It seems like an age since the end of last year’s British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), but at the time of writing this, the start of the 2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship is just days away. And nature is almost perfectly timed, for once, as the weather even seems to have suddenly made the jump from Winter to Spring, just in time for the opening weekend at the Brands Hatch Indy circuit, in Kent.

Last season, rather ironically, the Championship was decided in the very last race, also at Brands Hatch. As that final race commenced, a theoretical number of 8 drivers could have walked away with that season’s crown. In the end, it was 2015 Championship winner, Gordon Sheddon who again claimed the crown. Word on the street for this season, even before a wheel has been turned in anger, is that we could be in for an even closer season finale than ever before.

Of all the drivers and/or cars that RCIB Insurance Racing are sponsoring in 2017, all eyes will surely be on young Aiden Moffat as again returns to the series to show his fearless skills in his Laser Tools Racing Mercedes. At just 20 years old, Aiden is again one of the youngest drivers on the grid and he still retains the title of the youngest ever driver to have started in BTCC (at age 16). During testing, Aiden’s track skills looked no less sharp than drivers nearly twice his age and he won’t suffer fools gladly; his competitive nature is immediately obvious when you speak to him, or his proud father.

The MG RCIB Insurance Racing team is this year made up from the experience of the highly likeable Árón Taylor-Smith and 24 year old Daniel Lloyd who first graced BTCC’s hallowed tarmac in 2010. The Tripe Eight Racing managed MG 6 GT’s have had slight issues in testing but issues seem to have been sorted in readiness to the season opener and the partnership of the two drivers will surely be one that will be scrutinised all season by race fans and rivals.

The 3^rd team involvement is with the flamboyant Team HARD who are putting 3 cars on track this season. In a clever move, each of the VW CC cars is slightly different in its colouring, enabling the three drivers to be easily recognised from the stands. The 3 drivers for this year are Michael Epps, Will Burns, and Jake Hill who each bring experience from a range of track disciplines including the GT4 Championship Series. The VW Passat CC derived cars are highly respected and gives Team HARD a new exciting edge for this season.

No matter who ultimately wins in 2017, we’re fairly sure it’s going to be a season of thrills and spills. We can’t wait.