BTCC 2024 News & Rumours

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by touringlegend

Interesting to note on Jake Hills latest youtube video what appears to be the 4th BMW was sat bare of sponsors except for the BMW M colours.

Is that a huge surprise? WSR said they were taking all 4 cars to be tested.

If you look closely you may have also spotted that the WSR transporter is still in 2023 colours with Stephen Jelley's sponsors displayed.

[Daverb]

Originally Posted by CroftPilgrim

Agreed. The quality on the grid is the highest it has been for some time.

I don’t agree with this.

Driver wise it looks great although it’s a shame we have lost a lot of drivers and some who want a drive can’t get one.

Team wise it’s poor. Good teams, poor numbers.

It doesn’t have anything to do with negative outlooks it’s just facts.

[BobJones]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

Huff is another passed his prime driver

don't expect much from him , maybe the occasional podium

Lol, he was literally fighting for the world title a handful of months ago.

[BobJones]

Originally Posted by Daverb

I don’t agree with this.

Driver wise it looks great although it’s a shame we have lost a lot of drivers and some who want a drive can’t get one.

Team wise it’s poor. Good teams, poor numbers.

It doesn’t have anything to do with negative outlooks it’s just facts.

Your response is hypocritical of itself - try again.

[BobJones]

Notice how, in the Huff launch, the Corolla is updated to match the (albeit very light) facelift for the road car - notable by the extra red in the tail lights - and the front bumper (and intakes) have a new design.

[thetool]

Originally Posted by Daverb

Driver wise it looks great although it’s a shame we have lost a lot of drivers and some who want a drive can’t get one.

Thousands of drivers want a spot on the grid. But so far it looks like only 21, maybe 22 will actually be able to pay for one. It's not a lack of teams that is causing the smaller grid, that's getting the causality the wrong way round.

If you look at the drivers from 2023 that are so far missing in 2024, they're not really much of a loss. Should hopefully be fewer red flags in qualifying and safety cars in races this year.

17/30 (57%) of races were extended by safety car and/or curtailled by accidents last year. Pretty poor standard really. Usually the culprits were in the lower half of the field.

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by Daverb

I don’t agree with this.

Team wise it’s poor. Good teams, poor numbers.

It doesn’t have anything to do with negative outlooks it’s just facts.

Please explain ? Poor Teams? WSR, Alliance, Gazoo, PMR?

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by BobJones

Lol, he was literally fighting for the world title a handful of months ago.

And the WTCR Trophy champion in 2022.

[Pit Lane Lurker]

Originally Posted by Daverb

I don’t agree with this.

Driver wise it looks great although it’s a shame we have lost a lot of drivers and some who want a drive can’t get one.

Team wise it’s poor. Good teams, poor numbers.

It doesn’t have anything to do with negative outlooks it’s just facts.

Some who want a drive can’t get one?

There’s a drive there for anyone who wants one. If anyone ‘can’t’ get a drive, it’s due to their own circumstances and budget.

[SSmith]

Having watched the CTCRC Pre-'66 race from Donington today, we are definitely in for a treat at Croft when they support the BTCC. Their racing on the BARC package has always been good, and today saw a competitive entry and some decent quality racing.

Sadly, the Super Touring category (occasionally suggested as a support for the BTCC) is struggling for entries, a far cry from the strong grid that supported the BTCC at Oulton Park in 2014. Only seven entries (5 Super Tourers & 2 BTC-T cars), with 5 taking the start, and only one finishing, with a few expensive repair bills seemingly on the way.

[coffinpilot]

The pre-66 series is a hell of an entertaining championship, as is the HSCC category for the same cars.
Really looking forward to them at Croft, when the HSCC comes it's usually with a smaller average grid thanks to their Croft meeting always (apart from this year) being a week after the Silverstone Classic/Festival.
Turn 2 and Sunny Out are the places to be - the best action you'll see all weekend!!

[ACF_]

Originally Posted by hen henths

Very much agreed. I also love RWD and it's great seeing the differences in handling. I particularly enjoyed seeing Sutton handling the Subaru in the wet and also one race (can't remember if it was the Infiniti or Subaru) where he was knocked into a slide so he immediately span the car a full 360 degrees and was able to continue!

I remember that. I'm sure it was the Infinity, in 2021 I think, if we're thinking of the same thing. Can't remember which track though

[hen henths]

I'm excited for this season though it will be strange if we have no Honda Civics on the grid and I hope some of the missing drivers will be back in the future. Will be interesting to see how Huff gets on. I expect he'll get somewhere near the front but for the championship I'll be amazed if it's not our regulars.

I think they got the right idea putting it on TikTok. Hopefully that will bring better sponsorship in the longer term. But does this mean kids will be trying to watch the racing in portrait mode???

[hen henths]

Originally Posted by ACF_

I remember that. I'm sure it was the Infinity, in 2021 I think, if we're thinking of the same thing. Can't remember which track though

That sounds right. I might rewatch some of that season.

[ACF_]

Originally Posted by hen henths

That sounds right. I might rewatch some of that season.

I've just found a clip of it. Race 3 Oulton Park 2021. Here's a link (hopefully it works )

https://youtu.be/tFOlQMPz-uM?feature=shared

[SV8Predator]

Originally Posted by hen henths

I particularly enjoyed seeing Sutton handling the Subaru in the wet and also one race (can't remember if it was the Infiniti or Subaru) where he was knocked into a slide so he immediately span the car a full 360 degrees and was able to continue!

Great!

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by ACF_

I've just found a clip of it. Race 3 Oulton Park 2021. Here's a link (hopefully it works )

https://youtu.be/tFOlQMPz-uM?feature=shared

Sadly though it ended his race, so his spectacular save wasn’t rewarded

[coffinpilot]

Dan Zelos making an announcement at 8am on Wednesday before the first 'official' BTCC test. Could there be a link there.

Any teams not testing on Tues who will turn up on Weds (if at all.....)
I know HARD is still to be believed (depending on the ownership structure) but if someone (let's say Zelos) had the budget to run the year, would you not say to them I'll pay on a race-by-race basis just in case it goes south?

[ACF_]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

Dan Zelos making an announcement at 8am on Wednesday before the first 'official' BTCC test. Could there be a link there.

Any teams not testing on Tues who will turn up on Weds (if at all.....)
I know HARD is still to be believed (depending on the ownership structure) but if someone (let's say Zelos) had the budget to run the year, would you not say to them I'll pay on a race-by-race basis just in case it goes south?

Zelos is/was with Excelr8 in JCW. Could we see another hyundai on the grid? Or maybe an Excelr8/Team Dynamics Civic? Just a thought

[Pickles]

Originally Posted by ACF_

Zelos is/was with Excelr8 in JCW. Could we see another hyundai on the grid? Or maybe an Excelr8/Team Dynamics Civic? Just a thought

Excelr8 bought one of the HARD Cupras for all the NGTC bits before returning the shell so unless they're stockpiling spares then another Hyundai could be on the cards. You'd hope that someone of Zelos' experience in the TOCA paddock wouldn't be suckered in to Gilham's empty promises and if he was making the jump into BTCC it would be with a team where he has a half decent chance of a good showing.

[SSmith]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

Dan Zelos making an announcement at 8am on Wednesday before the first 'official' BTCC test. Could there be a link there.

Any teams not testing on Tues who will turn up on Weds (if at all.....)
I know HARD is still to be believed (depending on the ownership structure) but if someone (let's say Zelos) had the budget to run the year, would you not say to them I'll pay on a race-by-race basis just in case it goes south?

Hopefully that turns out to be the case.

Alternatively, the timing could be a coincidence and he's staying put in JCW, filling one of the vacant TCR UK seats (e.g., the Pro Alloys Lynk & Co), joining the ever-growing Pro-class of Porsche Carrera Cup GB, or Porsche Sprint Challenge GB.

[ACF_]

Originally Posted by Pickles

Excelr8 bought one of the HARD Cupras for all the NGTC bits before returning the shell so unless they're stockpiling spares then another Hyundai could be on the cards. You'd hope that someone of Zelos' experience in the TOCA paddock wouldn't be suckered in to Gilham's empty promises and if he was making the jump into BTCC it would be with a team where he has a half decent chance of a good showing.

Exactly what I was thinking

[S griffin]

Having Dan Z on the grid would be excellent, he’s worthy of a place

[touringlegend]

Originally Posted by redshoes

Is that a huge surprise? WSR said they were taking all 4 cars to be tested.

If you look closely you may have also spotted that the WSR transporter is still in 2023 colours with Stephen Jelley's sponsors displayed.

Well spotted.

I was expecting the 4th BMW to be in plain colours.

[MarcusH26]

Zelos in a " satellite" Excler8 entry backed by Davanti would be interesting. Is there a spare i30 shell around that's not the crashed Lloyd car to make this feasible?