[BTCC] BTCC 2022 season discussion, News and Rumours!

[Pickles]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

and which is ?

is Sutton actually PAID by NAPA ?

I wouldn't know the details of Ash's contract, obviously

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by Pickles

I wouldn't know the details of Ash's contract, obviously

Someone will or think they do

[crmalcolm]

From Autosport:

"Rumours of a split between BMR and Laser Tools began circulating before the end of the 2021 season, and it is understood that BMR had a BTCC Jaguar XE project under way before the decision was taken to go to Motorbase.

BMR’s sole TBL BTCC entrants’ licence was also absorbed for 2022 by Aiden Moffat Racing, the company of Laser Tools boss Bob Moffat’s BTCC race-winning son."

[Greem]

Day two of testing, and Parfitt still hasn't had any track time.

[AnnoyedMoose]

Matt Neal is not happy with Cosworth - https://www.touringcars.net/2022/04/...ntal-to-racing

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by AnnoyedMoose

Matt Neal is not happy with Cosworth - https://www.touringcars.net/2022/04/...ntal-to-racing

Pretty much confirms his retirement from driving too.

[Alfisti]

One thing I always respected Matt for is he always says things as he see's them. I hope he's wrong on this occasion!

[WestHam92]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

From Autosport:

"Rumours of a split between BMR and Laser Tools began circulating before the end of the 2021 season, and it is understood that BMR had a BTCC Jaguar XE project under way before the decision was taken to go to Motorbase.

BMR’s sole TBL BTCC entrants’ licence was also absorbed for 2022 by Aiden Moffat Racing, the company of Laser Tools boss Bob Moffat’s BTCC race-winning son."

Oh I see. I hadn't realised that Sutton was still with BMR. Any idea if BMR will be operating Sutton's car like they did at Laser Tools?

[Greem]

Originally Posted by AnnoyedMoose

Matt Neal is not happy with Cosworth - https://www.touringcars.net/2022/04/...ntal-to-racing

Oof.

I do hope that the implementation of this hybrid system isn't going to force some entrants out of the series due to the costs Neal mentions.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Greem

Oof.

I do hope that the implementation of this hybrid system isn't going to force some entrants out of the series due to the costs Neal mentions.

I've just read it again, Graeme, and I don't think that he actually says what the total cost of the upgrade come to. I believe that a figure of £50,000 per car has been mentioned as Cosworth's price for the kit, but that obviously applies to every team, and, in theory at the moment, we still have 29 supposedly coming to the grid at next weekends meeting.

But what I think is a bit silly in that piece is that he criticises those instrumental in designing and implementing the hybrid system because they cannot now compare the data with previous seasons. Well, firstly that also applies to every other team, and secondly, this happens every time a change in regulations happen; you start with naked canvas and it happens in all motorsport and other sports as well. You cannot blame the designers of the system and say that they obviously has no motorsport experience - I would imagine that Gow and TOCA would have mandated certain criteria, and I would assume that they have complied.

[Craner Curves]

Hard out again tomorrow at Brands.

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

I've just read it again, Graeme, and I don't think that he actually says what the total cost of the upgrade come to. I believe that a figure of £50,000 per car has been mentioned as Cosworth's price for the kit, but that obviously applies to every team, and, in theory at the moment, we still have 29 supposedly coming to the grid at next weekends meeting.

But what I think is a bit silly in that piece is that he criticises those instrumental in designing and implementing the hybrid system because they cannot now compare the data with previous seasons. Well, firstly that also applies to every other team, and secondly, this happens every time a change in regulations happen; you start with naked canvas and it happens in all motorsport and other sports as well. You cannot blame the designers of the system and say that they obviously has no motorsport experience - I would imagine that Gow and TOCA would have mandated certain criteria, and I would assume that they have complied.

Indeed.
And the current hybrid system is part of the regulations until at least the end of 2026, so it's not like the cost has increased by £50k per season.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by WestHam92

Oh I see. I hadn't realised that Sutton was still with BMR. Any idea if BMR will be operating Sutton's car like they did at Laser Tools?

Sutton is also taking the nucleus of his BMR crew with him to Motorbase. This includes Antonio Carrozza, who was part of BMR when Sutton won the 2017 crown, and then led the redesign on the Infiniti for 2020 and race-engineered him to the past two titles.

“I’ve got Antonio Carrozza, my number-one mechanic, and we’ve also brought my data engineer from the past couple of seasons,” added Sutton.

[crmalcolm]

Nic Hamilton 2 days ago:

?ANNOUNCEMENT?

Back in March this year, I lost one of my backers at the final hour and therefore my race seat in the British Touring Car Championship for 2022.

I had to make a decision as to whether to sit on the sidelines and watch from a far or pluck up my ideas to recuperate the support needed to remain on the grid this season.

With just 4 days until the deadline, I pushed harder than ever to contact new companies and brands to ask for their needed support. The toughest 4 days I have had in a long time but the most rewarding because….

I can now announce that I will be remaining on the British Touring car grid in 2022 with @teamhard_racing

Please never let any situation pull you away from your dreams or desires. If you believe in yourself, others will believe in you, even in the final hour.

Thank you to my team and my sponsors for making it possible for me to continue living my dream. ???

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Nic Hamilton 2 days ago:

?ANNOUNCEMENT?

Back in March this year, I lost one of my backers at the final hour and therefore my race seat in the British Touring Car Championship for 2022.

I had to make a decision as to whether to sit on the sidelines and watch from a far or pluck up my ideas to recuperate the support needed to remain on the grid this season.

With just 4 days until the deadline, I pushed harder than ever to contact new companies and brands to ask for their needed support. The toughest 4 days I have had in a long time but the most rewarding because….

I can now announce that I will be remaining on the British Touring car grid in 2022 with @teamhard_racing

Please never let any situation pull you away from your dreams or desires. If you believe in yourself, others will believe in you, even in the final hour.

Thank you to my team and my sponsors for making it possible for me to continue living my dream. ???

And sadly people will still say his brother paid for it. I've got a lot of respect for Nic, he's an inspiration in many ways.

[thetool]

It shouldn't be ignored though that he wouldn't get the backing he does if he wasn't Lewis' brother.

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by thetool

It shouldn't be ignored though that he wouldn't get the backing he does if he wasn't Lewis' brother.

Broken record?

[flatapex]

Originally Posted by thetool

It shouldn't be ignored though that he wouldn't get the backing he does if he wasn't Lewis' brother.

Yawn

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by thetool

It shouldn't be ignored though that he wouldn't get the backing he does if he wasn't Lewis' brother.

And perhaps sponsorship would be more inclined if he backed it up with results.

[AnnoyedMoose]

Originally Posted by sceptic

Indeed.
And the current hybrid system is part of the regulations until at least the end of 2026, so it's not like the cost has increased by £50k per season.

Given the prices they were quoting at the launch in 2020 I would guess the annual costs would be around £25k as it's a lease deal. Presumably the extra £25k for the first season is all the ancillaries needed and labour?

[Pickles]

At least with 3 TBLs being handed back this year, we won't have the age old comment about Nic, 'He's taken a seat that could've gone to a better driver.'

[InYourMirrors45]

I like Nic, lovely guy and a grafter in many ways. I do get people’s frustrations however but I would also say he’s been made a bit of scapegoat when it comes to the whole “waste of a seat” debate when you look at the positive reactions to drivers that have had similar results get when they announce drives etc. If he’s brother wasn’t who he was then I very much doubt he’d get the amount of hate. I’d love to see him do a season in TCR UK though, I feel he’s made he’s statement of being able to race with a disability at the top national level and of he moved to somewhere like TCR UK he could genuinely be competitive.

[Mike_Powell]

Originally Posted by InYourMirrors45

I like Nic, lovely guy and a grafter in many ways. I do get people’s frustrations however but I would also say he’s been made a bit of scapegoat when it comes to the whole “waste of a seat” debate when you look at the positive reactions to drivers that have had similar results get when they announce drives etc. If he’s brother wasn’t who he was then I very much doubt he’d get the amount of hate. I’d love to see him do a season in TCR UK though, I feel he’s made he’s statement of being able to race with a disability at the top national level and of he moved to somewhere like TCR UK he could genuinely be competitive.

And I still don't think that any other driver on the grid would much faster, if indeed at all, in Nic's car using the hand controls.

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by Mike_Powell

And I still don't think that any other driver on the grid would much faster, if indeed at all, in Nic's car using the hand controls.

He uses the same controls as everyone else I believe, which is why I'm full of admiration for him.

[Pickles]

Nic's car uses a hand operated clutch, modified pedals and a different brake servo. Other drivers have commented that they couldn't drive it with that clutch. He's been advised to go to full hand controls but doesn't want to as he wants the car to be as 'normal' as possible.