2016 BTCC silly season

[jamiebae]

Speed Badger said:

It's not like it used to be in't olden days! Probably better off going down the GT route for a paid career, or elope to the USA. Funny, I always thought I would end up racing GT's in Japan for a living, ho hum

Yup, sportscars is where the money is, where a gentleman driver brings the budget and wants someone quick to share the car with and maximize their chance of winning. BTCC is little more than a series for gentleman drivers now, and with the ballast, reverse grids and boost restrictions that isn't going to change any time soon.

[Janesy B]

It's nothing to do with the regulations and everything to do with the financial climate. Look at F1, it's exactly the same and that's the 'pinnacle' of modern motorsport. Even a team like McLaren can't secure title sponsors.

[VX Foxy]

jamiebae said:

BTCC is little more than a series for gentleman drivers now, and with the ballast, reverse grids and boost restrictions that isn't going to change any time soon.

Very true. Sadly.

[MG CHRIS]

jamiebae said:

Speed Badger said:

It's not like it used to be in't olden days! Probably better off going down the GT route for a paid career, or elope to the USA. Funny, I always thought I would end up racing GT's in Japan for a living, ho hum

Yup, sportscars is where the money is, where a gentleman driver brings the budget and wants someone quick to share the car with and maximize their chance of winning. BTCC is little more than a series for gentleman drivers now, and with the ballast, reverse grids and boost restrictions that isn't going to change any time soon.

Though gt racing using restriction through exteneded pit lane times for the top teams well certainly in british gp and the cars are capped on power and as far as im aware rwd only no 4wd allowed hence the gtr being rwd. So btcc is not the only series that uses that sort of thing.

[jamiebae]

Janesy B said:

It's nothing to do with the regulations and everything to do with the financial climate. Look at F1, it's exactly the same and that's the 'pinnacle' of modern motorsport. Even a team like McLaren can't secure title sponsors.

Not entirely. Manufacturers want to win, but in BTCC if you build the best car and the best engine, then hire the best drivers to help you that's still no guarantee as you end up with reduced boost, increased weight and get handicapped to let everyone else who hasn't built as good a car catch up.

McLaren is different, the money needed to be a title sponsor in F1 doesn't make sense anymore so they are looking for 'second tier' partners instead to share the exposure at a lower cost.

MG CHRIS said:

Though gt racing using restriction through exteneded pit lane times for the top teams well certainly in british gp and the cars are capped on power and as far as im aware rwd only no 4wd allowed hence the gtr being rwd. So btcc is not the only series that uses that sort of thing.

BTCC is more extreme than any other 'high level' series in this aspect, applying every possible tool in the box to make the 'racing' more equal.

GT racing is different as performance balancing is used to equalise fundamentally different cars - V6, V8, turbo, N/A... In BTCC everyone runs a 2.0T 4 pot but if you build a good one (like Honda) it gets pegged back to the level of the Swindon boat anchor with reduced boost.

[Janesy B]

I don't think you can win because Mountune have obviously done good work with that Ford engine and it's probably barely at it's limit, but you're getting people crying foul because 'Gow is letting them run full boost to get sponsorship' and other assorted bullst.

BTCC budgets don't allow for a development race, I think I'd rather have the series how it is now rather than two manufacturers that can afford to run ahead with development winning everything and the rest of the field without a chance of getting a win.

[antnee]

Is the Mountune Focus running too much power though? I'm sure it was mentioned a few times that it wasn't getting the highest speed trap figures.


In other news, Stewart Lines has bought the Focus and TBL from AmD
http://www.btcc.net/2015/11/14/stewart-lines-to-gi...

[Janesy B]

Nah, it's just sour grapes.

[airbusA346]

andy97 said:

Does that include the GT team?

Must admit I'd be surprised and not seen any reference to this anywhere else. Stranger things have happened, I suppose.

Wonder where Scott get the money from to run 4 (largely unsponsored) VWs and buy 888?

Looks like it might be changing on the GT side at 888 as well, because the GT Team director is advertising for work on Race Cars Direct.

[airbusA346]

Eurotech has got a third TBL, after purchasing Houseman Racing’s TBL, car and race equipment.

http://www.btcc.net/2015/11/23/eurotech-secures-th...

[vinnie01]

Apparantly Dan Tickum has been given a ban after the shenangains at silverstone
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/121941

[GreigM]

vinnie01 said:

Apparantly Dan Tickum has been given a ban after the shenangains at silverstone
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/121941

Not long enough. Should be a life ban after what went down. He has a record (see the Croft incident also) of driving which should be unacceptable on any race track anywhere.

[Janesy B]

I guess the Matt Simpson thing is happening then.

https://twitter.com/Mattsimpson303/status/66890518...

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialBTCC/posts/991428...

[MyVTECGoesBwaaah]

Yep, we finally got out answer for that: https://twitter.com/DunlopBTCC/status/669154105319...

Another Honda on the grid, and a mighty fine looking one if it ends up like the art drawing.

[Allyc85]

With the greatest of respect to Matt I would prefer to see Ingram in a Civic Type R. Any rumours about where Tom will end up?

[MG CHRIS]

Allyc85 said:

With the greatest of respect to Matt I would prefer to see Ingram in a Civic Type R. Any rumours about where Tom will end up?

Ingram is staying at speedworks with the avensis alongside simpson with the civic which from what I gather is the 3rd "works" assisted Honda car but ran via speedworks. So with eurotech having a 3rd tbl that makes 6 civics on the grid and people were complaining about just 4 passats on the grid.

Lea woods team going did look likely 2015 was a pretty forgettable year for them and since ngtc just haven't looked to be in a good place with the old avensis. Another team I can see selling up is team hard tbl with the drama in 2015.

[Janesy B]

Speedworks had two TBLs - Honda have three.

[DanielSan]

andy97 said:

DanielSan said:

Hamish Finn said:

If you look back at page 3 of this thread you will see that DanielSan has already aired his bizarre silly season bulldust about Warren Scott and the Jaguars. As I said then, this is not going to happen.

888 have been bought for a quid and debts paid. With the intention of running 2 Jags. The Jag deal is still 50 50 but he does now own 888.

Does that include the GT team?

Must admit I'd be surprised and not seen any reference to this anywhere else. Stranger things have happened, I suppose.

Wonder where Scott get the money from to run 4 (largely unsponsored) VWs and buy 888?

From what I gather it's 888 as a total entity so must include the GT team but haven't heard anything on that side of things.

I believe he made a lot from farming but no idea what he does beyond that. Whatever it is I wish I was a quid behind him

[emicen]

He sold a chunk of farmland to property developers for a considerable wedge, also holds directorships in various biogas/renewables/green energy type firms.

There's probably more, don't know if he still operates his farm but that's what a quick internet snoop can tell me.

[airbusA346]

Apparently Priaulx is joining Ford in WEC.

So it looks like he won't be in a WSR BMW in BTCC.

http://www.motorsport.com/wec/news/exclusive-priau...