Since the end of the 2011 season the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship’s Technical Review Panel have been busy gathering data which they will use to establish a baseline boos pressure for all turbo engined cars in the 2012 season.

After three months of scientific research this process is nearing its completion come to an end with the season opener just under seven weeks away.

Clive Dopson, the automotive engine/powertrain consultant which heads the BTCC’s Engine Technical Review Panel, commented by saying, “There is very definitely an underlying trust and confidence among all the engine builders that we’ve got this spot on. The feedback and support we’ve received while carrying out this programme has been highly positive and, in fact, some of our tests have been useful for them correlating their own data and testing.”

He went on to say, “We’ve got massive amounts of data and our readings have been very consistent and accurate. Once those baseline values are set, then during the course of the season the mathematical methodology will automatically govern any further adjustments when and if needed – it’s a straightforward calculation exercise and not open to conjecture.”

This comes after TOCA came under criticism from a number of drivers and teams during the 2011 season regarding the turbo boost equalisation procedure amongst the turbo powered and S2000 cars.

TOCA have now devised a system which they feel will be right for the championship and will make the cars performance’s equal throughout the grid.

Peter Riches, BTCC Technical Director, explains, “It’s a two-stage programme; firstly, we’ve flow-tested all the engine heads used by all teams in order to establish the baseline engine values and their respective boost levels for the start of the year.”

“Then after two rounds the defined mathematical calculation kicks in and will determine if – and by how much – any adjustments should be made to boost levels of any engines for the next event. It’s an automatic process and is almost exactly the same methodology and system used in the World Touring Car Championship, except they use weight adjustments and we use boost adjustments.

He went on to say, “The calculation figures are currently being finalised in conjunction with all the teams and once done it’s very much a ‘set it and forget it’ job… the numbers will simply and clearly provide the straightforward answer to any adjustments to be made during the season. It’s an entirely transparent process to ensure the performance levels of the relevant S2000-turbo and NGTC cars are equalised during the season and not open to any subjective opinion or debate – it just happens.”

The first round of the season will take place at Brands Hatch, Kent, on the 1st April 2012.

Photo Credit: Pete Mainey

James Mappin is the editor-in-chief covering the British Touring Car Championship. You can contact him at james@btcccrazy.co.uk, on twitter @BTCCCrazy or on his personal twitter account @jamesmappin.