A meeting was held on Thursday (6th September) at Silverstone, between BMP chairman, Rob Fearnall and representatives of BTCC teams, and Fearnall commented, “Significant steps have been made for next year’s championship taking account of views canvassed during this season and procedures are being put in place to achieve the common objective that everyone is striving for – a competitive and well run British Touring Car Championship full of professional teams putting on superb racing for network television and large crowds.”

BMP say that by reducing the number of meetings by three they are taking on board the comments received during the course of this season, and series director, Richard West, said, “Throughout the summer we are working to present the 2002 BTCC in a format that is reflective of the team, manufacturer and sponsors’ long term interests and therefore we are making strident efforts to utilise the constructive comments that we have received from participants in the Championship.”

“The move to a ten meeting, twenty round calendar (with no night race) for next year should be viewed as a consolidation of the comments we have received to date and the realisation of the commercial challenges that we all face.”

“We have also achieved a position where the prestigious F3 and GT Series are joining with us on three occasions in 2002 and with negotiations progressing well with a number of major support categories we will be in a position to shortly announce the complete TOCA Tour package. I am confident for the series and consumer alike – this represents a considerable step forward.”

The calendar for 2002 also sees the night races being dropped. The idea, adopted back in 1999 has met with mixed reactions, and the meetings this year have not been well attended, however the night meeting at Silverstone at the end of 2000 was highly entertaining, and the atmosphere can only be described as electric. There had been talk of a night race being held at Mondello Park in Ireland.

Rumours of new additions to the calendar, including Rockingham and Castle Combe have also proved to be wrong, and Brands Hatch is now the only circuit to have two meetings over the course of the season, with the return of the GP circuit for the rounds 1 & 2.

There is sure to be much comment on the schedule for 2002, but BMP have made a five-year deal (extendable to 10) with the MSA to be the exclusive Promoter, Manager and Administrator of the BTCC and are looking to develop the championship in the long term and consolidate on the work done this year to redevelop the championship.

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Full calendar for 2002 BTCC:

Rounds	Date	Circuit
1 & 2	30/31 March/01 April*	Brands Hatch GP +F3/GT
3 & 4	20/21 April	Oulton Park
5 & 6	5/6 May*	Thruxton
7 & 8	31 May/01/02 June	Silverstone +F3/GT
9 & 10	21/22/23 June	Mondello Park
11 & 12	13/14 July	Croft
13 & 14	27/28 July	Snetterton
15 & 16	10/11 August	Knockhill
17 & 1	25/26 August*	Brands Hatch Indy
19 & 20	20/21/22 September	Donington Park +F3/GT

* Bank holiday meetings