Why has the BTCC had to change from its old ways?

[PurelyRetro]

Evening all,

I've just read a few articles on the BTCC, and has got myself wondering about a few things. Based on the issues that I looked over, it would appear that cost seems to have a fairly significant factor as to how many manufactures are involved. The other factor that saw a decrease in a manufacture numbers over the years was the change in regulations as the 1998 season begun. So that brings me onto a few questions.

Is there a chance that the BTCC could revert back to its old ways?

Will the future see more or less manufactures taking part?

Will the A class ever be revived in times to comes?

Cheers

Charlie

[touring fan]

Its not just the BTCC. Just about every major motorsport over the years has seen major manufacturer involvement massively decline. Look at World Rally, Sports Cars etc. I can't remember a time when, outside of F1, we had so few manufacturers doing major motorsport programs around the world. But that's the world we live in now, I guess.

I don't know what you mean by the return of 'Class A' racing though. Do you mean the old Group A regulations? If so, then no - that type of expensive regulations forced manufacturers to spend millions producing 'specials' to go racing with. Those days are over and manufacturers just won't waste that sort of money.

[sperminator]

The supertouring days are long gone. It's a shame, but that's life. i would love to see the series getting more clever and less expensive.

[Jessop]

Absolute shame we'll never get to see the likes of the old group A sierras flying round birmingham and so forth again.

'Real racing'

[paulmurr]

Unfortunately it was just too expensive. Tim Harvey wrote an excellent article about it in Evo a couple of months ago.

[hornet]

Is there a possibility we could ever go back to a class structure? I'm presuming the BTCC and WTCC run to the same regulations, but what of the other domestic series? I'm vaguely aware of a Scandinavian series, plus there always used to be a French super touring series, so could things be improved by opening things up to these cars? I used to love the BTCC in the late 80s/early 90s, but I just can't get into it these days, and the WTCC just seems to be BMW team orders every race. About the only series I'll watch these days is the Aussie V8s.

[Rarst]

Silverstone last weekend was fun to watch, i think its more competetive now than at some points over the last few years, and it gets more coverage on ITV3.

[stew-S160]

Money.

[touring fan]

Rarst said:

Silverstone last weekend was fun to watch, i think its more competetive now than at some points over the last few years, and it gets more coverage on ITV3.

ITV4, you mean.

[PurelyRetro]

touring fan said:

Rarst said:

Silverstone last weekend was fun to watch, i think its more competetive now than at some points over the last few years, and it gets more coverage on ITV3.

ITV4, you mean.

With adverts inbetween

[Rarst]

touring fan said:

Rarst said:

Silverstone last weekend was fun to watch, i think its more competetive now than at some points over the last few years, and it gets more coverage on ITV3.

ITV4, you mean.

oops, i spent most of my life with 4 channels so it can get confusing.