BTCC 2006 News, Rumours, Entries...

[Alfa Fan]

Techspeed's program with Leggate was for 1 and 1/2 years I believe.

[redshoes]

If SEAT want a proven race winner they could alway borrow one of the WTCC team, after there's enough of them to chose from. Having Plato paired with, ohh I don't know, say Yvan Muller, has a certain appeal

Hughes said as long ago as Brands that he was looking to do something bigger/better next year, but even so I'd treat him as an extra occational runner rather than a full time entrant until we here otherwise.

Pinkney was supposed to be buying one of the ex-Team Dynamics Integras but I'll half believe that when I see it and only properly believe it when I see him for the second meeting in a row.

[Alfa Fan]

Hughes has since confirmed his particaption in the BTCC in 2006 in a 2004-Spec MG ZS.

[touringlegend]

As posted by FIRE earlier on, the confirmed entries so far are:

VX Racing (Triple Eight) - Vauxhall Astra (BTC-Touring) - Fabrizio Giovanardi
VX Racing (Triple Eight) - Vauxhall Astra (BTC-Touring) - Tom Chilton
SEAT Sport UK (Northern South) - SEAT Leon (S2000) - Jason Plato
SEAT Sport UK (Northern South) - SEAT Leon (S2000) - ???
Team Eurotech - Honda Integra (BTC-Touring) - Mike Jordan


Will update this and re-post as more entries are confirmed.

[FIRE]

Only Northern South part of SEAT entry is not confirmed?

[BillyT]

TD are considering running two teams, one "senior for Neal and Eaves" the other being the "junior for Howell and possible Hines"

Source - Tomorows Autosport.

[newoutsider]

That woumake sense as the 'junior' team could use the Zip kart 'Team Young Guns' branding, giving Zip a bigger return on their investment

[Neil Adams]

Originally Posted by redshoes

If SEAT want a proven race winner they could alway borrow one of the WTCC team, after there's enough of them to chose from. Having Plato paired with, ohh I don't know, say Yvan Muller, has a certain appeal

that'd be interesting, altho not sure it'd happened (know you where half joking), i hadnt realised that plato and muller where driving for the same team / manufacturer!

only four rounds clash so they could borrow any number of the wtcc drivers in the second car (i think reading the new rules news story that came out a while back that the rule about ballast for late entrys applys to extra cars per team not different drivers)

[touringlegend]

Triple Eight have agreed a new 3 year deal to run Vauxhall's motorsport team.

Source: Autosport.com Although it doesn't specifically say BTCC team I'd guess this says Vauxhall have all intentions of being around in the BTCC for a while yet.

[BootsOntheSide]

The Vauxhall brand is only really the main one in the UK, so it's unlikely that they'd race in any other country. Certainly good news for the BTCC, as the Dynamics junior team would be - Howell deserves a full season in a competitive car. As for SEAT, the BTCC and WTCC teams are ran by different squads, which makes cross-overs less likely, but if Plato is pushing for the title late-season they might send Muller over for the odd race to help out - although I can see him being a hinderance rather than a help to Jason. Kartworld and TechSpeed are likely, but plenty of people have been cocksure and confident of appearing the next season without ever making it, so I'll be waiting for something more official nearer the time.

[Valker]

Eurotech Unveils BTCC Livery

Blah, I don' like that too much. Kind of dull.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Valker

Eurotech Unveils BTCC Livery

Blah, I don' like that too much. Kind of dull.

I like it, especially the white/light blue combination.

[touringlegend]

Suggestion by this weeks Autosport that James Thompson will be Seat's 2nd BTCC driver in the 6 non-clashing rounds the BTCC has with the world championship. The remaining 4 rounds would be competed by another driver, Pickford and Hines are in negotiation for it.

[Coops]

I think Matt Jackson driving for the Seat team would be a good call. It would be good to see some one with his kind of car control on track. I like his fast in, fast out style.
But then Tom Boardman is a top racer is well.

[Les]

they could offer all of them a round each - Tom, Mat, James and Luke

[touringlegend]

It could allow Seat to employ some dirty tactics with that driver rotation.

I don't think it's in the best interests of Seat to have as many different 2nd drivers. As much as I'd like Thommo to be driving, I'd much rather have a full time 2nd driver and have Thommo and the others as a 3rd driver.

[Hazard]

Originally Posted by touringlegend

It could allow Seat to employ some dirty tactics with that driver rotation.

I don't think it's in the best interests of Seat to have as many different 2nd drivers. As much as I'd like Thommo to be driving, I'd much rather have a full time 2nd driver and have Thommo and the others as a 3rd driver.

There's also a new weight penalty for '06 that penalises late season entries - though it would have been a perfect strategy before that.

[Hazard]

Originally Posted by FIRE

I like it, especially the white/light blue combination.

Looks a bit Ozzie. And not just because of the Pirtek markings.

[kipper]

Personally I don't think that it is SEAT's interests to continually rotate their second BTCC car as it breaks continuity and the possibility of late season weight penalties that could be imposed. Also there are a number of drivers, with race winning experience who could do a good job for SEAT.

[BootsOntheSide]

How does the new weight penalty system work? If it's only aplied the first time a driver enters, it would only be a disadvantage to SEAT at one of the rounds, which isn't a big disadvantage, but if it applies every time a driver who didn't compete in the rpevious round races, the idea is fairly illogical for them to rotate the drive.

[ATF]

If Thompson did share the second seat, it would be like this...

Brands Hatch - Thompson
Mondello Park - Thompson
Oulton Park - Thompson
Thruxton - 2nd driver
Croft - Thompson
Donington Park - 2nd driver
Snetterton - Thompson
Knockhill - 2nd driver
Brands Hatch - 2nd driver
Silverstone - Thompson

But if SEAT decided to run a 3rd car for JT at selected rounds, he would start the season and although he would miss a few rounds, he's technically NOT a new driver joining the championship late, is he? I don't know if the success ballast would be applied to his car after missing a meeting.

[Neil Adams]

Originally Posted by Neil Adams

i think reading the new rules news story that came out a while back that the rule about ballast for late entrys applys to extra cars per team not different drivers)

"The BTCC teams’ meeting also agreed, for 2006: ..... to penalise cars of those who enter the BTCC late, or dip in and out of the championship, with a maximum success ballast at their first meeting or on their return. The amount of ballast would then be reduced in the second meeting and again in the third meeting in which that car competes"

source : http://btcc-racing.com/news0281.asp

[touringlegend]

It's a funny one. Says penalise cars of "those" who enter late.

Could be referring to the driver in "those".

[redshoes]

As I understand it the penalty does apply to the driver not the car. "to penalise cars" simply means that it's the car that it fitted with the ballast rather than the driver having to carry lead weights in his pockets.

Based on ATF's prediction Thompson would carry max ballast at Croft, Snetterton and Silverstone, and the second driver max ballast at Thruxton, Donington and Knockhill. In other words SEAT's second entry would be at maximum weight for 6 of the 10 meetings, which makes no sense if they wanted to challenge for the manufacturers' or team's titles.

Regardless of the weight penalties the idea of swapping between drivers regularly does make much sense anyhow. A driver needs track time to learn and develop the car, and more so for a relatively inexperienced driver such as Pickford or Hines in a relatively undeveloped car. The other problem is that you are effectively putting all your championship hopes on Plato since it would be impossible for a driver only doing half the series to challenge for the title.

I can understand bringing Thompson in as an occational third driver, but not as a car-sharing second driver.

[FIRE]

3rd VX Racing car confirmed

Confirmed entries so far are:
VX Racing (Triple Eight) - Vauxhall Astra (BTC-Touring) - Fabrizio Giovanardi
VX Racing (Triple Eight) - Vauxhall Astra (BTC-Touring) - Tom Chilton
VX Racing (Triple Eight) - Vauxhall Astra (BTC-Touring) - Fast driver with budget
SEAT Sport UK (Northern South) - SEAT Leon (S2000) - Jason Plato
SEAT Sport UK (Northern South) - SEAT Leon (S2000) - ???
Team Eurotech - Honda Integra (BTC-Touring) - Mike Jordan