Tommo to drive 4th Vauxhall?

[RIKB]

The Autosport website, is running a story that James Thompson could drive a fourth Vauxhall Astra in this years BTCC.

However Vauxhall Motorsport boss Roland Dane has said that a number of drivers including Thompson have told him they are available.

So will he or won't he?

[hunttheshunt]

Read the same thing-I think Thompson is a hypocrit, because i reckon he's only saying the BTCC looks better than the old super tourers is because he wants a seat because he was dumped by ABT. Personally, i hope Vauxhall don't sign him up and instead signb someone who the fans and drivers respect more. In any case, he'd be blown away by Muller and Plato.

[Larsen]

I think you are wrong, James Thompson is a very good driver and i know when i see a great driver. I hope that he does get the fourth seat but wouldn't this mean that Peugeot now have to have a forth driver?

[Les]

No thanks Thommo - I don't want someone who is only after a seat in a Vauxhall because he couldn't get anything else.

[Larsen]

You would do the same. If you can't get a drive then you have to look elsewhere.

[******]

There are enough ego's in BTTC without having to endure another year of James Thompson.

[Invader]

You've said it all....not much to add except...ARSE!

[Lorna]

lol! Larsen is right, you would look for another seat, it's just a shame it's Thompson we are talking about Hats off huntsthehunt - I couldn't agree more! I thought the bloke had potential a couple of years ago but he just made an arse of himself. He's got to reach maturity before he earns respect from this corner!

[Les]

Originally posted by Larsen
You would do the same. If you can't get a drive then you have to look elsewhere.

Yes I would do the same but I would expect to be in the queue behind all those drivers who wanted to give 100% to the team from the start.

I have to say he showed himself up last year - tried to play both sides of the fence (poorly),put his parts on when things didn't go right, blabbed to the press about the team and went off to Europe. He can stay there!

[runnyhunny]

Mmmnnn... I think James was perhaps silly to slag off the BTCC when it looked like his future was with the DTM, especially now that he's looking for a BTCC drive. (if the Autosport story is reliable - it could just be made up)

However, I do rate James as a driver. He is good. You have to remember that a lot of his 2000 problems were caused by the bitter relationship between WSR and FossTech.

[hunttheshunt]

Thanks Lorna, nice too see someone agreeing w/me for once other than Mr.Invader. I do wonder whether Vauxhall and Pug will field a fourth car-if they do, surely MG will have to enter more than Reid and Hughes.

[Larsen]

Well because of this, it should make Peugeot respond with a fourth driver,

[******]

I think that i read somewhere that pug will run a fourth/guest car at about half of the races, probably with a star from another form of motorsort.

[Larsen]

I would guess it would be drivers who drive peugeots example Marcus Gronholme or Didier Auriol.

[Invader]

That reminds me....I'm off to post a topic about Hughes.

[touringlegend]

Originally posted by hunttheshunt
surely MG will have to enter more than Reid and Hughes.

Yeah thats certainly true but remember Vauxhall started off with only Muller + Plato.

[Super Tourer]

I can't see this 4 car thing working anyway. You have to say that 888 didn't exactly do a great job with 3 cars last year (ask Vincent !), whereas Prodrive ran 3 cars very well.

Who steps aside when somebody shunts in qualifying or Race 1
leaving 3 cars and 4 drivers, can you really see 888 putting Muller on the sidelines to let the others race.

888 made a pigs ear of the whole team 'orders'issue with only 3 cars to think of. I would imagine Ferrier is paying for his drive, so does that mean the 'customer' has to step aside to let the 'stars' race, if circumstances arise...

Running 4 cars means that somebody will be fourth in line for everyting - who will it be?

[Super Tourer]

And another thing ! Menu couldn't agree to drive for 888 because there was no budget for the driver. This means the driver had to pay instead of being paid.

Will Thommo or his backers (if he's got any) want to stump up to see him race in a series that only a few months he declared he had no interest in......

Reality check time......

[kmchow]

Supertourer wrote:

>And another thing ! Menu couldn't agree to drive for 888 because there was no >budget for the driver. This means the driver had to pay instead of being paid.
>
You sure about that? Or did he MEAN to say "INSUFFICIENT" budget for the driver? In other words, he wasn't willing to drive for [significantly] less than what he previously got?

>Running 4 cars means that somebody will be fourth in line for everyting - who >will it be?
>
Perhaps, I'm just plain simple minded, but offhand, I would have guessed the last driver hired is would get the 4th and least important seat? I thought the team/"pecking" order can be established by just watching the driver selection order? The first driver chosen is the most improtant and talented, and so fourth? Has a later signed driver ever beat the previously chosen driver in terms of importance and pecking order?

[touringlegend]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Super Tourer
[B]
Who steps aside when somebody shunts in qualifying or Race 1
leaving 3 cars and 4 drivers, can you really see 888 putting Muller on the sidelines to let the others race.

But surely there's a rule that states thet a driver must use only one car?

I'll get the answer though - I'll ask the man himself - Richard West in a mystery forum.

[hunttheshunt]

I dont mind who the fourth driver is as long as its not Thompson.

[Guy Goddard]

You've only got to look at 99 when Thompson delibertly drove Plato in the laguna of the the road, if that wasn't bad enough he said afterwards he didn't know what had happened, and then complained at being thrown out of the race.
Yeh right, that sort of driving is best left in banger racing and thats were him and his ego should go.
Johnny Herbert would also be a mistake..not aggesive enough.

[runnyhunny]

Guy,

I agree that Thompson was pretty naughty to push Plato off the road at Oulton. However, the exact opposite has happened a number of times. Have a look at one of the Brands Hatch rounds from 1997!

[Guy Goddard]

Originally posted by runnyhunny
Guy,

I agree that Thompson was pretty naughty to push Plato off the road at Oulton. However, the exact opposite has happened a number of times. Have a look at one of the Brands Hatch rounds from 1997!

Ummm, yep true but maybe it was Thompsons remarks afterwards saying he didn't know what had happened if he had blamed Plato or Leslie them fair enough but he just said "i don't know". So he turned sharp right across the track onto the grass and "doesn't know why" scary, maybe he fell asleep, Plato in car comments afterwards were awesome why beep it all out!!