Plato gets slam dunked.

[touring fan01]

all the BTCC teams and TOCA give them this support and Plato still bad mouths them. unbelievable and ungrateful.

http://www.touringcartimes.com/2016/08/17/gow-responds-to-plato-over-equalisation-claims/

[porsche962fan]

Gow must be really ****ed if he publicly answer cos he usually does NOT do this !!!!!

I’m just astounded at this latest round of moaning by Jason,” he said. “The fact of the matter is that he and his team would not be at anywhere near their current performance level, had it not been for the efforts of TOCA, all the BTCC teams and the Engine Technical Review Panel (ETRP)

As their performances at the first two events highlighted, their inlet manifold originally homologated was just not capable of delivering the engine performance that their boost level was set to give. They would have had no choice but to make do with what they had for three years – the engine regulations state that certain major components, such as the inlet manifold, cannot be changed for a three-year period.

“But purely through the good graces of TOCA, along with all competing BTCC teams and engine builders agreeing to it, they were given a waiver and the unique opportunity of correcting their performance issue.

“Since fitting this new manifold and camshaft their performances have been nothing short of extraordinary; achieving three out of four pole positions, winning four races, achieving 15 podiums and setting three fastest laps.”

Gow added that he felt he had no option but to respond to the latest round of comments and insisted that the Levorg would not have been as competitive without the changes allowed by the championship.

“For Jason to still complain and infer that they have not been given the ‘right level of performance’ is simply bizarre,” he said. “It’s actually borderline offensive – not only to TOCA, but to all other BTCC teams and engine builders who all agreed to assist them. Had it not been for this unique cooperation and agreement, their car would have remained far less competitive than it now is.

“With their current level of success I would have thought Jason would be thanking TOCA, the teams and the engine builders… but sadly not and he has prodded this subject too often for me to just sit back and not respond. However, I will be interested to hear if the thoughts of Team BMR Subaru also reflect those of Jason’s…”

[divxx]

I don't know if either party is being 100% honest, but this is the greatest statement I've ever seen coming from a series boss.

[S griffin]

Yet again it seems if someone or something is beating Plato it's unjust, be it RWD or Turbo boost, yet he doesn't complain if he has a car advantage. Good on you Gow!

[porsche962fan]

could be charged with bringing the sport into disrepute ?????


you all remember Team Dynamics was charged with that and had their TBL suspended and a 25.000 fine

[850Estate]

Ouch, not very often you'll hear Mr Gow speak out like that. Fair play to him, this is why he has made the BTCC so successful.

[AdrianM]

Interesting because articles I had read in the specialist press said the inlet manifold change process was something other teams (like Honda) had gone through as well.

No idea what the real story is but it all boils down to is it an engine parity system or a car parity system? If it's engine parity then the straightline speed difference between some of the cars is certainly showing something is not right.

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by AdrianM

Interesting because articles I had read in the specialist press said the inlet manifold change process was something other teams (like Honda) had gone through as well.

No idea what the real story is but it all boils down to is it an engine parity system or a car parity system? If it's engine parity then the straightline speed difference between some of the cars is certainly showing something is not right.

so at Knockhill Plato's Subaru was the fastest car through every speed trap in qualifying and a Subaru was always in the top four through every speed trap in every race. how 'not right' is that?

[pimmy]

Originally Posted by AdrianM

Interesting because articles I had read in the specialist press said the inlet manifold change process was something other teams (like Honda) had gone through as well.

Does anyone know which other engines have had the manifold change? I think the old Proton unit did, didn't it?

[peebee2]

Completely staged PR stunt only. Can't believe people fall for it!

[thlbtcc]

Originally Posted by AdrianM

No idea what the real story is but it all boils down to is it an engine parity system or a car parity system? If it's engine parity then the straightline speed difference between some of the cars is certainly showing something is not right.

I recommended you read Gow's comments again.

[AdrianM]

Originally Posted by touring fan01

so at Knockhill Plato's Subaru was the fastest car through every speed trap in qualifying and a Subaru was always in the top four through every speed trap in every race. how 'not right' is that?

Where did I mention Subaru?

[AdrianM]

Originally Posted by thlbtcc

I recommended you read Gow's comments again.

I did and where does it say that its a car performance measure or an engine performance measure? Big difference between the two.

If it's an engine performance measure then the Ford's shouldn't be able to pull away from most of the cars so masssively and the Hondas shouldn't be lounging at the back.

If it's a car performance measure that takes into account corner speed, braking and the level of the drivers driving the cars then that's a different matter but I'd say restricting boost only isn't the best way to negate advantages like that.

[thlbtcc]

Originally Posted by AdrianM

I did and where does it say that its a car performance measure or an engine performance measure? Big difference between the two.

If it's an engine performance measure then the Ford's shouldn't be able to pull away from most of the cars so masssively and the Hondas shouldn't be lounging at the back.

If it's a car performance measure that takes into account corner speed, braking and the level of the drivers driving the cars then that's a different matter but I'd say restricting boost only isn't the best way to negate advantages like that.

The part where it states how BMR's first inlet manifold wasn't up to scratch. It's an engine balancing formula, but you can't just turn up with any old scrap iron an expect to be as quick, you have to engineer the best you can to the rules and be in the ball park first before you are equalised. Mountune managed it first time with the Ford engine.

[thlbtcc]

I think this is Plato being canny and laying the foundations of an argument if Honda win the title when their 3rd engine evolution arrives.

[Bramzel]

I also believe that this is a tactical politics game by Plato, he probably has a plan with these remarks in the long run.

[crmalcolm]

IIRC, the remarks he made at Knockhill were when he was being interviewed alongside Tordoff? He seemed to be keen to get agreement from Tordoff that something needed to be done to FWD engines, so that they weren't as quick on the straight.
Tordoff didn't quite seem to openly agree, but Plato definitely knew what he was doing. If he could get a clear agreement from Tordoff, then it wouldn't be just one driver, or a representative from a single marque that would be making the complaints.
As it is, it would be interesting to see what validated evidence Plato presents for needing to have more boost (or others reduced). When he was the driver of a car with the highest boost, he published a lot of information justifying why there was no requirement to amend the situation. Currently, it just comes across as whinging.

[VIVA GT]

I thought that J-P had been too quiet lately. Not only verbally, but in his driving antics. (I was pleasantly surprised to see that he wasn't involved in any of the 'incidents at Snetterton for example).
However, it looks like his latest success has encouraged him to start complaining again...

[steve_r]

Alan Gow - legend.

[old man]

All attempts at B O P have winners and losers and for teams to play politics with a system is inevitable. It is up to the organisers and structure to ensure the nearest to a level playing field possible. Alan Gow is to be congratulated on resisting Plato's pressure and same for Sam Tordoff who knows Plato quite well having had him as a teammate.

Tactics = Politics

[Badlands99]

Met Alan Gow many, many years ago when he first came to the UK to work with Andy Rouse developing and selling their Ford Sapphire Cosworth RS304R conversion and found him to be a top class guy, very knowledgeable, very fair, very hard and a real character.
Don't think JP is big enough .........................

[S griffin]

I love the way Tordoff and Gow are so not agreeing with the same thing as Plato

[touring fan01]

wow. now his own team has said their engine power given by toca is correct. makes plato look a even more wrong and silly now.

http://www.btcc.net/2016/08/25/bmr-s...-calculations/

[AdrianM]

So if the cars are all equal in power how come one can park itself on the apex of a slow corner and still leave the others who are on a faster out line for dead along the straight?

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by AdrianM

So if the cars are all equal in power how come one can park itself on the apex of a slow corner and still leave the others who are on a faster out line for dead along the straight?

lots of variables; diferent weights, different gear ratios. different torque. different diff settings. different aero. different drive trains. different drivers.

look at how close the lap times are. that shows the cars are so equal. its just those variables mean they acheive the lap time in different ways which is why the racing is so good. if they all accelerated and braked and performed exactly the same as each other then there would be zero overtaking as it would be impossible to do.