2024 BTCC Round One - Donington

[Northern Monkey]

Originally Posted by SSmith

Yes a little strange, but should definitely be a good weekend!



That is encouraging to hear. I seem to recall reading (in Autosport or on the Mini Challenge website) that Trevor Keates and the Mannpower team were interested in JCW, and I wonder if a few people are waiting to see how the JCW Sport cars perform on track before committing.

Keates is the one missing Donington although no longer with Mannpower

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Pickles

Oulton Park or Snetterton are worth a look. Silverstone is pretty terrible both for atmosphere and viewing

Can't speak for Snetterton as haven't been there since 1970, but I can definitely recommend Oulton. I think that one of the best spots is on the infield around Dentons. From there you can see the cars coming from Old Hall and through cascades up to Lakeside. You then have a good view of them arriving back from Island bend and going through Hislops chicane and off to Knickerbrook.

And if you pick the right spot, you could also have a fair view of a big screen as well, which is also in the infield.

[crmalcolm]

[Evantra]

Ant Whorton-Eales is a last-minute addition to the MINI grid.

[InYourMirrors45]

Originally Posted by AJD

On the subject of attending meetings. I'm a regular at Croft and go every year. Have done Knockhill and Donington, where would people suggest as a good choice for a change of scenery this season?

Brands hatch highly recommend. Although snetterton has some great viewing areas it takes an awfully long time for the pack to come back around again for only 12 laps a race.

[ChrisA]

Originally Posted by InYourMirrors45

Brands hatch highly recommend. Although snetterton has some great viewing areas it takes an awfully long time for the pack to come back around again for only 12 laps a race.

Snetterton is a great circuit, fairly flat and some good straights. To make the race more enjoyable would be to use a different layout, there is a choice of three. The shortest would not work, but the middle one would give a more entertaining race, more laps and I think faster.

[Sodemo]

Brands is probably my fav circuit as a spectator. I don’t get to go any more as it’s a 3 hour journey for me and with young kids it just wouldn’t work. Donington is about 25 mins from me. The problem with Donington is it’s always at the start of the year meaning the weather is likely to be dodgy which again, with a baby and a toddler is far from ideal.

[mf51]

Does that mean Tim Harvey won’t be in the comm box for the BTCC races?

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by mf51

Does that mean Tim Harvey won’t be in the comm box for the BTCC races?

huh?
yes hes on the list as co commentator as normal

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by SSmith

Entry List


PCCGB - 24 (12 Pro, 10 Pro-Am, 2 Am)
Seemingly several changes since Media Day. Will Martin returns to GB with Eden Race Drive, increasing the Pro class to 12. Late entries from Henry Dawes (Century) and Will Aspin (Eden Race Drive) boost Pro-Am up to 10 entries. It is virtually impossible to predict a champion in either class. Still only 2 Ams and, with the utmost respect to Hosking, it is likely a bit of a foregone conclusion in favour of Mowle.

Even more so now. Hosking has withdrawn from Donington after crashing in practice. The car couldn't be repaired in time.

[SSmith]

Originally Posted by sceptic

Even more so now. Hosking has withdrawn from Donington after crashing in practice. The car couldn't be repaired in time.

That is a shame, and hopefully it doesn't deter him from racing in the series at Brands Hatch once the car is fixed. Looking at practice times, with Mowle about 1.5secs - 2secs off everyone else, it could be a very lonely weekend for him.

[SSmith]

FP1

1. Ingram - 1:08.110s
2. Cammish + 0.323s
3. Rowbottom + 0.441s
4. Turkington +0.479s
5. Moffat +0.535s
6. Morgan +0.579s
7. Sutton +0.643s
8. Taylor-Smith + 0.743s
9. Watson +0.803s
10. Osborne +0.849s
11. Cook + 0.867s
12. Hill + 1.051s
13. Huff + 1.117s
14. Pearson + 1.198s
15. Doble +1.210s
16. Smiley +1.875s
17. Sumpton +2.108s
18. Halstead +2.846s
19. DeLeon +5.218s
20. Chilton - No Time

[thetool]

I wouldn't read too much into the times. Most drivers only did one or two fast laps. A lot of installation laps, component checking, etc, in the first session. I'd expect FP2 to be much more representative.

[SSmith]

From TSL, Unlimited Motorsport are using "Duckhams Racing with Bartercard" as the entry name

[SSmith]

FP2:

Ingram fastest again, Rowbottom, Cammish, Turkington and Doble complete top 5.

Qualifying Group 1:

Ingram
Cammish
Doble
Morgan
Moffat
Watson
Pearson
Taylor-Smith
Osborne
Halstead

Qualifying Group 2:

Rowbottom
Turkington
Hill
Huff
Sutton
Cook
DeLeon
Smiley
Sumpton
Chilton

[hen henths]

Nice to see Turks quite near the sharp end in those practices. I wonder if he's in a good frame of mind to try and get a 5th title this year. Only 20 cars this year so it should be easier to at least make progress from any starting position. In theory.

[Evantra]

https://x.com/restartracing22/status...T11pmdgnSSDQzA

Already some freshened front aero on the Restart cars

[MarcusH26]

Absolute disaster for Huff. Not being allowed to take part.

[Robin Marriott]

I like this new qualifying format, it feels a lot more frantic being shorter sessions, definitely adds some excitement.

[hen henths]

Originally Posted by Robin Marriott

I like this new qualifying format, it feels a lot more frantic being shorter sessions, definitely adds some excitement.

Agreed it's very entertaining but must be brutally frustrating for teams and drivers when they run out of time to set a good lap.

[hen henths]

Originally Posted by MarcusH26

Absolute disaster for Huff. Not being allowed to take part.

Nightmare. Was there any word on why that is?

[Robin Marriott]

Originally Posted by hen henths

Nightmare. Was there any word on why that is?

The car was in the garage rather than the pit lane at the start of the session from what they said.

[Evantra]

Unrelated, but assuming they would announce the drivers before the season starts again it seems On the Limit hasn’t been renewed for this year?

[hen henths]

There was a race control message saying Sutton's lap 5 was disallowed for track limits. I thought lap 5 was the one that put him at the front before the red flag. Unless there are two lap 5s after the first is disallowed!

Edit: Looks like his second fastest one was good enough to keep him at the top anyway, but it's odd he stayed showing as 1st the whole time, unless I misread it.

[ahobson98]

Fair play to DeLeon, P9 on the grid - cracking drive after zero testing.