BTCC 2024 News & Rumours

[SV8Predator]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

BTCC is one on the best series in the World and it should be supported and talked up - the naysayers should save themselvs a lot of pain and look elsewhere

Well said!

[MarcusH26]

Originally Posted by Pickles

I'm looking forward to this season, thinking about it I do miss the teams like Welch and Handy who might spring the occasional surprise and get on the podium. The multi car teams is just what we have at the moment, I think things do need a bit of a shake up but in the current climate would anyone do a better job than TOCA?

I don't think anyone would do a better job in the current climate than TOCA have , of course everyone would like a couple of new teams bringing new manufacturers to the series but that's not likely to happen under the current rules, it will be interesting to see what direction the new rules go in.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

Because people love sitting in there armchairs being down on everything - it’s easy. Slagging entires, Teams , Drivers, Liveries, Calendar , TOCA, Officials, TV,rules. When it’s all gone they will be the first to Moan aswell. BTCC is one on the best series in the World and it should be supported and talked up - the naysayers should save themselvs a lot of pain and look elsewhere

That is so well said it's worth saying twice!

[TinTopGrumpy]

I think this could well turn out to be one of the best seasons ever. I can't wait for it to start.

[S griffin]

Only two weeks to go and still a few seats to be filled, but it’s looking good

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Only two weeks to go and still a few seats to be filled, but it’s looking good

Is there? PMR seems to be staying at 2, WSR seems like Thompson or nothing and HARD is struggling to even have one car ready.

[MarcusH26]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Is there? PMR seems to be staying at 2, WSR seems like Thompson or nothing and HARD is struggling to even have one car ready.

Yeah I think the only announcement will be Thompson. Don't think we'll see the third PMR car , there's been no indication from the team that they're going to run it and the less said about Hard the better if they haven't managed to get one car ready.

[BtccLee]

We are probably going to be at 20, 21 at a push. It is a quality grid, the supports look good, yes there are issues to address but we should be in for a fantastic season's racing.

The key, in my opinion, is really whether the rule changes act in the way they are intended. If the changes increase competition, variety in R1/R2/R3 results, and we have a competitive championship with decent and entertaining racing then everyone is going to be a lot more positive on the whole.

Personally can't wait. First went to Donington in 2021 and the track has rapidly become one of my favourite circuits, a great place for racing and somewhere that always seems to bring out the best in the BTCC.

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Is there? PMR seems to be staying at 2, WSR seems like Thompson or nothing and HARD is struggling to even have one car ready.

And does that cancel out all the good stuff ? Give me a break….

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

And does that cancel out all the good stuff ? Give me a break….

Did I say it did? The question was how many seats are left, is that not the correct answer from the facts and rumours we know? The quality of the grid is excellent.

[Pickles]

Looking at the confirmed seats, doesn't look to me as if there's any potential for drivers dropping out mid season with funding issues (except maybe DeLeon if the car isnt up to scratch), which has to be a good thing. Got to admit I was concerned about the grid numbers but we've definitely got quality over quantity.

[MarcusH26]

Originally Posted by Pickles

Looking at the confirmed seats, doesn't look to me as if there's any potential for drivers dropping out mid season with funding issues (except maybe DeLeon if the car isnt up to scratch), which has to be a good thing. Got to admit I was concerned about the grid numbers but we've definitely got quality over quantity.

I look at the grid and it's full of quality, it might be smaller but it's definitely not short on talent or drivers that could take race wins. Restart might struggle early on but I think they'll come good eventually.

[SSmith]

Originally Posted by MarcusH26

I look at the grid and it's full of quality, it might be smaller but it's definitely not short on talent or drivers that could take race wins. Restart might struggle early on but I think they'll come good eventually.

I completely agree. Of the currently confirmed 20 drivers, 13 have won a BTCC race, and 15 have achieved a podium. The other 5 includes Pearson (who will likely win a race this year), Doble (pole position last year, likely a podium finisher this year), DeLeon (equipment limited but a race winner elsewhere), Sumpton (quite young, will eventually grow into touring car racing), and Halstead (as an "Amateur" a British GT race winner and Ginetta class champion).

Agree on the Restart Racing point. Definitely a good group of people involved there and with two decent drivers, but they will inevitably encounter a few issues until car and team are properly bedded in.

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

And does that cancel out all the good stuff ? Give me a break….

He never said that. It seems we can’t say anything on here without you getting overly defensive of the series

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by S griffin

He never said that. It seems we can’t say anything on here without you getting overly defensive of the series

Overly defensive? Just fed up with the speculative negativity from certain posters

[Mike Harte]

One should never post things when tired; and that's my excuse!

[thetool]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

itv.com/btcc broadcasts LIVE and across devices for all ten 2023 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship events, including Saturday qualifying sessions at itv.com/btcc/qualifying-live / ITV Sport’s own Youtube channel (timings of which to be updated in the round-by-round scheduling above):

2023

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

Overly defensive? Just fed up with the speculative negativity from certain posters

Even so we are allowed to be critical of certain things, while still enjoying the series

[Matt K]

I really don't like these tribal tendencies here. Either you're in the naysayers club who are negative about everything BTCC-related and expect a looming disaster or you're in the overly optimistic, staunchly defensive club happy to pull the "go and do it better yourself card" in response to any criticism. Can't we all meet in the middle? I guess we're all fans of the BTCC here, we all love the series, enjoy it and want it to thrive but at the same time as fans we're allowed to be constructive about some negative aspects or things we don't like and that's fine too. Perhaps I exaggerate the 'tribalism' but sometimes it's like watching two totally opposite factions battling constantly about the same things over and over again.

[Andrew Abbott]

Originally Posted by Matt K

I really don't like these tribal tendencies here. Either you're in the naysayers club who are negative about everything BTCC-related and expect a looming disaster or you're in the overly optimistic, staunchly defensive club happy to pull the "go and do it better yourself card" in response to any criticism. Can't we all meet in the middle? I guess we're all fans of the BTCC here, we all love the series, enjoy it and want it to thrive but at the same time as fans we're allowed to be constructive about some negative aspects or things we don't like and that's fine too. Perhaps I exaggerate the 'tribalism' but sometimes it's like watching two totally opposite factions battling constantly about the same things over and over again.

I think the ones in the middle probably enjoy it without the need to log on to an internet forum to say something one way or the other.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Andrew Abbott

I think the ones in the middle probably enjoy it without the need to log on to an internet forum to say something one way or the other.

Or we log on, read the comments, despair of what is read and then just get on with our lives without the need to respond!

[S griffin]

Anyway let’s hope we get some announcements from this week. About time we did

[ChrisA]

Thinking of going to Donington tomorrow. Let's hope it doesn't rain and wind drops. Could be an interesting day if it continues like today. High wind and heavy rain here, Derbyshire.

[Craner Curves]

I love Donington, but it's a brutal place to spectate at when it's like that.

[coffinpilot]

Originally Posted by ChrisA

Thinking of going to Donington tomorrow. Let's hope it doesn't rain and wind drops. Could be an interesting day if it continues like today. High wind and heavy rain here, Derbyshire.

Is going to be interesting if we're going into the season without any real comparative testing. I asked one of Ash Suttons engineers at Croft about pace, and he said with the weather at Croft and Brands, and not knowing who was on which tyre during dry periods (along with fuel levels) that they hoped Donington would give a solid answer to their beliefs - which was mainly to do with an up in pace from WSR.)