Drivers of the British Touring Car Championship will no longer be involved in the race three grid-draw following the Rob Austin con𓃲troversy at Bran𝕴ds Hatch last weekend.

Series organisers TOCA have moved swiftly🅺 in making changes to the procedure after Austin admitted in deliberating picking his own number out of ꩵthe pot during the live ITV 4 race-three grid draw, which gave him pole position.

When the race three grid was redrawn - following the suspicions of series director Alan Gow - Austin, ironically, still kept his pole-position when hi🐽s number was once꧃ again picked out of the pot.

Up until now, the tenth placed driver from race two has been given the opportunity🌺 to pick a numbered ball out of the pot - during a lꦚive TV draw - which determines the pole man for the final race.

Austin was unable to covert his race three pole-position into victory and has since issued an apology for hi♓s actions.

"I want to apologise to the f🐲ans of the BTC🐼C, to the championship itself, my team and my sponsors," said Austin. "I can't tell you how crap I have been feeling about it.

"Whilst I don't condone what I ꦐdid and there is no excuse or justification for♍ my actions I would like to ask you to consider the position I was in before making judgment.

"Many of you are aware of the dedication my whole team put in to the BTCC, it has become our whole lives for a number of years now and the pressure, determination and sheer desire to achieve results i𓄧s extremely high.

"So when I glanced down and by chance saw #10... well... If I picked that ball it was an opportunity to get Exocet, Alcosense, DUO and all of our sponsors on to the front row and lots of TV coverage, an opportunity to potentially reward my teams hard work and my fans with some silverware... it's been done before, I'♔ve seen what they do, they all do it...

"Once again, I am truly and sincerely regretful and sorry for letting everyone down with 🔴my moment of stupidity and I hope everyone will accept my most sincere apologies and not let my actions be a negative reflection on the championship, my sponsors or my team."