Rumours grow over new BTCC entries.

The Silverstone British Touring Car Championship paddock was full of speculation at the possibility of other manufacturers following the lead of MG and joining the series. The series needs the new works entries to sustain its status as one of the leading saloon series in Europe - and another year of Vauxhall domination in 2002 would not help that reputation, or amuse the BBC whose TV coverage is the major lure for potential competitors.

Series Director Richard West has hinted in interviews at the prospect of more Touring Class entries, but as yet there have been no official announcements. That has left current competitors, the media, and public alike wondering what 2002 holds in store, for the BTCC show needs to be strong, with more than one car capable of winning, to pull back those huge race day crowds of not so long ago - and keep the BBC happy and on-board.

Rumours persist of a greater involvement from Lexus. At Silverstone the privately entered cars were run for the first time by the efficient GA Janspeed team, who run a pair of Alfa Romeo 156s in the Production Class, rather than ABG Motorsport as previously, but the marque was being linked in gossip to an official entry. The Lexus name was being tied to a major UK-based team, previous BTCC champions, but now without an involvement in the series. With Lexus being part of Toyota - was the large amount of guests that company brought to the Donington Park BTCC meeting in July, requiring a circus big top to host them, a sign of things to come?

A Proton ran for the first time in the Production Class at Silverstone, and one strong source was suggesting an official involvement from the Korean manufacturer. It would be along the lines favoured by Honda in the past, where company engineers are rotated through the programme to gain motorsport experience.

Perhaps the biggest teaser was from a high ranking representative of one current leading manufacturer, who insisted he had been told that there would be another rear-wheel drive car in the Touring Class next year. With so few manufacturers having model ranges based on that more traditional powertrain layout, the potential options would appear to be limited. BMW or Mercedes would appear the obvious choices, but would the BTCC and exposure in the UK market-place be enough of a lure for them to enter the series?

Stories have been circulating for months of various VWs or Volvos being built up to Touring Class spec in various Oxfordshire factories, but nothing has yet been seen on the track and any new entry is going to want to start testing fairly soon. Certainly there are teams preparing to enter the series - one recent job advert for staff for a new manufacturer team is known to have been placed by a well-known BTCC figure on behalf of person or persons unknown - but at the moment everyone is playing their cards close to their chests. Even Vauxhall have not yet committed to 2002, their decision due in the next few weeks.

While the emergence of MG - who ran strongly on their Silverstone debut - can only be good for the series, more big names to take on the all-conquering Vauxhalls are desperately needed. West has suggested that next season the numbers of Touring Cars would be enough to give the Production Class their own races, and it must be hoped that TOCA will continue to support that class - without whom the grids would have been embarrassingly sparse this year, and who have livened up the racing on many occasions.