[BTCC] BTCC 2023 season discussion, News and Rumours!

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by redshoes

Bring back the night race
Hold a street race
Hold a race at Prembry/Anglesey/etc
Have an entry from Volvo/Nissan/Renault/etc

I expect it will be the old favourites

Congratulations! The full set! None of the above possible!! Buy a Delorean and journey back to 1999!!!

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by redshoes

Bring back the night race
Hold a street race
Hold a race at Prembry/Anglesey/etc
Have an entry from Volvo/Nissan/Renault/etc

I expect it will be the old favourites

No outcry about the fragile toe-links?

[BTCC frog]

I'd like to see:

A revisement of the performance balancing measures to include 2021-level success ballast in qualifying and in race two only, and nothing in races one and three.

Prize money awarded for championship positions so that teams are more inclined to sign good drivers rather than those with money.

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by BTCC frog

I'd like to see:

A revisement of the performance balancing measures to include 2021-level success ballast in qualifying and in race two only, and nothing in races one and three.

Prize money awarded for championship positions so that teams are more inclined to sign good drivers rather than those with money.

And where exactly does this money come from?

[AnnoyedMoose]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

And where exactly does this money come from?

Well presumably someone is making money out of it with the size of the gates and the TV deals?

[auroan]

Originally Posted by AnnoyedMoose

Well presumably someone is making money out of it with the size of the gates and the TV deals?

Entry fees from teams and sponsorship/TV deals cover the cost of the TOCA team and business. Gate fees and circuit hire (paid by TOCA via BARC) covers the cost of the circuits.

After those two main groups are covered, there is very little to zero left for a prize fund.

That one off £250K Matt Neal one in the super tourer days, in the Primera was an insurance backed thing as no one really believed it would happen.

[crmalcolm]

Regardless of whether there is enough money for a prize fund or not, I can't see it working as a model for BTCC teams.

Firstly, in the current context of TBLs, teams have to have a more reliable source of funds to cover their exposure.
Secondly, what guarantee does a good driver have that they will deliver results.

If I look at last year's grid. Lloyd (for example) would be considered by many as being a talented driver. But what prize money would he have gained coming 10th in the championship?
And would that have gone anywhere near covering the repair bills through the season?

I think the biggest risk is that the prize money would only lead to a fixed grid order, rather than mixing it up. If a team is relying on prize money to fund a significant part of their entry, then that needs to be a healthy sum all the way down to 29th place. Working up from that, the prize money at the front of the grid would need to be huge in comparison.

Once certain teams are swallowing up such huge sums of money, the midfield teams have no chance of catching up.

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by AnnoyedMoose

Well presumably someone is making money out of it with the size of the gates and the TV deals?

And how much does ITV pay? Its not F1....

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

And how much does ITV pay? Its not F1....

To be fair, does ITV actually pay for the BTCC?
I've often wondered if the TV coverage is 'all part of the package' to make the series attractive to potential sponsors.

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

To be fair, does ITV actually pay for the BTCC?
I've often wondered if the TV coverage is 'all part of the package' to make the series attractive to potential sponsors.

I would doubt ITV pays TOCA anything Without the TV deal the Championship would die inside 3 seasons

[kipper]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

I would doubt ITV pays TOCA anything Without the TV deal the Championship would die inside 3 seasons

I concur. Given that one of the reasons that the championships are moving to the GT package is because the TV is cheaper, it is likely that ITV aren't funding the coverage.

Ticket revenue is also retained by the circuits (although I don't believe that TOCA pays circuit hire fees).

[Ant25]

Can’t believe nothing has been leaked!

[Pickles]

Originally Posted by Ant25

Can’t believe nothing has been leaked!

To be fair thats how it should be. Although from what I can see there's still not much to leak.

[S griffin]

I was expecting more by now, so maybe we are in for a surprise or two.

[porsche962fan]

it's one of the most underwhelming silly seasons

[crmalcolm]

Always interesting (IMO) to look back at previous seasons.

11 Feb 22 "It's been very quiet so far, announcements have been slow."
and - "Does anyone know what the date/s are for the 3 day testing and media days are"



Add this to the responses to some information that was being provided, which consisted of a lot of sniping regarding the information being incomplete or being unable to reveal the full detail ahead of an embargo. You end up with a situation where even if people do have some information to hand, they wonder why bother?

[Matt K]

As long as we have a good quality field of drivers and a fantastic season of racing I don't mind the 'underwhelming' silly season. But have to admit, all the rumours about who's going where, who's building new cars, who's retiring, who's coming make a nice build-up to the season and make you feel more excited about the season ahead. Now with all this silence sometimes I have an impression I don't look forward to the season that much.

[S griffin]

Yes, we’re not even getting the usual ‘clues’. It’s been very slow so far and it does make you wonder how many deals have happened.

[Evantra]

Bring back 'Shake with Shaun'!

[Jon411]

Laser Tools have taken their title sponsorship over to MB Motorsport/ Jake Hill:


https://www.btcc.net/2023/02/01/lase...-title-charge/

[Robin Marriott]

Originally Posted by Jon411

Laser Tools have taken their title sponsorship over to MB Motorsport/ Jake Hill:


https://www.btcc.net/2023/02/01/lase...-title-charge/

Didn’t see that coming

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by Jon411

Laser Tools have taken their title sponsorship over to MB Motorsport/ Jake Hill:


https://www.btcc.net/2023/02/01/lase...-title-charge/

Interesting, will be nice to see a brighter livery at least, and no more "Rokitship" talk!

Maybe it's just me, or the folds / shadows but the front of that car really has the shape of the BMW's new grille design...

[Andrew Abbott]

Laser Tools Racing, which put out a press release in December saying "Laser Tools Racing has today (December 5th) announced its withdrawal from the BTCC and will not be contesting the championship in 2023"...

[Jon411]

The Autosport article suggests that it was MB Motorsport who made contact with Laser Tools about sponsorship, rather than Laser Tools making the first move:


https://www.autosport.com/btcc/news/...ill-/10426995/

[thetool]

A1 Automotive Ltd., the actual company behind the "Laser Tools" branding, ownership structure changed in November of last year. At the same time Aiden Moffat ceased to be a director of the company. His father still retains his previous 50% shareholding though, so it's not as if the Moffat family is no longer involved with Laser Tools.