[BTCC] Round Seven, Silverstone 25-26 Sep, Races 22,23&24

[crmalcolm]

Placeholder - Intro in draft.

[crmalcolm]

After a quick turnaround from Croft, the teams head straight to Silverstone for the eighth meeting of the season on the National Circuit. There are a number of different layouts at Silverstone, with the BTCC running on the National Circuit. The shortest of Silverstone’s three layouts that run on the main track, the National is seen as fairly simple, with braking and traction being key to getting a good time.

In common with a lot of other BTCC circuits, Silverstone also began life as an airfield, before being developed into a motorsport venue. The circuit first appeared on the BTCC (BSCC) calendar in the inaugural 1958 season, hosting non-championship rounds. The very first BSCC race saw class wins for Graham Hill, Les Leston, Jeff Uren and Mike Hawthorn.



Appearing as a full championship round in 1959, Class wins that day went to George ‘Doc’ Shepherd, Gunnar Anderson, Peter Blond and Ivor Bueb.




The circuit has undergone many changes through the years since then, although the corners of Woodcote and Copse still remain.



Having missed the Croft meeting, Parfitt is expected to return for Silverstone. This round also sees Andy Jordan back on a BTCC grid, testing the TOCA Hybrid Corolla in racing conditions.



The first time a full field of NGTC cars competed, the pole position was taken by Plato in his MG KX Momentum Racing MG6, which he followed up wins in the first two races. Shedden picked up the third win race, with all podium places going to FWD cars on the day; Matt Neal and Árón Smith both getting a pair of podiums.
2020 results saw Cammish, Turkington and Jackson take a win apiece, and many will remember Butcher’s accident in the third race. If we are looking to compare form – after leaving Croft in 2020 and heading into the eighth meeting, Sutton had a 7-point lead and took the title by 14 points.
This season, Sutton is 29 points clear, but there is an additional meeting for others to make up ground.
The points gained at Silverstone last year were:
Sutton – 28
Cammish – 53
Turkington – 40
Ingram – 18
Butcher – 17

If Hill or Cook could replicate Cammish’s results, the gap will close significantly.
Qualifying will be on the ITV Hub at www.itv.com/btcc, from 14:35PM and the Sunday coverage on ITV4 from 11:00AM. The BTCC races are scheduled for 11:30, 14:20 and 17:05. The full timetable is available at - https://www.btcc.net/calendar/silver...rcuitTimetable

Early weather forecast gives a dry qualifying with overcast skies and 19deg temperatures.

Race day has a risk of light rain in the morning, clearing through the afternoon. Cooler temperatures of 14deg.

[BTCC frog]

Now we are onto the three best tracks on the calendar, in reverse order. What a perfect way to end the season! I think Hill and Sutton could be very strong in Silverstone.

The title of the thread reads 'round seven' when it should be 'round eight.' But thanks for another detailed intro.

[Evantra]

I know there's a hundred reasons why it doesn't happen but it'd be so good to see them use the full layout. Don't quite a lot of the club events use the GP circuit?

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by BTCC frog

The title of the thread reads 'round seven' when it should be 'round eight.' But thanks for another detailed intro.

Damn - I was updating Fantasy League results at the same time.

Mods - are you able to update the thread title please?

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

The circuit has undergone many changes through the years since then, although the corners of Woodcote and Copse still remain.

The corner names may be the same but the corners are totally different.

I’m not sure but I think Maggots is probably more original, even if you take a different line.

[Alfaholic]

My second BTCC metting of the year (after Snetterton) and my first weekend away since the equivalent meeting last year. I'd kept my hotel booking in the hope that Silverstone would admit spectators, but that didn't happen so had a good weekend at Donington Park instead.

[S griffin]

Looking forward to this weekend. Will be in Center Parcs this week, but shall stay in on Sunday to watch it

[porsche962fan]

wonder if Proctor will be now rear gunner for Cooky

[redshoes]

Details of the hybrid car this weekend
https://www.btcc.net/2021/09/23/almo...e-btcc-hybrid/

• The car will take part in both BTCC practice sessions, the qualifying session and the three races.
• It will use electric power to drive from its garage to the pit-lane exit, the first time in each session.
• Its qualifying time will be disregarded when setting the grid.
• It will start all races from the pit-lane.
• It will have hybrid power available – approximately a 10% power increase – for a maximum of 15 seconds per lap. The hybrid deploys when Andrew pushes the hybrid button once full traction has been established. It automatically disengages when braking, or when there is less than full traction or has abnormal steering inputs etc. (Note: that there are many more such parameters built into the system, but those are the basics).
• It will not get involved in ‘dicing’ with other cars mid-corner or under brakes – unless that driver signals Andrew through or moves over. Otherwise, he will only usually overtake cars under acceleration out of corners or on the straights.
• It will not provide an ‘aerodynamic tow’ to aid other cars in qualifying or races.
• Its race results will be invisible as far as points or official results are concerned.
• The car currently has no external indication as to when the hybrid is engaged – however that feature will be on all cars next year.

So taking part in qualifying but not qualifying, and taking part in the race but not racing.
How utterly pointless

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by redshoes

Details of the hybrid car this weekend
https://www.btcc.net/2021/09/23/almo...e-btcc-hybrid/


So taking part in qualifying but not qualifying, and taking part in the race but not racing.
How utterly pointless

also from those same details;

“The object of this weekend is to replicate full real-time BTCC race event conditions for the hybrid system, as part of the carefully planned ongoing test and development cycle.”

thats the complete opposite of utterly pointless

[Mike Harte]

No, it will be pointless as in: "Its race results will be invisible as far as points or official results are concerned."

[Evantra]

I think it looks promising but not a fan of the 'press the button' for extra power gimmick.

Alongside the stupid tyre choice gimmick, which saw 5 of the 10 teams fined £1k for using the wrong tyre in the wrong race at Croft. Get rid!

[pimmy]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Alongside the stupid tyre choice gimmick, which saw 5 of the 10 teams fined £1k for using the wrong tyre in the wrong race at Croft. Get rid!

I did laugh at this:

“It would have been churlish to put them to the back of the grid [for the first race at this weekend’s Silverstone round] – that wouldn’t have achieved anything, because half of them are at the back of the grid anyway,”

Zing!

[S griffin]

At least they did some common sense by not penalising them from something they didn't gain an advantage from

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

No, it will be pointless as in: "Its race results will be invisible as far as points or official results are concerned."

Given that the hybrid car is "invisible" as far as results go - why would anyone defend against it? If it's behind you just let it past - makes no difference to your result.

Also - did Shedden get penalised for the Thruxton incident with Jade Edwards? I didn't see or hear anything about that at Croft. Did he get penalised for the Turkington incident at Croft?

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

Also - did Shedden get penalised for the Thruxton incident with Jade Edwards? I didn't see or hear anything about that at Croft. Did he get penalised for the Turkington incident at Croft?

For Thruxton - Yes. For Croft - No.

Croft Penalties:

From Thruxton (Race 3):
Gordon Shedden received an official reprimand and had his licence endorsed by the addition of two penalty points for an incident involving Jade Edwards.

Dan Rowbottom was penalised by the addition of 1 second to his overall race time for overtaking under safety car conditions.

Race 1
Chris Smiley received an official reprimand and had his licence endorsed by the addition of two penalty points for an incident involving Dan Rowbottom.

Aron Taylor-Smith received a verbal warning for an incident involving Dan Rowbottom.

Race 2
Chris Smiley was penalised by the addition of 0.7 seconds to his overall race time for an incident involving Stephen Jelley.

Race 3
Dan Rowbottom received an official reprimand and had his licence endorsed by the addition of two penalty points for an incident involving Stephen Jelley.

[crmalcolm]

This weekend's meeting sees the return of the top-ten showdown in qualifying, which will also feature at Donington.

[porsche962fan]

doesn't look good for Hill , all his rivals ahead of him

[Mike Harte]

I am sure that I had read that Jordan would be driving the BMW 1 Series Hybrid this weekend to get a comparison with the FWD Toyota, so it was a surprise to see him in the Speedworks Toyota.

[porsche962fan]

wonder how much AJ is getting paid for his services also surprised that they didn't allow it to be in top spots to showcase the new technology being faster

[AnnoyedMoose]

Originally Posted by Evantra

I think it looks promising but not a fan of the 'press the button' for extra power gimmick.

They have to have that really otherwise the hybrid system would be invisible. Not to mention the issues of how to replicate the ballast system without having ballast.

[thetool]

A bit strange how slow the hybrid is.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by thetool

A bit strange how slow the hybrid is.

Really?

A car with minimal development, effectively carrying ballast, being driven by someone lacking time in the seat, and running for evaluation purposes only- and you expected it to be at the front?

If you heard Ingram describe how much the cars running all season have developed between testing at Croft in March and the last round, it becomes obvious that the Hybrid would be expected to be off the pace initially.

[Evantra]

So... Tim Harvey hinted that all was not well in the Laser Tools team in quali?