[BTCC] 2015 BTCC news & rumours

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by Madd_Dogg88

I believe Medius was responding to the question by saying that the other circuits on the calendar, which are in Britain, do not pay. I read that as not including Mondello, which is the same as Zanvoort, Spa etc.

All circuits pay a pretty hefty amount to have BTCC!

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Árón Smith renews his contract with BMR. He'll be there in 2015. If the car continues with it's current development (and isn't being made to look good due to TOCA's boost regs) then he may honestly be in for a top 5 points finish.

[Bramzel]

Good for both him and BMR that they've got these plans finalized so early already.

[steve_r]

I'm more and more impressed with that team as time goes by. First by signing up Menu and Smith. The car has improved over time. And now they have a full fleet of four VW's, and are already looking ahead to the future by resigning the very impressive Smith.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by steve_r

I'm more and more impressed with that team as time goes by. First by signing up Menu and Smith. The car has improved over time. And now they have a full fleet of four VW's, and are already looking ahead to the future by resigning the very impressive Smith.

Indeed, very impressive. It'd be nice to VW GB give them a few bob to mount a title campaign next year.

[Sodemo]

If they re-sign Menu I'd be even more impressed. However my instincts tell me that Gio and Menu probably won't be returning in 2015, but we shall see I guess.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

However my instincts tell me that Gio and Menu probably won't be returning in 2015, but we shall see I guess.

I agree, I don't think either of them will be back. I'm not sure they've added a great deal to this year though. If any team has a budget for a seat, I kinda think it would be nice to see a young talented single seater refugee given a chance. Just a personal opinion.

[RED55]

Originally Posted by davyboy

Indeed, very impressive. It'd be nice to VW GB give them a few bob to mount a title campaign next year.

not with a Vauxhall engine in it they wont !

Manufacturers are not that interested and they also are not needed, the series is doing fine without them spending silly money .Teams are managing to spend it without them

BMR have done a great Job and signing Aaron is a good move for consistency . At least they are running a car to the spirit of the regs not a hatchback thats too short ! maybe next year they will apply a rule that adds weight to cars under 4.4metres and take away weight from those over 4.4 .) then lets see how strong the cc is

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

With MotoGP signing a 5-year deal with the Circuit of Wales to host the British round of the series from 2015 onwards, will BTCC sacrifice Brands Indy (or another round for that matter) to visit the new venue?

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by RED55

not with a Vauxhall engine in it they wont !

Manufacturers are not that interested and they also are not needed, the series is doing fine without them spending silly money .Teams are managing to spend it without them

BMR have done a great Job and signing Aaron is a good move for consistency . At least they are running a car to the spirit of the regs not a hatchback thats too short ! maybe next year they will apply a rule that adds weight to cars under 4.4metres and take away weight from those over 4.4 .) then lets see how strong the cc is

Ya very true... but Honda's the (sly) fox in the henhouse at the moment and, despite all the RWD complaining, has swept all before them in NGTC.

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by davyboy

Ya very true... but Honda's the (sly) fox in the henhouse at the moment and, despite all the RWD complaining, has swept all before them in NGTC.

they are now quite behind Ebay Motors in teams standings and only 5 points ahead in manufacturers

so they got a real battle on their hand....

wonder of Menu will stay with BMR and they can do proper pre season testing this time..

[Alfaholic]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

With MotoGP signing a 5-year deal with the Circuit of Wales to host the British round of the series from 2015 onwards, will BTCC sacrifice Brands Indy (or another round for that matter) to visit the new venue?

This would be the Circuit of Wales that hasn't even begun starting construction and has caused some political ructions in Wales regarding subsidies and politcal pressure would it?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-28778032

I can see this being a new Donington Formula 1 style fiasco so no change to the circuits currently being used.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

I was wondering if they'd actually started building the thing! Thanks for the info, and yes, that makes MotoGP look very naïve. I've heard a lot about the political pressures. Some are genuine, but some are just people not wanting to see change...

[BillWiskins]

A five-year deal has been signed to bring motorcycling's British MotoGP to Wales.

Next year's event will take place elsewhere in Britain but it is hoped the circuit in Ebbw Vale will take on the remaining four years.

What a peculiar way to do that. Is it just me? So it's a four year contract, then. Anyway I think it would be great to see a new venue on the BTCC list. Not that there's anything wrong with the current calendar, of course (except Silverstone) - actually I can't think of much of a reason for them not to visit Wales, assuming the thing gets built at all.

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by BillWiskins

What a peculiar way to do that. Is it just me? So it's a four year contract, then. Anyway I think it would be great to see a new venue on the BTCC list.

It's a 5-year deal. CoW will organise / promote the event even though it will be held at another venue for the first year.

Getting back onto topic, BTCC aren't going to go there until 2016 at the very earliest. That's assuming it ever actually gets built.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Silverstone produces good support races due to slipstreaming, but the GP loop would have a similar lap time to the Snetterton 300 circuit, but would be faster.

[BillWiskins]

Originally Posted by redshoes

It's a 5-year deal. CoW will organise / promote the event even though it will be held at another venue for the first year.

Thanks. That wasn't clear in the article (to me, anyway )

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

they are now quite behind Ebay Motors in teams standings and only 5 points ahead in manufacturers

so they got a real battle on their hand....

Purely because they've been pegged back on boost. The Hondas are still the best on the brakes and around the twisty bits... and that's down to manufacturer money into chassis development. To be fair Alan Gow is abundantly aware of that and has done a good job to keep it in check this year.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Surely under TOCA regs, the new Honda tourer's couldn't be pegged back on boost until post-Brands Hatch, as they were new cars? It took a while for anything to happen to the MGs in 2012...

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

Surely under TOCA regs, the new Honda tourer's couldn't be pegged back on boost until post-Brands Hatch, as they were new cars? It took a while for anything to happen to the MGs in 2012...

Weren't the equalization rules changed for 2014 ? To be honest I don't know what the boost levels of any of the cars are - it would be nice if we were told but that's another debate - but the Tourers are visibly slower on the straights and visibly better on the brakes and through the corners.

[RED55]

The Top teams also have a hand in developing/testing new parts ,that if proved for the good of costs or safety can be offered to the whole of the grid.
So say a team goes brake testing to try a different brake pad and it is effective then TOCA can approve it if they want.
Dynamics had no choice but to get the chassis spot on as the engine was always going to be the best on the grid, The Honda unit isnt even trying hard on the boost they run.
Its a shame really because its taking something from the racing on any circuits with higher top speeds.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by RED55

The Top teams also have a hand in developing/testing new parts ,that if proved for the good of costs or safety can be offered to the whole of the grid.
So say a team goes brake testing to try a different brake pad and it is effective then TOCA can approve it if they want.
Dynamics had no choice but to get the chassis spot on as the engine was always going to be the best on the grid, The Honda unit isnt even trying hard on the boost they run.
Its a shame really because its taking something from the racing on any circuits with higher top speeds.

It's not a shame at all. As I said earlier, Honda is the manufacturer elephant in a room full of privateers. Nobody has close to the budget that Dynamics have, and left unchecked they would run away with every race in the series. As it is, a Honda has won every BTCC title since 2010. Alan Gow had no alternative but to peg them back and keep them pegged back.

[redshoes]

It's not that TOCA are deliberately trying to hold Honda back. Boost adjustments are based on lap time not straight-line speed. Whilst they may be in the lower half of the speed trap table they are still consistently in the top 5 or top 10 when it comes to lap times.

If you want more boost and therefore more straight-line speed, build a car that doesn't handle so well and losses time in the twisty bits. But don't then complain that you are being overtaken in the corners.

[Sodemo]

They should just equalise all the power units. Dyno each engine, give everyone "350" or near as to it as possible, then say its up to the teams to sort their chassis out.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

They should just equalise all the power units. Dyno each engine, give everyone "350" or near as to it as possible, then say its up to the teams to sort their chassis out.

Chassis development costs money and Honda/Dynamics have much more available to spend on their's compared to anyone else. If all cars had the same powered engine, an unchecked Honda would be runaway winners of every race and every championship. Nobody else would get a look in and the series would collapse.