[BTCC] BTCC 2022 season discussion, News and Rumours!

[S griffin]

Interesting to see Ricky Collard wanting to come back into the BTCC. No surprise he's hoping for the Laser Tools Infiniti. Would probably suit his style

[medius]

Karun Chandhok mention with ten question marks yet?

[Mondeo Man33]

Does anyone know what the base engine is for the new M-Sport power unit? I think a Ford unit had been speculated but I haven’t seen any confirmation.

[crmalcolm]

Two changes for 2022.

A) There will be some form of external LED indicating that the hybrid power is being deployed.

B) The organisers will ensure that the hybrid power is used in a way that sees the slowest cars competing at the front.

Peter Riches:
"The challenge to the teams will be quite big, and whether the back of the grid can keep up with the front initially is debatable, but we can do all sorts of things such as limit the guys at the front to allow the rear to catch up again while everybody understands the new system"

Alan Gow:
“The hybrids won’t externally change a car’s behaviour most of the time, they’ll still look and sound as they do. The only time the audience will know they’re being used will be the immediate increase in performance, as well as some external LED lights that will signal when the hybrid is active."

[crmalcolm]

Jade Edwards has confirmed that (currently) she does not have a firm deal for 2022. But, does tag BTC so it seems there or nothing?

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Peter Riches:
"we can do all sorts of things such as limit the guys at the front to allow the rear to catch up again while everybody understands the new system"

Please, no. (If that's meaning within a race.)

[Sodemo]

Ugh, that sounds horrible and is what I was afraid of with this hybrid stuff. It makes overtaking pointless and a non-event if a car can just breeze past another uncontested. I really hope that isnt the case.

[S griffin]

I do hope they do not do what is being suggested here. It would make it way too artificial

[AnnoyedMoose]

Sounds to me as though they are expecting the teams without the depth of engineering expertise taking a lot longer than those with to get the hang of how to use the hybrid system.

Seems a bit weird as it seems to be a fairly simple system on the face of it.

[Sunbeam347]

BMW Motorsport have just shared this tweet with Turkington and Jelley featuring, in picture 3 does it give a clue as to this years livery for the 3 series?

https://twitter.com/bmwukmotorsport/...781659659?s=21

[crmalcolm]

I do think it is more in the realms of preventing a car being too far removed from the field at the back, as opposed to getting a lesser-developed car to the front.

If anyone remembers the AFM Racing 120d whistling around long after the pack had passed through, you'll understand what they are trying to avoid I think.

[Sunbeam347]

Recent tweet from BMW Motorsport shows Turkington and Jelly but pic 3 maybe gives a clue to the 3 series livery this year...

https://twitter.com/bmwukmotorsport/...781659659?s=21

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

I do think it is more in the realms of preventing a car being too far removed from the field at the back, as opposed to getting a lesser-developed car to the front.

If anyone remembers the AFM Racing 120d whistling around long after the pack had passed through, you'll understand what they are trying to avoid I think.

Except they all fundamentaly now have the same kit. In the past seasons I think there has not been a BOP adjustment of any note. If now some teams - we can all guess who- cannot get a grip it seems unfair to those who have

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

In the past seasons I think there has not been a BOP adjustment of any note.

I'm not certain of 2021, but there were definitely adjustments made in 2019 and 2020:

June 19 - 'British Touring Car Championship technical bosses have pegged back the WSR BMW 330i M Sport cars during an in-season turbo boost review'

October 20 - 'An adjustment to the turbo boost of rear-wheel-drive cars ahead of Croft brought both the infamous BMW and the Infiniti starts back into play.'

[BTCC frog]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Two changes for 2022.

A) There will be some form of external LED indicating that the hybrid power is being deployed.

B) The organisers will ensure that the hybrid power is used in a way that sees the slowest cars competing at the front.

Peter Riches:
"The challenge to the teams will be quite big, and whether the back of the grid can keep up with the front initially is debatable, but we can do all sorts of things such as limit the guys at the front to allow the rear to catch up again while everybody understands the new system"

Is this not just the new version of success ballast? Or something worse...

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

I'm not certain of 2021, but there were definitely adjustments made in 2019 and 2020:

June 19 - 'British Touring Car Championship technical bosses have pegged back the WSR BMW 330i M Sport cars during an in-season turbo boost review'

October 20 - 'An adjustment to the turbo boost of rear-wheel-drive cars ahead of Croft brought both the infamous BMW and the Infiniti starts back into play.'

Like I said- of any note - generally I think the cars have been pretty even One Infinity has been fast consistently but only one - probably more organic than mechanical!

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by Mondeo Man33

Does anyone know what the base engine is for the new M-Sport power unit? I think a Ford unit had been speculated but I haven’t seen any confirmation.

https://www.facebook.com/MSportLtd/p...58710670838612
M-Tech have posted some pictures of the new engines. I don't know if that helps to identify the base engine.

[antnee]

Originally Posted by BTCC frog

Is this not just the new version of success ballast? Or something worse...

That is what I thought - but it is a strange comment for someone other than Gow to make

[Mondeo Man33]

Originally Posted by redshoes

M-Tech have posted some pictures of the new engines. I don't know if that helps to identify the base engine.

Thank you! It does seem to resemble the Ford EcoBoost engine, although with lots of upgraded parts of course.

[Robin Marriott]

Originally Posted by antnee

That is what I thought - but it is a strange comment for someone other than Gow to make

Weird that the BTCC Technical Director would answer a technical question about the BTCC?

[CroftPilgrim]

Originally Posted by BTCC frog

Is this not just the new version of success ballast? Or something worse...

Yes because there is no success ballast in 2022:

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...-hybrid-future

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Sunbeam347

Recent tweet from BMW Motorsport shows Turkington and Jelly but pic 3 maybe gives a clue to the 3 series livery this year...

https://twitter.com/bmwukmotorsport/...781659659?s=21

Sadly, I think not. That's the 2020 livery.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by AnnoyedMoose

Sounds to me as though they are expecting the teams without the depth of engineering expertise taking a lot longer than those with to get the hang of how to use the hybrid system.

Seems a bit weird as it seems to be a fairly simple system on the face of it.

I think it's also down to the CoG and base weight changes to the cars that the system introduces.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by medius

Karun Chandhok mention with ten question marks yet?

2023

[mark_l]

If you want to manipulate the racing, and make it a more 'made for tv' series then just hire Michael Masi as TOCA race director, who I believe will have a fairly empty diary in 2022.