With the dawn of a brand new Dunlop MSA British Touring Car season fast approaching, BTCC Crazy looks at the most exciting stories and questions that are set to come from 2016.

1: Will Honda continue to reign supreme?

Last year saw both Honda and Gordon Shedden return to the summit of the series and they will once again no doubt be in contention come October. With substantial testing completed on the updated Type R during the winter and the team expanding to three cars with Matt Neal and Andy Neate rounding out the squad, it is looking like the manufacturer could well be the team to beat from the get-go.

2: How quickly can Subaru and Team BMR hit the front?

Making waves throughout the off-season with the announcement that Subaru will enter the series as a manufacturer, Team BMR have been busy behind the scenes building up four Levorg’s. With the quartet of rear-wheel-drive machines expected to be built in time for round one, the intrigue surrounds how quickly they can be on the pace and challenging for the top step of the rostrum. Both Jason Plato and Colin Turkington need no introduction to winning races and the champion duo will taste champagne, whether that happens at Brands Hatch is another matter.

3: Can Andrew Jordan return to the top step of the podium?

2015 appears to be a minor blip for Andrew Jordan who seems in a much happier place after making the switch to Motorbase Performance from MG. Failing to take a win throughout all of last season, the Red Bull athlete has enjoyed a substantial pre-season testing programme in the Pirtek-liveried Ford Focus and will no doubt be a championship contender. The Ford was a potent weapon last year and with Jordan behind the wheel, it could yet be even more dangerous.

4: And what of the serious threat Motorbase Performance pose?

Last year saw the Kent-based outfit join the fray at the midpoint of the season and soon they took charge of proceedings with three pole positions and four wins amassed. Now back on the grid for a full campaign, David Bartrum’s dynamic duo of Mat Jackson and Andrew Jordan will be gunning for title glory. It is expected that the boost on the Mountune engine will be slightly less than before but a winter of development will no doubt prove to be invaluable in the teams quest for glory.

5: Who out of the young guns will take the fight to the established order?

With a host of young drivers lining up on the grid this year, the future of the BTCC looks to be in good hands for many years to come. Many in and around the paddock believe 2016 could be the year that Tom Ingram makes his move to the winners inclosure for Speedworks Motorsport. Showing his talents last year, Ingram is one to watch but as is the MG pairing of Josh Cook and Ashley Sutton. Throw into the mix Adam Morgan, Jake Hill, Aiden Moffat and a host of others and you begin to see why the BTCC is in a golden era.

6: Will the RML components prove to be a difference maker like some believe?

Taking over from GPRM, the RML Group now provide the TOCA shared components to those team wishing to run them this year – with roughly 70% doing so. There have been mixed reports from drivers on how the new parts feel when driven in anger but the real telltale signs will come when the series descends on Brands Hatch in under a weeks time.

7: Who will emerge amongst West Surrey Racing’s trio as the lead man?

Jack Goff, Sam Tordoff and Rob Collard have all won races in the BTCC and now they find themselves under the same roof. Whilst Collard is the most experienced in the BMW 1-Series, Tordoff showed he is no slouch last year whilst Goff joins the pair for his fourth campaign in the BTCC. Picking the highest-placed driver out of the trio is too tough to call.

8: Is Rob Austin set to show how good he really is in front-wheel-drive?

Making the switch from Audi to Toyota, Rob Austin has a new configuration of car to get his head around this year after moving to Handy Motorsport. Having always had his back against the wall when driving rear-wheel-drive, the two-time race winner could well be about show what he can really do when in the same type of machinery as the majority of the field.

9: How will Kelvin Fletcher get on in his rookie BTCC season?

One of the surprises of the off-season was made at the Season Launch when it was confirmed that Emmerdale actor Kelvin Fletcher would join the BTCC grid with Power Maxed Racing. Previous experience in Mighty Mini’s and the Porsche Carrera Cup GB are good stepping stones for the Chevrolet driver but just how well it has prepared him remains to be scene. Struggling for seat time due to how late the deal has been done and filming commitments, Fletcher’s BTCC education will take place on race weekend’s and many will be watching intently to see how he fares.

10: How many records can we see tumble in 2016?

With a capacity 32-car grid confirmed for the season, one record has already been ticked off the list before a wheel has been turned in anger. Now many will be looking to see how many other accolades are ticked off such as the number of different race winners and of course whether Jason Plato finally breaks the 100-race wins barrier.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jakob Ebrey Photography