BTCC 2024 News & Rumours

[Racing Harz]

Dexter Patterson is off to the GT4 European Series:
https://gt-place.com/2024/01/11/gt4-...tet-mit-lotus/

[Jiiiiiiim]

Originally Posted by Racing Harz

Dexter Patterson is off to the GT4 European Series:
https://gt-place.com/2024/01/11/gt4-...tet-mit-lotus/

Not surprised as he’s been out testing GT machinery lately.

[Robin Marriott]

https://www.touringcars.net/2024/01/will-powell-returns-to-tcr-uk-for-full-season-campaign

Powell off to TCR

I know he didn’t do a full BTCC season last year but he started it…

[SSmith]

Originally Posted by Robin Marriott

https://www.touringcars.net/2024/01/will-powell-returns-to-tcr-uk-for-full-season-campaign

Powell off to TCR

I know he didn’t do a full BTCC season last year but he started it…

Yes, posted and discussed in TCR UK 2024 thread. There's some very decent people behind his programme (Bert Taylor and JAS Motorsport) which should give him a chance of a few good results.

[Evantra]

https://www.btcc.net/live-audio/

Reading too much into David Addison’s interview:

- suggests “one or two” drivers of good quality potentially returning to championship. Presumably one is Huff, but sounds like there are others in discussions.
. - Rowbottom also alludes to a “big name” (could be Huff again) and very much sounds like he’ll be back at NAPA.

- mentions a couple of times that potentially “one or two teams may not be coming back” - didn’t sound like he was talking about Hard, having already happened. I think One is the only team that very little has been heard on?

[SSmith]

Originally Posted by Evantra

https://www.btcc.net/live-audio/

Reading too much into David Addison’s interview:

- suggests “one or two” drivers of good quality returning to championship. Presumably one is Huff, but sounds like there are others in discussions.

- mentions a couple of times that potentially “one or two teams may not be coming back” - didn’t sound like he was talking about Hard, having already happened. I think One is the only team that very little has been heard on?

Following on the trend of reading too much into things... With the "one or two" drivers of good quality returning - I would also presume Huff is one of those and perhaps he was including the already confirmed Chris Smiley (former race winner, TCR UK champion would to me meet the definition of "good quality")? If not, and given the never-ending suggestions on forums that Dynamics are coming back, let's say he's also talking about Gordon Shedden!

One Motorsport haven't made the news recently but still post things on social media and commented in December that their "three entries are locked in for next year's #BTCC campaign".

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by Evantra

suggests “one or two” drivers of good quality potentially returning to championship.

Is it time for the annual Tim Harvey / Jason Plato / Volvo rumour?

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by redshoes

Is it time for the annual Tim Harvey / Jason Plato / Volvo rumour?

He managed to slip the Paul O’Neill and Kia one in there too!

[InYourMirrors45]

[QUOTE=Evantra;4191486]https://www.btcc.net/live-audio/

Reading too much into David Addison’s interview:

- suggests “one or two” drivers of good quality potentially returning to championship. Presumably one is Huff, but sounds like there are others in discussions.
. - Rowbottom also alludes to a “big name” (could be Huff again) and very much sounds like he’ll be back at NAPA.

Huff had a test with Speedworks at the end of the season at Croft. If he’s alluding to another I’d like to think it’ll be Andrew Jordan, surely he can’t stay retired at such a young age forever..

[touringlegend]

You would reckon it’d be Shedden. After all, he was due to be on the grid last year until Dynamics lost sponsors.

[SSmith]

Originally Posted by InYourMirrors45

If he’s alluding to another I’d like to think it’ll be Andrew Jordan, surely he can’t stay retired at such a young age forever..

Given the fact Jordan runs the hugely successful JRT business which takes considerable time and commitment, has a family, probably enjoys restoring and running countless people's historic racing cars more than the annual begging for BTCC sponsorship money and the BTCC politics, and that when he does have the time to race now (Goodwood MM and Revival, Spa, Daytona Classic etc.) he does so largely for fun or as a Pro for JRTs customers - I find it incredibly hard to believe that he has the time or interest in returning to the BTCC.

[crmalcolm]

Can we not change the annual rumour to being Andrew Jordan in a Kia?

[InYourMirrors45]

Originally Posted by touringlegend

You would reckon it’d be Shedden. After all, he was due to be on the grid last year until Dynamics lost sponsors.

I don’t think there’s much chance him being anywhere other than dynamics, plus he’s only been gone a year. I don’t think it’d be that big a piece of news if he was to return for the second time in 4 years

[antnee]

Why is Jordan brought up all the time despite him saying publicly he won't come back to BTCC.

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by SSmith

One Motorsport haven't made the news recently but still post things on social media and commented in December that their "three entries are locked in for next year's #BTCC campaign".

From what I've heard, One Motorsport have shut up shop. If that true, plus questions over what happens with the Moffat/CBM TBLs, things aren't looking good.

[Adamcas87]

Originally Posted by redshoes

From what I've heard, One Motorsport have shut up shop. If that true, plus questions over what happens with the Moffat/CBM TBLs, things aren't looking good.

Where you heard that?

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by redshoes

From what I've heard, One Motorsport have shut up shop. If that true, plus questions over what happens with the Moffat/CBM TBLs, things aren't looking good.

Worrying, if perhaps not completely non-surprising. Seems too late for any outside interest, and perhaps for extra chassis to be built up even if the TBLs were distributed around existing teams.

I’m not all that convinced anything will happen with the Moffat / Boardley TBLs either.

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by redshoes

From what I've heard, One Motorsport have shut up shop. If that true, plus questions over what happens with the Moffat/CBM TBLs, things aren't looking good.

Hmm. Cook to Toyota? Apparently they have an all new driver lineup.

[thetool]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Seems too late for any outside interest, and perhaps for extra chassis to be built up even if the TBLs were distributed around existing teams.

There is absolutely no-one waiting around trying to get TBLs this year. If you could show you were serious you'd already have had one in the initial allocation. They were already two down on the initial list, and major question marks around the fate of up to eight of the remaining allocation.

I'd say there's maybe only five teams I'd be willing to bet the house on actually making it to the grid this year. (WSR, AmD/Motorbase, Excelr8, PMR & Restart). There's a whole lot of question marks elsewhere.

What's also quite telling about the less-than rosy financial picture at the moment is how few new builds are out there. WSR's cars are 5 years old at this point, with the exception of Turkington who got a new chassis in 2022, similar picture at Ford, where only Sutton and Cammish's cars are actually recent builds (both 2022). Most of the BTC Hondas are 5 years old at this point too. Having a new build isn't the be-all and end-all, Ash Sutton and Tom Ingram won the championship in chassis in their second season, and Turkington in a 3 year old car back in 2018 and Shedden a four year Civic in 2015, but the majority of titles have been taken by newer machinery. (4/12 NGTC titles have been won in chassis that wasn't new for that year), but it certainly looks like there's not going to be many new builds appearing this year.

[BTCC frog]

Josh Cook to Toyota would be a good move for both. BTC are on the decline since their peak in 2021. Toyota are also stagnating but seem to have more potential to jump to the top. From Toyota's perspective, Cook is better than anyone they have got at the moment. Rob Huff may be a World Touring Car Champion, but I would pick Josh Cook over him for my BTCC team in 2024. I hope they are both at Speedworks next year, along with Ricky Collard who improved significantly last season and definitely deserves another season. George Gamble had an awful year but I wouldn't mind seeing him back as well because he showed potential in 2022.

Rory Butcher needs to leave Toyota, in my opinion. He showed huge potential in the MG and the Honda at AmD, and looked to be realising it with his great 2020 season in the Ford. Possibly that car was actually the best that season considering Ollie Jackson also had by far his best season in the BTCC, but Butcher fared similarly to Jake Hill the year later and Hill is now the clear third-best in the championship. But since Rory Butcher joined Toyota he has been inconsistent and flashes of the Butcher we saw at Ford have been few and far between. He should move teams, in my opinion, and with Motorbase and WSR clearly out of the question, I wonder if there might be any space for him at Excelr8? If not, Team Dynamics might be an option although I think Bobby Thompson has great potential and a team of him and Gordon Shedden would be perfect. I really hope Butcher stays on the grid at some team.

WSR look to be keeping Jake Hill, Colin Turkington and Adam Morgan, and I strongly expect Andrew Watson to drive the fourth BMW with Stephen Jelley retiring.

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by InYourMirrors45

Huff had a test with Speedworks at the end of the season at Croft.

No, Huff was there to set a reference time for them to evaluate other drivers. I wouldn't regard it as a test, and certainly not an indication that he'll be racing for them next season.

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by BTCC frog

and I strongly expect Andrew Watson to drive the fourth BMW with Stephen Jelley retiring.

Jelley is definitely retiring, but I think Collard is favourite for that seat.

[ACF_]

Originally Posted by sceptic

Jelley is definitely retiring, but I think Collard is favourite for that seat.

I could also see Huff in that seat

[Jiiiiiiim]

Originally Posted by ACF_

I could also see Huff in that seat

Difference being Huff wants to be paid or earn a wage, he’s not known for having access to huge funds/sponsors, otherwise he’d of been back before. Collard on the other hand, we know they can afford a WSR as his dad did for many years!

[ACF_]

Originally Posted by Jiiiiiiim

Difference being Huff wants to be paid or earn a wage, he’s not known for having access to huge funds/sponsors, otherwise he’d of been back before. Collard on the other hand, we know they can afford a WSR as his dad did for many years!

That's a good point.