Reverse grid rule revised.

As well as making the decision to go Super 2000 with the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, a meeting between the BTCC teams and TOCA has seen a number of changes made to the championships technical and sporting regulations - the most notable change relating to the third race reverse grid rule.

The current system, which sees the top ten finishers from race two reversed for the start of race three, has been revised and will be replaced by a random system which will see the number of grid places reversed vary between six and ten.

How many places are reversed will be unknown until after the second race has been run, when the race two winner will draw the number at random - which will prevent drivers from dropping back down the order to tenth to try and secure pole position as has been the case on a number of occasions in the past.

"The reverse grids are very popular with the media, our TV audiences and the race day crowds so it's important that they stay as part of the entertainment," series director Alan Gow said. "Our decision to vary the number of positions to be reversed, on an entirely random and unknown basis, means that all drivers will have to go flat-out through the whole race - not knowing if they will be the beneficiary of a reverse grid slot. This will mean even more spectacular action for our fans."

The meeting also agreed that the BTCC will continue with the current specification Dunlop control tyre in 2006 while the base-weight of BTC-spec cars will rise to 1175kg. The difference in base weight between BTC and S2000-spec cars stay as it was at the end of 2005 for the start of the new season

The other decision taken was to penalise cars who enter the BTCC late - such as the third Team Halfords Integra of Gareth Howell - or dip in and out of the championship, with a maximum success ballast at their first meeting or on their return. The amount of ballast would then be reduced in the second meeting and again in the third meeting in which that car competes.