Btcc 2015

[IanUAE]

samvia said:

Sorry if it's already been mentioned, but is Dan Welch the unluckiest guy ever? Broken ribs and a punctured lung at the Dubai 24h

Dan wasn't supposed to be driving but one the teams drivers had a visa issue so Dan drove. The Porsche was a right mess after the Ferrari spun backwards into the right front, ripping off the suspension mounts. New shell required from what I was told.

The accident happened on the Thursday ie: before the race started.

[samvia]

Yeah there's a low res in car vid from the Ferrari somewhere, seemed to lose it on a fluid spill.

[rscott]

More info on Dan's accident here - http://www.touringcartimes.com/2015/01/12/dan-welc... - including the video.

[Wh00sher]

All seems very quiet on the remaining driver announcements. Are they usually announced by the end of Jan, or it this usual. I can`t remember

[Munter]

Wh00sher said:

All seems very quiet on the remaining driver announcements. Are they usually announced by the end of Jan, or it this usual. I can`t remember

I seem to remember Matt Jackson was without a drive until 1 or 2 days before the season started for 2014.

[Northern_Monkey]

No Lea Wood: http://www.insidebtcc.com/wood-stands-houseman-rac...

Elsewhere, some interesting things bubbling along in the background so expect more announcements in the not too distant future...

[Mopar440]

Northern_Monkey said:

so expect more announcements in the not too distant future...

I think that goes without saying, there's obviously going to be a quite a few announcements in the not too distant future.

[GbGaz]

Munter said:

I seem to remember Matt Jackson was without a drive until 1 or 2 days before the season started for 2014.

Yeah it was media day they announced Mat....talk about leaving it to the death!! Still can't believe the fuss that was made over the signing of Gio...leaving Mat potentially without a drive, when tbh, Mat was the far stronger performer of the two - coulda told them that for free and saved them a whole bunch a' cash!

[AJB88]

Plato announced last night on twitter , "all I can say is that an amazing team of talented people has been assembled....ends!"

[Mopar440]

AJB88 said:

Plato announced last night on twitter , "all I can say is that an amazing team of talented people has been assembled....ends!"

Yeas, that's correct, but it is the usual Plato bluster. Doesn't say that he has assembled at team and doesn't even mention BTCC. There's been a lot of "amazing teams of talented people assembled", I wonder which one he's referring to?

[AJB88]

Hopefully Ferrari's F1 team haha.

[MondeoMan1981]

Any word on what Rob Austin has done to Sherman? A4 Avant or Octavia?!

[Northern_Monkey]

As I mentioned with things bubbling along, who saw this one coming? http://www.insidebtcc.com/btcc-approached-macau-ev...

Tony Gilham also has an Avensis from UA - deal to be ratified

[Mopar440]

Northern_Monkey said:

As I mentioned with things bubbling along, who saw this one coming? http://www.insidebtcc.com/btcc-approached-macau-ev...

The Macau people are desperate to keep their venue active. The approach to the BTCC teams was over a month ago. The transport to Macau is to be paid for, but the teams have to find the money for everything else. Do the teams have any money left at the end of the season?

[emicen]

It's a lovely concept, but even with transport costs paid for, there's all the other costs on top. At the end of the season when the budget will most likely be spent its a big challenge, especially on a track so notorious for shell ending accidents.

[The Wookie]

I don't think it'll happen.

I don't think time scale and car damage is an issue (in fact it might even be a bonus for the more unscrupulous teams looking for free post season rebuild paid for by driver/insurance at the end of the year), but I do think that cost will be an issue and that only a subset of drivers will stump up the cash for the novelty of the event.

Personally I like the idea but I wouldn't do it on safety grounds. It's a dicey place.

[Janesy B]

It's a st track, I'm not sure why it's so prestigious. It's always amusing when the Chinese domestic drivers join in and turn the thing into a demolition derby.

[shalon]

Some teams can't make iT to knock hill so,can't see them going to China for a damage frenzy race

[Janesy B]

https://twitter.com/kgracing/status/56384079156795...

Kieran Gallagher in the Team Hard Avensis it seems?

[fieldl]

Janesy B said:

It's a st track, I'm not sure why it's so prestigious. It's always amusing when the Chinese domestic drivers join in and turn the thing into a demolition derby.

What, it's one of the best races of the schedule. Having been for the last 4 years it's a great event. Going to miss the WTCC this year so it does need something to replace it.
I'd love to be able to qualify and race there but can't make the numbers work, my car will be used to qualify one of those domestic drivers though