BIRMINGHAM, England—The organizer of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) has extended Goodyear's tire supply and sponsorship rights deals through 2026.
The five-year extension from TOCA will cover the introduction of hybrid power to the championship starting in the 2022 season, which will put "new demands" on tires, Goodyear said.
The BTCC is considered the premier street-car-based racing series in the United Kingdom, running up to 30 races a year at circuits throughout the British Isles. The series, which started in 1958, features a range of brands, including Audi, BMW, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes, Toyota and Volkswagen.
Goodyear switched its support of the series to the Goodyear brand at the start of the 2020 season from Dunlop, which had been the BTCC's sponsor and tire supplier since 2003.
"We were really drawn to the contract extension as we wanted to be part of the next exciting chapter of the championship," Ben Crawley, director, motorsport, for Goodyear Europe, said.
"With the introduction of hybrid power, new demands will be put onto the tires and we are able to bring a lot of knowledge and expertise to the program thanks to our experience working with leading OEMs where we are shod on some of their hybrid and electric vehicles."
BTCC CEO Alan Gow said having a strong technical tire partner is a "key component" of the series' success, especially as the series transitions to hybrid technology.
Goodyear's decision to use the Goodyear brand for the BTCC was part of a broader "rebirth" of the brand in the European road-racing arena, a move that included securing "spec" tire status with the FIA's World Endurance Championship, European LeMans Series, and the FIA World Touring Car Cup.