[BTCC] BTCC News & Rumours 2025

[AJD]

I wouldn't be surprised to see changes behind the wheel of 1 or 2 Toyota's across the teams and the same at WSR and Excelr8.

I've always been quite surprised nobody has chosen to run Hyundai's bought from Excelr8. Proven equipment with a shed load of development already carried out if you can access that as well as the machinery it's a top package. Obviously the issue will be how much they ask £££.

[MarcusH26]

Originally Posted by AJD

I wouldn't be surprised to see changes behind the wheel of 1 or 2 Toyota's across the teams and the same at WSR and Excelr8.

I've always been quite surprised nobody has chosen to run Hyundai's bought from Excelr8. Proven equipment with a shed load of development already carried out if you can access that as well as the machinery it's a top package. Obviously the issue will be how much they ask £££.

I think there's definitely a chance for a fair bit of seat movement. Napa are locked in already and I think you can ink in Hill and Ingram as staying put too.

Speedworks I think keep Huff but I can easily see Watson moving on after a disaster of a season , maybe WSR given he's already managed by Blundell? The LKQ branded cars I guess depends on Moffat.

WSR there's always going to be the question every winter surrounding Turkington and if he comes back , hopefully he does. Not sure on the situation with Morgan as to whether he stays or not. I'd love the fourth car to be a full season Bobby T deal but again I don't know fully what went on there and if there's a willingness to work something out and everyone got fooled by the sponsor promises from Zeus Cloud.

Excler8 I expect they'll try their hardest to make a deal for Zelos happen.

[BtccLee]

Already suspected, but confirmation TOCA Juniors present for all 10 meetings with three twenty-minute races: https://tocajuniorofficial.com/news/...or-2025-season

So support split looks like:
TOCA Juniors - 10 meetings
Carrera Cup GB - 8 Meetings
Sprint Challenge GB - 6 Meetings
F4 - 8 meetings (? based on this year's calendar)
Mini Challenge/Trophy - 10 Meetings

[BTCC frog]

Didn’t Morgan make a comment earlier in the year about this being his last season? Or did I make that up?

[SV8Predator]

Originally Posted by BTCC frog

Didn’t Morgan make a comment earlier in the year about this being his last season? Or did I make that up?

You made that up.

[Evantra]

It was mentioned on here, correctly or not, that his contract was up at the end of this year (and the poster alluded that he would not be returning IIRC?)

[AJD]

Originally Posted by MarcusH26

I think there's definitely a chance for a fair bit of seat movement. Napa are locked in already and I think you can ink in Hill and Ingram as staying put too.

Speedworks I think keep Huff but I can easily see Watson moving on after a disaster of a season , maybe WSR given he's already managed by Blundell? The LKQ branded cars I guess depends on Moffat.

WSR there's always going to be the question every winter surrounding Turkington and if he comes back , hopefully he does. Not sure on the situation with Morgan as to whether he stays or not. I'd love the fourth car to be a full season Bobby T deal but again I don't know fully what went on there and if there's a willingness to work something out and everyone got fooled by the sponsor promises from Zeus Cloud.

Excler8 I expect they'll try their hardest to make a deal for Zelos happen.

Even if they did get the Zelos deal done I'd still imagine the other 2 seats would be available for the right price.

I agree with pretty much everything else you've said there.

I imagine PMR would be very happy to keep their lineup too but are they due new cars next season or can the Astra carry on?

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by AJD

Even if they did get the Zelos deal done I'd still imagine the other 2 seats would be available for the right price.

I agree with pretty much everything else you've said there.

I imagine PMR would be very happy to keep their lineup too but are they due new cars next season or can the Astra carry on?

Doesn't seem to much wrong with the Astra

[AJD]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

Doesn't seem to much wrong with the Astra

If anything this has been the season it's looked it's most capable. There's rules around the cars and how long they can be used after they stop production. I'm not sure what they are someone will likely tell us whether it's end of life or it'll make I through to the new rules.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by AJD

If anything this has been the season it's looked it's most capable. There's rules around the cars and how long they can be used after they stop production. I'm not sure what they are someone will likely tell us whether it's end of life or it'll make I through to the new rules.

I think another member on 10/10ths in the fairly recent past has said that the Astra is actually one of the cars on the grid that will have the longest eligibility for the BTCC. Mind you, I may be misremembering. It's all based on when the cars were officially available for sale in the UK, and their eligibility lasts for a further 5 years.

[AJD]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

I think another member on 10/10ths in the fairly recent past has said that the Astra is actually one of the cars on the grid that will have the longest eligibility for the BTCC. Mind you, I may be misremembering. It's all based on when the cars were officially available for sale in the UK, and their eligibility lasts for a further 5 years.

Yeah it's been discussed a few times in the past. I just can't remember what the verdict was. I hope they continue with it they've really really impressed me this season.

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by Evantra

It was mentioned on here, correctly or not, that his contract was up at the end of this year (and the poster alluded that he would not be returning IIRC?)

Something along the lines of him getting 2 years with WSR after selling the cars and associated stuff back to them?

[MarcusH26]

Originally Posted by AJD

Even if they did get the Zelos deal done I'd still imagine the other 2 seats would be available for the right price.

I agree with pretty much everything else you've said there.

I imagine PMR would be very happy to keep their lineup too but are they due new cars next season or can the Astra carry on?

This isn't meant in a bad way but I've always wondered how Excler8 would go if they went and got someone that could really support Ingram. I know Chilton and Halstead bring serious budget so it would be a difficult one for the team on that side of things. Wouldn't mind seeing what someone like a Mikey Doble could do with a championship contending car.

[Matt K]

Originally Posted by MarcusH26

This isn't meant in a bad way but I've always wondered how Excler8 would go if they went and got someone that could really support Ingram. I know Chilton and Halstead bring serious budget so it would be a difficult one for the team on that side of things. Wouldn't mind seeing what someone like a Mikey Doble could do with a championship contending car.

Same here. Ingram's been among top drivers in the recent seasons, it's really be great to see two top drivers in Hyundais rather than just one. Especially considering it's quite a big team with four cars.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by AJD

If anything this has been the season it's looked it's most capable. There's rules around the cars and how long they can be used after they stop production. I'm not sure what they are someone will likely tell us whether it's end of life or it'll make I through to the new rules.

The Astra has looked very capable this season, it also runs the TOCA engine...

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

The Astra has looked very capable this season, it also runs the TOCA engine...

Didn't the TOCA engine get an uplift at half-term this year, or was it earlier in the season?

[antnee]

I'm not sure why - but I have a feeling we could see a few names decide to leave the BTCC, such as, Chilton, Watson, Morgan, Moffat.

[TinTopGrumpy]

From memory the car must have been on general sale in the previous five years. The Astra they are racing now was still on sale in 2021 so they're ok until 2026.

[coffinpilot]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

Something along the lines of him getting 2 years with WSR after selling the cars and associated stuff back to them?

That was what I was told by one of the former Ciceley mechanics who moved to WSR, and his Dad said something along those lines.

From what was said it appeared that the two cars returned to ownership of WSR at the beginning of 2023 with Morgan running for free for those two years, and if he was to stay in 2025 he'd have to pay the going rate.

I don't doubt that Morgan and Ciceley overall could raise the budget, but if he stays in BTCC I wonder if it'd be better off looking for a FWD ride that's a bit cheaper? After all, his WSR seasons haven't exactly been brilliant.

I expect that PMR will have all three Astras on track next year. Even if they up their price, they'll still be in demand.

On the Excelr8 thing, I'd love to see what they could do with ATS in the team. They are building themselves a reputation of being only able to 'run one car' which I'm sure would be put to bed with a second driver of that calibre.

[coffinpilot]

Originally Posted by antnee

I'm not sure why - but I have a feeling we could see a few names decide to leave the BTCC, such as, Chilton, Watson, Morgan, Moffat.

Doesn't Chilton own his car? Which would reduce cost? And he seems bubbly as anything recently. I read in a pre-season interview that he wants another 10 years.

Watson to BMW as posted above? His GT racing past, would it make sense to try a RWD car, especially if WSR ran a two car MB enterprise? The young lad who raises their sponsorship for MB does a brilliant job.

Moffat, I wonder how true the rumours are that his deal pays for a chunk of what goes into the car Cook drives? With Cook having a couple of his companies overdue at Companies House does that mean they're in trouble, or being wound down for non financial reasons, if it is financial, could it have a bearing. Is that why he can't afford a haircut? (Yes, the last one is a poor, poor joke,)

[MarcusH26]

ATS to Excler8 would be such a smart move , I think he's proven with the Astra he can still hang with the best at the front so a move to a genuine title winning car could be a very clever move. Think Chilton will be back regardless , finances are never going to be a problem there.

But a lineup of Ingram,ATS,Chilton and Zelos would be quite a marked departure for Excler8.

Will be interesting to see where Ronan Pearson ends up - could be someone to keep an eye on if anything opened up at Speedworks.

[AJD]

Originally Posted by MarcusH26

ATS to Excler8 would be such a smart move , I think he's proven with the Astra he can still hang with the best at the front so a move to a genuine title winning car could be a very clever move. Think Chilton will be back regardless , finances are never going to be a problem there.

But a lineup of Ingram,ATS,Chilton and Zelos would be quite a marked departure for Excler8.

Will be interesting to see where Ronan Pearson ends up - could be someone to keep an eye on if anything opened up at Speedworks.

PMR in an Astra perhaps?

[coffinpilot]

Originally Posted by MarcusH26

ATS to Excler8 would be such a smart move , I think he's proven with the Astra he can still hang with the best at the front so a move to a genuine title winning car could be a very clever move. Think Chilton will be back regardless , finances are never going to be a problem there.

But a lineup of Ingram,ATS,Chilton and Zelos would be quite a marked departure for Excler8.

Will be interesting to see where Ronan Pearson ends up - could be someone to keep an eye on if anything opened up at Speedworks.

I think we'll see Halstead for at least one more season. But he has me wondering.

He's obviously in with a lot of the socials stuff, all that TikTok malarkey, and the Crazy Carts thing (as Shaun Hollamby posted a while back, it's all good fun until someone breaks a wrist or something!)

He has a thing going now I'm told where trackside vidoe people (not the ITV cameras) are recording footage to provide for drivers/sponsors etc for use in socials/youtube/adverts, instead of hiring their own individual video staff, and a few other things. Considering he's connected to ITV - I mean, I don't know if it's pure sponsorship, would he be a person, or part of a conglomerate to take over TOCA, or replace Gow if he decides to relinquish control?

[BtccLee]

More TOCA Juniors news, Toro Verde to run a 'maximum' of four cars: https://tocajuniorofficial.com/news/...pionship-entry

[Robin Marriott]

Green Bull?

(Rubbish name)