Britcar

There are two separate championships for different types of car; although some cars can run in both, they may be in different categories.

GTs, which include cars like Ferraris, Porsche Cup, Marcos, Moslers and Ginettas over a long-distance race, normally between two and four hours in length with a compulsory pit stop. Normally cars will have two or three drivers, but cars are sometimes driven by one driver, are given a longer time in the pits.

Production, which include cars like Renault Clio Cup, Seat León Supercopa, VW Golf, Porsche Boxster, BMW M3s, Lotus Elise and Mini Cooper S. These races are normally 90 minutes long, featuring a mandatory pit stop. There can be up to two drivers per car.

Drivers normally bring their own cars to Britcar events, where most cars are accepted if safe to race. Cars are assigned to different classes depending on the car, the car's equipment and other fittings the vehicle has.

The Praga R1T (left), a Class 1 car. A Saker RAPX (middle), a Class 2 car. A Ginetta G55 Supercup (right), a Class 3 car.

A CUPRA León TCR (left), a Class 4 car. A Smart Forfour and BMW Z4, two Class 5 cars (right).

Cars & classes

Cars that competed in the Britcar Endurance Championship from 2016 onwards.

Class	Make	Model	Type	Years
1	Ferrari	488 Challenge	Cup	2018
		458	GTE	2017
	Aston Martin	Vulcan AMR Pro		2020
	Arrinera	Hussarya	GT3	2017
	Aston Martin	V12 Vantage		2017, 2020
	Audi	R8 LMS Ultra		2016
	BMW	Z4		2016, 2019
	Brabham	BT62		2019
	Ferrari	458		2016–2018
		488		2018
	Lamborghini	Gallardo		2016
		Huracán		2016, 2019
	MacG	Taranis		2016–2020
	McLaren	MP4-12C		2016
		650S		2019
	Mercedes-AMG	AMG		2017–2019
	Mosler	MT900		2016–2018
	Radical	RXC		2017, 2020
	Renault	R.S. 01		2016
	Saker	RAPX	SP	2018–2019
	Praga	R1T	Superlights	2019
		R1S		2019
		R1T Evo		2020
2	Ferrari	360 Challenge	Cup	2017
		458 Challenge		2016–2018
		488 Challenge		2018–2020
	Ginetta	G55 Supercup		2019
	Porsche	997 GT3		2016–2018
		991 GT3		2017–2018
		911 RSR	GT2	2016, 2018
	McLaren	570S	GT4	2019
	Volvo	S60	Silhouette	2018
	Saker	RAPX	SP	2017–2019
	Praga	R1S	Supercar	2020
	BMW	1M E82	Touring	2016–2019
3	Ferrari	360 Challenge	Cup	2017
		458 Challenge		2020
	Ginetta	G55 Supercup		2019
	Porsche	997		2019–2020
		991 GT3		2019–2020
		997 GT3		2019
	Aston Martin	V8 Vantage	GT4	2016–2018
	BMW	M3 E92		2017
		M4 GT4		2018
	Chevron	GR8		2016
	Ginetta	G55		2016–2018, 2020
	KTM	X-Bow		2017–2018
	Lotus	Europa S		2016
	McLaren	570S		2018
	Porsche	Cayman Clubsport		2017–2018
4	Ginetta	G50	Cup	2016–2019
	Porsche	997 GT3		2019
	Aston Martin	V8 Vantage	GT4	2019–2020
	BMW	M3 E92		2017–2018
	Ginetta	G50		2016–2019
		G55		2020
	Jaguar	Jaguar F-Type S		2020
	Ligier	JS2 R		2020
	Mercedes-AMG	AMG		2018–2019
	Porsche	718 Cayman Clubsport		2019–2020
		Cayman Clubsport MR		2020
	Audi	A4	NGTC	2018
	Toyota	Avensis		2017–2018
	Alfa Romeo	156 T	Production	2019
	Holden	Monaro		2017
	Honda	Civic Type R (FK8)		2018
	Audi	RS3 LMS	TCR	2017–2018, 2020
	CUPRA	León		2017–2020
	Vauxhall	Astra		2018
	Peugeot	308 Racing Cup		2019
	SEAT	León		2017–2020
	Volkswagen	Golf GTI		2018–2020
	BMW	1M E82	Touring car	2019–2020
		M3 E36		2016–2020
		M3 E46		2016–2020
		M3 E46 GTR		2016–2017, 2019–2020
		BMW M3 E90		2020
5	Mini	JCW Challenge R56	Cup	2016–2017, 2019
	Ginetta	G40		2016–2017
	Porsche	Boxster		2016
	Volkswagen	Golf Mk5		2017–2018
		Scirocco		2018
		CC	NGTC	2017
	Alfa Romeo	156 T	Production	2017, 2019
	BMW	Z4		2019
	Ford	Focus		2017–2018
	Honda	Civic Type R (FK2)		2016-2017
		Civic Type R (FK8)		2018
		Civic Type R (EP3)		2019
		Civic (FK/FN)		2019
	Smart	Forfour		2017–2019

For 2020, Britcar have devised a new series of slightly shorter races (to avoid the need to refuel) called the Britcar Trophy Category for cars under Class 4 performance; TCR and GT4 cars, for classes 5–7, of which the majority is made up of production cars, a few examples being the Smart Forfour, Mini JCW R56 and the Honda Civic Type R (FK2) which are common contenders in Class 5. Some Trophy Category events will run alongside Endurance events but will also head their own events too.

Britcar will run as a support event for the 2020 round of the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, with two non-championship races consisting of Endurance and Trophy cars, which will also be open to non-Britcar cars fitting class 1-7 specifications.[1]

As a series popular for its diversity in teams, cars and drivers that had regained the attention it lost before its reformation, Britcar were invited to support two WEC rounds, at Spa-Francorchamps and Silverstone (subsequently cancelled). It will not be Britcar's first visit abroad as it has raced at Spa-Francorchamps multiple times. Britcar stated "we are immensely proud that our endeavours to produce a professionally-run nationally-based Championship have been recognised by organisers of one of the biggest Championships in global motorsport."[1]

Overall winner in each category, 2002 - 2019.

The successful first year of competition was in 2002, and following tremendous growth in 2003, it attracted Sky Sports coverage in their Motor Sports section in 2004. The first year of the Britcar 24-Hour Race was 2005 which was won by Rollcentre Mosler of Martin Short.[2] This was followed by packed grids in 2006 season culminating in a capacity field for the 24-Hours.[3] EERC became a Motor Sports Association (MSA) approved Championship in 2007 as well being the now essential 24 hours. It played a supporting role to the British round of the A1 Grand Prix.

In 2011 it became known as the MSA British Endurance championship.

Such was its popularity in some seasons that over-subscription meant there are reserves waiting for grid positions.

For the 2017 season, the format was changed. Drivers in all races would now accrue points towards the Dunlop Endurance Championship but drivers could choose to do two 50-minute races under the Sprint category, or one 50-minute and one 2-hour race in the Endurance category. Grids were combined and most events were to take place over a single day to save costs. The night race proved so popular in 2016 that a second night race was introduced, to run at Silverstone earlier in the same month.

For the 2019 season the format was changed again, merging Endurance and Sprint categories into a single grid for two 60-minute races per weekend, finishing the season with a single 60- and a single 120-minute night race at Brands Hatch.

Britcar traditionally hosted an endurance race on the Silverstone GP circuit.

The presenters of the well-known British car show Top Gear, namely Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May - together with 'The Stig' - took part in the 2007 event, in a BMW 330d, coming third of the five diesel cars, and 39th overall, at the end of the 24 Hours.[4]

At the end of the 2015 season, the rights for the Silverstone 24 hour endurance race were sold to Creventic to become the UK edition of their FIA "touring car" Endurance Series - although this round was then dropped in 2019.

For this event's history, see Silverstone Britcar 24-Hour

• britcar-endurance.com official website from 2016 season onwards
• Britcar24hr.co.uk original URL - old site contents no longer available