BTCC 2024 News & Rumours

[Streethawk]

Originally Posted by tocatrucky

They have been trying to recruit freelance staff on a ''work for us today, we'll pay you in 2 month, arrears'' basis. To which many have laughed and deleted that email.

Foolish people if they go back on that basis. Like that arrangement will pay a mortgage or rent.

On another note, Rumour of one mechanic getting some of the thousands owed to him off TG.

[SV8Predator]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Has Hill stuffed the BMW?

Looks like it. It's come back to the garages on the flat-bed. Front end stoved in.

[Mike Harte]

I notice that Cammish hasn't been out this afternoon. And Cook seems to be having a torrid time in the Toyota.


And, assuming that the times are representative, it would seem as though the BMWs don't like the wet too much.

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

I notice that Cammish hasn't been out this afternoon. And Cook seems to be having a torrid time in the Toyota.


And, assuming that the times are representative, it would seem as though the BMWs don't like the wet too much.

Nothing new there.
Hill is the only one who can get the wet tyres to work on that car.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by sceptic

Nothing new there.
Hill is the only one who can get the wet tyres to work on that car.

And not even Hill this afternoon; this in reply to my query about whether Hill had stuffed the Beemer as he was in the pits for quite a while following a red flag:

Originally Posted by SV8Predator

Looks like it. It's come back to the garages on the flat-bed. Front end stoved in.

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

And not even Hill this afternoon; this in reply to my query about whether Hill had stuffed the Beemer as he was in the pits for quite a while following a red flag:

The BTCC round-up confirms he went off at Sunny, whilst it sounded like Cook also picked up damage.

https://www.btcc.net/2024/04/10/p1-f...rnoon-session/

[coffinpilot]

Originally Posted by Evantra

The BTCC round-up confirms he went off at Sunny, whilst it sounded like Cook also picked up damage.

https://www.btcc.net/2024/04/10/p1-f...rnoon-session/

I was a bit nosey there today!

Toyota didn't have the spares to repair Cook's car.
Spotted a certain S Proctor wandering around (and Max Coates - but he's there all the time!) so I wonder if he's chasing that WSR seat?
Hills off at Sunny was quite a big one. Lost it on kerbs just as the rain became heavier, straight into the wall at Sunny Out.
Turks got stuck in the mud.
They were doing hybrid tests for a few laps. Apparently, according to one of the guys at Alliance, the plan this year is for for the cars to leave the pits on the ICE, but go to Hybrid when they get to the back of the dummy grid.

[coffinpilot]

And Watson has got a Valterri Bottas style Tache. No mullet yet though.

[JDMROB]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

They were doing hybrid tests for a few laps. Apparently, according to one of the guys at Alliance, the plan this year is for for the cars to leave the pits on the ICE, but go to Hybrid when they get to the back of the dummy grid.

Surely that’s just crying out for someone to get run over!?

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

I was a bit nosey there today!

Do you know why Cammish didn't come out to play in the afternoon session?

[coffinpilot]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Do you know why Cammish didn't come out to play in the afternoon session?

Haven't a clue. The car wasn't being worked on while in the garage (the odd thing here and there) but it was up on jacks so I assume something was up.

Or maybe he was in shock at the £6.50 I had to pay for a bacon sarnie at the new cafe and had to sit down for a while!!!

Seems like Halstead/Ingram/Chilton had a few problems because they had long spells in the garages with lots of work going on too.

It was strange watching Hill come out with the front end in the BMW/WSR colours because there was no other Laser Tools liveried bonnet/front wings.

[pimmy]

Originally Posted by SSmith

It is an interesting decision, although he did run as a Pro-Am last year as well and achieved no Pro-Am class wins. Sid Smith is a name I'm surprised to see as a Pro-Am given his pace in testing and in the Porsche Southern Europe winter series.

I wouldn't be surprised if a little bit of reclassification goes on between now and the season opener. On the whole, I feel Porsche do a pretty good job of categorising people. Part of the problem nowadays is that cars only score points in their class (whereas pre-2018 it was outright points + special points tables for PA1 and PA2) which makes it more important for Porsche to do a good job.

Whilst testing times count for little, and I think only their final session was representative, here is the order:
1. Hugo Ellis (Pro)
2. Matthew Rees (Pro)
3. Charles Rainford (Pro)
4. Sid Smith (Pro-Am)
5. James Wallis (Pro)
6. George Gamble (Pro)
7. Oliver White (Pro-Am)
8. Josh Malin (Pro)
9. Angus Whiteside (Pro-Am)
10. Ollie Jackson (Pro-Am)
11. Harry Foster (Pro)
12. Daniel Lloyd (Pro)
13. Andrew Rackstraw (Pro)
14. William Burns (Pro)
15. Jack Butel (Pro-Am)
16. Josh Stanton (Pro-Am)
17. Stephen Jelley (Pro)
18. Abbie Eaton (Pro-Am)
19. Ross Wylie (Pro-Am)
20. Lee Mowle (Am)
21. Richard Hosking (Am)

I hope Lee Mowle has fun finishing 1st out of 2 all year. After running a combined 113 laps at Brands, Hosking's best ended up 4 seconds off the pace! Deary me.

Porsche need to stop with this insipid format.

[coppice]

As it's up the road I had look at testing today . As ever I am amazed that more people come to watch a few BTCC cars test than attend many club meetings . I assume it's the TV effect .

Largely uninspiring , but good to see Hill pressing on so hard before it turned to tears. BMWs did look very stable coming put of chicane, in contrast to some knife edge stuff shown by the others .

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by JDMROB

Surely that’s just crying out for someone to get run over!?

The cars will be playing a series of audible chimes. Think ice cream van vibes.

[Pickles]

Originally Posted by JDMROB

Surely that’s just crying out for someone to get run over!?

They're quiet, not invisible. No one should be in the pit lane when the cars leave the garages.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by coppice

Largely uninspiring , but good to see Hill pressing on so hard before it turned to tears. BMWs did look very stable coming put of chicane, in contrast to some knife edge stuff shown by the others .

Yes, we want to see drivers pushing it to the limit so as to be competitive; however, my criticism of Hill over the last couple of years is that he consistently overdrives the BMW and this is the reason, I believe, that he always finishes the season behind Sutton and Ingram.

They seem to possess far greater car control, and so often we have seen them overcome what looks like a sure pathway in to the barriers, yet they collect it all up and press on. Hill doesn't seem to have that ability and this is why, I think, that his car often finishes races looking very tattered.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Pickles

They're quiet, not invisible. No one should be in the pit lane when the cars leave the garages.

That was in response to "coffinpilot's" post that someone at Alliance claimed that the cars would leave the pits using their engines, but would switch to electric as they arrive at the back of the grid and take their positions. To me that just smacks of virtue signalling about helping the planet, and could potentially lead to problems on the grid unless they ensure that it is left clear until all the cars are in their slots.

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

That was in response to "coffinpilot's" post that someone at Alliance claimed that the cars would leave the pits using their engines, but would switch to electric as they arrive at the back of the grid and take their positions. To me that just smacks of virtue signalling about helping the planet, and could potentially lead to problems on the grid unless they ensure that it is left clear until all the cars are in their slots.

the grid is always clear of guests until the last car gets into position

[SSmith]

Originally Posted by pimmy

I hope Lee Mowle has fun finishing 1st out of 2 all year. After running a combined 113 laps at Brands, Hosking's best ended up 4 seconds off the pace! Deary me.

Porsche need to stop with this insipid format.

I think Porsche need to work out what they want PCCGB to be. If they want Pro/Pro-Am/Am, then they need to figure out how to attract more than 2 Ams. As happened last year, I wouldn't be surprised if the class disappears before the end of the year. I remember reading last year that Porsche were considering introducing ABS and other driver aids for Am drivers - I wonder if they actually did? If they want to bill PCCGB as a series for Pro and Pro-Am, then they need to return to the pre-2018 structure of an overall championship table for everyone, and then a sub-championship that Pro-Ams (or perhaps drivers over a certain age) can score towards.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by touring fan01

the grid is always clear of guests until the last car gets into position

Not so, I'm afraid. Number of times Louise and the camera crew have to dodge cars that are arriving, and with spectators already milling about. Plus team members rushing to the cars to jack them up to swap wheels around.

One thing that has changed since I raced in 60s is that, because so many cars come out of the pits' garages, they don't go into what was then called the marshalling area - which was closed to spectators - where a marshal would line up cars in their grid positions. And that meant that cars arrived on the grid in the correct order. Oh, and no green lap back then, either!

[v8supes]

I feel like this season is starting really late and yet its no later than the last couple of years, whats that about?

Cant wait to see Team HARD take it to the big boys. Tony Gilham has been working so HARD to get this team on the grid and with all those cars and data then they have to be real contenders.

[Pdh]

Originally Posted by v8supes

I feel like this season is starting really late and yet its no later than the last couple of years, whats that about?

Cant wait to see Team HARD take it to the big boys. Tony Gilham has been working so HARD to get this team on the grid and with all those cars and data then they have to be real contenders.

April fools was the other day ?

[coffinpilot]

Originally Posted by SSmith

I think Porsche need to work out what they want PCCGB to be. If they want Pro/Pro-Am/Am, then they need to figure out how to attract more than 2 Ams. As happened last year, I wouldn't be surprised if the class disappears before the end of the year. I remember reading last year that Porsche were considering introducing ABS and other driver aids for Am drivers - I wonder if they actually did? If they want to bill PCCGB as a series for Pro and Pro-Am, then they need to return to the pre-2018 structure of an overall championship table for everyone, and then a sub-championship that Pro-Ams (or perhaps drivers over a certain age) can score towards.

I agree there.
And what happens when if the Pro drivers go En Masse to somewhere else next year as well?

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Do you know why Cammish didn't come out to play in the afternoon session?

Maybe his test plan was for dry running?

[SV8Predator]

Originally Posted by v8supes

Cant wait to see Team HARD take it to the big boys. Tony Gilham has been working so HARD to get this team on the grid and with all those cars and data then they have to be real contenders.

This is a sarcastic, p|ss-take post, right...?