BTCC 2019 silly season
Discussion
If we still had 'works' teams with paid drivers, there would be wasted seats but that's not the case anymore, every person on the grid has stumped up a large chunk of money one way or another, even the 'works' drivers.
There might be loads of talented younger drivers who haven't got a seat this year but the simple fact is, they didn't have the budget and other people did. Talent does not outweigh budget these days.
There might be loads of talented younger drivers who haven't got a seat this year but the simple fact is, they didn't have the budget and other people did. Talent does not outweigh budget these days.
Interesting quote from Plato in Autosport regarding BMR/Subaru:
"There's all this talk about how I didn't get on with rear-wheel drive, but that is all b
ks. I was alright in the first year of the Subaru, I was on the pace and then something happened, and I'm sure that at some point in the future the truth will be told about what went on."
"There's all this talk about how I didn't get on with rear-wheel drive, but that is all b
ks. I was alright in the first year of the Subaru, I was on the pace and then something happened, and I'm sure that at some point in the future the truth will be told about what went on."
Speed Badger said:
HP to partner Mark Blundell in the BTCC
Even more surprised now that Blundell has put the deal together to race in the Audi.The AmD team has never been up at the sharp end, so I thought it a bit odd that someone with the career that MB has had would be motivated to drive the car, as surely he's not interested in just making up the numbers. Now with it revealed that a major international company will be his main backer, unless there's been some big changes at the team over the winter I find it hard to see how they will get the results that will be expected of them.
With the financial clout that a sponsor like HP has (potentially) behind MB, I thought they'd both want to be involved with a WSR or Dynamics run car.
That's exactly my thoughts when I saw that - with no disrespect to AMD or the Audi, it's always been a tail-end car no matter who was driving it (bar Wookie with his tyre choice at Brands), so why would such a big blue chip company and Blundell himself be interested in going to all the bother for a car that at best will be qualifying 20th+?
Speed Badger said:
That's exactly my thoughts when I saw that - with no disrespect to AMD or the Audi, it's always been a tail-end car no matter who was driving it (bar Wookie with his tyre choice at Brands), so why would such a big blue chip company and Blundell himself be interested in going to all the bother for a car that at best will be qualifying 20th+?
usually who you know not what you know in motorsportI wouldn't be surprised if he knows someone/ has a friend within HP through his other activities
clubracing said:
Even more surprised now that Blundell has put the deal together to race in the Audi.
The AmD team has never been up at the sharp end, so I thought it a bit odd that someone with the career that MB has had would be motivated to drive the car, as surely he's not interested in just making up the numbers. Now with it revealed that a major international company will be his main backer, unless there's been some big changes at the team over the winter I find it hard to see how they will get the results that will be expected of them.
With the financial clout that a sponsor like HP has (potentially) behind MB, I thought they'd both want to be involved with a WSR or Dynamics run car.
There's a lot more to being a sponsor than just wanting a car that is running at the sharp end getting all the TV shots. It's the paddock access and feeling of being part of a racing team not to mention the celebrity status of the drivers that attract many. It's a great way of schmoozing clients and rewarding employees.The AmD team has never been up at the sharp end, so I thought it a bit odd that someone with the career that MB has had would be motivated to drive the car, as surely he's not interested in just making up the numbers. Now with it revealed that a major international company will be his main backer, unless there's been some big changes at the team over the winter I find it hard to see how they will get the results that will be expected of them.
With the financial clout that a sponsor like HP has (potentially) behind MB, I thought they'd both want to be involved with a WSR or Dynamics run car.
Guarantee even if he's at the back Blundell will get more interview time and air time in general than anyone in mid-pack anyway.
Kraken said:
There's a lot more to being a sponsor than just wanting a car that is running at the sharp end getting all the TV shots. It's the paddock access and feeling of being part of a racing team not to mention the celebrity status of the drivers that attract many. It's a great way of schmoozing clients and rewarding employees.
Guarantee even if he's at the back Blundell will get more interview time and air time in general than anyone in mid-pack anyway.
I agree but it still seems strange to me that a multinational like HP would be happy for their logo to be seen on a car racing near the back. If they sponsor a competitive car, they get all the things you mentioned plus the better exposure and the image of partnering with a winning team.Guarantee even if he's at the back Blundell will get more interview time and air time in general than anyone in mid-pack anyway.
HP are usually spending many multiples of what this BTCC deal will have cost to have their logos on the side of F1 or Indy cars so I'd have thought that the relatively small amount of extra money (for a company the size of HP) that a deal with a front running team like WSR or Team Dynamics costs wouldn't have been a problem.
It's surprising that Blundell didn't use that to set up a deal with one of those teams so he could be in a competitive car.
Could be a toe in the water, low expectation, see if it get's any impact by being on TV. If it does spend more in the next 2-3 years further up the grid.
If anybody remembers seeing their logo a few days after the event. And the event was fun. That's success. HP is now associated with something fun.
Plus all the schmmozing and F1 stories their chosen driver can bring to their VIPs.
If anybody remembers seeing their logo a few days after the event. And the event was fun. That's success. HP is now associated with something fun.
Plus all the schmmozing and F1 stories their chosen driver can bring to their VIPs.
In many ways yes. I said earlier in the thread in response to a comment that some seats were wasted that everyone who had one deserved it.
I would like to see a situation where driving ability was the primary consideration once a certain level of budget had been achieved but that's not always the case.
I would like to see a situation where driving ability was the primary consideration once a certain level of budget had been achieved but that's not always the case.
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