[BTCC] BTCC News & Rumours 2025

[SV8Predator]

Originally Posted by AJD

If this new junior series is actually been billed as a feeder series to the BTCC

It's not been billed "as a feeder series to the BTCC" — where did you get that from?

[AJD]

Originally Posted by SV8Predator

It's not been billed "as a feeder series to the BTCC" — where did you get that from?

Didn't get it from anywhere. More a romanticism that the junior series on the TOCA package could be seen as that.

It's a shame that most of the drivers coming through these junior championships don't see it as a pathway to what is supposedly the pinnacle of British tintops.

Obviously these kids will have different paths they want to follow naturally both driven by financial and aspirational factors.

[Robin Marriott]

Since they posted a picture of the engine block on Instagram, I've been trying to work out what the 'custom built' engine they're using is.

Now they've posted a video on Facebook and it's clear. It's a mk2 MX5 engine with a VVT head so one from 2001-05.

Standard stroke on one of those is 85mm so the 1896cc quoted means a really weird bore of 84.25mm

From the factory those engines made 140bhp ish, so with a slightly bigger bore, a better exhaust manifold and whatever else it'll probably be 155bhp or so (although I'm sure the Ginetta Juniors were pegged at 100bhp by the MSA?)

Anyway, seems like an odd choice to me to use an engine where even the youngest ones are old enough to enjoy a pint.

[TinTopGrumpy]

Where did you see 1896cc? The brochure says 1789cc so I'd assume it's the 1.8 MX5 VVT engine.

Brochure also says it's restricted to meet the power to weight requirements of junior racing. The Ginettas were 1.8 as well from memory so I'd assume these will be around the same power.

[Robin Marriott]

Originally Posted by TinTopGrumpy

Where did you see 1896cc? The brochure says 1789cc so I'd assume it's the 1.8 MX5 VVT engine.

Brochure also says it's restricted to meet the power to weight requirements of junior racing. The Ginettas were 1.8 as well from memory so I'd assume these will be around the same power.

It says 1898cc here, sorry I've mis-quoted - https://btcc.net/covers-officially-c...-launch-event/

MX5 engines of that era were 1839cc so a slight overbore to clean up a 20 year old engine block makes sense, the gearbox will presumably be mx5 too and I'd imagine that was a significant part of the decision.

[Greem]

Originally Posted by Robin Marriott

It says 1898cc here, sorry I've mis-quoted - https://btcc.net/covers-officially-c...-launch-event/

MX5 engines of that era were 1839cc so a slight overbore to clean up a 20 year old engine block makes sense, the gearbox will presumably be mx5 too and I'd imagine that was a significant part of the decision.

Makes me wonder why they didn't just race MX-5s then. Would have been loads cheaper, yet (probably) just as much fun/of a challenge.

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by Greem

Makes me wonder why they didn't just race MX-5s then. Would have been loads cheaper, yet (probably) just as much fun/of a challenge.

On what possible basis do you think they could ever want the car to be cheaper? This is business.

[coffinpilot]

Not quite sure which thread to drop this into, a good read in this copy of touring car magazine I downloaded yestrday
Quite a long interview with Jake Hill, talking about the way he operates and why comes across as a what some fans think is a bit brattish. Good stuff about track limits at Croft from where the judge of fact stands. Haven't read it all yet, makes up for Motorsport News going missing this week. Are they on holiday or something? Not in the shops, not advertising it online either.


https://touringcarmagazine.co.uk/202...available-now/

[coffinpilot]

*Just checked last weeks Motorsport News, they're having a week off.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by peebee2

On what possible basis do you think they could ever want the car to be cheaper? This is business.

Who are 'they'?

[antnee]

The cost of the junior car is just silly, when its essentially a kit car. MK do a '7' style car with a 2.0l engine for £27k+vat. It doesn't take another £40k to put a 'normal' bodyshell on.

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Who are 'they'?

Maybe it’s a surprise but things like this are designed to make money for the organisers.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by peebee2

Maybe it’s a surprise but things like this are designed to make money for the organisers.

So it is the organisers that have set the price of the car?
Who are you taking to be the organisers - TOCA?

[TinTopGrumpy]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

Not quite sure which thread to drop this into, a good read in this copy of touring car magazine I downloaded yestrday

I never really liked Jake from the way he came over on the BTCC coverage but when I came across his YouTube channel I totally changed my view. It's a very different side of him without the pressure of the competition.

[coffinpilot]

Originally Posted by TinTopGrumpy

I never really liked Jake from the way he came over on the BTCC coverage but when I came across his YouTube channel I totally changed my view. It's a very different side of him without the pressure of the competition.

That's the interesting thing in the article. He talks a bit about internet trolling and how some fans think he's a complainer, he says in it that's exactly why he went back on youtube, to show the real him because the pressure of raceday when you understand how much money is involved and how many people depend on you means you have to take it very serious.

Really good piece, about 10 pages long.

[Craner Curves]

Speaking of YouTube, on the Goodwood channel there was an interview with Matt Neal at Dynamics HQ. No sign of any FK8s in the buildings as he did a tour. Still with One Motorsport?

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by TinTopGrumpy

I never really liked Jake from the way he came over on the BTCC coverage but when I came across his YouTube channel I totally changed my view. It's a very different side of him without the pressure of the competition.

That could also be interpreted in the opposite way; he goes out of his away to be all sweetness and light when the filming can be stopped and another bit of filming inserted, all why under no pressure. But then, when under the pressure of competition, he shows his true self.

Now, I don't know the guy so have no opinions either way, but either scenario could be the reality.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

That could also be interpreted in the opposite way; he goes out of his away to be all sweetness and light when the filming can be stopped and another bit of filming inserted, all why under no pressure. But then, when under the pressure of competition, he shows his true self.

Now, I don't know the guy so have no opinions either way, but either scenario could be the reality.

Mike, you almost sound cynical in this reply!

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by Alfaholic

Not sure what went wrong there - let's try again

Attachment 81294

Shocking. Was it designed by someone on work experience for an afternoon!

Honestly, what a lazy, missed opportunity by TOCA. Was Gow asleep when they signed this off. Looks like a 1980's oval stock car.

What's with the engine and gearbox?

This should have been a pitch to someone like BYD to develop an EV junior series.

'Fueling the future' really, with a dated car like that. And the price is horrendous. How many teams are going to front up £300k for 3 cars?!

Sent from my SM-T736B using Tapatalk

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

Mike, you almost sound cynical in this reply!

Moi?

[Pickles]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

That could also be interpreted in the opposite way; he goes out of his away to be all sweetness and light when the filming can be stopped and another bit of filming inserted, all why under no pressure. But then, when under the pressure of competition, he shows his true self.

Now, I don't know the guy so have no opinions either way, but either scenario could be the reality.

Having worked in the same team as Jake for 2 and a half years I can confirm that he is a genuinely nice guy, very polite, same goes for his dad. Even when things went wrong he'd take himself away for a bit, never once saw him having a go at mechanics etc after a mechanical failure.

[SV8Predator]

Originally Posted by Pickles

Having worked in the same team as Jake for 2 and a half years I can confirm that he is a genuinely nice guy, very polite, same goes for his dad. Even when things went wrong he'd take himself away for a bit, never once saw him having a go at mechanics etc after a mechanical failure.

This. But haters always gonna hate.

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Now, I don't know the guy so have no opinions either way,

Mike Harte obviously does have an opinion, or he would have posted such nonsense. As I said, haters always gonna hate.

[BtccLee]

Graves the first team to enter TOCA Juniors: https://tocajuniorofficial.com/news/...L2xHCkcveQwWQQ

This is the line that catches the eye, if we want a rumour with a (small) degree of substance,

“As a team, drivers will be able to have their first car racing experience with Graves Motorsport and then have the opportunity to continue with us onto the Porsche Motorsport pyramid and then hopefully on into the BTCC or GTs.

[Ant25]

With the season near the end! I can’t wait to read all the silly rumours.

[Ant25]

We will see new teams enter the championship next year or just current teams expanding? For example un-limited want to add another car for next year, and by the looks of a podcast ronan was on he’s got a seat for next year already but can’t think of what team he would join unless it’s a new team we don’t know about yet! On the grid at donington park Bobby Thompson was asked about next year and he seems pretty confident on being back next year. Would we see butcher back to as he’s been involved a lot last couple of rounds?