2016 BTCC silly season

[alsaautomotive]

Simon's new (lighter) Avensis coming along...........

[MG CHRIS]

lickatysplit said:

Looks like at least one of them is going then

https://racecarsdirect.com/Advert/Details/68851/pr...

Was always the case being new cars for 2016 an Hyundai mentioned in one press release. What will be the main news of the silly season is what bmr have up there sleeves also rob Austin who I think wont re enter the team but drive with another team or merge.

Wsr will be interesting who drives for them tordoff I believe is pretty much confirmed priaulx is out so leave one space and concerns over collard too. Still a lot of changes to come think most will come out around the autosport international show in jan.

[Mr Red Barron]

t400ble said:

lickatysplit said:

Looks like at least one of them is going then

https://racecarsdirect.com/Advert/Details/68851/pr...

New car for next year

I can understand the reasoning for a new car, but if I remember correctly, didn't Wookie say it was one of the best handling cars around? Surely if they sorted that bloody engine out they wouldn't need a new car???

[emicen]

I struggle to understand the market for used NGTC cars.

I know the FIA endorsed the NGTC regs for national level touring car series around the world but have any countries actually started using them?

If you don't get the TBL with the car, it's not a lot of use in the BTCC. Is there really a market for people buying cars at that price point to race in national sports and saloon car series'?

£92k + VAT is 4 Leon Supercopas, or nearly 2 of the new model Leon Cup cars etc. Cars which are, dare I say it, more reliable and a damn sight easier to run at a clubman level, even just from a set up point of view.

[jamiebae]

MG confirmed for another 3 years working with 888, more information on the driver lineup 'in due course'.

The press release quotes Ian Harrison, team principal at 888, so I'm not sure if this says anything about the earlier BMR speculation.

[btcclee]

BMR mentioned by Autosport: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/122222

[MG CHRIS]

Good to see 888 remain and secured for 3 more year, but they have to bring in a new chassis/shells as the current ones date back to the beginning for the mg project in 2012.

[Hamish Finn]

MG CHRIS said:

Good to see 888 remain and secured for 3 more year, but they have to bring in a new chassis/shells as the current ones date back to the beginning for the mg project in 2012.

Did you not read the press release?

"We’re looking forwarding to working on the new MG6 platform for the coming three years."

[MG CHRIS]

Hamish Finn said:

MG CHRIS said:

Good to see 888 remain and secured for 3 more year, but they have to bring in a new chassis/shells as the current ones date back to the beginning for the mg project in 2012.

Did you not read the press release?

"We’re looking forwarding to working on the new MG6 platform for the coming three years."

Yes I read that after posting my comment when I read the article in full.

[GbGaz]

Been trying to work out in my head the last few days how many pieces of the 2016 driver/team jigsaw are left to fall into place,,,,so in my head it is currently as follows,,,,admitted not all of these drivers have been announced, but think they are safe bets so to speak.......I'm sure i'll have forgotten something so feel free to correct me!!

Honda Yuasa Racing, Honda Civic Type R - Gordon Shedden
Honda Yuasa Racing, Honda Civic Type R - Matt Neal
Honda Yuasa Racing, Honda Civic Type R - TBA
Team BMR, VW CC - Jason Plato
Team BMR, VW CC - Colin Turkington
Team BMR, VW CC - Warren Scott
Team BMR, VW CC - TBA
Motorbase Performance, Ford Focus ST - Andrew Jordan
Motorbase Performance, Ford Focus ST - TBA
888 Race Engineering, MG6 - TBA
888 Race Engineering, MG6 - TBA
West Surrey Racing, BMW 125i - Sam Tordoff
West Surrey Racing, BMW 125i - TBA
West Surrey Racing, BMW 125i - TBA
Eurotech Racing, Honda Civic Type R - Jeff Smith
Eurotech Racing, Honda Civic Type R - Martin Depper
Rob Austin Racing, ??????
Rob Austin Racing, ??????
Power Maxed Racing, Chevrolet Cruze - TBA
Power Maxed Racing, Chevrolet Cruze - TBA
Speedworks Motorsport, Toyota Avensis - TBA
Speedworks Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R - Matt Simpson
AMD Tuning, Audi S3 - TBA
AMD Tuning, Audi S3 - TBA
Ciceley Motorsport, Mercedes A Class - Adam Morgan
Laser Tools Racing, Mercedes A Class - Aiden Moffat
Handy Motorsport, Toyota Avensis - Simon Belcher
JWT Performance/Maximum Motorsport, Ford Focus ST - Stewart Lines
Team Parker Racing, Ford Focus ST - TBA
Team Hard, Toyota Avensis - TBA
Support our Paras Racing, Infiniti Q50 - TBA
Welch Motorsport, ??? - Dan Welch

[airbusA346]

GbGaz said:

Been trying to work out in my head the last few days how many pieces of the 2016 driver/team jigsaw are left to fall into place,,,,so in my head it is currently as follows,,,,admitted not all of these drivers have been announced, but think they are safe bets so to speak.......I'm sure i'll have forgotten something so feel free to correct me!!

Honda Yuasa Racing, Honda Civic Type R - Gordon Shedden
Honda Yuasa Racing, Honda Civic Type R - Matt Neal
Honda Yuasa Racing, Honda Civic Type R - TBA
Team BMR, VW CC - Jason Plato
Team BMR, VW CC - Colin Turkington
Team BMR, VW CC - Warren Scott
Team BMR, VW CC - TBA
Motorbase Performance, Ford Focus ST - Andrew Jordan
Motorbase Performance, Ford Focus ST - TBA
888 Race Engineering, MG6 - TBA
888 Race Engineering, MG6 - TBA
West Surrey Racing, BMW 125i - Sam Tordoff
West Surrey Racing, BMW 125i - TBA
West Surrey Racing, BMW 125i - TBA
Eurotech Racing, Honda Civic Type R - Jeff Smith
Eurotech Racing, Honda Civic Type R - Martin Depper
Rob Austin Racing, ??????
Rob Austin Racing, ??????
Power Maxed Racing, Chevrolet Cruze - TBA
Power Maxed Racing, Chevrolet Cruze - TBA
Speedworks Motorsport, Toyota Avensis - TBA
Speedworks Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R - Matt Simpson
AMD Tuning, Audi S3 - TBA
AMD Tuning, Audi S3 - TBA
Ciceley Motorsport, Mercedes A Class - Adam Morgan
Laser Tools Racing, Mercedes A Class - Aiden Moffat
Handy Motorsport, Toyota Avensis - Simon Belcher
JWT Performance/Maximum Motorsport, Ford Focus ST - Stewart Lines
Team Parker Racing, Ford Focus ST - TBA
Team Hard, Toyota Avensis - TBA
Support our Paras Racing, Infiniti Q50 - TBA
Welch Motorsport, ??? - Dan Welch

Eurotech have got 3 entries.

[alsaautomotive]

airbusA346 said:

GbGaz said:

Been trying to work out in my head the last few days how many pieces of the 2016 driver/team jigsaw are left to fall into place,,,,so in my head it is currently as follows,,,,admitted not all of these drivers have been announced, but think they are safe bets so to speak.......I'm sure i'll have forgotten something so feel free to correct me!!

Honda Yuasa Racing, Honda Civic Type R - Gordon Shedden
Honda Yuasa Racing, Honda Civic Type R - Matt Neal
Honda Yuasa Racing, Honda Civic Type R - TBA
Team BMR, VW CC - Jason Plato
Team BMR, VW CC - Colin Turkington
Team BMR, VW CC - Warren Scott
Team BMR, VW CC - TBA
Motorbase Performance, Ford Focus ST - Andrew Jordan
Motorbase Performance, Ford Focus ST - TBA
888 Race Engineering, MG6 - TBA
888 Race Engineering, MG6 - TBA
West Surrey Racing, BMW 125i - Sam Tordoff
West Surrey Racing, BMW 125i - TBA
West Surrey Racing, BMW 125i - TBA
Eurotech Racing, Honda Civic Type R - Jeff Smith
Eurotech Racing, Honda Civic Type R - Martin Depper
Rob Austin Racing, ??????
Rob Austin Racing, ??????
Power Maxed Racing, Chevrolet Cruze - TBA
Power Maxed Racing, Chevrolet Cruze - TBA
Speedworks Motorsport, Toyota Avensis - TBA
Speedworks Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R - Matt Simpson
AMD Tuning, Audi S3 - TBA
AMD Tuning, Audi S3 - TBA
Ciceley Motorsport, Mercedes A Class - Adam Morgan
Laser Tools Racing, Mercedes A Class - Aiden Moffat
Handy Motorsport, Toyota Avensis - Simon Belcher
JWT Performance/Maximum Motorsport, Ford Focus ST - Stewart Lines
Team Parker Racing, Ford Focus ST - TBA
Team Hard, Toyota Avensis - TBA
Support our Paras Racing, Infiniti Q50 - TBA
Welch Motorsport, ??? - Dan Welch

Eurotech have got 3 entries.

Unlikely that Simon will be driving his car. He'll be managing the Handy Motorsport entry.

Off to Speedworks next week for the build..........

[airbusA346]

Slightly off topic... Triple 8 have ended there GT program and the cars (owned by Lee Mowle, who also has/had a shareholding in 888) are going to AMD Tuning.

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2015/12/12/triple-ei...

[DanielSan]

btcclee said:

BMR mentioned by Autosport: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/122222

It'll never happen though....

Shame the Jag part of things doesn't seem to have come off, unless the one or two Passat's are going to be replaced. Not heard any more about that though so not sure what's occurring at the moment.

[MG CHRIS]

Im I the only one thinking that rob Austin wont return with his team and will join in with another team next year.

[GbGaz]

MG CHRIS said:

Im I the only one thinking that rob Austin wont return with his team and will join in with another team next year.

Nope! you're not alone with that thought Chris! Been thinking it for a little while tbh!

[GbGaz]

airbusA346 said:

Eurotech have got 3 entries.

Well I know that they bought the assets of houseman racing to obtain their TBL, and I was of the same opinion as you,,,,but on all the BTCC sites I looked at last night, all said just the two entries for Eurotech,,,, I'm slightly baffled by that one atm!

[MG CHRIS]

GbGaz said:

MG CHRIS said:

Im I the only one thinking that rob Austin wont return with his team and will join in with another team next year.

Nope! you're not alone with that thought Chris! Been thinking it for a little while tbh!

I think he either team up with dan welch as welch now only has the one entry and rob will bring over his tbl and sell the other to free up money. Or he move over to the expanded 2 car handy motorsport entry they did say they will have a btcc race winner in the team but that could also mean dave newsham as he moves team pretty much every season.

The big news I want to see the outcome off is bmr with all the talk of Subaru/jag buying 888 be interesting too see what comes of it.

[GbGaz]

MG CHRIS said:

The big news I want to see the outcome off is bmr with all the talk of Subaru/jag buying 888 be interesting too see what comes of it.

Totally agree mate,,,,,cant help but feel whatever the outcome of that...everything else will just fall into place around it??? If you get me?

I dont know why,,,but I also have a hunch that failing what we have also mention re. Rob Austin, BMR could end up running 2&2 and a pair of CC's could be dispatched to RAR??

[acer12]

888 are the biggest mystery. They seem to be a big budget team who try to make a profit for the owners so have always had drivers who brought big sponsorship money. They have lost their title sponsor (again) so will need to find two drivers with big budgets but at the same time they will need a quick title challenging driver (for both mg and their own credibility). I don't see many drivers out there who can satisfy this criteria