BTCC 2024 News & Rumours

[Racing Harz]

Originally Posted by SV8Predator

BTC? As in One Motorsport? What "ruleset" are you referring to?

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

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Surely that is dependent on the level of advertising and the revenue that it generates for ITV. If advertisers continue to value the broadcast, then it would be foolish of ITV to stop terrestrial broadcasting.

ITV announcing some job cuts due to fall in advertising revenue.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/comp...mp/ar-BB1k3adL

Print advertising has also not recovered to pre-pandemic levels as firms find that after adapting to more direct and digital marketing they don't need to go back to print.

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Gow has opposed the idea of leaving FTA, considering it to be commercial suicide. So I can’t see it leaving ITV4 anytime soon or going online only

Won't be his call though.

[S griffin]

I'm sure he could find a place to have highlights though.

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

Do people view the BTC ruleset as a success? Genuine question.

I enjoyed it. Could have been much bigger had Alfa and BMW not pressured the FIA into S2000.

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

I enjoyed it. Could have been much bigger had Alfa and BMW not pressured the FIA into S2000.

It was good, but I think the move to S2000 was justified too

[SR18]

Is WSR only Entering 1 car this year?

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

Why do people on here consistently disrespect Alan Gow? He built the series in the 90’s watched Octagon wreck it in 2 years and then rebuilt it. The bloke should be Knighted not consistently doubted/ questioned/slagged by armchair know nothings on here

I'm not disrespecting Gow or trying to defend Octagon, but there a degree of revisionism here.

Coming of the highs of Super Touring and with waning manufacturer interest, early 2000s were always going have smaller grids regardless of who was in charge. Lets not forget that the process of finding a replacement ST has been set in motion a year or two earlier when Gow/TOCA were still in charge. I don't think you can entirely blame Octagon for what happened.

Opening the grid to S2000 had been mooted before Gow came back in mid 2003. I think that would have happened for the 2004 season regardless, so I don't think he can entirely take the credit for it.

Not saying that he hasn't done a good job over the years, but lets put some of that into perspective.

[coffinpilot]

Originally Posted by SR18

Is WSR only Entering 1 car this year?

Only one announced, the others will come soon (well, the two who we expect to return!)

In other news....
I see that Supercars have reached an agreement to broadcast their F1 supports internationally via Superview. I wonder how much notice the BTCC are taking of that?

I know Alan Gow stated in Autosport that he was looking at a non-championship Thurs/Fri slot, but if they were to go for it (I know some are against the idea) why not try to get a Sat slot too?

The old complaint of not enough space in the timetable is utter tosh, look at the Aussie schedule with F1, F2, F3, Porsche and Supercars getting practice x2, qualifying and a race on Thurs, a race on Fri, qualifying and a race on Sat and a race on Sun.

[S griffin]

Supercars will continue to support F1 for years to come. I doubt the BTCC will be able to get on the bill now though. Each series that supports F1 tend to do things their own way anyway

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

The old complaint of not enough space in the timetable is utter tosh, look at the Aussie schedule with F1, F2, F3, Porsche and Supercars getting practice x2, qualifying and a race on Thurs, a race on Fri, qualifying and a race on Sat and a race on Sun.

Aussie GP timetable has an extra day, so you aren't comparing like with like. They run qualifying and some support races on Thurs. British GP has no track activity on a Thurs.

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by redshoes

Aussie GP timetable has an extra day, so you aren't comparing like with like. They run qualifying and some support races on Thurs. British GP has no track activity on a Thurs.

Exactly, Aus GP organisers have put in an extra day to accommodate the Supercars. I doubt we’ll see an extra day at the British GP

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by redshoes

I'm not disrespecting Gow or trying to defend Octagon, but there a degree of revisionism here.

Coming of the highs of Super Touring and with waning manufacturer interest, early 2000s were always going have smaller grids regardless of who was in charge. Lets not forget that the process of finding a replacement ST has been set in motion a year or two earlier when Gow/TOCA were still in charge. I don't think you can entirely blame Octagon for what happened.

Opening the grid to S2000 had been mooted before Gow came back in mid 2003. I think that would have happened for the 2004 season regardless, so I don't think he can entirely take the credit for it.

Not saying that he hasn't done a good job over the years, but lets put some of that into perspective.

It may be that more of a 'world car' will be needed post
2026. The BTCC has often been an outlier on regs, but means cars built for the BTCC can only run in the BTCC. If say they went TCR regs, that would enable teams to either build more customer cars to sell or the option to race elsewhere and a wider market for cars generally.

It is/was said that if you only ever had enough money to buy one race car, buy a Porsche GT car because you can race them more or less anywhere in the world...

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by Moneyseeker

It may be that more of a 'world car' will be needed post
2026. The BTCC has often been an outlier on regs, but means cars built for the BTCC can only run in the BTCC. If say they went TCR regs, that would enable teams to either build more customer cars to sell or the option to race elsewhere and a wider market for cars generally.

It is/was said that if you only ever had enough money to buy one race car, buy a Porsche GT car because you can race them more or less anywhere in the world...

For record where was Super Touring invented?

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

For record where was Super Touring invented?

Well it wouldn’t have happened without the BTCC

[Sodemo]

Originally Posted by Moneyseeker

It may be that more of a 'world car' will be needed post
2026. The BTCC has often been an outlier on regs, but means cars built for the BTCC can only run in the BTCC. If say they went TCR regs, that would enable teams to either build more customer cars to sell or the option to race elsewhere and a wider market for cars generally.

It is/was said that if you only ever had enough money to buy one race car, buy a Porsche GT car because you can race them more or less anywhere in the world...

To be honest, the S2000 ruleset was probably just that; a "world car", however the teams and car makers fell out of love with S2000 and it was consigned to the skip.

I think Gow probably thought he could export the NGTC concept, but no other series has ran the cars to my knowledge. I do recall something a few years back that the FIA had ratified the regs or some such thing but again I don't recall any series running the cars in a major way.

[Greem]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

The old complaint of not enough space in the timetable is utter tosh

The extensive gaps in the timetable at the British GP are filled with extremely lucrative hospitality events with attendees doing pit walks, interviews & glad-handing in the Paddock Club, and VIP hot laps or truck tours. Add to that the lack of track action makes spectators leave the grandstands for a while, I'm sure that the merch and food/drink vendors do very well in those gaps too.

The lack of engine noise is replaced by thousands of tills going KER-CHING!

[Matt K]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

To be honest, the S2000 ruleset was probably just that; a "world car", however the teams and car makers fell out of love with S2000 and it was consigned to the skip.

I think Gow probably thought he could export the NGTC concept, but no other series has ran the cars to my knowledge. I do recall something a few years back that the FIA had ratified the regs or some such thing but again I don't recall any series running the cars in a major way.

Didn't STCC run or at least planned to run NGTC cars?

[Sodemo]

Originally Posted by Matt K

Didn't STCC run or at least planned to run NGTC cars?

Yea that rings a bell. No idea if it actually happened or not...?

[BobJones]

Originally Posted by Matt K

Didn't STCC run or at least planned to run NGTC cars?

This is a rabbit hole - but yes, and it ended up splitting the STCC and teams apart. One running to 'NGTC' (never a full NGTC car, just the transitional S2000s with the NGTC engine, plus other cars allowed to bolster the grid) and then a rival TTA series where most teams ended up running a spaceframe French-V6-powered kit car thing.

It was a mess, and a shame - personally, I do believe NGTC would have been cool, but the TTA concept 'won out', and in my opinion, the series lost relevance and clout in the process. Sad.

[BobJones]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

I’d rather they come up with something new to replace the NGTC formula. I’ve never liked the suspension arrangement and it’s tended to produce cars with more body roll than a 1970s Capri.

When you mention this, about once a year, it always reminds me that I don't think you've watched a race since the RML parts were added...

[kipper]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

The old complaint of not enough space in the timetable is utter tosh, look at the Aussie schedule with F1, F2, F3, Porsche and Supercars getting practice x2, qualifying and a race on Thurs, a race on Fri, qualifying and a race on Sat and a race on Sun.

Silverstone can nominate an additional support race to take place after the Grand Prix. However, they chose not as they let spectators onto the track instead. On account of them not taking up the offer of the extra support race, the slots on the timetable for associated practice and qualifying sessions remain vacant.

Australia has an advantage in that it is a four-day meeting and that a good chunk of the Supercars and Porsche running can take place on the Thursday, which allows for a better fit with F1's relatively restrictive timetable. There probably is no reason why Silverstone couldn't be a four day meeting (indeed a historic F1 practice session has taken place on the Thursday in recent times, and back when Super Touring was on the support bill, it was a four-day meeting), however, I rather imagine that the costs of doing so would be higher.

[cameronpoe]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Well it wouldn’t have happened without the BTCC

On a completely different topic , Alliance Racing start with Shakedown Tomorrow and then onto first test of year , hopefully get some good weather .. feeling in the camp is we have a good car but it will be a very different season with the balancing of the hybrid. Think it will be a good season , grid is very strong in terms of quality , game on.

[cameronpoe]

I am replying to myself !!!!! , it’s Wednesday day 1 shakedown!!!

[ChrisA]

Originally Posted by kipper

Silverstone can nominate an additional support race to take place after the Grand Prix. However, they chose not as they let spectators onto the track instead. On account of them not taking up the offer of the extra support race, the slots on the timetable for associated practice and qualifying sessions remain vacant.

Australia has an advantage in that it is a four-day meeting and that a good chunk of the Supercars and Porsche running can take place on the Thursday, which allows for a better fit with F1's relatively restrictive timetable. There probably is no reason why Silverstone couldn't be a four day meeting (indeed a historic F1 practice session has taken place on the Thursday in recent times, and back when Super Touring was on the support bill, it was a four-day meeting), however, I rather imagine that the costs of doing so would be higher.

Not only BTCC, but we used to have FFord, GT, an Historic race and it was a four day meeting. I believe the main reason for touring cars being dropped was TV rights and I think Bernie had something to do with that. Shame really, because the 4 day meeting, something was happening on track nearly all day. Now a 3 day meeting, all the track action could take place in 2 Days or less.