BTCC 2016 - Oulton Park

[Iva Barchetta]

Does that mean a grid penalty ?

I did hear mention of a "3 strikes" rule but don't know exactly if this has occurred.

[Allyc85]

Plato is one strike away from a grid penalty after today.

Shame there weren't more battles for the lead, but some of the racing in the pack was absolutely manic and great entertainment. Roll on Croft

[DanielSan]

Absolutely baking there today but 3 good touring car races and some good action in the supports aswell, and always the Ginetta juniors were just mental.

[AlexRS2782]

A good day of action, especially race 3, and nice to see the Levorg mixing it up as that should make the rest of the season interesting with regards to wins & podiums.

Ollie got some good TV time driving with the bonnet flicked back over the screen. Although it's probably not the coverage he was looking for

Alex Martin doing his usual of pranging other cars to move them out of the way in the case of Dan Welch.

Excellent points haul weekend for Tordoff too.

[ols]

http://www.touringcartimes.com/2016/06/06/josh-coo...

Josh Cook is slamming driving standards by the other drivers at Oulton, whilst he himself collided with Tom Ingram on the slowing down lap after race three.

Bit odd that.

[bltamil1]

It seems to me that the biggest driving standards problem is the amount of 'defending' the drivers get away with. They seem to drift all over the track, this way and that, to prevent overtakes. A good example was Cook on Collard in race 2, he went so far off line that he nearly put him into the pits!

It makes overtaking damned near impossible, and leads to the shunts and taps that are all too common.

Surely they should be picking a line and sticking to it?

[rex]

What was Cook trying to do after the chequered flag. I thought after the race you came back to the pits with no overtaking.

[emicen]

bltamil1 said:

It seems to me that the biggest driving standards problem is the amount of 'defending' the drivers get away with. They seem to drift all over the track, this way and that, to prevent overtakes. A good example was Cook on Collard in race 2, he went so far off line that he nearly put him into the pits!

It makes overtaking damned near impossible, and leads to the shunts and taps that are all too common.

Surely they should be picking a line and sticking to it?

What is your interpretation of 'defending' then?

Oulton is challenging for overtaking, everyone knows this. 1 move off line and then back to your line for the next corner if you wish. That's what is allowed and that's all I saw anyone doing.

[Vocal Minority]

emicen said:

What is your interpretation of 'defending' then?

Oulton is challenging for overtaking, everyone knows this. 1 move off line and then back to your line for the next corner if you wish. That's what is allowed and that's all I saw anyone doing.

I have seen this sort of thinking more and more since the Rosbery/Hamilton incident in Spain, and all of a sudden it has become a crime to move off line to defend your position on a straight, which after 30 years of watching motorsport is a new one on me! Apparently you are now meant to wave Hamilton the chasing driver by.

(I agree with you, one move and then take your line for the next corner - weaving and second moves on a straight a strict no no.

[The Wookie]

emicen said:

What is your interpretation of 'defending' then?

Oulton is challenging for overtaking, everyone knows this. 1 move off line and then back to your line for the next corner if you wish. That's what is allowed and that's all I saw anyone doing.

At the back of the field there was plenty of weaving going on, and on one occasion I was fully alongside, front wheel level with another car's drivers door, on the inside on the way out of Druids and was barged right off the track. The same driver also spun another car round after he was passed around the outside at the hairpin, despite the fact that he was far enough in front for it to be a front bumper on rear bumper tap. His excuse was that 'you can't pass around the outside' and told the other driver to 'stop being a pussy'.

I'm all for hard defending but a few drivers are being outright fking morons. How can you race against someone that evidently has no idea of what is right and wrong and has no sense of self preservation when they aren't getting banned to teach them a lesson? Clearly fines don't work as some have enough cash to have a spare set of doors, bumpers and sills ready to smash up for every session of the weekend.

The worst thing is that if I can't trust someone to go side by side with them and I give them a nudge on a slow corner to get past them in a safe place then it'll likely be me that gets the penalty.

[Crafty_]

Do drivers still need a C license for BTCC ?

If so, it could be pointed out that this might be at risk should they decide to drive like thugs ?

[swooshiain]

The Wookie said:

At the back of the field there was plenty of weaving going on, and on one occasion I was fully alongside, front wheel level with another car's drivers door, on the inside on the way out of Druids and was barged right off the track. The same driver also spun another car round after he was passed around the outside at the hairpin, despite the fact that he was far enough in front for it to be a front bumper on rear bumper tap. His excuse was that 'you can't pass around the outside' and told the other driver to 'stop being a pussy'.

I'm all for hard defending but a few drivers are being outright fking morons. How can you race against someone that evidently has no idea of what is right and wrong and has no sense of self preservation when they aren't getting banned to teach them a lesson? Clearly fines don't work as some have enough cash to have a spare set of doors, bumpers and sills ready to smash up for every session of the weekend.

The worst thing is that if I can't trust someone to go side by side with them and I give them a nudge on a slow corner to get past them in a safe place then it'll likely be me that gets the penalty.

There definitely seem to be one or two drivers who are just crying out for a ban due to low standards - to protect others and themselves. Some are reckless, and some are just not good enough. I find it strange how reticent the authorities seem to be about that.

[Iva Barchetta]

Alex Martin ?....Looks to be out of his depth.

[bltamil1]

emicen said:

What is your interpretation of 'defending' then?

Oulton is challenging for overtaking, everyone knows this. 1 move off line and then back to your line for the next corner if you wish. That's what is allowed and that's all I saw anyone doing.

Apologies for the delayed reply. There seems to me to be a lot more than one move going on. The overtakes are generally quite slow, so all it takes is to drift across the track until the overtakeer runs out of room. In my opinion it happens all the time, and if the overtaker goes back the other way, the overtakee (if you'll pardon the exprssion!) then drifts back again.

It may well be allowed, but it completely prevents overtakes by all but the most 'committed' attempts. Which in turn leads to the nudges, bumps, rubs etc etc.

[bltamil1]

The Wookie said:

At the back of the field there was plenty of weaving going on, and on one occasion I was fully alongside, front wheel level with another car's drivers door, on the inside on the way out of Druids and was barged right off the track. The same driver also spun another car round after he was passed around the outside at the hairpin, despite the fact that he was far enough in front for it to be a front bumper on rear bumper tap. His excuse was that 'you can't pass around the outside' and told the other driver to 'stop being a pussy'.

I'm all for hard defending but a few drivers are being outright fking morons. How can you race against someone that evidently has no idea of what is right and wrong and has no sense of self preservation when they aren't getting banned to teach them a lesson? Clearly fines don't work as some have enough cash to have a spare set of doors, bumpers and sills ready to smash up for every session of the weekend.

The worst thing is that if I can't trust someone to go side by side with them and I give them a nudge on a slow corner to get past them in a safe place then it'll likely be me that gets the penalty.

Sounds like they have been watching too much Days of Thunder!




I thought the best way to keep someone behind you was to go round faster than them? Perhaps I'm naive.

[Crafty_]

swooshiain said:

There definitely seem to be one or two drivers who are just crying out for a ban due to low standards - to protect others and themselves. Some are reckless, and some are just not good enough. I find it strange how reticent the authorities seem to be about that.

Its all part of the show and for some of the audience part of the attraction of the series. The powers that be don't want to mess with that too much.

[Dinoboy]

Crafty_ said:

Its all part of the show and for some of the audience part of the attraction of the series. The powers that be don't want to mess with that too much.

Sums it up perfectly.

[emicen]

bltamil1 said:

emicen said:

What is your interpretation of 'defending' then?

Oulton is challenging for overtaking, everyone knows this. 1 move off line and then back to your line for the next corner if you wish. That's what is allowed and that's all I saw anyone doing.

Apologies for the delayed reply. There seems to me to be a lot more than one move going on. The overtakes are generally quite slow, so all it takes is to drift across the track until the overtakeer runs out of room. In my opinion it happens all the time, and if the overtaker goes back the other way, the overtakee (if you'll pardon the exprssion!) then drifts back again.

It may well be allowed, but it completely prevents overtakes by all but the most 'committed' attempts. Which in turn leads to the nudges, bumps, rubs etc etc.

Yeah, that's what could be described as the art of defending. It's still possible to pass someone's who is defending without contact. The bumping and nudging comes in with people like Ollie is talking about, where they will just weave about then try and physically squeeze you off if you get along side.

As much as people love to hate/slate him, Plato is the absolute master of defending. Personally, I'd sooner watch someone trying in vain to pass him for 15 laps than any amount of late lunges / block passes / hip & shoulder moves.