BTCC entries/rumours that never came to be

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Originally Posted by AnonymityRules

After winning the 2019 TCR UK title, James Turkington was rumoured to be in the frame for joining his brother Colin in the BTCC for 2020, most notably the 2nd TPC Racing Audi alongside Bobby Thompson but that seat went to James Gornall.

Just like Team Aon originally intended to run the Focus' in 2008 with Max Chilton partnering his brother Tom.

[AnonymityRules]

Fabrizio Giovanardi was linked to Team Aon for 2010.

[Nononsensecapeesh]

If the NGTC Renault Mégane of 2014 had raced, I wonder if Alex Morgan would have been one of the drivers since his father was leading the project?

[S griffin]

I think there was talk of them leasing it to another team

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Originally Posted by S griffin

I think there was talk of them leasing it to another team

I know.

TH Motorsport originally intended to do a full season in the Production Class in 2001 with two Protons for Steven Wood and Richard Cuene-Grandidier (Kermit).

[AnonymityRules]

Mark Lemmer of Barwell Motorsport intended to run two ETCC-spec Civics in 2004 which he eventually sold to John Batchelor's team who ran Richard Marsh and Jay Wheals.

Lemmer was due to replace Simon Graves in the Barwell Accord in 2001 but ended up briefly replacing the late Dave Allan in the Synchro Accord.

[Nononsensecapeesh]

2005

Oli Wilkinson was a candidate for drives at SEAT, Vauxhall and WSR, losing out to Gavin Smith, Luke Hines and Rob Collard.

Gavin Pyper and Kelvin Burt were linked to Gary Ayles' team but it was more likely they would have hired Stefan Hodgetts to partner Jamie Spence.

[AnonymityRules]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Vern Schuppan was in the other Colt in '85. Possibly the TT though. Barry Sheene rings a bell for '86 too.

Vern Schuppan did do the 1985 British GP Support race in place of Jonathan Buncombe.

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Originally Posted by S griffin

I know Barrie Williams was entered in a second Beemer alongside Sytner for the 85 British GP meeting. And Buncombe was entered in the second Mitsubishi alongside Brodie

Dowsett was rumoured to run a Toyota turbo in 1990

Phil Dowsett was prepared to run a 2 Litre Toyota? He would have had to as Classes C and D were abolished after the 1989 season.

[AnonymityRules]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Vern Schuppan was in the other Colt in '85. Possibly the TT though. Barry Sheene rings a bell for '86 too.

Barry Sheene was team-mate to Chris Hodgetts at the final round of the 1986 season in the #77 Toyota previously driven by Alan Minshaw.

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Originally Posted by S griffin

JCB and Morbidelli were originally candidates for the second seat alongside Menu in 97

Yes, I remember Jason Plato talking about the shoot-out between him, Gianni Morbidelli and Jean-Christophe Boullion for the 1997 Renault BTCC drive on the Touring Car Legends documentary.

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Alain Menu came close to standing in for Matt Neal at the 2013 BTCC finale.

[AnonymityRules]

Originally Posted by Nononsensecapeesh

That's true about 2001. Some of the rumours relating to that season really were outlandish if past threads are anything to go by like Pedro Lamy replacing Matt Neal and numerous celebs linked to guest drives with Peugeot.

As for Arena, the '99 ex-works Hondas for 2000 would have made sense as they had recent experience with the Laguna, wonder if Hoy would have continued with them? They certainly wouldn't have brought back Spence.

I doubt Russell Spence would have come back anyway.

[pimmy]

Originally Posted by Nononsensecapeesh

Phil Dowsett was prepared to run a 2 Litre Toyota? He would have had to as Classes C and D were abolished after the 1989 season.

No, the plan was to run a Supra in Class A. It was probably fortunate that the entry never materialised because the car would have been totally outgunned by the Sierras. With minimum weights being decided by engine capacity, the Supra would have been 320kg heavier and it wasn't exactly that powerful.

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Originally Posted by pimmy

No, the plan was to run a Supra in Class A. It was probably fortunate that the entry never materialised because the car would have been totally outgunned by the Sierras. With minimum weights being decided by engine capacity, the Supra would have been 320kg heavier and it wasn't exactly that powerful.

I would not have been aware of that as I hadn't even been born yet. I agree with you though, given the Supra's 1988 performance, I doubt 1990 would have been any better.

[AnonymityRules]

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...ull-team-ahead - This article says at the bottom that there were rumours linking Alfa Romeo to a 1993 entry. If that had happened, I wonder if their drivers would still have been Gabriele Tarquini and Giampiero Simoni? Or maybe Nicola Larini would have had a chance to go for the BTCC title instead of the DTM one?

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Naturally, having partnered Dan Eaves in the 2000 NSC, Toni Ruokonen was linked to Peugeot for the 2001 Season, he of course ended up in a Production Class Mitsubishi Carisma.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by Nononsensecapeesh

I would not have been aware of that as I hadn't even been born yet. I agree with you though, given the Supra's 1988 performance, I doubt 1990 would have been any better.

From what I remember about the Supra it appeared to have had a bundle of money thrown at the project, but the whole thing was a bit of a lame duck!

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

From what I remember about the Supra it appeared to have had a bundle of money thrown at the project, but the whole thing was a bit of a lame duck!

Anything in Class A that wasn't a Sierra was a bit of a lame duck once the Rover Vitesses and the Holden Commodore were no longer a match for them.

[AnonymityRules]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Polestar Volvo were going to do selected rounds in 2009, with Dahlgren and possibly Rustad. Shame that never happened

Robert Dahlgren and Tommy Rustad did the Brands Hatch round of the WTCC in 2009. Had they done the BTCC, there was a possibility one of them would have had to make way for Jason Plato, until he joined Chevrolet of course. Dahlgren and Rustad could well have been Volvo's 2010 BTCC drivers though.

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Originally Posted by AnonymityRules

Robert Dahlgren and Tommy Rustad did the Brands Hatch round of the WTCC in 2009. Had they done the BTCC, there was a possibility one of them would have had to make way for Jason Plato, until he joined Chevrolet of course. Dahlgren and Rustad could well have been Volvo's 2010 drivers though.

Tommy Rustad was also considering a return to the BTCC for 2001 and was linked to the 4th Vauxhall seat.

[AnonymityRules]

Team Griffin Racing bought the ex-VLR Peugeot 406 Coupés with the intention of running them towards the end of the 2003 Season with Julian Griffin and possibly Roger Moen driving. They would of course later run Richard Marsh in a 307 in 2006.

[S griffin]

It was probably not a bad idea, certainly could have put them to decent use and would have been nice to see Moen back. Just a shame the part season with Marsh in 06 was a disappointment

[AnonymityRules]

Originally Posted by S griffin

It was probably not a bad idea, certainly could have put them to decent use and would have been nice to see Moen back. Just a shame the part season with Marsh in 06 was a disappointment

Same goes for the 406 when John George drove it.

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Originally Posted by S griffin

It was probably not a bad idea, certainly could have put them to decent use and would have been nice to see Moen back. Just a shame the part season with Marsh in 06 was a disappointment

Did TGR originally intend to Marsh in the 307 on 2005? If so, that's two teams Marsh was linked to for 2005 as he was also linked to continuing with John Batchelor's team, although Batchelor was originally going to drive the S2000 Civic himself.