BTCC

[XLBaconDoubleCheese]

It is just F1 scaled down, less money to race, teams need 100's of thousands to race rather than millions but the prize money is obviously less. It's pretty dire when the reigning champ cant get a seat though. I'm assuming Pirtek sponsor Andy Jordan, Plato was on a 3 year deal with Tesco which has now ended leaving him on the hunt for a seat too. 

 

Wasnt part of the change to NGTCs suppose to be to reduce costs too, much like the changes to F1 last year. I've not been into the BTCC as much over the past 5 years as I was back when I was a kid, me and my brother use to love it back then. I suppose part of it is the reduction of 'Manufacturer teams' Volvo, Audi, BMW, Nissan, Renault, Ford etc etc. Saying that, on a programme I watched about the history of the championship the big guns left when spending limits were imposed, although it seems that's reduced the spend and gains enough to get rid of the Fords and Volvos but not enough for smaller teams to run comfortably. As much as I dislike the man as a person, fair play to Rob Austin for keeping his team going and often pulling of some decent results. 

 

Bit of random ramblings there for ya'll.  

[KenONeill]

It is just F1 scaled down, less money to race, teams need 100's of thousands to race rather than millions but the prize money is obviously less. It's pretty dire when the reigning champ cant get a seat though. I'm assuming Pirtek sponsor Andy Jordan, Plato was on a 3 year deal with Tesco which has now ended leaving him on the hunt for a seat too. 

 

Wasnt part of the change to NGTCs suppose to be to reduce costs too, much like the changes to F1 last year. I've not been into the BTCC as much over the past 5 years as I was back when I was a kid, me and my brother use to love it back then. I suppose part of it is the reduction of 'Manufacturer teams' Volvo, Audi, BMW, Nissan, Renault, Ford etc etc. Saying that, on a programme I watched about the history of the championship the big guns left when spending limits were imposed, although it seems that's reduced the spend and gains enough to get rid of the Fords and Volvos but not enough for smaller teams to run comfortably. As much as I dislike the man as a person, fair play to Rob Austin for keeping his team going and often pulling of some decent results. 

 

Bit of random ramblings there for ya'll.

£2E5 is a cost reduction; in the mid-1990s manufacturer budgets were of the order of £2E6.

[Paul007]

^ ?

[XLBaconDoubleCheese]

QE2?

[camelspyyder]

Collard keeps 3rd WSR BMW seat.

 

Turkington out (again)

[camelspyyder]

What's left for Plato?

Eurotech's Honda looks like the best seat left, or BMR's Passat maybe.

From his comments last year though I think he wants a RWD car.

Maybe he'll not drive BTCC.

[Paul007]

Hopefully he will but there's also TV work that gets in the way.  Maybe he'll do a privateer BMW with Tesco ?

[kentphil1]

Do Tesco have the spare advertising budget in their current circumstances at the moment?.

[Paul007]

Good point. 

[camelspyyder]

BMR sign Plato & Turk to drive VW`s

[XLBaconDoubleCheese]

I'm chuffed Turkington has a drive!

[camelspyyder]

Yes, me too, and the Passat was pretty quick at times in the last 18 months.

I wonder why neither of them have got the lead Eurotech Honda?

[Paul007]

Thought JP was having rwd this time ?

[camelspyyder]

Thought JP was having rwd this time ?

clearly couldnt afford a WSR drive, and maybe Rob Austins Audis aren't what JP's after?

[camelspyyder]

888/MG sign Jack Goff.

 

still some good seats left

 

Eurotech Honda, Motorbase Ford x 2

 

and some big players not signed anywhere:

 

Matt Jackson, Gio & Menu aren't on the current list:

 

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117809

[camelspyyder]

Eurotech seem resigned to mediocrity - Jeff Smith and Martin Depper on board - both have been (slow) team mates to Andy Jordan in the past.

[kentphil1]

Not sure if Motorbase will run a BTCC team this year, as sponsers are thin on the ground. Think they are just building cars for customers at the moment. They also have a much bigger GT championship team this year.

[hardcorehobbit]

Are Eurotech still run by Mike Jordan?

He should put himself in the car, he'd be quicker than Jeff Smith and Martin Depper.

[camelspyyder]

Not sure if Motorbase will run a BTCC team this year, as sponsers are thin on the ground. Think they are just building cars for customers at the moment. They also have a much bigger GT championship team this year.

 

Alex Martin (?) is the only listed Motorbase driver on Autosport

[camelspyyder]

Are Eurotech still run by Mike Jordan?

He should put himself in the car, he'd be quicker than Jeff Smith and Martin Depper.

 

Jeff Smith has bought a percentage of the team, hence he's driving.  Agreed Mike always has been really quick, ever since his Porsche days.

[kentphil1]

That is a customer build run by a satellite team to them as AMD did last year with Dave Newsham

[camelspyyder]

United Autosports have quit after one season - sold an Avensis (& TOCA license) to Tony Gilham, and their second licence to Power Maxed who are running 2 Chevy Cruze.

[camelspyyder]

kentphil1, on 02 Mar 2015 - 22:28, said:

That is a customer build run by a satellite team to them as AMD did last year with Dave Newsham

 

I did not know that as AMD are listed with 2 entries also.

 

 

There are not as many big names on the list in this years field though.

 

Jordan, Priaulx, Tordoff, Collard, Turkington, Plato.  Thats it.

 

I'm sure Honda will enter Neal and Flash but nothing official yet.

Edited 2 March, 2015 by camelspyyder

[kentphil1]

The thing is, the GT and Blanc Pain series are starting to get some serious consideration by quite a few teams in other championships as a high exposure/moderate outlay way to keep the wolves away from the door.

 

The downside to that is that there are less quality BTCC chairs to sit down on when the music stops at the beginning of the season. Then you have the fact that the budgets needed for BTCC are huge and you end up with an emasculated season as we have this year. This is not the first time this has happened, and I'm quite sure it won't be the last.

[J45ON]

I seem to be in the minority in thinking this is shaping up to be a cracking season again? 

Guaranteed 7-8 star drivers, plus quite a few other drivers already signed up. Personally i am looking forward to how Tom Ingram does this year.  

Edited 3 March, 2015 by J45ON