[BTCC] BTCC 2017 Rumours & Silly Season

[ExplodeTheApex]

In regards to the post above, without quoting all of it, MG signed a contract with 888 last winter which will see them continue until the end of 2018 I believe.

[Sodemo]

Is it time for a KIA rumour yet?

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

Is it time for a KIA rumour yet?

Are you suggesting that there may not be a time for a KIA rumour???!!!

[Northern Monkey]

Honda will keep the current car

[BillWiskins]

I've heard that Skoda will be entering a squad of Kias, each of which will actually be driven by a Volvo! Utterly true.

[porsche962fan]

Gilham did mention that they are talking to a manufacturer but that may been talking to many other teams too

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by BLiTZ

Long time lurker and finally decided to sign up. Here's some of my thoughts for 2017:

Team Dynamics - Honda/YUASA/Halfords - Either Current 2015/2016 Civic Type R or 2017 Civic 10th Gen


With Honda UK pulling out as headline 'sponsor' at the start of 2016 I can see them pulling further away next year. By winning without their full support, I can see Honda UK saying that they don't need them to win yet still benefiting from the exposure.

This is also going to effect the team's choice of car. As I understand it, Honda UK are still paying the 'Manufacturers' entry fee and offering a degree of technical support but beyond that I don't know if they're putting enough into the pot to dictate which car to use (ala Subaru with the choice of the Levorg GT over the more suited STI). From a marketing perspective, I can see them pushing to get the new Civic onto the grid, however unless they stump up the cash to warrant the development of a new car I could see Dynamics sticking with the proven chassis. Bare in mind there's also Neate's car built up, which unless they can find a buyer (Speedworks?) would seem a huge waste if can't be put to good use.

This is unless Dynamics decide to do another Tourer and build the new car to woo Honda UK back into more investment.

Unless something major occurs it'll be a huge shock if we don't see Matt and Gordon return, and it'd be great to see them joined by a young gun. Dan Lloyd went well in the Eurotech Civic for example.

WSR - BMW - 125i M Sport

Tordoff didn't do himself any favours in itv4's feature, the guy seems like he'd be more suited to a gentleman racer's career in GT's rather than the cut and thrust of a full time BTCC job. With that in mind there's a huge question mark over JCT600 and GardX's involvement next year. That then brings doubt over Collard who always seems to be on a knife edge in terms of sponsorship funds.

It'd be great if BMW could stump up a bit of cash or even the dealers to form a Dealer Team BWM UK etc.

BMR - Subaru - Levorg GT

Despite their performance this year I can see them being pegged back a bit next year and not being the dominant force everyone's expecting.

If I were Subaru then I'd be raising questions over the 4 Car team situation, two cars up front and two cars constantly towards the back or in the gravel isn't great for Marketing and Justifying the investment.

I can see the 'main' team dropping to two/three cars with additional cars being fielded as a satellite operation (ala Vauxhall Sport and Egg Sport in 2001/2) this could be done with the help of BKR or...

888 - MG?

Chuff knows! MG have pulled manufacturing from Longbridge, They've ditched the 6 in the UK hence why we never saw the promised facelift to the 6 this season.

Logical thing to do here would be for 888 to run the satellite Levorgs (see above) in the same way all the various teams in DTM operate.

Motorbase - Ford

Prepare for the usual winter uncertainty over Jackson's budget. But if nothing else, for god's sake facelift the focus!

New Cars

Ok so we got 4 new Subarus this year but not a lot else. It's be nice to see some new sheet metal on the grid next year. Only issue is that in a world of Nissan Jukes and Citroen Picassos I'm not exactly sure what can be added to the series?!

It'd make some sense (provided that they're within the regs) to swap the ageing Avensis's for the lighter Auris.

Anything else?

I think Welch need to ditch the Proton, they've been at it, what 5-6 years and never really got anywhere. As Rob Austin proved this year, there's no point flogging a dead horse. And let's be honest the NGTC regs have given birth to a fair few mules (Insignia anyone?). Dan seems a decent peddler and it'd be great to see him up at the top end even if its in an Avensis!

Apologies for a wordy first post here on TenTenths!

Interesting thoughs, for my 10p worth.

Honda/Dynamics
Honda have wanted current models in the BTCC, so I can see them funding the new Civic build and the team remaining a manufacturer team, I suspect that Halfords provide 'running budget'. This would free up 3 cars and with a lot of ageing stock on the grid, perhaps this would be a viable option for the teams with old cars in need of replacement.

WSR
They would be in a tricky spot if JCT/GARDX and IHG all depart at the same time. Not sure on he dealer team front, having worked on proposals like this in the past you often get resistance from some and then the reasoning from others that they won't do it because all the dealers benefit whether they pay to join the team or not! Would be better if BMW did this centrally and put some of the dealer marketing support budget (per dealer) into the team.

MG/888 - they are contracted with MG until the end of 2018, unless there is a break in this if there is no suitable model to race. So it would appear they are stuck with this which could be a pointless exercise as MG won't get behind a car that is no longer on sale. Presumably the MG3 is too small (our regulations experts will know this) and the GS too big and would MG fund the build of new cars?

BMR Subaru
I agree the team looks unbalanced and I think BKR running some cars is likely.

New cars
As you say car ranges are polarising to crossover/SUV's from small to large platforms and small premium cars. The mid size traditional hatch will become less common, I note that Vauxhall is going to increase the number of crossovers right across the range. And is there the will from manufacturers like Citroen, Peugeot, Renault to enter cars? Kia has been much mooted in the past with the C'eed I guess but actually the Optima is probably the car they need to promote. Volvo - they have looked at the BTCC but wanted 3rd party funding to pay for it -you would imagine the V40 for this if they entered.

The big upfront cost is car building so if teams could encourage more manufacturers to supply shells/parts and fund the car build that would be a cheap entry for car makers to get their model on the grid. Personally I would also do away with the manufacturers entry category, this is a hangover from the good old days and just keep to teams entry and a teams championship.

[BertMk2]

Ingram is staying with Speedworks for next year and it sounds like it'll be in the Avensis. So with Matt Simpson also staying (in the Honda) that's the Speedworks lineup sorted (if you count Handy as being a separate entity).

Motorbase are looking to keep both Jordan and Jackson (no surprise there).

[porsche962fan]

can someone make the list then ? if we already have coinfirmed entries

guessing from TTT Shedden and Matt Neal will be back , as well as Plato (his 3 year contract with BMR) dunno if Turks has a contract ?!


also did Bartie and Mat Jackson really had to make fun of Giovanardi on TTT ?


Morgan very likely to return, Moffat with a question mark


EDIT Neal pretty much confirmed he will be back

“Still, I’ll just have to come back next year and try to win it again myself!”

[porsche962fan]

AMD looking to expand to two cars one and Oli Jackson wants to stay with them

[Racing Harz]

Ingram stays at Speedworks
http://www.touringcartimes.com/2016/...sport-in-2017/

[thlbtcc]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

Gilham did mention that they are talking to a manufacturer but that may been talking to many other teams too

Hyundai, 'N', guess.

[S griffin]

It's good to see Tingram back, let's hope his racecraft improves

[auroan]

Originally Posted by thlbtcc

Hyundai, 'N', guess.

Huh ? The only UK car I see that realistically fits the regs is the i40 saloon.

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

AMD looking to expand to two cars one and Oli Jackson wants to stay with them

AMD wanted to run two cars this year and had a new shell built at the end of 2015 in readiness but couldn't get the second TBL.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by redshoes

AMD wanted to run two cars this year and had a new shell built at the end of 2015 in readiness but couldn't get the second TBL.

Yep - and both Eurotech and Dynamics have a 'spare' Civic - so there are plenty of cars out there to fill any empty TBL slots that come up.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by auroan

Huh ? The only UK car I see that realistically fits the regs is the i40 saloon.

Besides that car also the i30 hatch.

But with Hyundai in WRC I don't see a touring car effort happen, especically now with them having a R5 version for customers.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by BLiTZ

BMR - Subaru - Levorg GT
If I were Subaru then I'd be raising questions over the 4 Car team situation, two cars up front and two cars constantly towards the back or in the gravel isn't great for Marketing and Justifying the investment.

I can see the 'main' team dropping to two/three cars with additional cars being fielded as a satellite operation (ala Vauxhall Sport and Egg Sport in 2001/2) this could be done with the help of BKR or...

This makes sense.

BTW Welcome on Ten Tenths.

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

Yep - and both Eurotech and Dynamics have a 'spare' Civic - so there are plenty of cars out there to fill any empty TBL slots that come up.

I imagine that if Dynamics stay with current model they will save some money by NOT building a new car and just use the Neate one as it only had 1 event done (as AFAIK usually they build new shells every year)


also wonder if Alan Gow will slap some boxer engine penalties for all that PR fiasco BMR has caused them, i'm sure none of the other teams will mind it either

[Alfisti]

I've just read the Tordoff interview on BTCCcrazy, the guy is so indifferent to staying in the BTCC that if I were a team owner I would have serious doubts about his commitment and effort.

Pretty much every interview with a race car driver I've ever read they're always looking for drives/ opportunities.

Good luck to him whatever he decides to do, definitely bags of talent.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by redshoes

AMD wanted to run two cars this year and had a new shell built at the end of 2015 in readiness but couldn't get the second TBL.

They did have a second TBL if I recall correctly, but sold it and the Focus to Stewart Lines. Probably made good sense at the time. I wonder how many TBLs will be available? Quite a few have been leased (Rob Austins spring to mind), anybody know the who, what, where and when of the TBLs?

[Lancsbreaker]

I might have heard a rumour that an Italian manufacturer might be returning next year........

[Sodemo]

Originally Posted by Lancsbreaker

I might have heard a rumour that an Italian manufacturer might be returning next year........

Wooo, Brembo!! Wooo

[BLiTZ]

Originally Posted by FIRE

This makes sense.

BTW Welcome on Ten Tenths.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Lancsbreaker

I might have heard a rumour that an Italian manufacturer might be returning next year........

Well this would tie nicely with the impending UK launch of the Giulia which would be a great addition to the series (wonder if they can get 888 to set the wing angle for some illegal aerodynamic nostalgia ).

That or it's the new Fiat Tipo?!

[Bramzel]

Giulia would make sense, its huge though?