Motorsport on Monday: 14/4/14
Tin tops at the ready as Touring Cars go into overdrive on PH
Loeb shines for a dominant Citroen
It took Loeb just two races to bag the win, too, proving 1) that Citroen was right to invest a shed load of cash in developing a car for a Championship that's not exactly in the rudest of health (it recorded a 1-2-3 in race one and a 1-2 in race two), and 2) the adaptability of the Frenchman once more. It seems there's nothing the guy can't drive quickly. Expect a Friday outing in a certain other Red Bull sponsored product to replace a certain other driver called Sebastian at a Grand Prix near you soon. You heard it here first.
OK, so it's not likely to happen, but going off Loeb's previous F1 tests (eighth quickest of 17 runners in his first outing ever), it's not beyond the realms of possibility.
This year's BTCC provided great racing...
With his latest win, Loeb has most certainly cemented himself as a total motorsport legend if he hadn't already. But from one iconic period in motorsport to another, adjoining the British Touring Car Championship at selected rounds this year is none other than a classic Super Touring Car Championship. We'd advise taking a bib trackside, there'll be that much drool.
According to the blurb, the series allows cars from pre-1980 to 1999 conforming to FIA Group 1, Group 2 or Group A rules. On top of that DTM cars from before '93 get a look, as well as the screaming, barking Super Tourers from 1990 to 2000.
That means everything from fire spitting Sierra Cosworth RS500s to Nissan Primeras and Vauxhall Vectras you couldn't slip a fag paper underneath the front splitter of. With classics on my mind after a run alongside Mr Blomqvist in one of the most iconic historics ever, it got me thinking; motorsport really is great today.
... but these should be something else again
Whatever the talk on Formula 1 this year, it's difficult to deny the series delivered last time out in Bahrain - a track which many of the teams had testing data for the new cars. We need some faith in the rules for 12 months minimum to see if, after an initial exploratory season (that's what it is, right? Opinions on a post card in the comments section, please), things continue to improve.
It's quite staggering how reliability has increased in only a few months, and how the top-line drivers have adapted to managing so much more in the cockpit - not to mention the torque vs tyres battle - to extract performance from the cars that just didn't seem possible back in Jerez.
Next to this you've got a French Jack of all trades - and seemingly master of all, too - proving gravel, snow, Tarmac isn't a problem for him, and neither is the car he attacks the different surfaces in.
Civic Tourer still drawing a few stares
Rose-tinted specs
Not only will the air being torn apart by those Super Touring throttle bodies send a grown man giddy, the throttles themselves will be controlled by some of the greatest pilots ever. The likes of John Cleland on two wheels in a Cavalier has to be worth the entry price alone - add in PH's involvementand that there's an estate car in the main race, and you can't turn it down really, can you?
As a kid I grew up with Super Touring cars, so to see the likes of these and 'old' LMP 900 prototypes considered classics seems slightly weird given my age still starts with a '2', but also just too good an opportunity to pass up. The balance between bleeding edge and delightfully retro is perfect right now.
I didn't think I'd invest in a pair of rose-tinted specs until I was at least, oh, 30-odd, but now seems the perfect time to. We've never had it so good.
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How many current touring car drivers would do both
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