[BTCC] Rounds 10, 11, 12 - Oulton Park

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by redshoes

There's a video on Facebook with Paul O'Neill talking to Plato which explains more.

Basically the chassis isn't right, and hasn't been since he slapped it into the pit wall at Brands. What's he's saying is that they have been able to adjust the set-up to compensate, but that's far from ideal.

Not sure where they go from here. Don't think they can simply swap Plato's bent car with Cole or Price. Ideal solution would be a new car, but don't know if they have the time or budget.

Interesting video. A few things I take away from Plato's comments:

Having six cars on the grid means that they can't afford a new chassis. This is evidenced in Lloyd using a bent car too - a third of their cars are out of shape.

The 'perfect package' is not so perfect - the turbo is too far forward and the extra camshaft hurts their engine design.

He doesn't like having to drive an estate - he backs up the feelings of many by stating the shape is not good for a touring car.

What odds on him being the first departure from the grid? He seemed to be just going through the motions and lacking interest.

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

The 'perfect package' is not so perfect - the turbo is too far forward and the extra camshaft hurts their engine design.

He doesn't like having to drive an estate - he backs up the feelings of many by stating the shape is not good for a touring car.

What odds on him being the first departure from the grid? He seemed to be just going through the motions and lacking interest.

makes you wonder if he has the money why doesn't he buy himself a seat at WSR or Team Dynamics ??? well proven seats as their track record shows, the won every title since 2011 (if you count Jordan Eurotech as half Team Dynamics in 2013... )




alright the latter one the Sahara desert will freeze over before that happens

[BLiTZ]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Interesting video. A few things I take away from Plato's comments:

Having six cars on the grid means that they can't afford a new chassis. This is evidenced in Lloyd using a bent car too - a third of their cars are out of shape.

The 'perfect package' is not so perfect - the turbo is too far forward and the extra camshaft hurts their engine design.

He doesn't like having to drive an estate - he backs up the feelings of many by stating the shape is not good for a touring car.

What odds on him being the first departure from the grid? He seemed to be just going through the motions and lacking interest.

Finally the first bit of truth comes out of the BMR stable!

Guess he's regretting blowing his own trumpet so much last year and making out how good the car was resulting in it being nerfed this year!

[CaptRustyNail]

forgive me if i am wrong and please correct me if i am.

But surely one of the "bigger" teams should have thought about additional spare chassis' given it is Touring Cars and the high chance of one getting bent...

[BillWiskins]

I might also be wrong but I don't think the chances of hurting a chassis so badly that it needs replacing are that high. Compared to the number of accidents that happen that look bad but don't result in chassis damage, and especially compared to the number of races where there is no significant damage at all, it doesn't seem like a cost effective choice to have a whole other chassis sitting around that might never get used.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by BillWiskins

I might also be wrong but I don't think the chances of hurting a chassis so badly that it needs replacing are that high. Compared to the number of accidents that happen that look bad but don't result in chassis damage, and especially compared to the number of races where there is no significant damage at all, it doesn't seem like a cost effective choice to have a whole other chassis sitting around that might never get used.

They started building an additional 4th MG6, so should have experience with that car of how likely a replacement may be.
Since going full NGTC, there have been additional/spare/replacements built for the A-Class, Civic, Cruze, A4, Avensis, and 125.

[BLiTZ]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

They started building an additional 4th MG6, so should have experience with that car of how likely a replacement may be.
Since going full NGTC, there have been additional/spare/replacements built for the A-Class, Civic, Cruze, A4, Avensis, and 125.

Yep, pretty much a car a year gets written off, it's luck of the draw as to who it is, so no, no team is ever going to build a full spare going into the season, but in the back of their minds it should be something to budget for.

With Plato's car I can't understand what the issue could be unless it's got a slight twist in it or if the frame itself has weakened and 'gone soft' so to speak. Plenty of people are quick to call NGTC cars silhouettes saying that the roll cage and front and rear sub-frames do all the chassis work, so assuming that they fitted a new front sub-frame and the cage is still in one piece then short of a weak or twisted shell, do we think it's just a placebo effect for Jason or is Ash just better at coping with the numb front end.

Shame they lack a testing budget as the easy option would have been to have Jason drive Ash's car back to back and visa versa.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by BLiTZ

Yep, pretty much a car a year gets written off, it's luck of the draw as to who it is, so no, no team is ever going to build a full spare going into the season, but in the back of their minds it should be something to budget for.

Across their six cars BMR/888 are stating that they are running two chassis' that are below optimal. The incomplete MG6 seems to suggest that they have not budgeted for a replacement.

I understand you could argue against a swap of Plato into Cole's or Sutton's cars - but as Price is running as an academy driver of theirs then surely he should be in the damaged car and allow their team leader to run the better car?

If they are serious about a title assault - put Plato in the right machinery and allow Price to develop his skills in a car that is still capable of setting a S1 fastest lap at Thruxton.

[AdrianM]

Originally Posted by luckn002

Incidentally, whilst Plato has been out of the spotlight, I've noticed far fewer push-to-pash moves so far this season......

Haven't been watching the Halfords Hondas then? They're the masters at it. Plato has been far cleaner over the last few seasons than the Hondas by quite a way.

[S griffin]

I love the fact that the young guys are in the same top ten as champions and race winners

I just want to know what is going on in the Scooby team and the reasons for the drivers being in different places to each other

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by AdrianM

Haven't been watching the Halfords Hondas then? They're the masters at it. Plato has been far cleaner over the last few seasons than the Hondas by quite a way.

Really? I missed most of last season, but for 2015 that simply isn't true. At Brands Hatch he drove into the back of Shedden 3 times in 1 lap in an attempt to win the title. That's the ultimate in dirty driving that one. And then he threw the strop to end all strops when his team mates wouldn't give him free positions to help him. So sorry, I don't buy that. It might be true for 2016, but certainly wasn't for 2015.

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Across their six cars BMR/888 are stating that they are running two chassis' that are below optimal. The incomplete MG6 seems to suggest that they have not budgeted for a replacement.

888 bought back the ex-Hynes car rather than build a new chassis.

Even if they had built a new car, they would still now need a second replacement. Very few teams have that sort of budget.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by AdrianM

Haven't been watching the Halfords Hondas then? They're the masters at it. Plato has been far cleaner over the last few seasons than the Hondas by quite a way.

And yet when you look back - it seems like the only alleged push-to-pass so far has been a single Collard comment?

But last season, a handful of drivers were criticised (including Plato - but never a Honda).

And prior to that, there were even more complaints about such an action.

[FFSM]

Originally Posted by luckn002

Incidentally, whilst Plato has been out of the spotlight, I've noticed far fewer push-to-pash moves so far this season......

I take it you've not been watching Matt "punt it up the inside" Neal then?

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by FFSM

I take it you've not been watching Matt "punt it up the inside" Neal then?

At least that's punting it up the inside, rather than punting it into the bumper.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by redshoes

888 bought back the ex-Hynes car rather than build a new chassis.

Even if they had built a new car, they would still now need a second replacement. Very few teams have that sort of budget.

As 888 alone, then yes agree that they would be unlikely to budget for such - but I am more thinking that the BMR side of the house seems to have no budget for a single replacement?

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by FFSM

I take it you've not been watching Matt "punt it up the inside" Neal then?

Which event would that be - because no one mentioned it at the time?

[Akrapovic]

It's just hit me how bad Louise Goodman is on the grid. Asking questions in the microphone whilst she's walking to the car, and expecting the drivers to know what question was when she wasn't in earshot. Engines are starting and she's still trying to ask questions to drivers trying to start cars.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

It's just hit me how bad Louise Goodman is on the grid. Asking questions in the microphone whilst she's walking to the car, and expecting the drivers to know what question was when she wasn't in earshot. Engines are starting and she's still trying to ask questions to drivers trying to start cars.

Did she manage to get in the way of any of the mechanics while she was at it?

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Did she manage to get in the way of any of the mechanics while she was at it?

Not a mechanic but I think she hoofed a personal trainer/driver assistant out of the way for the first interview. Missed the driver name. Cook I think.

[porsche962fan]

guess no more favoritism for BMR needed

and that's about it for Tingram leading the championship after this day

[850Estate]

Ash Sutton *polite applause*

[luckn002]

Originally Posted by 850Estate

Ash Sutton *polite applause*

Agreed - dreadful for Ingram though!

Very mature and humble during the interview too

[FFSM]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Which event would that be - because no one mentioned it at the time?

Pretty much every race he's ever been in?

In fact I'm considering writing to Jonathan Palmer, requesting that Clearways and Clark are renamed "Matt's favourite punting place" and "where Matt's victims end up face the wrong way" when he retires

Same could be said of Shedden - I've lost count of the number of times that he's pulled that move (more often than not on Turks for some reason) but somehow this always seems to get overlooked for the Hondas.

Wonder if Matt's creeping at the start of R1 also will get overlooked for the THIRD time this year?

[FFSM]

Originally Posted by luckn002

Agreed - dreadful for Ingram though!

Goff needs a good kicking for that. Moron.