Tom Onslow-Cole out for the rest of the season.
Discussion
Just spotted this. Looks like he has had enough of the Passat going backwards...
TOC to miss remaining rounds
Tom Onslow-Cole will miss the remaining rounds of the 2013 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship after both he and Team HARD agreed that further development of the VW Passat would be of benefit to the team ahead of the 2014 season.
The 26-year-old has produced some amazing results behind the wheel of the brand new car so far in 2013 – most notably the two podiums at Thruxton followed by another at Croft – but the Dartford-based squad feel that it’s suffering while carrying out its ‘testing programme’ during actual race weekends.
“It’s a difficult decision that we’ve had to make, but we just feel that our investment in Tom would be better spent on making sure the car is moving forward ahead of a real championship assault in 2014,” said Team HARD boss Tony Gilham. “We believe in the car and it has obviously scored podiums already this season. The car will still be utilised on race weekends for us to further develop some of our young VW Cup drivers, with more details coming on that soon, but we need to be able to invest in putting the car through an extensive winter testing programme that we believe will ensure the Passat can fight consistently at the front at all circuits next season.”
Having already contested more than 180 BTCC races, seven-time race winner Onslow-Cole is an extremely experienced tin-top racer despite his relative young age. While admitting that missing the final rounds of the 2013 campaign is a disappointment, the Surrey racer is focussed on ensuring he drives a car with a championship winning capabilities in the future.
“When you look at the project things started really well with the VW Passat,” said Onslow-Cole. “To score podiums in one of the first events of the season was great, but it has been tough to develop the car over race weekends. Ideally we needed to have had a full testing programme but of course the car was brand new on the eve of the season, so it’s important that the car is completely ready for the start of next year. I’m a racer so it’s always tough to make a decision that means we won’t be racing for the rest of the year, but if it gives both the team and I the best possible chance of winning in 2014 then it has to be the right decision.
“I would like to thank Tony and everyone at Team HARD for what they’ve achieved so far this season and hopefully the team will produce the tools to fight at the front on a consistent basis next year. Obviously this turn of events negates our long-term deal and puts me in a position where I need to reassess my future in the BTCC. Hopefully we can look at the situation when the dust has settled and the team’s plans for 2014 are clear.”
TOC to miss remaining rounds
Tom Onslow-Cole will miss the remaining rounds of the 2013 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship after both he and Team HARD agreed that further development of the VW Passat would be of benefit to the team ahead of the 2014 season.
The 26-year-old has produced some amazing results behind the wheel of the brand new car so far in 2013 – most notably the two podiums at Thruxton followed by another at Croft – but the Dartford-based squad feel that it’s suffering while carrying out its ‘testing programme’ during actual race weekends.
“It’s a difficult decision that we’ve had to make, but we just feel that our investment in Tom would be better spent on making sure the car is moving forward ahead of a real championship assault in 2014,” said Team HARD boss Tony Gilham. “We believe in the car and it has obviously scored podiums already this season. The car will still be utilised on race weekends for us to further develop some of our young VW Cup drivers, with more details coming on that soon, but we need to be able to invest in putting the car through an extensive winter testing programme that we believe will ensure the Passat can fight consistently at the front at all circuits next season.”
Having already contested more than 180 BTCC races, seven-time race winner Onslow-Cole is an extremely experienced tin-top racer despite his relative young age. While admitting that missing the final rounds of the 2013 campaign is a disappointment, the Surrey racer is focussed on ensuring he drives a car with a championship winning capabilities in the future.
“When you look at the project things started really well with the VW Passat,” said Onslow-Cole. “To score podiums in one of the first events of the season was great, but it has been tough to develop the car over race weekends. Ideally we needed to have had a full testing programme but of course the car was brand new on the eve of the season, so it’s important that the car is completely ready for the start of next year. I’m a racer so it’s always tough to make a decision that means we won’t be racing for the rest of the year, but if it gives both the team and I the best possible chance of winning in 2014 then it has to be the right decision.
“I would like to thank Tony and everyone at Team HARD for what they’ve achieved so far this season and hopefully the team will produce the tools to fight at the front on a consistent basis next year. Obviously this turn of events negates our long-term deal and puts me in a position where I need to reassess my future in the BTCC. Hopefully we can look at the situation when the dust has settled and the team’s plans for 2014 are clear.”
Very strange from team hard they want to focus on development but are going to let other drivers drive the car that makes no sense. Either toc is feed up with team hard/got another drive lined up motorbase or gilham wants to test other drivers out.
What team hard need to do is focus on getting 3 decent drivers out there and stick with them it's not good for the team or series to have some many different drives over a year and the cars having different liveries each meeting.
Something is going on at team hard that they don't want to let people know but there press realises make no sense whatsoever.
What team hard need to do is focus on getting 3 decent drivers out there and stick with them it's not good for the team or series to have some many different drives over a year and the cars having different liveries each meeting.
Something is going on at team hard that they don't want to let people know but there press realises make no sense whatsoever.
I'm curious to know how team hard managed to up the budget from running a used civic to building/running 2 new passat's and a handful of insignias. Just seems a big step up in a very short space of time.
And to me the passat was a strange choice as it's a big old barge of a car compared to the rest of the field so base weight must be up on the competition?
And to me the passat was a strange choice as it's a big old barge of a car compared to the rest of the field so base weight must be up on the competition?
Doubtless money is behind it. Maybe they need TOC to pay for the seat and he can't/won't ?
I can only assume that Gilham is up to his eyeballs moneywise, even with people paying for the insignias etc
I think he puts cars together for the VW cup doesn't he ? probably earns a bit from that too.
I can only assume that Gilham is up to his eyeballs moneywise, even with people paying for the insignias etc
I think he puts cars together for the VW cup doesn't he ? probably earns a bit from that too.
metalsteve said:
I'm curious to know how team hard managed to up the budget from running a used civic to building/running 2 new passat's and a handful of insignias. Just seems a big step up in a very short space of time.
And to me the passat was a strange choice as it's a big old barge of a car compared to the rest of the field so base weight must be up on the competition?
I'm not that up to speed on VAG stuff these days but isnt the Passat the same platform as the Audi A4 a la RAR/WIX?And to me the passat was a strange choice as it's a big old barge of a car compared to the rest of the field so base weight must be up on the competition?
The RAR Audi had some great performances at Knockhill but rear wheel drive is a big advantage there and also heard an additional 0.3bar boost was available to them that weekend.
Its stated quite often the NGTC components have their limitations in terms of suspension travel etc. Can't help but think the larger cars like the Audi and Passat show this up as it struggles with their extra bulk.
Its always a risky strategy saying anything against Rob Austin as it seems he has a strong bounty of fanbois all over the web, but from day dot that Audi has looked horrific on track from a dynamics point of view. Every long panning shot through a corner you can see it bucking and bobbing.
I'm a big fan of Rob Austin but i agree the Audi has always looked like a right handful, seems very twitchy and the back end is often all over the place. It did seem to me to be a lot more stable at knockhill and Rob has said they've found a bit of a sweet spot with the set up since snetterton.
metalsteve said:
I'm curious to know how team hard managed to up the budget from running a used civic to building/running 2 new passat's and a handful of insignias. Just seems a big step up in a very short space of time.
And to me the passat was a strange choice as it's a big old barge of a car compared to the rest of the field so base weight must be up on the competition?
Aside from developing cars (to be fair they chose the difficult route) they appears to be one of the more innovative teams in motorsport with Scholarships, VWCup Arrive + Drives, Crowd-Sourcing, Hospitality, sponsorship, all bringing the doller in.And to me the passat was a strange choice as it's a big old barge of a car compared to the rest of the field so base weight must be up on the competition?
Crafty_ said:
Doubtless money is behind it. Maybe they need TOC to pay for the seat and he can't/won't ?
I can only assume that Gilham is up to his eyeballs moneywise, even with people paying for the insignias etc
I think he puts cars together for the VW cup doesn't he ? probably earns a bit from that too.
Don't think this is down to money this time gilham isn't exactly skint the way the deal works with sponsors work is very clear was explained how it works but can't find it. Yes he has a large number of cars in the vw cup.I can only assume that Gilham is up to his eyeballs moneywise, even with people paying for the insignias etc
I think he puts cars together for the VW cup doesn't he ? probably earns a bit from that too.
metalsteve said:
I'm curious to know how team hard managed to up the budget from running a used civic to building/running 2 new passat's and a handful of insignias. Just seems a big step up in a very short space of time.
And to me the passat was a strange choice as it's a big old barge of a car compared to the rest of the field so base weight must be up on the competition?
The vw has the same platform has the audi and isn't that much bigger than the mgs, toyotas, insignias, just looks a lot bigger than it is. And to me the passat was a strange choice as it's a big old barge of a car compared to the rest of the field so base weight must be up on the competition?
I think the problem is as a consequence of the team being involved in far too many ventures to be successful in any. Unless you have vast experience and a big budget behind you it's impossible. I don't knock team hard for trying but they have just bitten off more than they can chew with their supposed vast and grand btcc plans. Thy are losing drivers hand over fist at the moment and their plans are unravelling. Should have stuck to at most two cars this year and made a decent fist of it rather than propping up the ngtc, and sometimes the whole, grid.
emicen said:
Its always a risky strategy saying anything against Rob Austin as it seems he has a strong bounty of fanbois all over the web, but from day dot that Audi has looked horrific on track from a dynamics point of view. Every long panning shot through a corner you can see it bucking and bobbing.
It looks bloody awful. Even back in 2011 when it set a fastest lap somewhere and everyone was raving, it was all down to boost, as it doesn't handle at all well. I know Gilham has to balance the books and make sure his cars are always filled, but it's making the BTCC look cheap with the constant seat-swapping and confusing press releases.
MG CHRIS said:
Don't think this is down to money this time gilham isn't exactly skint the way the deal works with sponsors work is very clear was explained how it works but can't find it. Yes he has a large number of cars in the vw cup.
Thing is where does all the money come from ?before BTCC he had sponsorship to get drives in VW cup and the Porsches, since then it seems have gone vertical. He must have seven figures under management now ?
Fair play to the bloke but it just seems odd the amount of money about in a very short period of time.
As far as cheapening BTCC, I don't really think its an issue, club racing often like that from what I see.
pw32 said:
I don't know why you would pay good money to trundle around at the back in an noncompetitive car mind....
So you can say to your sponsors "come along and have a hospitality day at the races and you might see your logo on ITV4". There's a reason HARD stands for Hospitality And Race Days.Crafty_ said:
Thing is where does all the money come from ?
The packages he charges obviously cover the costs but to see where he was five years ago to where he is now we reckon he must have won the lottery. :haha:Crafty_ said:
As far as cheapening BTCC, I don't really think its an issue, club racing often like that from what I see.
There are people involved who have that opinion.Forums | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff