[BTCC] The Annual BTCC Predictions thread - 2015

[Craner Curves]

For those who don't know or are new here, we usually have a thread with some less geeky predictions (like first time winners) and slightly offbeat things (first driver to hit the gravel trap), so here's the 2015 version. You have 5 predictions to make and then we can review them after the season and see how accurate or inaccurate they will be! No more predictions after free practice one at Brands Hatch.

1. Sam Tordoff will win the most races out of the 7 rear wheel drive pilots.
2. Aiden Moffat will be a first time winner.
3. Jeff Smith will pick up the first and most driving infractions.
4. Tom Ingram will be the only Toyota to get his points into double figures.
5. Team HARD will change their driver lineup at least once.

[porsche962fan]

1 Plato will be king of whinging again
2 Priaux will struggle like Gio and Menu
3 Thuxton will be another fiasco for RAR
4 Plato will tangle with Turks and A. Smith and cause bad blood at team BMR
5 Honda will win the manufacturers title

and 6 because I like to go one step beyond

6 Team Paras will not score more than 7 points all season

[Motorsportfreak]

1. All BMW Drivers will win a race (or more)
2. There will be a collision between Plato and Turkington
3. Both Mercedes will win a race (or more)
4. Rob Austin will win more than one race
5. Someone will have a massive Crash at church @ Thruxton

[Greem]

1. Somehow, Turkington will sneak the championship at Brands in R29.
2. Plato will announce his retirement, as will Neal.
3. We'll have 4 first-time winners.
4. The Silverstone meeting will be immensely wet.
5. R3 will be stopped due to a massive pile-up at Druids.

and for good measure

6. I'll miss watching Croft because I'll be at Formula E at Battersea. Not so much of a prediction there, given I got told I'm going to be a flaggie last week

[pimmy]

1. There will be no new winners.
2. A Civic Type R will win the first race of the season.
3. Someone will win a race on the road, but lose the victory via disqualification/penalty.
4. Nic Hamilton will be lapped in the first race he finishes.
5. Motorbase will not turn up.

[crmalcolm]

1. Swindon engines will win less than 1/3 of races.
2. Plato will present an excuse for being beaten by a team-mate.
3. A type-R will win two races at the first event.
4. Jeff Smith won't finish ahead of Aron Smith in any race (if they both finish on lead lap).
5. RWD cars will be on the podium for all three rounds at Rockingham.

[skells22]

1. a car will roll
2. new winners
3. N.Hamiton will get points
4. there will be a pile up
5. 3 fully wet days

[porsche962fan]

3 is already a FAIL

Nic Hamilton has a "guest" entry TBL which means no points

[skells22]

I change number three to this
3.Plato will beat Turkington by one point

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

1 - A Smith outqualifies Plato for the first 3 rounds and beats him in the championship
2 - Jeff Smith and Martin Depper will get involved in an avoidable incident that may/may not involve another car
3 - Lewis Hamilton is interviewed by ITV4 at every possible opportunity
4 - Goff gets a lights to flag win somewhere
5 - Paul O'Neill won't do his pre-Race 3 twitter feed feature on at least 4 occasions, having lost his voice commentating on the preceding Ginetta Junior race...

[ahobson98]

1. Plato will moan about either RWD or boost at least once
2. Moffat and Morgan will both get podiums
3. There will be at least one safety car per circuit
4. The commentators will mention Andrew Jordans rallycross backround every time he saves a slide
5. Tom Ingram will get a podium

[850Estate]

1. Itv4 will start the coverage at Brands with an extended interview with Nic Hamilton even though he isn't racing
2. Simon Belcher will score a point
3. Keiran Gallagher will change livery and sponsors every second weekend
4. Jeff Smith and Rob Austin will have a coming together (either on track or in the pits)
5. More than 20 people will ask Paul O'Neill extremely simple questions; eg "Hi Paul, do touring cars have 5 seats like the road car?" or "What is a ballast, and does my road car need one?"

[slummingangel]

1. Á. Smith places better than last year
2. Someone will take Plato out of a race but suffer no repercussions
3. One of the also ran teams will score a win and it won't be in the third race.
4. One race weekend will have No yellow or Red flags in the 3 BTCC races
5. One race weekend will have either a Red or yellow in the 3 BTCC races

[steve_r]

1 - BMW's will win all three Knockhill races
2 - Adam Morgan will win at least two races
3 - If he makes it out onto the grid this season, Matt Jackson will win at least one race
4 - Nic Hamilton will out qualify at least two cars on his debut
5 - Jordan will be champion

[Jiiiiiiim]

1. Goff will win at least one race
2. Shedden will be quick but his car will break down a lot
3. Infiniti won't get either car home in the top ten in any race
4. Ingram will get Speedwork's first podium
5. Power Maxed will be the most improved team

[rdjones]

1. Plato will upset Neal
2. Neal will upset Plato
3. We will have one wet race day
4. Turkington will finish higher in the championship than Plato
5. Hamilton will out qualify the Infiniti at Croft

[mattt]

1. Priaulx will win at least 3 races
2. Plato won't be with BMR next year after a fall out towards the end of the season.
3. Turkington will win at Thruxton
4. Matt Neal will bemoan the lack of boost his car has.
5. Sheddon will win the title again.

[S griffin]

1. Jordan will finish in the top five.
2. The new Honda will have won by Croft
3. Priaulx will win at least one race
4 Tordoff will be the highest WSR driver in the championship
5. Warren Scott will get at least five top tens

[slummingangel]

Originally Posted by slummingangel

1. Á. Smith places better than last year
2. Someone will take Plato out of a race but suffer no repercussions
3. One of the also ran teams will score a win and it won't be in the third race.
4. One race weekend will have No yellow or Red flags in the 3 BTCC races
5. One race weekend will have either a Red or yellow in the 3 BTCC races

1. Half right did better in the independents but worst in the overall championship
2. Not sure can't remember
3. Do Motorbase count as an also ran this year?
4. Not sure can't remember
5. Brands hatch gp each race had yellows didn't it?

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by S griffin

1. Jordan will finish in the top five.
2. The new Honda will have won by Croft
3. Priaulx will win at least one race
4 Tordoff will be the highest WSR driver in the championship
5. Warren Scott will get at least five top tens

1. Just beat Tordoff to do it
2. Yep
3. He certainly did
4. Another one!
5. You can't win em all

4/5, if only I could be this good on the lottery

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by slummingangel

1. Half right did better in the independents but worst in the overall championship

2. Not sure can't remember

3. Do Motorbase count as an also ran this year?

4. Not sure can't remember

5. Brands hatch gp each race had yellows didn't it?

2. Does the Ingram incident in Rockingham count?
4. Brands Hatch Indy?

[850Estate]

Originally Posted by 850Estate

1. Itv4 will start the coverage at Brands with an extended interview with Nic Hamilton even though he isn't racing
2. Simon Belcher will score a point
3. Keiran Gallagher will change livery and sponsors every second weekend
4. Jeff Smith and Rob Austin will have a coming together (either on track or in the pits)
5. More than 20 people will ask Paul O'Neill extremely simple questions; eg "Hi Paul, do touring cars have 5 seats like the road car?" or "What is a ballast, and does my road car need one?"

1. Not at Brands no, was at Croft so not sure if they did it for his debut.

2. Woo Hoo!

3. Not as drastically as before, but that Toyota did change livery and add sponsors.

4. Yup

5. Not as bad as last year...but I'll give myself it!

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

1 - A Smith outqualifies Plato for the first 3 rounds and beats him in the championship
2 - Jeff Smith and Martin Depper will get involved in an avoidable incident that may/may not involve another car
3 - Lewis Hamilton is interviewed by ITV4 at every possible opportunity
4 - Goff gets a lights to flag win somewhere
5 - Paul O'Neill won't do his pre-Race 3 twitter feed feature on at least 4 occasions, having lost his voice commentating on the preceding Ginetta Junior race...

1 - A bit ambitious, but he did outqualify Plato at both BHI and Thruxton, not Donington. And was nowhere near him in the championship!
2 - Snetterton, can't remember which race but they certainly did!
3 - I'll claim there were no opportunities and therefore I get this one
4 - Snetterton, can remember which race
5 - I blame the BARC's timetables. If it wasn't for them I'd obviously have this one too...

[Jiiiiiiim]

Originally Posted by Jiiiiiiim

1. Goff will win at least one race
2. Shedden will be quick but his car will break down a lot
3. Infiniti won't get either car home in the top ten in any race
4. Ingram will get Speedwork's first podium
5. Power Maxed will be the most improved team

1. Yep, only once but that will do!
2. flash was quick but apart from Snetterton the car didn't really fail him, so half right!
3. Sadly very much yes, one car didn't even finish the season.
4. Tick, very happy he did so too!
5. I would say so, turned from back of the grid also rans (no offence to Stockton) to podium challengers.

[Greem]

Originally Posted by Greem

1. Somehow, Turkington will sneak the championship at Brands in R29.
2. Plato will announce his retirement, as will Neal.
3. We'll have 4 first-time winners.
4. The Silverstone meeting will be immensely wet.
5. R3 will be stopped due to a massive pile-up at Druids.

and for good measure

6. I'll miss watching Croft because I'll be at Formula E at Battersea. Not so much of a prediction there, given I got told I'm going to be a flaggie last week

1. Nope.
2. Nope. Not yet, anyway!
3. So far as I can tell, only Jack Goff. So nope.
4. Nope.
5. Nope.

and for good measure

6. Oh, yes indeedy, and what a great weekend that was!

So, 0/5. Must do better!