2026: BTCC chat & discussion
Discussion
Sebring440 said:
Imagine that.
Aero is one area that a good race engineer can improve a car, and we should take that away from them?
Yes.Aero is one area that a good race engineer can improve a car, and we should take that away from them?
BTCC isn't F1, and it's ostensibly production car racing. Different road car models are inherently more or less aerodynamically efficient, and no amount of good race engineering can change that. Some means to equalize drag would allow for variety on the grids while the race cars still maintain a close link with the road car shape and styling, but brings parity of performance without resorting to a NASCAR style common body template.
There's already lot's of things in the BTCC regulations which attempt to equalize the aero performance (and other areas too) of the different production car models, so this would just be another one. It would give a clear benefit to teams in opening up the choice of cars that have the potential to be competitive and allow the series to maintain relevance to the UK road car market, where as at the moment the championship is heading in the opposite direction.
Relevance to the UK car market has been central to the character and popularity of the championship through out its entire history.
If all relevance to the UK car market is removed, then there's no chance of manufacturer involvement...and if it doesnt have either of those things then what's the point of the BTCC?
If all relevance to the UK car market is removed, then there's no chance of manufacturer involvement...and if it doesnt have either of those things then what's the point of the BTCC?
I have no doubt people online will piss and moan about it, yet it doesn’t really matter to the championships popularity or longevity.
You couldn’t buy the DC5 in the UK, doesn’t take anything away from what Team Dynamics created with the car, the results they got, the results the Jordans got, the results Owy got.
The Infiniti was a bucket of s
te when you could buy them in the UK, they were only good when the brand had left the UK.
Wasn’t that long ago Honda ran an estate just cause.
If you choose to run a hot hatch rather than a saloon car, that comes with an aero penalty. You have the freedom to choose to run one and the freedom to try and change body parts to reduce the problems that body shape creates with drag.
Aero parity brings in homologated bodywork, bundles of testing and much like every other form of performance equalisation, stands next to no chance of actually working. Look at the number of times Supercars does mid season changes for parity or the never ending bickering with TCR.
I have a far bigger problem with teams having good work hobbled to help others keep up, than I do with a car not being available in that exact format from my local dealer.
You couldn’t buy the DC5 in the UK, doesn’t take anything away from what Team Dynamics created with the car, the results they got, the results the Jordans got, the results Owy got.
The Infiniti was a bucket of s
te when you could buy them in the UK, they were only good when the brand had left the UK.Wasn’t that long ago Honda ran an estate just cause.
If you choose to run a hot hatch rather than a saloon car, that comes with an aero penalty. You have the freedom to choose to run one and the freedom to try and change body parts to reduce the problems that body shape creates with drag.
Aero parity brings in homologated bodywork, bundles of testing and much like every other form of performance equalisation, stands next to no chance of actually working. Look at the number of times Supercars does mid season changes for parity or the never ending bickering with TCR.
I have a far bigger problem with teams having good work hobbled to help others keep up, than I do with a car not being available in that exact format from my local dealer.
emicen said:
Aero parity brings in homologated bodywork, bundles of testing and much like every other form of performance equalisation, stands next to no chance of actually working. Look at the number of times Supercars does mid season changes for parity or the never ending bickering with TCR.
I have a far bigger problem with teams having good work hobbled to help others keep up, than I do with a car not being available in that exact format from my local dealer.
Well said.I have a far bigger problem with teams having good work hobbled to help others keep up, than I do with a car not being available in that exact format from my local dealer.
clubracing said:
Relevance to the UK car market has been central to the character and popularity of the championship through out its entire history.
If all relevance to the UK car market is removed, then there's no chance of manufacturer involvement...and if it doesnt have either of those things then what's the point of the BTCC?
There's no manufacturer involvement now. Several cars don't even have the manufacturers badges. The point is that it's entertainment for fans. It doesn't need manufacturers for that. Just teams and drivers that fans can get behind with close, exciting racing.If all relevance to the UK car market is removed, then there's no chance of manufacturer involvement...and if it doesnt have either of those things then what's the point of the BTCC?
Toyota were involved with the Speedworks Corollas last year, unclear at the moment if that's continuing or not, but if they dont then I think that would make it the first season since the early '80s that there is no involvement whatsoever from any manufacturer or their dealer network in BTCC.
If BTCC continues down this route and it ends up that the grids are just a mix of old cars that are no longer being made, or cars that have never been sold in the UK, and no involvement from any manufacturers, then I dont see it lasting.
If BTCC continues down this route and it ends up that the grids are just a mix of old cars that are no longer being made, or cars that have never been sold in the UK, and no involvement from any manufacturers, then I dont see it lasting.
Interesting the picture in the press release shows the Napa car being right hand drive.
I can’t find the saloon Focus in Australia or anywhere else so wonder where they got them from? Perhaps given so much of a btcc car forward of the firewall is not from the road going car they just swapped in a dash from the hatchback?
I can’t find the saloon Focus in Australia or anywhere else so wonder where they got them from? Perhaps given so much of a btcc car forward of the firewall is not from the road going car they just swapped in a dash from the hatchback?
colin79666 said:
Interesting the picture in the press release shows the Napa car being right hand drive.
I can t find the saloon Focus in Australia or anywhere else so wonder where they got them from? Perhaps given so much of a btcc car forward of the firewall is not from the road going car they just swapped in a dash from the hatchback?
Be surprised if they’re new cars. The TD Civic estates were the FK2s with the rear body changed, would expect NAPA to have done the same.I can t find the saloon Focus in Australia or anywhere else so wonder where they got them from? Perhaps given so much of a btcc car forward of the firewall is not from the road going car they just swapped in a dash from the hatchback?
colin79666 said:
Interesting the picture in the press release shows the Napa car being right hand drive.
I can t find the saloon Focus in Australia or anywhere else so wonder where they got them from? Perhaps given so much of a btcc car forward of the firewall is not from the road going car they just swapped in a dash from the hatchback?
It's the same car they used last year with the saloon panels grafted on.I can t find the saloon Focus in Australia or anywhere else so wonder where they got them from? Perhaps given so much of a btcc car forward of the firewall is not from the road going car they just swapped in a dash from the hatchback?
Bit of an oversimplification but it's now a new car so which hand drive they are isn't affected by the panels.
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