BTCC revamps grid draw protocol

TOCA swiftly move to scrap driver involvement of the reversed race three grid-draw procedure following the Rob Austin controversy at Brands Hatch.

Simon Evans

07 Apr 2015

Drivers of the British Touring Car Championship will no longer be involved in the race three grid-draw following the Rob Austin controversy at Brands Hatch last weekend.

Series organisers TOCA have moved swiftly in making changes to the procedure after Austin admitted in deliberating picking his own number out of the pot during the live ITV 4 race-three grid draw, which gave him pole position.

When the race three grid was redrawn - following the suspicions of series director Alan Gow - Austin, ironically, still kept his pole-position when his number was once again picked out of the pot.

Up until now, the tenth placed driver from race two has been given the opportunity to pick a numbered ball out of the pot - during a live TV draw - which determines the pole man for the final race.

Austin was unable to covert his race three pole-position into victory and has since issued an apology for his actions.

"I want to apologise to the fans of the BTCC, to the championship itself, my team and my sponsors," said Austin. "I can't tell you how crap I have been feeling about it.

"Whilst I don't condone what I did and there is no excuse or justification for my actions I would like to ask you to consider the position I was in before making judgment.

"Many of you are aware of the dedication my whole team put in to the BTCC, it has become our whole lives for a number of years now and the pressure, determination and sheer desire to achieve results is extremely high.

"So when I glanced down and by chance saw #10... well... If I picked that ball it was an opportunity to get Exocet, Alcosense, DUO and all of our sponsors on to the front row and lots of TV coverage, an opportunity to potentially reward my teams hard work and my fans with some silverware... it's been done before, I've seen what they do, they all do it...

"Once again, I am truly and sincerely regretful and sorry for letting everyone down with my moment of stupidity and I hope everyone will accept my most sincere apologies and not let my actions be a negative reflection on the championship, my sponsors or my team."