to say whether spectators will be welcome at the circuits, but we hope so. And if not, fans will be able to catch all the action thanks to the BTCC’s long-term broadcast partner, ITV4.
The comprehensive viewing package will feature every race day in live, high-definition throughout 2021, both on TV and the ITV Hub. Post-race highlights programmes will be screened on ITV, ITV4 and on demand via the ITV Hub.