BTCC 2024 News & Rumours

[Ant25]

I’m sure we will see new cars and teams next season im sure teams are itching to Come into the Btcc! Be plenty of spare cars!

[billy bleach]

More Focus entries. Up to four independent cars? Who for? Autosport this week

[coffinpilot]

I wonder if 2024 will be the rumoured FWD BMW 2 Series debut? (or 2025)

That's based on the rumours Mr Gow gave WSR an ultimatum to switch to FWD with that version of the 2 Series, and that he made the Audi project from Motorbase a hard task, with the idea of banning RWD as soon as nobody runs it.

Like it states on the thread title - 'Rumours.'

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

More Focus entries. Up to four independent cars? Who for? Autosport this week

The story sounds like a bit of a fishing trip. Motorbase saying that that they could build customer cars if someone wanted them. No indication that they have been asked, or that it would be likely to happen. Effectively they are just touting for business.

[mf51]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

I wonder if 2024 will be the rumoured FWD BMW 2 Series debut? (or 2025)

The 3 series has been in 5 full seasons at the end of this year. Is that enough to bring in a new model? I’m guessing it would be more a BMW decision?

Also, the FK8 Honda has been in for 6 seasons now. Will we see the FL5?

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by mf51

Also, the FK8 Honda has been in for 6 seasons now. Will we see the FL5?

Hope so, but if that would be in the hands of One Motorsport, they couldn’t afford to do pre-season testing or the one-day tyre test recently, so I don’t see how they (or most teams) would afford to develop a whole new car sadly.

A third year in a row without a new model on the grid would be very worrying, even just one year really hasn’t happened in recent times.

Wonder if we’ll see any more teams merge together…

[Sodemo]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

I wonder if 2024 will be the rumoured FWD BMW 2 Series debut? (or 2025)

That's based on the rumours Mr Gow gave WSR an ultimatum to switch to FWD with that version of the 2 Series, and that he made the Audi project from Motorbase a hard task, with the idea of banning RWD as soon as nobody runs it.

Like it states on the thread title - 'Rumours.'

If true, a truly dumfounding decision. RWD and FWD have co-existed for decades in tin tops, to state that only "now" its a problem is ridiculous.

[S griffin]

I don't see a need for the FWD vs RWD. Each has it's own strengths and weaknesses

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by Evantra

A third year in a row without a new model on the grid would be very worrying, even just one year really hasn’t happened in recent times.

Part of the reasoning behind the NGTC regs was to remove the need for teams to have to build a new car every year. They could run the same chassis for multiple years and still be competitive.

As the saying goes, "be careful what you wish for"

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by redshoes

Part of the reasoning behind the NGTC regs was to remove the need for teams to have to build a new car every year. They could run the same chassis for multiple years and still be competitive.

Yeah, you don’t expect it after two or three seasons obviously, but the Astras and Civics for example are in their 6-7th season or something like that, and those generations aren’t even on sale anymore. They might still be occasionally competitive, but It’s not a good look if teams can’t afford to replace them after that long, I’m sure they’d much rather do so.

[thetool]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Yeah, you don’t expect it after two or three seasons obviously, but the Astras and Civics for example are in their 6-7th season or something like that, and those generations aren’t even on sale anymore. They might still be occasionally competitive, but It’s not a good look if teams can’t afford to replace them after that long, I’m sure they’d much rather do so.

The Astras and the Civics aren't competitive for the same reason the teams that are running them are still running them. Lack of money. An FK2 Civic would still be a championship contender if it was run by the right team with enough financing.

[redshoes]

Autosport today reporting that the new junior support category won't start until 2025, although expect details to be announced before the end of this year. 2024 will include a mix of guest series, although not necessarily the same series as this year.

[SSmith]

As I wrote on another thread, the nature of the guest championships in 2024 is probably dependent on the Porsche calendar next year and which meetings are attended by both Porsche championships.

We know we've got F4 for 10 meetings, the existing Mini JCW and Trophy split of 7-3 will likely remain, and then we can probably assume (based on recent precedent, increased costs etc.) Carrera Cup GB at 8 meetings and Sprint Challenge GB at 6 meetings. How they choose to divide this up (i.e., which 4 rounds will have both Porsche series) then dictates what sort of guest series fills the gaps.

[Sodemo]

Originally Posted by redshoes

Autosport today reporting that the new junior support category won't start until 2025, although expect details to be announced before the end of this year. 2024 will include a mix of guest series, although not necessarily the same series as this year.

What’s the Junior Support Series?

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

What’s the Junior Support Series?

It will be the replacement for the Ginetta Juniors series, and Gow says that he is not ready to announce what it will be apart from the fact that it will not be anything that currently exists.

[billy bleach]

Probably won’t be a series that has multiple SC and Red flags…

[antnee]

Junior series suggestion - https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/n...-uk-sales-2024

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by antnee

Junior series suggestion - https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/n...-uk-sales-2024

Is there something in that article to suggest it will be the basis of a new junior series, or are you just randomly shouting out names?

[Andrew Abbott]

Surely those who harbour aspirations of a Volvo car reappearing in the BTCC can now be silenced...

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/n...tate-cars-axed

A sad time for the UK automotive scene.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Andrew Abbott

Surely those who harbour aspirations of a Volvo car reappearing in the BTCC can now be silenced...

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/n...tate-cars-axed

A sad time for the UK automotive scene.

Nothing to do with BTCC, or motor sport in general, but this may be a problem for the UK's police force as they are having to replace all their high performance BMW saloons and estates as they have a tendency to catch fire. Currently, they are being replaced with Volvo estates and some Skoda VRSs.

[thetool]

Originally Posted by Andrew Abbott

Surely those who harbour aspirations of a Volvo car reappearing in the BTCC can now be silenced...

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/n...tate-cars-axed

A sad time for the UK automotive scene.

Not really given that it's very likely the BTCC will become a mini-SUV series sometime in the next decade. There's only so long you can buck the trend of what's actual available on the road.

Expect to see cars like Ford Puma, Nissan Qashqai, Hyundai Tucson or Vauxhall Mokka before too long.

[Sodemo]

Originally Posted by Andrew Abbott

Surely those who harbour aspirations of a Volvo car reappearing in the BTCC can now be silenced...

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/n...tate-cars-axed

A sad time for the UK automotive scene.

Do not want.

[Greem]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Nothing to do with BTCC, or motor sport in general, but this may be a problem for the UK's police force as they are having to replace all their high performance BMW saloons and estates as they have a tendency to catch fire. Currently, they are being replaced with Volvo estates and some Skoda VRSs.

It does say in the article that Volvo's special vehicles division will continue to supply authority-specification versions of the saloons and estates used by police forces.

[Matt K]

Originally Posted by thetool

Not really given that it's very likely the BTCC will become a mini-SUV series sometime in the next decade. There's only so long you can buck the trend of what's actual available on the road.

Expect to see cars like Ford Puma, Nissan Qashqai, Hyundai Tucson or Vauxhall Mokka before too long.

Honestly saying was thinking exactly the same the other day. As much as SUVs seem like awkward options for racing cars, given where the motor industry is heading to I feel like this might be the only option for the BTCC (and touring cars in general) in the future. Unless there's a chance of BTCC going for high-performance electric coupes/sportscars but that doesn't seem likely - DTM or Supercars could go in this direction but BTCC probably not.

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by thetool

Not really given that it's very likely the BTCC will become a mini-SUV series sometime in the next decade. There's only so long you can buck the trend of what's actual available on the road.

Expect to see cars like Ford Puma, Nissan Qashqai, Hyundai Tucson or Vauxhall Mokka before too long.

I know a lot of them are based on hatchback platforms anyway, but seems like that could / will lead to wider and heavier cars. Not sure there’ll be much choice in the matter though as it looks like they’ll be just about the only things on sale by next year…