Q&A: Richard West.

British Touring Car Championship supreme Richard West visited a cold and windy Thruxton this week to see some of the teams contesting the series trying out there 2003 cars. Before he left, Crash.net asked a few questions in this exclusive interview about the forthcoming season.

With another British Touring Car Championship season fast approaching, how are things looking for the series?

Richard West: "It's been a tough winter, and I think it is a testimony to a lot of people's hard work that we are now seeing things like Rob Collard out there with a Touring Car, Gary Ayles with two, and Synchro Motorsport have now concluded a deal where they will be running Touring Class as well. With three Vauxhalls, three Hondas, MG still to make their final plans - I think we'll see 17 or 18 cars out there, which is what we were looking for, plus a good back-up from the Production teams.

"In the current climate it's looking very good and I'm very pleased."

What was the thinking behind the new rule changes for this season?

RW: "What we've tended to do in the last two years is to involve the teams far more in the discussion process. In polling the readers of various magazines, on our web-site, as well as doing some market research, we found there was a fine tuning of the regulations that people were looking for, to try to make the sport a little more understandable.

"By creating equal distance races, introducing a pit-stop into both, and various other things, what it's done is to make the formula easier to understand. At a time when we are all trying to raise money, anything that eases communication to the consumer, and therefore to potential sponsors, is a good thing."

Are we going to be seeing the same TV package this season?

RW: "You are. ITV are now in their second year, through Granada Sport, of their production of the series, and in the same way as last year we'll have one week delayed transmission of series, of one hour's duration.

"Likewise, we have a two year extension with Green Flag, so we are all working very hard to try to get longevity into the package now."

Also new for this year will be a visit for Rockingham. Is that going to be a trip into the unknown for everybody?

RW: "I'm looking forward to that immensely. Towards the end of last year I visited Rockingham to meet Ashley Plover and some of his people and have a look at the circuit, and I think it's an ideal Touring Car venue. I think it will be good there, the facilities are superb, and likewise the tie-up with CART on May 5th is another very exciting prospect.

"Obviously we expect to draw a good crowd there, though it means a little bit of movement on our side regarding paddock space and other issues. We have two cracking events to look forward to with those meetings."

Are those the personal highlights you are looking forward to this year?

RW: "I think the highlight is when we actually get the end of a season, people are happy and the sponsors have a good return.

"Every weekend comes out with something special, we saw some classic racing last year, some very close battles. I particularly enjoy Mondello Park as a venue, a very good meeting, I enjoyed Croft last year - and also here at Thruxton where we got big crowds. People are coming back."