BTCC 2024 News & Rumours

[Matt K]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Has he raced much since BTCC? I don’t think I’ve seen him in anything since, I think 2018 was his last year?

Exactly my thought, seems like he went off the radar completely when left the BTCC after that season in BMR (was that really as long as 5 years ago?). Haven't heard of him since, thought he might've finished his racing career entirely.

[MarcusH26]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Has he raced much since BTCC? I don’t think I’ve seen him in anything since, I think 2018 was his last year?

That's a name I haven't heard mentioned in a good few years. Honestly can't even remember much about his stint at BMR with the Levorg.

Speaking of ex Clio Cup guys with BTCC experience from the past - wonder if we'll see Ash Hand back in the championship again?

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by Matt K

Exactly my thought, seems like he went off the radar completely when left the BTCC after that season in BMR (was that really as long as 5 years ago?). Haven't heard of him since, thought he might've finished his racing career entirely.

I remember know he did BritishGT in 2019 in the GT4 category, but nothing listed on his Wikipedia page since. His results listed there aren’t too brilliant.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Price

[Steel Wheels]

Originally Posted by MarcusH26

That's a name I haven't heard mentioned in a good few years. Honestly can't even remember much about his stint at BMR with the Levorg.

Speaking of ex Clio Cup guys with BTCC experience from the past - wonder if we'll see Ash Hand back in the championship again?

I did wonder about Hand, as he stayed connected with PMR, but not sure if he’s still having ‘commercial issues’.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Has he raced much since BTCC? I don’t think I’ve seen him in anything since, I think 2018 was his last year?

2023
British Kart Championship - KZ2 2nd

2019
British GT Championship - GT4 12th

2018
TCR UK 9th

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

Maybe Silverstone should take a look at how other tracks treat their customers. Being made to park outside and have to walk miles to see anything, grumpy staff / security, overpriced poor quality catering, poor viewing . Its not got a lot going for it really

Silverstone has been poor for a while in my humble opinion. They never let an opportunity to rinse the consumer slip them by. Also the security they hire are overzealous and i'd argue pointless. Why do they need to hire security anyway, never had any security when I have been to other circuits?[/QUOTE]

All circuits have security. You don't notice it if it's good.

[touringlegend]

Silverstone security is without doubt the most stringent, don’t think I’ve ever had a bag search anywhere else. But that’s because it is Silverstone.. and they are a target due to their name and significance.

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by touringlegend

Silverstone security is without doubt the most stringent, don’t think I’ve ever had a bag search anywhere else. But that’s because it is Silverstone.. and they are a target due to their name and significance.

Or self importance

[crmalcolm]

All tracks have areas they could improve - but are we saying that having strict security is a bad thing?

I'm pretty sure that if an incident happened at a BTCC weekend, many would soon point the finger of blame at the security team(s) for not doing their job effectively enough.

I appreciate that there is also a way in which security could be carried out that is courteous and respectful - but let's remember that they are there for our safety and security, and have a job to do.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

All tracks have areas they could improve - but are we saying that having strict security is a bad thing?

I'm pretty sure that if an incident happened at a BTCC weekend, many would soon point the finger of blame at the security team(s) for not doing their job effectively enough.

I appreciate that there is also a way in which security could be carried out that is courteous and respectful - but let's remember that they are there for our safety and security, and have a job to do.

As you say, there is a way that security should be conducted when at a public event, especially when it costs, at times, a veritable fortune to attend.

Nearly 8 years ago, my two sons plus a grandchildren and I, went to the GP at Silverstone, all of us with three day tickets which permitted us to sit in the grandstands on the Friday. On the Saturday afternoon, after the F1 qualification ended, the circuit virtually emptied of spectators so we ventured along to one of the large grandstands in which there were about a dozen people who had stayed on, as we did to watch the F2s, F3s and the Porsches, I think.

However, the two "security jobsworths" on duty outside the grandstand were determined that we wouldn't be permitted to enter and they certainly weren't very subtle about it either. So we moved along a bit to the next door stand where the two security chaps were actually inside the stand watching the proceedings on the track. They didn't even ask us for our passes, so we just went up to the top row of seats, and enjoyed the rest of our afternoon without denying any other spectator of a seat, or, far more importantly I believe, costing Silverstone a penny more because we were sat there, nor did we diminish their security by one iota.

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

As you say, there is a way that security should be conducted when at a public event, especially when it costs, at times, a veritable fortune to attend.

Nearly 8 years ago, my two sons plus a grandchildren and I, went to the GP at Silverstone, all of us with three day tickets which permitted us to sit in the grandstands on the Friday. On the Saturday afternoon, after the F1 qualification ended, the circuit virtually emptied of spectators so we ventured along to one of the large grandstands in which there were about a dozen people who had stayed on, as we did to watch the F2s, F3s and the Porsches, I think.

However, the two "security jobsworths" on duty outside the grandstand were determined that we wouldn't be permitted to enter and they certainly weren't very subtle about it either. So we moved along a bit to the next door stand where the two security chaps were actually inside the stand watching the proceedings on the track. They didn't even ask us for our passes, so we just went up to the top row of seats, and enjoyed the rest of our afternoon without denying any other spectator of a seat, or, far more importantly I believe, costing Silverstone a penny more because we were sat there, nor did we diminish their security by one iota.

Exactly Go to Goodwood the staff are always courteous and helpful It can be done , I don't go to Silverstone anymore but when I did I felt like I was intruding into someone's private place

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

Exactly Go to Goodwood the staff are always courteous and helpful It can be done , I don't go to Silverstone anymore but when I did I felt like I was intruding into someone's private place

The last time I went to Silverstone for The Classic (sorry, I still can't call it The Festival). I've been spectating and visiting Silverstone since the 70's (admittedly, not so much in recent years), but I've a feeling that this visit will be 'the last time I go to Silverstone'.

[Sodemo]

I admit I dont go to BTCC meets as often as I used to, but the only place I recall seeing visible security was at Silverstone and maybe Donington Media Day.

[coffinpilot]

I've noticed that security at the tracks where cars are allowed in never search those.

I mean, if you're planning some kind of extremist actions just buy a car pass or go to Oulton to get your wares in.

At Silverstone it's just car after car on a BTCC meeting and I've been searched (not complaining) and these days you're supposedly not allowed to bring XYZ in, yet car after car of VIP, family, media, club member drive in without being stopped. Which begs a question about security doing a full and proper job. It's half a**** if you're only searching people on foot for BTCC/Classic/GT/Superbikes at the track.

As for the lack of consistency, it's pretty apparent at Silverstone that there provider isn't briefing their employees as well as they should, but with similar complaints being year on year then the track should be educating their security contractor, it's just silly little things, and not always a jobsworth thing. Hopefully this year they'll be acting on it like they supposedly are with the ticketing, and from what I've read they've changed their media passes after adding them to the standard ticketing for last year and causing no end of grief for themselves.

[redshoes]

Bag searches at Silverstone came about because of the Just Stop Oil protests. Silverstone had already been targeted at the GP and is more of a target as it's probably one of the few circuits the general public could name. If the media reported a protest at Oulton Park most people would think it was the place with the roller-coasters.

The only cars parking inside at Silverstone during a BTCC meeting will be teams and media. I think it's a pretty safe bet that those people are not going to be protesters.

[Pickles]

Pretty sure bag searches at Silverstone have been a thing since before Just Stop Oil.

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by Pickles

Pretty sure bag searches at Silverstone have been a thing since before Just Stop Oil.

Along with the frosty welcome and overpriced below average catering

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by Pickles

Pretty sure bag searches at Silverstone have been a thing since before Just Stop Oil.

Maybe for the GP. I've not heard of them for a BTCC meeting prior to the last year or two.

[SSmith]

Despite the season being nearly 3 months away, there have been a few announcements for competitors across the four main TOCA support series (PCCGB, F4, MINI JCW, Sprint Challenge) - some of which have already been discussed on here. We'll no doubt have some competitive grids once again.

There's definitely a few announcements I've missed, but these are the ones I remember coming across.

PCCGB:

Dan Lloyd - Toro Verde GT (Pro)
Jack Butel - Toro Verde GT (Pro-Am)
Hugo Ellis - Team Parker Racing (Pro)
Sid Smith - Team Parker Racing (Pro)
James Wallis - JTR (Pro) - Porsche GB Junior for 2024/2025
Josh Stanton - JTR (Pro-Am)
Andrew Rackstraw - JTR (Pro-Am?) - former South African Global Touring Car Championship racer

British F4:

Rowan Campbell-Pilling (GBR) - Argenti
Yuanpu Cui (CHN) - Argenti
Bart Harrison (GBR) - Chris Dittmann Racing
Nina Pothof (NED) - Fortec
Mika Abrahams (RSA) - Hitech Pulse-Eight
Deagen Fairclough (GBR) - Hitech Pulse-Eight
Reza Seewooruthun (GBR) - Hitech Pulse-Eight
Chloe Chong (GBR) - JHR
Alex Ninovic (AUS) - Rodin
Abbi Pulling (GBR) - Rodin

Porsche Sprint Challenge GB:

Will Jenkins - Team Parker Racing (GT4 RS - Pro)
George Jaxon - JW Bird
Darelle Wilson - JW Bird

MINI JCW:

Max Hall - EXCELR8

[Greem]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

As for the lack of consistency, it's pretty apparent at Silverstone that there provider isn't briefing their employees as well as they should, but with similar complaints being year on year then the track should be educating their security contractor, it's just silly little things, and not always a jobsworth thing.

BTCC meetings - and club meetings too - are rife with petty crime, especially in the paddocks. There are loads of reports of tool thefts, bag thefts, even people cleaning out truck cabs of valuables. That's at almost all circuits that I'm familiar with, but especially those meetings which are very very busy like British GT and the BTCC.

However... at the British GP the gateline security is something else. The last time I did a GP (in 2022), on the Friday morning us marshals started trooping in at around 0630 and on the gate we use behind Copse the supervisor was utterly apoplectic that we should have our bags/boxes checked. When there's only a few people every 5 minutes, that's fine, but when you've got upwards of 250 people arriving en masse it doesn't make logical sense.

In the end one of the red-jacketed circuit staff noticed the hoo-ha and stepped in to sort it out. Those doing the checks were in a very, very awkward place - on the one hand they knew who we were, on the other hand they had a purple-faced angry supervisor insisting everyone stopped.

On the Saturday morning there was the same team, but a different supervisor, and there were no problems at all!

Due to the very elevated threat level, the security teams had the fear of God put into them by their management/the circuit/the police/the "men in suits" that were attending. Most of them dealt with it brilliantly, but it only takes one

[Daverb]

This can’t be good the chat is about security rather than BTCC announcements in late Jan

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Daverb

This can’t be good the chat is about security rather than BTCC announcements in late Jan

Well the press release from TOCA did say that they were expecting further driver/team announcements until February and March.

[Ant25]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Well the press release from TOCA did say that they were expecting further driver/team announcements until February and March.

Anyone got any gossip hahah?

[coffinpilot]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

Along with the frosty welcome and overpriced below average catering

Nothing wrong with the catering if you bring your own!!

[antnee]

Silverstone security team is very small and it is 3rd party companies who are brought in by the event organisers are the people who you typically see around. Silverstone is also a much bigger site than any other circuit with lots of other interests around (other businesses, etc).