Up before the judges: meeting BTCC's decision-makers

If it’s a simple two-car incident, there are occasions when drivers can rectify a transgression themselves. There’s a provision within the rules that a racer can surrender any advantage that might have been gained unfairly at their own discretion, so long as it is done within one lap of the incident. While this would be an easy fix, some still prefer to race on and argue their case later, rather than give up what might be a fairly won track position.

Once a penalty has been handed down, a driver may appeal to the stewards – at a cost. The independent body, made up of three people, will then consider the case again. If the driver is successful, the penalty is rescinded and the money returned. If not, the money is forfeited and the censure stands or can be increased or decreased. There’s further recourse to a national governing body court beyond that.

The Jury

Clerk of the course

Ian Watson makes the crucial calls during the race and heads the disciplinary hearings. While the TV cameras focus on the most intense battles, there are usually dozens of other incidents for him to consider, and this is where race control’s multiple screens and the marshals’ post chiefs play their part.

Watson explains: “Thirty minutes after the end of any race, there’s a 15-minute window where people can come to us and make a complaint. There’s a bit of breathing space there to give the drivers a chance to cool off. There are also other measures in place where an aggrieved party can make an official complaint and lodge a fee within those 30 minutes.”

After the race, Watson assembles his team and they go through the incidents that have been spotted. They take a preliminary look at the ITV4 feed and the on-board footage and decide if there’s a case to answer. Anything deemed likely to change a result is usually dealt with first. The driver is called to account in front of Watson, his deputy Dave White and driving standards advisor Jeff Allam. Then a penalty is decided on and, if needed, handed out.

“When they get particularly stroppy with a call we’ve made, you just have to take that on the chin,” says Watson. “Some are worse than others, but in the main they will fight their corner. But if people try to explain themselves to me rationally, they’re probably going to get a better hearing than if they rant and rave.”

Watson says the level of scrutiny in the BTCC is forensic, with multiple angles for the clerk to assess any incident. “I couldn’t do the BTCC without the cameras we have,” he says. “We have a very thorough system and don’t jump to decisions.”

The Driving standards advisor

This is the ultimate role for a former poacher. The gamekeeper is present at each round, and the position has been held by 16-time BTCC race winner Jeff Allam since 2011. Allam, who will retire from the role at the end of 2020, has heard every excuse there is and has a back catalogue of his own. He knows when a racer is trying to pull a fast one.

Allam says: “The first thing I look for in the drivers is honesty, and if they aren’t honest about an incident – and take into account that we’ve seen the on-board camera – I know they’re half-guilty already. If a driver admits it and understands what they have done, then that’s the first step. You try to be more sympathetic. When they lie, you have to go down the road of proving that they were wrong.”

While BTCC action is captured fully by the cameras, there are many different subtle ways of putting a rival off their stride that can result in action being taken. Allam adds: “The big one we deal with is push to pass [where one hits the back of the car ahead]. I know what goes on and they can’t pull the wool over my eyes.

“You generally find that the top guys who are chasing the championship rarely get into hot water, because they’ve read the rulebook. It’s the guys in the midfield and towards the back that cause the most problems.”

In the dock

The driver

Although not involved in this year’s competition, 26-time BTCC race winner and 2013 champion Andrew Jordan knows the discipline process as well as any other driver.

“You normally know what it’s about,” he says, “so on the way there you’re trying to think of your story if you think you might be in the wrong.”

The driver’s recall is tested to the extreme when they get to the office. Sometimes recollection in the heat of battle can be hugely different to what was seen from outside the car. “It normally goes one of two ways: it goes exactly as you thought it did or it looks completely different,” admits Jordan. “If the incident looks different, you start to try to bulls*** your way out of it or – what I felt was best in most situations – you hold your hand up and tell them that you screwed up and hopefully they will be a bit more lenient on you. But that doesn’t normally work…

“They ask you what you think happened, then they let you watch the on-board footage that they’ve collected. Ian Watson will give you a look which you can tell means ‘that didn’t look anything like you said’ or one that says ‘I see your point’.”

But it’s not just Watson who makes the call, and Jordan says the role of driving standards advisor Jeff Allam is one that gives the process a more robust angle. “Jeff’s role is crucial, and they need that because, with the greatest respect, a lot of people who haven’t driven don’t necessarily know what goes on,” says Jordan. “They can see something and it can look quite black and white but, from a driver’s point of view, there are other things that are easy to overlook.

“Something might have happened two corners previously or you might have dirt on your tyres. If there’s someone there who has been in that position on the track, at least you can put an argument across from a driver’s point of view.”

The team principal

Alongside the driver in front of the panel, a representative of the team also gets called to account for any incident that might have taken place. Some send the engineer, but in most cases it will be the team principal.

Speedworks Motorsport boss Christian Dick has been part of the BTCC since 2011. He explains: “The footage that they have access to has the basic information on there, like a throttle and brake trace, although they can look at more if they want to by requesting it.”