[BTCC] BTCC 2017 Rumours & Silly Season

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

speaking of Team HARDs Volvos from unicorn land I just remembered something


does anyone know why nobody brought a Group A Volvo 240 Turbo in the BTCC during the 80s ?

it was a very competitive in 85-86 ETCC seasons and think it could have done well in BTCC up to 1987

you can see here how competittive it was
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SF8oaqURlx8

Thanks for posting this.

[Moneyseeker]

Great footage thanks. Brancatelli (spelling!), was the great exponent of the 240 turbo in the ETCC and worlds against the mighty Motul XJS cars, I recall.

[Craner Curves]

Plato wouldn't accept Jordan at BMR. He wants Turkington out, so why would he want anyone else who can kick his butt?

[OVERSTEER]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

Plato wouldn't accept Jordan at BMR. He wants Turkington out, so why would he want anyone else who can kick his butt?

Where has JP stated/hinted that he wants CT out?

[luckn002]

Originally Posted by LeonardBernstein

Hearing that a driver last seen on the grid in 2014 may be in talks to drive a car from a marque that wasn't represented in 2016. No clue whether this is Alfa Romeo, or anyone else, but the driver has Motorbase history.

Jack Clarke?

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Originally Posted by luckn002

Jack Clarke?

I'm not one for all of this speculation, but I'm going to comment on this before somebody else mentions Fabrizio Giovanardi

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by OVERSTEER

Where has JP stated/hinted that he wants CT out?

I think it's fairly obvious he no longer wants Turkington there.

[Jiiiiiiim]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

I think it's fairly obvious he no longer wants Turkington there.

Read into this what you will but at BMR's Q & A session at the Brands Finale, only JP, James Cole and Warren Scott were present, no Turks even though he'd just won R1 & R2, it seemed a bit if a surprise to some that Colin wasn't present (that's people from the team btw). Not all happy camping at BMR, so it looks like it will be down to how much of a hold JP has over Warren Scott. Warren wanted (and still wants Turks), but JP's backers are paying, BUT Scott bank rolled last year (2015) to be able to get them to this point!

On the AJ news, surprised, but obviously plenty of stories still to shake out, maybe some of the rumours have just become firm plans 😉

[thlbtcc]

Originally Posted by Moneyseeker

Don't tell MG, they ended up dropping the MG6 for poor sales, despite the BTCC....

Not all marketing campaigns are direct-sales driven. Easy to forget that.

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

I'm not one for all of this speculation, but I'm going to comment on this before somebody else mentions Fabrizio Giovanardi

italian driver in italian car , perfect combination, and this time Fabrizio should get proper testing before season start

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

Plato wouldn't accept Jordan at BMR.

unlike Neal who never ever has given a hint that he wants Shedden out because he is a bit better than him in his own team

[850Estate]

To be fair if Jason organised the Subaru deal and the Silverline sponsorship he does have a right to have a say in team decisions. Just as anybody funding a company in the 'real world' does.

Put yourself in Warren's shoes. Two of the best drivers in the series, but one of whom is the best businessman in the series and brings one of the most talented engineers in the series in Faux. It's not an easy decision, but I suspect he'd side with Plato.

In saying that I'd be enormously disappointed to see him actively want to punt Turkington from the team. He's a fantastic driver - perhaps the best in the series at the moment - and (certainly looks to be) a good team-mate. I always think a driver needs a quick team-mate to push both drivers on, and Colin and Jason certainly pushed each other last season.

I shall officially start the Giovanardi to works Alfa Romeo team with Jordan ran by ES Racing rumour.

[porsche962fan]

850Estate then how come the Neals put together Team Dynamics , got the Honda backing and various sponsors like Halfords , Matt was no 1 driver until 2011 and then Shedden took over and got 3 titles in the meantime and seems the Neals don't have a problem with that ??? !!!

maybe because they can bury their egos and so are the stronger men ???

[OVERSTEER]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

I think it's fairly obvious he no longer wants Turkington there.

To Plato everyone is a rival so it's never going to be THAT comfortable.
I'd rather it be that way instead of the quite nauseating love fest between the Neal family and Gordon Shedden.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

850Estate then how come the Neals put together Team Dynamics , got the Honda backing and various sponsors like Halfords , Matt was no 1 driver until 2011 and then Shedden took over and got 3 titles in the meantime and seems the Neals don't have a problem with that ??? !!!

maybe because they can bury their egos and so are the stronger men ???

I agree with this sentiment entirely. Of course Matt Neal wants to win, and Steve Neal wants to see his son win. But if you're going to get beaten, then better the guy who does the winning is in your team than another - if you're a big enough man to not suffer a bruised ego.


Back to BMR I think Turks may have put himself in jeopardy with the clash at Oulton; JP was obviously ****ed with him and I doubt the boss and sponsors slapped him on the back and congratulated him.

How about time for a WSR Andy Jordan rumour. If Sam is going then they have 2x cars without sponsorship. If the IHG deal was two years (heard a rumour to this effect) make it 3x cars needing money... Cue a Pirtek blue BMW...

[lukej]

Just to stir the pot a bit, if you go onto Motorbase's sponsor OKI's webpage or search OKI Print My Ride on Google you'll see a Pirtek liveried Alfa design in the background. Was that the deal that couldn't be done with Mr Bartrum?

Luke

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by jsmee

See the attachment - from the OKI Print My Ride/Motorbase tutorial video. That'll get the rumour mill spinning nicely.

That's my contribution for the year, laters.

Originally Posted by lukej

Just to stir the pot a bit, if you go onto Motorbase's sponsor OKI's webpage or search OKI Print My Ride on Google you'll see a Pirtek liveried Alfa design in the background. Was that the deal that couldn't be done with Mr Bartrum?

Luke

If you go back to post #197......

[touringlegend]

Andrew Jordan getting us all talking by his post on twitter last night... picture of two of their historic cars and saying may need a bigger workshop soon.

Could just be typical AJ stirring things up or are they looking at running their own team again?

[BLiTZ]

Must admit I didn't see Jordan's departure coming, however despite ITV's constant going on about how Jordan and Jackson got on as a team I never saw any proof on track or in any of the behind the scenes features. Half the time they were as bad as the Subaru pair!

It's a shame Andrew hasn't inherited his dad's more humble side (watching him through the GT's the BTCC, he always came across as a gent). Instead we've got an arrogant brat who unlike many drivers on the grid has the backing of a main sponsor who can fill an entire livery plus personal backing from Red Bull (heck even mr Tesco 99 can't do that!) he's never known the true independent struggle faced by 99% of the grid! In some ways I'm glad the last couple of seasons have knocked him down a few pegs and shown him money isn't everything.

In terms of this year it's hard to say what he'll do. Here's my thoughts:

Option 1: Eurotech - Despite 2014's lull he always went well in the Civic and Eurotech's Swindon powered Type R's (as proved by Lloyd) are almost more of a unicorn than the Levorg. The combination of power and handling is rivalled by few and is arguably (and frustratingly to the purists) better than the works package! As Neal proved time and time again after various stints with 888 he always went best with the family team. It'd make sense to go back and start building a team around him and Eurotech is his best chance of that!

Option 2: Team Dynamics - If my earlier predictions of Dynamics sticking with the FK2's for another season holds true then I reckon there's a possibility of seeing a Pirtek sponsored third car. Similar operation to JCT600 and IHG and I reckon Andrew's one of the few with deep enough pockets to get in there. However I don't know that he'd fit into the close knit Neddon family.

Option 3: WSR - With a strong possibility of seeing Tordoff leave the series (his budget and sponsorship package effectively wiping out Collard's chances too) we could see two seats open up here. Whilst it'd be new territory for Andrew with RWD his rallycross experience will likely help. Again one of the few drivers with enough cash to secure a seat in this top team. Though I'd expect a slow development season and being behind his old MG No.2 Goff will wind him up and he'll be off for another team in 2018!

Option 4 New Team?: - Highly unlikely unless manufacturer backed and with enough people behind the scenes to make it happen. Also question of TBL's.

Anywhere Else: - With few other competitive seats free at the top end (unless he's been offered a still warm seat in a Subaru and asked to peal the tarmacking stickers off) I'd be surprised if he doesn't end up at the places above. I can't see him in an Avensis (if he does then it really is a case of playing the field and ending up going home with a minger!) so unless he has the inside track on a potential new car being built for 2017 or plans to do a Plato and 'buy out' a team for his own creation then I can't see him at any of the lower seats.

I'm sure we'll all be left hanging until the week before ASI!

[Craner Curves]

I think Turkington will be back "home" with WSR next year, with Sam Tordoff's place in the team. It's a shame as the BMR deal had the potential to be a huge success, but Plato doesn't want him there. I'll lose a lot of respect for Warren Scott if this does happen, the tail shouldn't be wagging the dog, no matter how much of an egotistical nightmare the tail is!

[S griffin]

Surely Colin did better for the brand by getting it a shot at the title at the last race, despite only having 10 points after Thruxton

Speaking of which, reading the Autosport report on the last meeting I forgot that Shedden was so far down after Croft. Shows how fluctuating the championship has been

[AdrianM]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

850Estate then how come the Neals put together Team Dynamics , got the Honda backing and various sponsors like Halfords , Matt was no 1 driver until 2011 and then Shedden took over and got 3 titles in the meantime and seems the Neals don't have a problem with that ??? !!!

maybe because they can bury their egos and so are the stronger men ???

Or because it's their team they benefit whichever one wins. Not so easy if you're a driver rather than team owner...

[Sodemo]

I have to admit, I am pleasantly surprised that MG has renewed the contract with 888 to continue to run the MG6.

I do wonder if something will be done over the winter to try and hamstring the Subaru's for next year.

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

I do wonder if something will be done over the winter to try and hamstring the Subaru's for next year.

yeah I wonder how this works , can Mr. Gow after that terrible PR fiasco from BMR just slap them with some penalties for the boxer engine ??


or do they have to vote in the post season meeting ? and then how does it work cos I assume all teams minus BMR (and perhaps BKR - 888) would want to slap penalties on them

[Steel Wheels]

Interesting to see that Team HARD are obviously busy making some money out of selling tests in their cars, with Martin James & Will Burns testing. Could prove to be a couple of potential drivers for next year depending on how they get on!