M-Sport to supply BTCC engine from 2022

Former World Rally champion’s M-Sport will develop and supply a race engine for the British Touring Car Championship from the 2022 season.

M-Sport, best known for its WRC glory with Ford, will take over from the BTCC’s outgoing supplier Swindon Engines, who will continue to supply the series with its powertrain until the end of the 2021 campaign.

The Swindon TOCA engine currently powers some 55% of the BTCC grid, including both of the works Vauxhall and Toyota teams.

Nine companies expressed their interest in developing the BTCC engine, with seven of them submitting a formal tender, before the final shortlist was whittled down to four potential suppliers.

The majority of the teams voted in favour of M-Sport to secure the five-year engine supply deal from 2022-26.

With the renewal of the latest cycle of the TOCA engine coinciding with the arrival of the hybrid era for the series in 2022, M-Sport will work alongside Cosworth, who are developing the new BTCC Hybrid System.

“I’m delighted to welcome M-Sport into the BTCC family and congratulate them on their successful tender,” said BTCC Chief Executive Alan Gow.

“The opportunity to supply the TOCA engine from 2022 understandably attracted great interest from an extremely high calibre of bidders, so it is testament to M-Sport’s professionalism and expertise that they were able to come out on top of such a competitive and comprehensive process.

“I would also like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to Swindon Powertrain, who have been such an integral part of the success of the BTCC engine regulations, and we look forward to working closely with them for the remaining two seasons of their contract.”

M-Sport’s Managing Director Malcom Wilson added: “We’re delighted to have been selected to supply the new TOCA BTCC engine in 2022

“The BTCC has long been a popular and prestigious part of the British motorsport scene, and we’re all looking forward to working with TOCA and the relevant teams on this new and exciting project.

“I firmly believe that M-Sport has some of the best engineering expertise in the country, and with the development of our on-site Evaluation Centre this capability is only going to increase.”