[BTCC] BTCC 2023 season discussion, News and Rumours!

[coffinpilot]

I'll retract some of what I wrote. Thompson stating: "due to financial circumstances faced at the team," doesn't necessarily mean he didn't have the dough does it?
If the team had been offered a better deal by someone else......

[Robshillito1990]

What is the fascination with crees. Money over talent yet again.

[thetool]

Repeat after me: "The BTCC is all about money". Has been since the manufacturers left at the end of Super Touring. Sure you have had the occasional paid drive since then, but usually through third-party sponsorship. The last genuine "works" drivers were probably Thompson & Muller in 2004.

[Robshillito1990]

Originally Posted by thetool

Repeat after me: "The BTCC is all about money". Has been since the manufacturers left at the end of Super Touring. Sure you have had the occasional paid drive since then, but usually through third-party sponsorship. The last genuine "works" drivers were probably Thompson & Muller in 2004.

I know that but it's a joke that a driver can just turn up halfway through a season with more money especially after losing a drive in british gt due to his behaviour off track and they turf their one decent driver other than Lloyd out of a seat for someone that will run round at the back.

[AnnoyedMoose]

Originally Posted by Robshillito1990

I know that but it's a joke that a driver can just turn up halfway through a season with more money especially after losing a drive in british gt due to his behaviour off track and they turf their one decent driver other than Lloyd out of a seat for someone that will run round at the back.

So what are they supposed to do? Lay off a mechanic or something? If there isn't enough money to run the team something has to be done.

[Robshillito1990]

Originally Posted by AnnoyedMoose

So what are they supposed to do? Lay off a mechanic or something? If there isn't enough money to run the team something has to be done.

Don't go into a season with 6 cars would be a start.

[rdjones]

However it looks like they have replacement already - Michael Crees:-

https://www.btcc.net/2023/07/19/mich...m-hard-racing/

[auroan]

Originally Posted by thetool

Repeat after me: "The BTCC is all about money". Has been since the manufacturers left at the end of Super Touring. Sure you have had the occasional paid drive since then, but usually through third-party sponsorship. The last genuine "works" drivers were probably Thompson & Muller in 2004.

You sure ? Gio with vauxhall during the s2000 hey days. Right up until vauxhall pulled out of supporting 888.

[AnnoyedMoose]

Originally Posted by Robshillito1990

Don't go into a season with 6 cars would be a start.

Circumstances change. People just don't seem to get what a complete and utter mess this country is in at the moment.

[Robshillito1990]

Originally Posted by AnnoyedMoose

Circumstances change. People just don't seem to get what a complete and utter mess this country is in at the moment.

No of course not. Like I care less if a btcc team can't afford to run their cars when I myself have to choose which bill I don't pay each month because money is so tight. But its okay I don't understand how much of a mess everything is in.

[S griffin]

Shame Thompson has to leave. Crees is ok, but won't reach Bobby's level with that car

[tocatrucky]

Originally Posted by auroan

You sure ? Gio with vauxhall during the s2000 hey days. Right up until vauxhall pulled out of supporting 888.

Fab did as Jason, Bought a number of sponsors to the team from which he took a salary, he wasn't employed by Vauxhall/888 directly.

Originally Posted by Robshillito1990

No of course not. Like I care less if a btcc team can't afford to run their cars when I myself have to choose which bill I don't pay each month because money is so tight. But its okay I don't understand how much of a mess everything is in.

Wth the greatest respect if TOCA only allowed entries from teams with fully funded teams for a full season paid up from, it would only have 1 WSR car, 1 Motorbase car (both paid drivers).

Literally every other driver on the grid pays roughly 25-30% up front, then 2 other 25-30%+(damages accrued) invoices during the season and a final invoice at the end.

Thats motorsport above club racing.

[thetool]

Originally Posted by auroan

You sure ? Gio with vauxhall during the s2000 hey days. Right up until vauxhall pulled out of supporting 888.

Yes you're right there. I was forgetting that Holiday Inn didn't stick around for the full Giovanardi tenure.

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by tocatrucky

Fab did as Jason, Bought a number of sponsors to the team from which he took a salary, he wasn't employed by Vauxhall/888 directly.




Wth the greatest respect if TOCA only allowed entries from teams with fully funded teams for a full season paid up from, it would only have 1 WSR car, 1 Motorbase car (both paid drivers).

Literally every other driver on the grid pays roughly 25-30% up front, then 2 other 25-30%+(damages accrued) invoices during the season and a final invoice at the end.

Thats motorsport above club racing.

Two Motorbase drivers are genuinely fully salaried to drive. I’m not any WSR drivers are though.

[auroan]

Originally Posted by tocatrucky

Fab did as Jason, Bought a number of sponsors to the team from which he took a salary, he wasn't employed by Vauxhall/888 directly.

Yes Jason defo did. But not Gio. He was employed by Vauxhall.

[coffinpilot]

Originally Posted by peebee2

Two Motorbase drivers are genuinely fully salaried to drive. I’m not any WSR drivers are though.

Obviously Sutton being one, in that new Touring Car magazine he says something about being paid to do the job, and Cammish being the other? Or will Osbourne be a benefactor due to it being family owned? I know last year it was said Sutton/Cammish were salaried, is it still the case?

I'm sure I read something late last year about Turkington raising some extra funds for his drive? Can't find it online though now. What about Hill, if the team around him (MB, his Dad) are the savvy financial people who raise the funds, is he a 'paid' driver, even if not in the eyes of the team?

I'd love to know which drivers have to do their own work, and who rely on a team to raise funds. And those who bring money from family/own business (I assume Collard/Cook/Moffat are in that? With others.)

[AnnoyedMoose]

Originally Posted by Robshillito1990

No of course not. Like I care less if a btcc team can't afford to run their cars when I myself have to choose which bill I don't pay each month because money is so tight. But its okay I don't understand how much of a mess everything is in.

But you still don't get why they changed drivers? Guess I'm missing something in your posts.

[coffinpilot]

Thompson confirms he was the weakest financially, so was first to go.

https://www.autosport.com/btcc/news/...btcc/10497266/

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

Obviously Sutton being one, in that new Touring Car magazine he says something about being paid to do the job, and Cammish being the other? Or will Osbourne be a benefactor due to it being family owned? I know last year it was said Sutton/Cammish were salaried, is it still the case?

I'm sure I read something late last year about Turkington raising some extra funds for his drive? Can't find it online though now. What about Hill, if the team around him (MB, his Dad) are the savvy financial people who raise the funds, is he a 'paid' driver, even if not in the eyes of the team?

I'd love to know which drivers have to do their own work, and who rely on a team to raise funds. And those who bring money from family/own business (I assume Collard/Cook/Moffat are in that? With others.)

Yes Sutton and Cammish both paid, and 3 year deals IIRC.

[thetool]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

Thompson confirms he was the weakest financially, so was first to go.

https://www.autosport.com/btcc/news/...btcc/10497266/

“The trouble is I’m a poor man doing a rich man’s sport, but we see how quickly things can turn around and how options can come up."

[Adamcas87]

If team Hard are struggling financially then why have they gone with running 6 cars this year?

Only a couple of the cupras seem competitive the rest either make the numbers up or breakdown

Maybe selling some of the cupras and downsizing is the answer

[thetool]

Originally Posted by thetool

Running more cars is cheaper per-car generally. Generally the biggest savings come from pairs of cars, which is why 2 or 4 car teams are so popular.

As per two pages ago.

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by Adamcas87

If team Hard are struggling financially then why have they gone with running 6 cars this year?

Only a couple of the cupras seem competitive the rest either make the numbers up or breakdown

Maybe selling some of the cupras and downsizing is the answer

Yes that would be a better solution. Might even give some new teams a chance

[Pickles]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Yes that would be a better solution. Might even give some new teams a chance

New teams have the chance, no one has come forward to take some places on the grid...

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by Pickles

New teams have the chance, no one has come forward to take some places on the grid...

The last new team was Xceler8 I think - they have done alright so I can be done. Running 6 cars when it was clear 2 or 4 was a struggle seemed a bit mad