BTCC 2012 rumour mill

[Thaw Daggerslash]

Had a bit of a think about what the 2012 grid could be like. This is what I came up with. Can see WSR being the first big team to switch to NGTC regulations.

Dynamics/Honda (Honda Civic)
Matt Neal
Gordon Shedden
? (third car possible for James Thompson?)

RML/Chevrolet (Chevrolet Cruze)
Jason Plato? (made comments before about wanting to do GT/Le Mans racing in future)
Alex MacDowall

Arena/Ford (Ford Focus)
?
? (Recent confirmation that Arena is building Fords for WTCC could mean Chilton and Onslow-Cole race there)
? (Glew/Neate?)

Motorbase/Airwaves (Ford Focus)
Mat Jackson
Liam Griffin
Johnny Adam? (recently tested for team)

West Surrey Racing/Team eBay (MG 7 - to become "unofficial" MG team? Ran MGs before)
Rob Collard
Nick Foster

Triple 8 (Vauxhall Vectra)
James Nash
Tony Gilham? (funding has been a struggle this year)

Tech Speed (Chevrolet Cruze)
Paul O'Neill? (made comments prior to the season about leaving the series if he doesn't win this year)
John George

AmD Milltek (VW Golf)
Martin Byford
? (Possibility to run a second car?)

Rob Austin Racing (Audi A4)
Rob Austin? (Said before the year he'd rather focus on team management)
Chris Swanwick/Dave Pinkney? (Swanwick recently tested for the team, expected to race later this year, Pinkney admitted he was in contact with 3 teams about a drive for '12, return here a possibility?

Speedworks (Toyota Avensis)
Tony Hughes (budget allowing)

Dynojet (Toyota Avensis - possibility of more Toyota backing?)
Frank Wrathall
? (Second car for G55 champion? Ginetta sponsors Dynojet)

Geoff Steel Racing (BMW 320si with turbo?)
?
? (Wanted to run two cars this year)

Special Tuning Racing UK (Seat Leon - unless they go the NGTC route - Seat Exeo?)
Tom Boardman
Dave Newsham
? (third car possibility?)

Eurotech/Pirtek Racing (Vauxhall Vectra)
Andy Jordan? (Recent entry into a competition to drive a V8 Supercar suggests he could be eyeing a move to Australia?)
Jeff Smith

Welch Automotive (Proton Gen 2)
Dan Welch
? (aim to have second car racing in 2012)

Thorney Motorsport (Vauxhall Insignia - entering Silverstone in preparation for full season in 2012)
?
?

TH Motorsport (Skoda Octavia - Skoda backing?)
Matt Hamilton
? (confirmed intentions to run a second car)

ES Racing (Chevrolet Lacetti)
Chris James (if he has the budget for a second season?)

Central Group Racing (? - BTC cars outlawed from 2012)
Lea Wood

bamboo Engineering (plans for 2011 fell through)
Harry Vaulkhard?

[Andrew Abbott]

Probably best you keep those thoughts, and this 'thread', to yourself at this stage.

[Icebaby]

should we start one for 2013 and 2014 while were at it....

[Thaw Daggerslash]

And why exactly is there a thread for WTCC 2012 then?

[Andrew Abbott]

Originally Posted by Thaw Daggerslash

And why exactly is there a thread for WTCC 2012 then?

There is actually more to discuss. These are just your thoughts...

[I Rosputnik]

I don't see the harm in it. To be honest I started the WTCC 2012 a few months ago and I think that was a bit too early.

I wonder if we will see Team Dynamics build a NGTC Civic. I remember something about someone saying that the new car would be based on the replacement for the current Civic. Then again I would prefer an Accord.

[Alfa Fan]

There are actually a couple of bits of 2012 news which aren't just pure speculation.

* Welch have stated they plan to expand to two Proton Gen-2s.
* Thorney Motorsport intend to enter a pair of Vauxhall Insignias.
* Matt Hamilton will be racing an NGTC Skoda Octavia vRS.
* Rob Austin Racing intend to continue with the A4s.
* The winner of the Ginetta G55s will have a funded drive in a TBA NGTC car
* Dynamics are working on a fully NGTC-spec Civic, possibly for next year
* Several privateer teams have approached MG to discuss potential programmes with the 6.

[Thaw Daggerslash]

Originally Posted by AndySpeed

There is actually more to discuss. These are just your thoughts...

Yes, to get the topic going and to see what other people though. Fine...

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Thaw Daggerslash

Thorney Motorsport (Vauxhall Insignia - entering Silverstone in preparation for full season in 2012)
?
?

John Thorne driving the first car when it runs later this year, I think he said he plans to continue driving the car in 2012.

[Aunt Sally]

Originally Posted by Thaw Daggerslash

Had a bit of a think about what the 2012 grid could be like.

But most of that is what is already happening in 2011 or has already been spoken about??

Where are the rumours??

AlfaFan has the right idea!

[Thaw Daggerslash]

Originally Posted by Aunt Sally

But most of that is what is already happening in 2011 or has already been spoken about??

Where are the rumours??

AlfaFan has the right idea!

Did you actually bother reading any of what I put?

Now I know what it feels like to be talking to a brick wall!

[medius]

Its not really a rumour mill for 2012 when you just copy the 2011 lineup and add a few details.

[FIRE]

Please be nice to each other.

Normally we don't start a next season rumour thread until the last few races of the season. Call it a gentlemen's agreement or unwritten rule. Of course if there is news or rumours you are free to discuss it but in case BTCC there isn't much to discuss. May I suggest to wait and enjoin the current season?

[Thaw Daggerslash]

Originally Posted by medius

Its not really a rumour mill for 2012 when you just copy the 2011 lineup and add a few details.

Sorry, next time I'll come up with a load of ******** with no substance to them at all, instead of what actually might happen if that'll so please you.

[nickyf1]

Originally Posted by AndySpeed

Probably best you keep those thoughts, and this 'thread', to yourself at this stage.

I thought this comment was completely uncalled for.

Remember that age old Ten-Tenths rule of ''Attack the post, not the poster''?

[medius]

Originally Posted by Thaw Daggerslash

Sorry, next time I'll come up with a load of ******** with no substance to them at all, instead of what actually might happen if that'll so please you.

Or wait until there's things to post?

I know that things do change between seasons, and things stay the same, but theres nothing in the opening post of the thread other than an opinion, which - face it - has no substance.

Originally Posted by Alfa Fan

There are actually a couple of bits of 2012 news which aren't just pure speculation.

* Welch have stated they plan to expand to two Proton Gen-2s.
* Thorney Motorsport intend to enter a pair of Vauxhall Insignias.
* Matt Hamilton will be racing an NGTC Skoda Octavia vRS.
* Rob Austin Racing intend to continue with the A4s.
* The winner of the Ginetta G55s will have a funded drive in a TBA NGTC car
* Dynamics are working on a fully NGTC-spec Civic, possibly for next year
* Several privateer teams have approached MG to discuss potential programmes with the 6.

Thats what should have been in the opening post, the stuff which has been announced (notice I didn't say that all had been officially confirmed).

[VXDave]

Auto Express ran the story "MG in BTCC comeback"; further adding fuel to the rumour of their return. Apparently, they could use either the MG6 hatch, or the 'Magnette' saloon version. Not a lot more info than than that, just a brief comment from Mr. Gow saying he'd love to see MG back... so we could have:

Audi
Toyota
Proton
Vauxhall
Skoda
MG

Not bad so far! That's already more prospective pure NGTC marques than the WTCC has after years of S2000!

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by VXDave

so we could have:

Audi
Toyota
Proton
Vauxhall
Skoda
MG

And if the Dynamics rumour materialises, a full-NGTC Honda.

[Sodemo]

None of those are manufacturer entries though, which is a shame. I personally think that "Honda" could well be the only works entry in 2012, as I fully believe that Chevy will pull out.

[nickyf1]

Yeah, you are right. Chevrolet and RML have no reason to build an NGTC car, they have their hands full with the works Cruze in the WTCC.

What we will see is lots of faux-manufacturer liveried cars, and lots of them. So whats better? Full works entries with a few different makes, or lots of different cars of different makes and models?

[nickyf1]

Originally Posted by VXDave

Auto Express ran the story "MG in BTCC comeback"; further adding fuel to the rumour of their return. Apparently, they could use either the MG6 hatch, or the 'Magnette' saloon version.

Its not really MG themselves expressing interest, its a number of teams approaching MG to talk about running MG's in the BTCC, wether that be a private outfit or a team seeking a particular level of works support.

[Valker]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

And if the Dynamics rumour materialises, a full-NGTC Honda.

Aren't they building a new WTCC car for Honda? If 1.6T won't be allowed in BTCC, I bet they will continue using S2000 with NGTC engine.

[Wheels of Fire]

yes,team Dynamics and Honda in WTCC in 2013.

[Thaw Daggerslash]

Originally Posted by nickyf1

What we will see is lots of faux-manufacturer liveried cars, and lots of them. So whats better? Full works entries with a few different makes, or lots of different cars of different makes and models?

The latter. I think the days of manufacturers meaning anything has long since past. Sure, it's cool to think back to how many manufacturers there were in BTCC in the 90's, but do they really do anything other than add "prestige"? Certainly, there haven't been as many manufacturers involved in the BTCC recently, but the racing has been fantastic. Indeed, I'd say some of the action we've seen over recent years has been way better than what we saw in the 90s.

All manufacturers do is bump up the costs needed to race competitively, moan and ***** at each other and then leave when they're no longer winning. So they can sod off, quite frankly. I'd much rather see privateers running lots of different makes and models rather than loads of manufacturers. Just my personal preferance.

[medius]

Independant teams certainly capture the fans imagination more than manufacturer teams. Theres possibly more AMD/Milltek, RAR, Eurotek, Techspeed fans than RML or Dynamics fans. I don't know if thats down to how they interact with the fans, or if its ''support the underdog'' way of thinking.