BTCC 2019 season discussion, News and Rumours!

[mattcanary]

Originally Posted by mark_l

ITV won't like the GP circuit at Silverstone as it requires so much more resources than the current National track.

The Donington loop doesn't add anything to the racing. I would like to see OP getting a second visit although judging by the recent snoozefest I doubt many people will want to see another meeting there.

So that leaves Snetterton and Knockhill, I can't see the Scottish market support a second meeting north of the border.

So in future it looks like Thruxton and Snetterton will share the second meeting.

You've missed out Croft. Any chance of a second meeting there?

[sethmate]

Are we forgetting the recent changes to legislation for closed public road events?

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by sethmate

Are we forgetting the recent changes to legislation for closed public road events?

We hadn't forgotten, it's just very unlikely to ever happen.

Finding a suitable venue; making it safe for racing; installing barriers; setting up a spectator areas / grandstands; fencing off a ticketed area; and closing the surrounding area for a weekend, is a huge and costly logistical challenge. Without a big sponsor, it's unlikely that ticket revenue alone would even come close to covering the costs.

If you are thinking of somewhere like the Coventry MotoFest, the only competitive element to that is a sprint. The requirements to run a single car at a time again the clock are significantly different to running a full-on race with 32 cars on track at the same time.

[btccbloke]

Gonna give this a quick bump as its soon going to become more relevant and has been hidden away a couple of pages in

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by btccbloke

Gonna give this a quick bump as its soon going to become more relevant and has been hidden away a couple of pages in

While we're here, and maybe I'm just being fussy, but could we get the thread name changed to 'BTCC 2019 Rumours & Silly Season' to match previous years…?

[Alfisti]

So then. Will BMR be back, if they are will Ash be with them? I suppose as always it'll be down to money.

Where will the two out of use Subarus be? Could someone like HARD or AmD acquire them, place the TOCA lump under the hood and get better results than the existing motors? The VWs, MGs and Audis are getting elderly and probably have little or nothing more to give in development - or do they?

If Matt Neal wins this years championship - which could happen - do we think he may retire on a high and give the seat to one of the young 'uns?

[Robin Marriott]

I’m pretty certain the TOCA engine won’t fit in the Subaru so if they went elsewhere they’d still have to use the boxer.

I don’t think BMR will return, I think JP will retire and Ash will end up somewhere like PMR or Speedworks in a second Avensis.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Robin Marriott

I’m pretty certain the TOCA engine won’t fit in the Subaru so if they went elsewhere they’d still have to use the boxer.

It shouldn't be a problem fitting the TOCA unit. The front subframe is common to all makes, and includes the engine and gearbox mounting points.

Unless there is something about the Levorg body that is radically different to an A-Class, or 1-Series?

http://www.tocatechnical.co.uk/wpsys...l-01-02-12.pdf

[Robin Marriott]

Valid point! Had a mental block there and forgot they all use a common subframe, I think I was in about 1995 in my head!

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by btccbloke

Gonna give this a quick bump as its soon going to become more relevant and has been hidden away a couple of pages in

Are we about to see an announcement to explain why when the 2019 calendar was announced, and there was a second Thruxton date, I said "placeholder" under my breath?

[btccbloke]

Originally Posted by sceptic

Are we about to see an announcement to explain why when the 2019 calendar was announced, and there was a second Thruxton date, I said "placeholder" under my breath?

No - I was talking more about getting to the sharp end when we often hear rumors as drivers and teams start to look to next year. I started a new thread as didnt see this one

...but i agree the 2 Thruxton races is a bit odd

[Alfisti]

Supposing we are down to 26 then... realistically where could the TOCA package fit into? Assuming the Clios, Porsche, F4 and two lots of Ginettas remain.

My brain says Combe and Mallory are too small, but are they?

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

My brain says Combe and Mallory are too small, but are they?

yes

[Evantra]

After watching the last round of TCR UK, Combe's layout is just not suited to touring cars.

Still want to see Anglesey in the future, though won't happen without a looooooot of money.

[medius]

Combe /Mallory have severe noise restrictions and limits on days they can operate. Neither could accommodate the TOCA package.

[Racer65]

Originally Posted by Robin Marriott

I don’t think BMR will return, I think JP will retire and Ash will end up somewhere like PMR or Speedworks in a second Avensis.

Can't see JP retiring while he's so close to the 100 win mark.

I'd expect Sutton to go off onto a bigger worldwide stage. He's a massive talent.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Racer65

Can't see JP retiring while he's so close to the 100 win mark.

He seems to be getting further away from that 100 win mark with every round though...

(His twitter bio says 97, but the btcc website only credits him with 96)

[S griffin]

I can't see Plato getting that 100 win mark, Sutton is blowing him away and then some

[btccbloke]

id give him 1 more season but away from the BMR/Subaru circus, preferably in FWD, if he cant do it he should retire mid season and focus on other projects rather than drag it all out, hes just become an embarrassment to himself.

He was competitive in 2016, I still think his bottle went when he had his Brands startline crash and aside from a couple of weekends like Knockhill '17 and Croft '18 which were weather/circuit specifc, he doesn't look anything like a BTCC driver, last year we had the bent chassis, the dodgy differential, the lack of power... every other weekend they had got to the bottom of the issues, Brands this year they had "turned a corner" after race 3, hes got all the excuses but nothing that suggests he will get a result.

[Sodemo]

I can see Plato being a team manager. He is an astute politician and can undoubtedly bring a team of the best people together.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

I can see Plato being a team manager. He is an astute politician and can undoubtedly bring a team of the best people together.

That's worked brilliantly for him at BMR.

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

He seems to be getting further away from that 100 win mark with every round though...

(His twitter bio says 97, but the btcc website only credits him with 96)

Plato has 96 wins to date, believe me, I've counted them all up.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Nononsensecapeesh

Plato has 96 wins to date, believe me, I've counted them all up.

I don't believe you though - which one didn't you count - there are 97 listed here?

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

I don't believe you though - which one didn't you count - there are 97 listed here?

IT WOULD BE 97 if you include Round 25 at Brands Hatch in 2001 where Plato came 2nd but was awarded maximum points because the actual winner Anthony Reid wasn't eligible for points yet Reid is credited with 15 wins including that Brands Hatch race - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Reid

Once again, I've done the necessary counting, I've done the research and I have a whole spreadsheet to prove it.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Nononsensecapeesh

IT WOULD BE 97 if you include Round 25 at Brands Hatch in 2001 where Plato came 2nd but was awarded maximum points because the actual winner Anthony Reid wasn't eligible for points yet Reid is credited with 15 wins including that Brands Hatch race - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Reid

Once again, I've done the necessary counting, I've done the research and I have a whole spreadsheet to prove it.

I think I'll trust the official championship results over a spreadsheet thanks. And if you get full points for the win, then it's a win in my book.