BTCC 2024 News & Rumours

[Ant25]

I’ve been reading what people of been saying after the Dan Lloyd announcement and so many people are saying the Btcc is dying! I honestly don’t see I see it getting bigger each season! I don’t get what people are seeing that I’m not haha.

[Jiiiiiiim]

Originally Posted by SSmith

Sensible move to PCCGB, a good shop window for bigger and better GT drives without completely losing touch with the BTCC should his situation change for 2025. Whilst the 992 Carrera Cup car is rather different from the 997 and 991.1 cars he raced when he was a championship frontrunner (2012-2013, and late-2016), I'm sure he'll be a frontrunner again.

Interesting that in Toro Verde's press release, David Fairbrother (Toro Verde owner and regular racer) says "Dan had many offers in other series including the BTCC and British GT, so to choose to compete with Toro Verde GT is testament to his belief that the team will deliver."

Of course Lloyd had BTCC offers, he’s a race winner. He just doesn’t have the budget to fulfill the criteria of those offers

[Adamcas87]

Shame to lose Dan proven race winner am sure he will go well in the Porsches

With less spaces on the grid this year might mean some of these drivers that struggle or are out of there depth at the back like Butel, Edwards, Halstead etc wont be on the grid and means standards should rise

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Jiiiiiiim

Of course Lloyd had BTCC offers, he’s a race winner. He just doesn’t have the budget to fulfill the criteria of those offers

and

Originally Posted by Adamcas87

Shame to lose Dan proven race winner am sure he will go well in the Porsches

With less spaces on the grid this year might mean some of these drivers that struggle or are out of there depth at the back like Butel, Edwards, Halstead etc wont be on the grid and means standards should rise

I think that what appears to be happening in the BTCC currently is that the financial model that HARD was running is no longer effective; it takes more financial resources than they were able generate, and unfortunately, a lot of drivers in the market to race in the BTCC are unable to find those sources of money to enable a team to exist in today's financial climate.

[SV8Predator]

Originally Posted by Jiiiiiiim

Of course Lloyd had BTCC offers,

You don't get "offers" in BTCC!

If you have the sponsorship, the money, you approach the teams.

[Ant25]

Originally Posted by SV8Predator

You don't get "offers" in BTCC!

If you have the sponsorship, the money, you approach the teams.

It says in the autosport article that he had offers from Btcc and gt teams

[thetool]

I think the distinction is, that if you have the right money, you can walk into pretty much any team on the grid. It's not a case of receiving "offers" being an indicator of your desirability or suitablity as a driver. If I had a suitable racing license and £700K spare I'd have offers to do BTCC too!

[Millvi]

Originally Posted by SV8Predator

You don't get "offers" in BTCC!

If you have the sponsorship, the money, you approach the teams.

Pete Osborne approached Ash Sutton to ask him to join Motorbase didn’t he? Same with Dan Cam.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by SV8Predator

You don't get "offers" in BTCC!

It depends on how you define 'offer'.
I recall a BTCC driver explaining how they were approached by a team offering to apportion a percentage of their title sponsorship to subsidise the seat, if they could bring in a reduced (compared to other drivers in the team) level of finance.

So, it is highly likely that Lloyd will have been in discussion with a team who made an 'offer' if he could bring something to the table.

Don't take an 'offer' as being a team offering a fully funded drive.

[RED55]

Costs of building and operating a NGTC car have increased significantly since its inception . It's just the way it goes ,eventually it will burn itself out because people wont be able to afford the drives for the return on investment. The championship is fought hard every year by the same cream of drivers who can get in a car and push it to its limit . The teams have to find the money to operate these things and with a four car team its millions before they turn a wheel

[ACF_]

Originally Posted by antnee

It is supposed to be about 'legit' rumours and shreds of info. Not just I think X driver will go to Y team - based purely on emotion and nothing else.

BREAKING NEWS! According to LegitRumours.com, Tesla have just announced they will enter a 2 car team. Tim Harvey will be team boss & John Cleland & Steve Soper will be the drivers.

[antnee]

I'm sure the offers Dan will have had will be along the lines of;

"There is a seat in my team if you can bring £xxx,xxx"

As for overall costs, that ultimately comes down to marginal gains to eek out every 10th possible. Reducing the 'life' of a component before replacement to ensure failure doesn't occur, new brakes for each session, more sim time, etc. It is the same for any championship where the technical regs are very restrictive (look at one-make championships too) - but it is a very difficult topic to manage.

[BobJones]

Originally Posted by SV8Predator

You don't get "offers" in BTCC!

If you have the sponsorship, the money, you approach the teams.

Unless you were selected to drive for NAPA Racing, or Mark Blundell's outfit, or your name is Colin Turkington... But sure yeh, blah blah blah

[Jiiiiiiim]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

It depends on how you define 'offer'.
I recall a BTCC driver explaining how they were approached by a team offering to apportion a percentage of their title sponsorship to subsidise the seat, if they could bring in a reduced (compared to other drivers in the team) level of finance.

So, it is highly likely that Lloyd will have been in discussion with a team who made an 'offer' if he could bring something to the table.

Don't take an 'offer' as being a team offering a fully funded drive.

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by BobJones

Unless you were selected to drive for NAPA Racing, or Mark Blundell's outfit, or your name is Colin Turkington... But sure yeh, blah blah blah

Where does this persistent idea that Turks doesn't bring money to pay for his drive come from?

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by peebee2

Where does this persistent idea that Turks doesn't bring money to pay for his drive come from?

He has loyal sponsors like Ash Sutton also has. His works Vauxhall drive wasn't purely a works deal either. He's hired on ability sure, but needs sponsors to be able to compete.

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

He has loyal sponsors like Ash Sutton also has. His works Vauxhall drive wasn't purely a works deal either. He's hired on ability sure, but needs sponsors to be able to compete.

Sutton may have personal sponsors but I believe he and Camm are the only drivers actually paid to race in the BTCC these days.

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by Ant25

I’ve been reading what people of been saying after the Dan Lloyd announcement and so many people are saying the Btcc is dying! I honestly don’t see I see it getting bigger each season! I don’t get what people are seeing that I’m not haha.

If Lloyd has been offered a no strings drive surely he would be there Clearly he was offered a "here is a drive at this price "- along with most of the Mini, Porsche and BGT paddocks Its not Brain Surgery of a reflection of his talent . IMOP

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by peebee2

Where does this persistent idea that Turks doesn't bring money to pay for his drive come from?

I don't think that is what was being said.

The comment reads more like that:

Teams will make the initial approach to drivers if they are looking to recruit from the MB stable, or looking for a driver of the calibre of Turkington or Sutton.

On the other side, drivers such as Gamble (as an example) are having to approach teams in search of an available slot.

Which is the case with Lloyd - someone with his record is likely to have been made an 'offer' by a team that requires funding from his side of the contract.

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

On the other side, drivers such as Gamble (as an example) are having to approach teams in search of an available slot.

The reality is that every single team contacts every single potential driver they can possibly think of. They won't last long otherwise.

[Craner Curves]

Somewhere for redundant chassis to race https://www.british-endurance-champi...nDMHSCCBJO4kTI

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

Somewhere for redundant chassis to race https://www.british-endurance-champi...nDMHSCCBJO4kTI

Unfortunately, most of the redundant NGTC cars seemed to be owned by Team Hard!

[BobJones]

Originally Posted by peebee2

Sutton may have personal sponsors but I believe he and Camm are the only drivers actually paid to race in the BTCC these days.

Several drivers take home earnings from the BTCC - that's being paid.

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

Somewhere for redundant chassis to race https://www.british-endurance-champi...nDMHSCCBJO4kTI

That's odd because HARD ran one of the Audi S3s in the series last year. Not sure what class that came under.

This sounds like BEC getting rid of the TCR class and replacing with a more general Touring Car class. Is this also a way to stop paying WSC for use of the TCR branding?

[Daverb]

Originally Posted by Ant25

I’ve been reading what people of been saying after the Dan Lloyd announcement and so many people are saying the Btcc is dying! I honestly don’t see I see it getting bigger each season! I don’t get what people are seeing that I’m not haha.

Are you maybe not seeing a driver that has been in the championship for a few years being unable to join it this year?

You’re also not seeing this year. Although none of us have yet so let’s see.