[BTCC] BTCC News & Rumours 2025

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by Pickles

I see Un-Limited have been testing for next year already, looks like Mini racer Maximus Hall running some laps in the Cupra

Would be quite the step up going from the little Minis to the BTCC in two seasons (financially and otherwise!)

[MarcusH26]

Interesting name to throw into the mix Pickles, it was mentioned on the Comms during the last Mini round at Brands that Maximus was targeting a BTCC seat for 2025...

[antnee]

Originally Posted by ArrowBlue

Could it be Honda ? (would "technically" be a new manufacturer as only been in as privateer in recent years) and the new prelude could be the base for GT3 ???

Do Honda have a saloon on sale in the UK? JAS have been the official Honda motorsport partner till now - designing and building GT3, TCR, CTCC and rally cars

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by antnee

Do Honda have a saloon on sale in the UK? JAS have been the official Honda motorsport partner till now - designing and building GT3, TCR, CTCC and rally cars

They still have the Civic and Civic Type-R; whether they met current criteria, I don't know. Also the Jazz.

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

They still have the Civic and Civic Type-R; whether they met current criteria, I don't know. Also the Jazz.

No saloons though (and the Jazz I am fairly confident would be far too small for BTCC regs)

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Evantra

No saloons though (and the Jazz I am fairly confident would be far too small for BTCC regs)

The Civics look like a saloon to me.

[ScottS]

A name that I'm going to drop into the mix for the BTCC 2025 grid is Max Edmundson from the Civic Cup. He is now a 2 time champion in the Civic's and on a few occasions it was mention about "big plans" for next year depending on budget and sponsorship. Whether those "big plans" mean a move to TCR or a move to BTCC, who knows. But one thing is for sure, I think he has the talent to be up there with the best of them!

Another few names I'd throw out there is Adam Shepherd, Brad Hutchison and Callum Newsham from TCR UK. I feel like any of those 3 drivers has the talent to compete well in the BTCC. The only thing holding them back and preventing them getting a seat is money.

[Andrew Abbott]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

The Civics look like a saloon to me.

If the back window opens with the boot, it isn't a saloon. In Europe, the Civic is a hatchback.

To be honest, "saloon" is a bit of an archaic term with regard to the modern automotive landscape. I find it a bit of a joke that there is such a thing as a "Junior Saloon Car Championship" which features a load of city car hatchbacks! The Junior Production Car Championship would probably be a more appropriate name.

[tocatrucky]

Originally Posted by ScottS

A name that I'm going to drop into the mix for the BTCC 2025 grid is Max Edmundson from the Civic Cup. He is now a 2 time champion in the Civic's and on a few occasions it was mention about "big plans" for next year depending on budget and sponsorship. Whether those "big plans" mean a move to TCR or a move to BTCC, who knows. But one thing is for sure, I think he has the talent to be up there with the best of them!

Another few names I'd throw out there is Adam Shepherd, Brad Hutchison and Callum Newsham from TCR UK. I feel like any of those 3 drivers has the talent to compete well in the BTCC. The only thing holding them back and preventing them getting a seat is money.

Callum Newsham is a name I've heard linked with Restart and Scott Sumpton's freshly vacated seat. He's got very solid backing.

[kipper]

Originally Posted by Andrew Abbott

To be honest, "saloon" is a bit of an archaic term with regard to the modern automotive landscape.

The term has always been a bit nebulous in motor racing bearing in mind cars as diverse as the Mini, the Austin A40 and Mazda RX8 won what was then called the British Saloon Car Championship.

[S700UBO]

Originally Posted by ScottS

A name that I'm going to drop into the mix for the BTCC 2025 grid is Max Edmundson from the Civic Cup. He is now a 2 time champion in the Civic's and on a few occasions it was mention about "big plans" for next year depending on budget and sponsorship. Whether those "big plans" mean a move to TCR or a move to BTCC, who knows. But one thing is for sure, I think he has the talent to be up there with the best of them!

Another few names I'd throw out there is Adam Shepherd, Brad Hutchison and Callum Newsham from TCR UK. I feel like any of those 3 drivers has the talent to compete well in the BTCC. The only thing holding them back and preventing them getting a seat is money.

Callum is a cracking driver very much like his Dad Dave but again struggles for budget and in BTCC thats the biggest downfall

[Pickles]

Originally Posted by tocatrucky

Callum Newsham is a name I've heard linked with Restart and Scott Sumpton's freshly vacated seat. He's got very solid backing.

Now that would be great to see!

[MarcusH26]

Would be great to see some fresh names on the grid from the lower categories. Obviously budget is going to be main thing with anyone coming from TCR/Civics/Minis but I'd guess these names wouldn't be testing or doing the rumour mill if there wasn't a chance they could happen. Wonder if PMR could get the third Astra out again if someone came along with a package that made sense?

[antnee]

Long shot but...

Newsham Snr has links with PMR having driven for them in the past. They are looking to put a 3rd car on the grid and Newsham Jnr might be looking to step up...

[Sodemo]

Its a shame that we won't see the new(er) shape Civic out there in BTCC form, I think actually after a few attempts they have finally produced a road car that isn't offensive to my eyes. Actually the FK8 wasn't too bad, much nicer than what came before it, it still had the bonkers rear end, but at least the front looked more like a conventional car. Scrunch up your eyes a bit and it could be the Honda Accord...

Edit, there is a TCR version of the new Civic which does look really nice actually.

[Racing_Dad]

Originally Posted by antnee

Long shot but...

Newsham Snr has links with PMR having driven for them in the past. They are looking to put a 3rd car on the grid and Newsham Jnr might be looking to step up...

The Newsham camp love TCR, not so sure you'll see them back in BTCC.

[Racing_Dad]

Originally Posted by MarcusH26

Would be great to see some fresh names on the grid from the lower categories. Obviously budget is going to be main thing with anyone coming from TCR/Civics/Minis but I'd guess these names wouldn't be testing or doing the rumour mill if there wasn't a chance they could happen. Wonder if PMR could get the third Astra out again if someone came along with a package that made sense?

Absolutely, budgets are crazy at the moment due to a couple of factors but it would be good to see some more young blood join. On average a test day is circa 10k so there has to be some reasonably decent intent to try and put a package togehter.

[swooshiain]

Originally Posted by Evantra

No saloons though (and the Jazz I am fairly confident would be far too small for BTCC regs)

More to the point, I think you have to be drawing your pension before you're allowed to drive a Jazz.


Maybe time for a Rob Gravett comeback?

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by tocatrucky

Callum Newsham is a name I've heard linked with Restart and Scott Sumpton's freshly vacated seat. He's got very solid backing.

His father you mean

Sent from my SM-T736B using Tapatalk

[Pickles]

Originally Posted by Moneyseeker

His father you mean

Sent from my SM-T736B using Tapatalk

Speaking of which, Dexter Patterson has been out in the Un-Limited Cupra today

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by Pickles

Speaking of which, Dexter Patterson has been out in the Un-Limited Cupra today

And Andrew Watson - presumably, with number 11 - testing for Speedworks, perhaps indicative he’s staying for next year.

https://x.com/speedworksms/status/18...T11pmdgnSSDQzA

[coffinpilot]

Reading stuff in Autosport, Motorsport News and Touring Car magazine, and watching some inteviews with those TCR drivers mentioned all I can say is this. Hutchison only races because Bond It pay the big part of the bill, they couldn't afford to step up. Shepherd can't get sponsors, and I'm talking around ten grand to run properly in TCR and Newsham, they've had to crowd fund to rebuild the front end of their car. £1400 they got, plus Newsham says in an interview video that they're trying to get the budget for an Elantra for TCR. I think it's out of their reach.

Could Patterson be an extra pair of hands? It could just be a test for the team to check things versus feedback for De Leon?

[Pickles]

I'm guessing it isn't a done deal that DeLeon isn't staying and they're getting some possible replacements in for some seat time.

[MarcusH26]

Patterson testing is a really interesting one , someone that knows the Cupra well from HARD and would be a solid second driver.

I wouldn't be that surprised if DeLeon has other options he's weighing up.

[MotorsportMentalist]

I seem to remember Patterson being a respectable pair of hands in 2023, not on the level of Thompson or Lloyd but he was managing to finish around the back of the top fifteen even in races without much carnage. Would be nice to see him have another go in the Cupra.