[BTCC] 2014 BTCC speculation, rumours and news

[CarsCarsCars]

Originally Posted by redshoes

At the point the entry was made Neate had a car in build and the sponsor to enter so easily meets your criteria, even if he subsequently lost that sponsor. If you mean that they actually need a completed car rather than just one in build then under that criteria the MGs would have been rejected last year as the first car was only completely literally days before the first meeting and the second car still being screwed together over the course of the weekend.

In this hypothetical rule=set, Manufacture run teams would get priority.

[BtccLee]

This has become more of a random wish-list than a "Speculation, rumours and news thread". Next year there will be 10 rounds at the same circuits as this year, which personally I don't mind as they produce fantastic racing. There will be the same format of 3 races per meeting. Longer encounters may come in 2015 or 2016 but not next year. I expect a couple of alterations to the rule set regarding driving standards which were a lot better at Knockhill. Support races should see grids grow, Renault and Porsche have taken a good number of orders for their new cars. Ginetta will alter the Supercup and Juniors to increase interest. Formula Ford may well become an FIA backed series.Then the Touring Cars. Honda and MG I would imagine remaining with the same drivers as this year and Andy Jordan is a definite too. eBay will be interesting but I can't see them giving up Colin Turkington after one year. Collard who knows? Foster is coming to the end of his stated "Three year plan". Airwaves want to run 3 Focuses and haven't been impressed with their performance this year.
Then new entries. Renault Megane's will be a fantastic addition to the grid and it sounds like the operation is being done very professionally. Rockingham will be very interesting indeed. Then we have KIA possibly.
I think the grid will be 100% NGTC. Also in Motorsport News is that current teams are being given priority entries for next year although how many would sign up early without firm budgets? All in all 2013 has been a cracker and 2014 looks set to get even better. We are in a special era of the BTCC and I for one can't wait to see how it develops.

[Sodemo]

Turks is a credit to the series, the BTCC needs him more than he needs the series methinks. However I am sure he doesn't come cheap, as far as I know the WSR deal was only for 1 year. Lets hope that they can work out a deal for 2014 (and beyond).

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by CarsCarsCars

In this hypothetical rule=set, Manufacture run teams would get priority.

What about WSR?. Not a manufacturer and this year they didn't have all three cars finished until after the media day. Or Team HARD, who had no cars running at the media day. Or indeed any other the other teams over the last few years who didn't have a car running at the media day, which remember is at least a week after the entry list closing date.

I understand peoples frustration at seeing cars entered that never appear but you have to accept that these things are going to happen.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

It's unofficially confirmed that the Jack Sears Trophy will cease to exist next season, as the championship becomes fully NGTC. With such low grid numbers for the JST cars, that can only be good, although Lea Wood will inevitably struggle to get onto the grid.

eBay will have to keep Turks, and Collard is catching up, and is likely to stay. Foster, however, could be replaced, but I have no idea who by and won't comment on it.

Motorbase would like to run their 3 cars. Mat Jackson/Árón Smith = arguably best 2 driver line-up of the lot, certainly in the wet. But Michael Caine is busy racing GTs (that's a very likely for next season) and so is Nick Tandy. Dan Cammish will almost certainly test that car, and considering that, after his injury, he's probably going to stay off the F1 radar until he retires, he could easily make a switch, but it's going to be a question of budget. Jake Hill and Liam Griffin are the other 2 guys who've driven with the team, but Hill has a limited budget, and Griffin doesn't have much pace, and seems to be a business man more than a racer.

Pirtek will probably retain their driver line-up if Smith confirms he's staying.

Honda will too.

MG are likely to - Tordoff needs a second season, because now he'll have learnt the car and the circuits, and will probably stick around Plato every single race.

I can also practically guarantee that Dynojet will run Frank Wrathall.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Originally Posted by TimRTC

Sadly can't see this happening - the new format Clio Championship is likely to only have a few entries given the expense of running an all new car (particularly when the BARC are expanding their Clio Cup to allow all of the current models - this will certainly attract any of the privateer entries).

You should read this: http://www.renaultsport.co.uk/champi...or-2014-season

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

I can also practically guarantee that Dynojet will run Frank Wrathall.

not if the justice system steps in ....

and what about Rob Austin, getting all this media exposure and some good results lately should convince some more sponsors to back him

and Morgan continuing his excellent career in his Toyota

and TOC who signed 3 years deal with HARD

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

eBay will have to keep Turks, and Collard is catching up, and is likely to stay. Foster, however, could be replaced, but I have no idea who by and won't comment on it.

They'll keep Turkington if they can afford it. Collard and foster will get a drive if they want it (they're paying for it after all).

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

Motorbase would like to run their 3 cars. Mat Jackson/Árón Smith = arguably best 2 driver line-up of the lot, certainly in the wet. Jake Hill and Liam Griffin are the other 2 guys who've driven with the team, but Hill has a limited budget, and Griffin doesn't have much pace, and seems to be a business man more than a racer.

Again it's all down to budget - the 3rd car may well end up with Griffin driving as he's got some cash behind him.

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

Pirtek will probably retain their driver line-up if Smith confirms he's staying.

Honda will too.

MG are likely to - Tordoff needs a second season, because now he'll have learnt the car and the circuits, and will probably stick around Plato every single race.

Agree with all that.

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

I can also practically guarantee that Dynojet will run Frank Wrathall.

As mentioned by someone else above - Frank may not be an option, in which case I suspect Dynojet won't be on the grid.

I hope Rob Austin is back with the Audi (and someone in the 2nd Audi), as that's probably the best looking car out there. HARD will no doubt have half a grids worth of cars driven by anyone with a race licence and a spare tenner at some point during the season

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Austin will almost certainly be back, especially if he doesn't win this season. Adam Morgan and TOC, yep, agree.

[porsche962fan]

a driver who really needs better fortune or should we say better team is Dave Newsham , Speedworks is now the worst peforming Toyorra team by far, they look utterly mediocre compared to Cicely

[Thorney]

I'd remove us from any speculation

We tried


http://www.thorney.ms/cms/racing/BTCC_Update.html

[medius]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

It's unofficially confirmed that the Jack Sears Trophy will cease to exist next season, as the championship becomes fully NGTC.

Really?

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/107127

There is no exact timeframe on how long the S2000s will continue in the series, but Gow plans to continue the trophy even after the cars have gone.

"When the S2000s die, whether that's next year or the year after, the Jack Sears Trophy won't die with it," he told AUTOSPORT.

"We will award it for something else. It's a great name for a trophy."

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by Thorney

I'd remove us from any speculation

We tried


http://www.thorney.ms/cms/racing/BTCC_Update.html

sad to hear

looking back you think perhaps it would have been better to buy a used S2000 and do that for a couple of season before moving to NGTC ?

[Thorney]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

sad to hear

looking back you think perhaps it would have been better to buy a used S2000 and do that for a couple of season before moving to NGTC ?

Perhaps, certainly any way would have been better than the way we did try but thats life.


Low and high for me though was Silverstone in the batman livery, low was failing to make qualifying as the alternator failed in the garage so I knew we werent going to race that weekend, I sat in the car for 20 minutes as I was too upset to get out. High was same weekend, when TOCA let us at least do the green flag lap and the cheer we got from the crowd I could hear in the car even over the engine (which is 122db inside the car) made me think I'd done the right thing. I will miss the fans, but if you cant afford to pay, dont try and play.

[porsche962fan]

you should write a detailed guide for any new team wanting to enter BTCC so they don't repeat your mistakes


an ex 888 Vectra with full setup data may have been a much better alternative for a small time with limited budget such as yours, ES Racing clearly demonstrated that despite controversional team boss..

[Thorney]

True if we are just a pure race team but we're not, we build race cars as a business, the idea of racing something that someone else built doesnt really fit in with who we are. The attraction of NGTC was exactly that - building our own car, now granted the budgets didnt pan out as we'd expected and that was its downfall for us but running an older car for 'experience' wouldve been pointless, we've race and run our own race series for years, the TOCA package is no different that lower level racing - just more rules and more politics

[Greem]

Originally Posted by Thorney

I'd remove us from any speculation

We tried

You most definitely did that! On top of all that work, you managed to have the most open & two-way relationship with supporters and bashers alike that I can recall at this level of motorsport. That's something I think we'll all miss, and something that some of the the other teams could learn from (and in some cases have already). Thanks!

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Originally Posted by medius

Really?

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/107127

There is no exact timeframe on how long the S2000s will continue in the series, but Gow plans to continue the trophy even after the cars have gone.

"When the S2000s die, whether that's next year or the year after, the Jack Sears Trophy won't die with it," he told AUTOSPORT.

"We will award it for something else. It's a great name for a trophy."

I meant the S2000s are out. Not the trophy.

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by Thorney

I'd remove us from any speculation

We tried


http://www.thorney.ms/cms/racing/BTCC_Update.html

John, good piece. You also highlight one of the double edged swords of the NGTC rules, selecting the right car to build, particularly if one is seeking to gain some support from a manufacturer as their objectives and strategy can be a bit of a moving feast.

[Thaw Daggerslash]

Originally Posted by TimRTC

I did get a chance (at the Donington KX aftershow event) to ask Alan Gow if there were any plans to race overseas, which he categorically turned down, saying that it would do nothing to help the series and would be just an expensive vanity exercise for the drivers - so no Zandvoort or Spa rounds any time soon.

Well of course they're not. The BTCC has no international credibility any more, not like it used to in the Super Touring era anyway.

And on the basis some of them can't even be bothered to turn up to Knockhill, what makes you think they'd make the trek abroad?

Bit of a ridiculous suggestion, if I'm brutally honest. The calendar will be pretty much identical to how it always is.

The guys at the top of BTCC are some of the best touring car drivers in the world.

Are you being serious? Please tell me that's a joke...

[BtccLee]

Originally Posted by Thaw Daggerslash

Well of course they're not. The BTCC has no international credibility any more, not like it used to in the Super Touring era anyway.

And on the basis some of them can't even be bothered to turn up to Knockhill, what makes you think they'd make the trek abroad?

Bit of a ridiculous suggestion, if I'm brutally honest. The calendar will be pretty much identical to how it always is.



Are you being serious? Please tell me that's a joke...

Are you being serious. Please tell me this is a joke! The top drivers in this series have every right to be described as some of the best in the world. Look how Turkington did in the WTCC. James Nash learnt in the BTCC and is now a WTCC winner. Tom Chilton is doing ok. What about your Mullers and Menus and Tarquinis. Where did they come from?
Not every driver in the series is but neither is every driver in the World Series.
Moving on I am surprised that more isn't being made of the Megane story. It is clearly a very series operation with a very large backer behind it. One car is in build and could run before the end of the year. A mock-up will appear at Rockingham. My question is... Who is behind it?

[Craner Curves]

In my own personal opinion. Plato, Neal, Shedden and Turkington are on another level compared to the rest of the grid.

[BtccLee]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

In my own personal opinion. Plato, Neal, Shedden and Turkington are on another level compared to the rest of the grid.

I would include Jordan and given time Sam Tordoff...

But yes that's what I meant when I said the top drivers. You could argue Muller is a cut above everyone in the WTCC though. Maybe Huff, Tarquini and Monterio are on the same level. But it's the same in every series. There are 4 or 5 who are cut above....

[Aunt Sally]

Personally, I'm looking forward to the prospect of seeing Honda, Nissan, Vauxhall, Renault, Alfa and even Volvo competing in front of the BTCC crowd once again next year!

[BtccLee]

Originally Posted by Aunt Sally

Personally, I'm looking forward to the prospect of seeing Honda, Nissan, Vauxhall, Renault, Alfa and even Volvo competing in front of the BTCC crowd once again next year!

For Nissan read MG. For Alfa read Proton. And for Volvo read Ford. It will do hahhahaha