What is going wrong with the BTCC?
Discussion
Why am I not as interested as I used to be? Before I would rarely ever miss a single race live, let alone a whole raceday, now I just stick the whole thing on series record and catch up later. The racing is close and competitive and there is a good spread of different car models. There are not as many old rich 'company bosses' playing at touring cars out of their depth like there were in the mid 2000's to roughly around 2018. Even most of the liveries look nice and colourful this year.
What's missing? Is it the hybrid thing? Is it lack of characters and the odd verbal (or physical!) fisticuffs? Lack of proper manufacturers? Is it down to being more difficult to overtake now the performance of the cars is all very similar? Something is lacking and I can't quite put my finger on it, maybe it's a combination of all of the above. What are other people's thoughts and feelings?
What's missing? Is it the hybrid thing? Is it lack of characters and the odd verbal (or physical!) fisticuffs? Lack of proper manufacturers? Is it down to being more difficult to overtake now the performance of the cars is all very similar? Something is lacking and I can't quite put my finger on it, maybe it's a combination of all of the above. What are other people's thoughts and feelings?
It has been very samey for a very long time, the cars are probably great to drive, but all sound very similar and look a bit alike, there are very few personalities as before, no massive rivalries such as Muller, Plato, Neal, Collard etc.
And the tracks are very dull too, same old venues, same old corners, same commentators.
It just needs a shake up I think
And the tracks are very dull too, same old venues, same old corners, same commentators.
It just needs a shake up I think
Lack of coverage/advertising ? Out of sight out of mind at least as far as I’m concerned. F1 I am still of a mindset to check in on f1 websites , bbc has news reports on sports pages etc. and I plan my forward weekends to watch the rcaeday but often forgo qualifying to keep the Mrs happy. btcc without googling is it on itv4 these days? who goes to the itv sports news feeds / watches itv4 consistently to bombard with reminders to watch the upcoming racing.
I'd argue that BTCC is in the rudest health that it has been for some time.
There is perhaps a little too many privateers in the series, which means that genuine professional talent is a little lacking, but that doesn't harm the racing too much.
I'm not a big fan of the hybrid boost gimmick, as I don't see it making any difference to the racing what so ever.
There is perhaps a little too many privateers in the series, which means that genuine professional talent is a little lacking, but that doesn't harm the racing too much.
I'm not a big fan of the hybrid boost gimmick, as I don't see it making any difference to the racing what so ever.
I find myself enjoying it less this year - I might be wrong, but I feel like the addition of the hybrid systems has done nothing for the racing itself, only increased the chances of a DNF due to reliability.
I know it wasn't popular with the drivers, but I thought the success ballast system worked very well.
I know it wasn't popular with the drivers, but I thought the success ballast system worked very well.
I used to travel around the country watching it from 2006 and then around 2015 I went to fewer and fewer, haven't been to once for about 3 years now.
Used to go out Oulton park round religiously as it was always on my dads Birthday and parents lived locally but since dad died not even been to that one.
Used to go out Oulton park round religiously as it was always on my dads Birthday and parents lived locally but since dad died not even been to that one.
A lot of it is just the natural process of getting older. I can remember my heart pounding watching all sorts of different sports and staying up to the small hours to see Indycar races live. These days I just don't get that excited about it but I have a very young circle of friends and they are every bit as excited about F1, Indycar, BTCC etc etc as I used to be.
Still love watching the BTCC even if it doesn't get me as pumped up as when I was younger.
The hybrid will be fine once they get it sorted out. The biggest issue at the moment is the performance balancing. Unless you're in a BMW or Hyundai you only really have a chance in race 3.
Still love watching the BTCC even if it doesn't get me as pumped up as when I was younger.
The hybrid will be fine once they get it sorted out. The biggest issue at the moment is the performance balancing. Unless you're in a BMW or Hyundai you only really have a chance in race 3.
I used to make an effort to watch BTCC and attend races. Got sick to death of the Plato/Team Dynamics rivalry and the final straw was a race when Plato rammed off Gordon Sheddon (?) at Donington Park. Driving standards was going downhill, Plato was never severely punished and vowed never to watch another BTCC race again.
Some years later I did dip in and out for the new generation to come through. Tried to get back into and it just doesn't quite do it for me even if the variety of cars, strength in depth of drivers as just as good as the Super Touring era. Sad to say I'm pretty much happy to watch YT highlights.
Went to my first live BTCC race in a long while at Donington this year. Nice to see in person BTCC in rude health but can't say I was/am desperate to go to another meeting. Ginettas were the highlight of the day, F4 are the most God-awful sounding cars I came across, and Porsche Carrera Cup was... well, Porsche Carrera Cup.
As great it is to the variety of cars they just don't excite me. I think the rot started with the introduction of control subframes and availablilty of spec engines never did sit well with me and still don't even though I'm happy with NASCAR and Aussie V8s.
The turbos do nothing for me. I do miss the high pitch, screaming 2L engines so much so that I'd rather attend Civic Cup and Type R Trophy races. I do find myself going to historic and club meetings and enjoying the day a lot more.
Regards to commentators, what's wrong with David Addison? Remember when the voice of MotoGP Toby Moody tried to have ago? He was well and truly awful and made a complete pig's ear of it, so bad with mistakes at every race and rendered unwatchable.
Some years later I did dip in and out for the new generation to come through. Tried to get back into and it just doesn't quite do it for me even if the variety of cars, strength in depth of drivers as just as good as the Super Touring era. Sad to say I'm pretty much happy to watch YT highlights.
Went to my first live BTCC race in a long while at Donington this year. Nice to see in person BTCC in rude health but can't say I was/am desperate to go to another meeting. Ginettas were the highlight of the day, F4 are the most God-awful sounding cars I came across, and Porsche Carrera Cup was... well, Porsche Carrera Cup.
As great it is to the variety of cars they just don't excite me. I think the rot started with the introduction of control subframes and availablilty of spec engines never did sit well with me and still don't even though I'm happy with NASCAR and Aussie V8s.
The turbos do nothing for me. I do miss the high pitch, screaming 2L engines so much so that I'd rather attend Civic Cup and Type R Trophy races. I do find myself going to historic and club meetings and enjoying the day a lot more.
Regards to commentators, what's wrong with David Addison? Remember when the voice of MotoGP Toby Moody tried to have ago? He was well and truly awful and made a complete pig's ear of it, so bad with mistakes at every race and rendered unwatchable.
I'm not sure there is anything wrong with it. It's not the series I wish it was; ballast, 3 short races isn't my thing. However, it seems to be in good health; good crowds, decent sponsors, and TV coverage most international series would give their arm for; day long coverage on ITV/ITV4.....
Saying that, I don't think modern Touring car racing is what it was....WTCR isn't a great series, DTM ditched 'touring cars' for GT3.
As an aside, a comparison with the BRC is painful, as there was a time they were on an equal footing....
Saying that, I don't think modern Touring car racing is what it was....WTCR isn't a great series, DTM ditched 'touring cars' for GT3.
As an aside, a comparison with the BRC is painful, as there was a time they were on an equal footing....
Dynion Araf Uchaf said:
ArnageWRC said:
As an aside, a comparison with the BRC is painful, as there was a time they were on an equal footing....
There was a time when the BRC smashed pretty much all motorsport bar maybe F1 and RAC coverage out of the park.whp1983 said:
I still love it although it’s not it’s 90s vintage best….
TCR seems more relevant though, modern cars you can associate with….. I think if BTCC drivers were in these it’d be superb
To me the BTCC cars look closer to road cars than TCR with the big holes on their arches etc. I don't like the flappy paddle gearboxes either.TCR seems more relevant though, modern cars you can associate with….. I think if BTCC drivers were in these it’d be superb
So is it the drivers or the cars that make a series? There are lots of ex-BTCC drivers in TCR already but the interest in it is a tiny fraction of BTCC.
I had a quick straw pole amongst mates this afternoon and the consensus is that BTCC has lost something to the viewer with the clampdown on driving standards. Personally I think it's good that they clamped down as too many club racers were getting into bad habits watching it.
entropy said:
Did you mean BRX rather than BRC? I don't remember British Rallying being massive in the 80s but I certainly remember watching Rallycross on Grandstand as a kid whilst a relative was waiting for the horse racing.
No I definitely meant BRC. The BHP reports on Grandstand or World of sport. Realistically what other motorsport was on TV at the time? F1 partially and WRC first couple and last couple of rounds. Then you have the stand alone RAC reports. BRx was once a year. Normally the Brands event.Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff