Should the BTCC be added to the powertour?

[pink69]

The eurosport super racing weekend has turned out to be a huge sucess and I think we need something like that in the UK. So why not add the BTCC to the F3 and Brit Gt and have the UK SRW! Such a huge event would mean better TV coverage and lots more fans attending. More sponsorship would come in and probably more teams too.the two series visit nearly all the same circuits too.

[vauxhall]

You got that the wrong way round!

Should the PowerTour go to the TocaTour!?!?

depends on how far apart they put the TOurers!

if its like the ETCC no! 11:00 - 4:00 its wrong!

if they do it :

01:30 -Sprint
2:15 - GT's (are GT;s 1 hour races?)
3:30 - Feature

[kristof14]

altho it would be good i dont think it would be possible to get all the races in!!! you'd have BTCC, Gt's and F3 as your main races then you'd have Lotuses, Clios, Fiestas, Porsches, Tuscans, Formula Renault and Formula Ford. I doubt it would be possible to fit them all in one day, ticket prices would have to go up and there'd probably be squabling as to who got pits, BTCC or Gt's plus most uk tracks cant accomodate for that many cars!!!!!!

a good idea but unlikely, sorry

[Minardi fan]

It's just not possible - and more fans doesn't make it better. More fans would mean the end of the pit walkabout and the more relaxed atmosphere in the paddock which is seriously appreciated after going to stuffy F1 testing at Silverstone.

[Les]

Went to the powertour today and there is no way you could fit everyone in. The paddock was packed with cars from the top of the hill (seen Mini boys trying to fix cars on a slope) right down past the restaurant to the hedge. It was brilliant. There must be 150 entries in the programme.

Only one slight problem though. I reckon the number of entries exceeded the paying public by 148.

[vauxhall]

If the GT's and BTCC join forces!

guess what will happen to Ticket prices!

ETCC = £35 per head

[redshoes]

Can't see a combined BTCC/GT/F3 meeting working. You'd end up with little or no time for any support races and only serve to widen the gap between top level professional racing and club level amateur racing.

There's also a number of logistical problems - both GT and BTCC races include pit stops which would mean problems with pit garages and having to move equipment between races.

vauxhall, don't compare this to the ETCC meeting. Live TV always means having to compromise the timetable and leave large gaps between races just in case - it happen at the Brands BTCC last year where support races were cut short and the driver's parade cancelled because BBC were ready to broadcast. As far as admission prices go FIA meeting are always more expensive, it's been the same in past years with the FIA GT rounds.

Personally I like the format the way it is - BTCC on one package, F3 and GT on another. Only one thing I would change would be the guest supports on the BTCC bill. I like the idea of permanent supports (Clios, Lotus, Fiestas?) as it gives you the oportunity to get familiar with drivers and follow their progress through the season, but I'd also like to see more guest races for clubbie championships - Mighty Minis, Fulda Fiats, 2CVs, callic saloons, trucks, that sort of thing. Often a well supported club race will be just as good, if not better, than more professional races (Lambos @ Brands last year springs to mind). For the spectators and fans it's something different and I'm sure many club series would jump at teh chance to support a big event.

[BURT FAN]

I think that you would have to do some ajustmants with the support, but itwould be a great days racing, but f3 would have to go away from the package, and take some support.

You would have to balence it out, but I think it would just be too packed because, the production cars and the GTS cars take up a lot of space. But if the ETCC can fit more Tourers and More prods than we have in then it could be possible.

I have to admit I prefer less packed race meets with smaller crowds because you get a better view, you get more goodies and you can do pit lane walk about's.

The ETCC only has the 4races but one is 3hours, so you need some support, it will be too hard to fit all in the paddock especially at Knockhill.

[hunttheshunt]

I wouldn't mkind a BTCC/GT combined tour w/clios/elises etc and a tour based on F3 w/single seater series. I'd enjoy that much more and TV coverage i reckon would increase for both series.

[AndyF]

I don't think that they should run together, but you could possibly put the Powertour and TOCA races together for a couple of meetings (possibly at circuits like Donington Park). It would encourage people to attend both days if one race of BTCC and F3 was on Saturday and the other on Sunday.

[knowlesy59]

all of these racing series are individual and should never be put together.if the tocatour had some more static support races(i mean like every btcc round support races),then no 1 would really be complaining.i dont fancy digging in me pocket 4 £40 to watch my btcc either so a malgimation of all the series is bad.(i reckon)

[kristof14]

the ETCC has the space for more cars at the tracks it visits!!!! it uses the big tracks that have the facilities! not like tracks like knockhill or oulton park which have quite small pit areas!

[hunttheshunt]

kristof does have a point-apart from Silverstone (arguably) there is no circuit in the UK (even Brands and Donington) that you can compare in terms of facilities with the ETCC tracks such as Monza, Brno and Hockenheim.

[knowlesy59]

Originally posted by hunttheshunt
...there is no circuit in the UK (even Brands and Donington) that you can compare in terms of facilities with the ETCC tracks such as Monza, Brno and Hockenheim.

but if you think about it monza,silverstone and hockenheim host f1 races so they have to be up to standard because the fia say so,and if the races werent held at these tracks a lot of revenue would be lost.

[hunttheshunt]

Yes, but Brno doesn't and yet it is capable of hosting the ETCC/GT's. I think we might go back to the problem that ALL British circuits (including Silverstone) lack the neccessary facilities-including stands, pit complexes, parking and general attitude. Very sad for Britsih motorsport.

[kristof14]

yes but Brno is a widely known track because the Gp and Super Bikes race there, therefore it gets a higher profile!!!

and yes most british tracks lack facilities, but the problem is more along the lines of environmental constraints and complaints from farmers who live near tracks.

[Radisichrox]

Hopefully with the new plan for silverstone it should help make the facilities better than ever.

[pink69]

The idea is that you drop all the other support races , like the ESRW. In the SRW there is F2000 , ESTC and ESPC and the GT. No other support races. Follow that idea but have the F3 race on the same day. Start with the sprint race , F3 then Gt , back to F3 and finish with the BTCC again.

[Craig]

No that ideas sucks... the support races are often the best races on the meeting... now, if we were talking about a two day meeting with a full card of racing on each day... possibly bring together all the top national series on a bank holiday weekend ? *That* would be interesting...

[knowlesy59]

Originally posted by Craig Antill
...now, if we were talking about a two day meeting with a full card of racing on each day...

that would mean that people like me would only be able to go on 1 day and see only half the racing,or paying 4 accomadation or camping over.(but my old man wouldnt do that).and the entry costs would still be too big.i reckon we just keep it as it is.