[BTCC] Donington Park, Rounds 4, 5, 6

[rdjones]

I think we saw 3 really really good touring car race's. Lot's of action, lot's of overtaking all 3 races had everything you want from a touring car race.

However it was a bad weekend for Mr Priaulx. I was really impressed Josh Cook in race 3 he someone I don't know much about that was a great drive.

[ATF]

Originally Posted by rdjones

However it was a bad weekend for Mr Priaulx.

At the start of the season, I really thought Turkington had taken a "back-up" option in moving to BMR. However, now it's looking like a very good decision.

Why are WSR struggling so much? And I wonder how well he would be doing if he was driving the BMW again this year?

[tux]

Priaulx weekend was ruined in qualifying where he had an issue before really setting a hotlap. All of the BMWs have been struggling with straight line speed at Brands and here BUT not a huge amount slower than Neal & Turkington.

[Sodemo]

Yea, it looks like the BMWs have taken a real hit on the straight line speed this year. They were getting outdragged on the straights.

Probably didn't show up as much at Brands due to the straights being so short.

[BtccLee]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/118620

Nice little angle on this, seems that WSR's struggles are actually engineering related.

[Sodemo]

They have taken an aero part off the car? Could it be something floor related? Assuming its drag problem, that's all that I can deduce.

[thetool]

Echoing 2010 a lot isn't it. Losing sponsor, champion driver Turkington, and suddenly everything goes a bit rubbish the next year.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

To be fair to WSR, they've already won 1 race and the increased competition this year (partly due to the reg changes) meant that Priaulx struggled to fight up through the field. Tordoff and Collard looked good though.

Compare that to 2010, when they didn't win a race (although Thruxton comes to mind!) and had Andy Neate in one of the cars, instead of either Priaulx and Tordoff.

They've got the personnel to come out of this relative slump and will do. Just wait for Croft and Knockhill!

[geordiecriag101]

Another good days action from BTCC. Great to watch newer faces having a good day running at the front.
Morgan and Moffat looked good in the Merc and Cook was stella in the final, if there was no safety car he looked odds on for win.
The BMR and Honda squads looked the best by far, at the other end the Welch Proton looked a nightmare, they really should put the TOCA unit in which hopefully free up resources to get the chassis sorted out.
Anyway here my vid of the days action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qD4PZ4kr70Y

[thetool]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

Compare that to 2010, when they didn't win a race (although Thruxton comes to mind!) and had Andy Neate in one of the cars, instead of either Priaulx and Tordoff.

Had they had Priaulx in the car in 2010 maybe it would have been different too!

Although Priaulx is an interesting case, he went extremely well the WTCC but didn't exactly shine in the DTM. Admittedly he did get pole at Brands, but whether similar results will be as forthcoming I don't know.

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

They've got the personnel to come out of this relative slump and will do. Just wait for Croft and Knockhill!

You have to remember they lost Kevin Berry to BMR, the guy who engineered Turkington's wins over those 2 seasons. Same thing happened in 2010 when John Morton moved on when Turkington couldn't compete in the BTCC. They went down hill. Berry has taken his 3 years of MG & BMW knowledge and applied it well at BMR.

[touringlegend]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

To be fair to WSR, they've already won 1 race and the increased competition this year (partly due to the reg changes) meant that Priaulx struggled to fight up through the field. Tordoff and Collard looked good though.

And Priaulx was a fraction off winning Brands Race 2.

So we could have been looking at a very different season for WSR so far.

Priaulx said something interesting though - he's been told they have better tracks coming up. Croft, Knockhill etc..

[RED55]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

They have taken an aero part off the car? Could it be something floor related? Assuming its drag problem, that's all that I can deduce.

Collards aerobatics at Silverstone last year revealed something other teams were not happy about , find a picture of the car doing its roll and you will see a nice bit of clever rule interpretation in the floor. Maybe thats whats gone .

[BillWiskins]

Originally Posted by RED55

Collards aerobatics at Silverstone last year revealed something other teams were not happy about , find a picture of the car doing its roll and you will see a nice bit of clever rule interpretation in the floor. Maybe thats whats gone .

As a non-mechanic/uninformed/curious fan: what's the thing?


Here's one picture.

[RED55]

Originally Posted by BillWiskins

As a non-mechanic/uninformed/curious fan: what's the thing?


Here's one picture.

Take note of the flat looking plate with holes in it before the rear axle, its WSR interpretaion of a rear subframe brace, it will smooth airflow through to the rear , if thats gone , there will be a big void there that will scoop the air, I could be completely wrong though , personally I think its just a good use of design, one that others didnt think of first.

[BillWiskins]

Ah, thanks. I did wonder about that part, actually, but I really had no idea.

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by touringlegend

Priaulx said something interesting though - he's been told they have better tracks coming up. Croft, Knockhill etc..

Not a massive revelation really. Just historically good BMW tracks over the years, including Oulton.

[Accident]

Still a little unsure on these bigger weight penalties (and how much it affects the soft tire) and the race 2 qualifying method. Not to say that I'm against them really, but they feel like drastic changes which leave a slight taste of artificiality...

...Certainly can't argue with the result though, that was one of the most entertaining events I can remember and has left me really looking forward to the next round.

Glad to see the Chevies showing some pace, and I'm pleased to see Goff doing well (aside from the trip into the wall), as well as Moffat. Morgan we know can be fast but it's still good to see him showing it, and Ingram didn't have too great of a weekend really but he did show well at Brands I think. Shame about the Cooke/Smith tangle in the 3rd race, but it's good see Smith continuing to go well.

As someone who doesn't (can't?) watch the support races because I'm in the US, it's hard to know where some of these younger guys should sit. Lots of people talk them up and call them "promising young talents" and all that but having not watched the support series where they run it's hard to tell what is just positive PR stuff, so I like seeing it come true.

Goff is a good example, he had some moments in the Vauxhall and VW, and I generally liked him as he seemed like a nice guy so I wanted him to do well. It's nice to see him going well in the MG now and proving himself.

Guess that's a long winded way of saying it's a "feel good" story when a younger driver proves himself and starts delivering.

[Bramzel]

I watched the races yesterday and was on the edge of my seat the whole time. The dice between Morgan, Collard and Goff was epic, Cooks defending in race 3 was awesome to see and apart from Neals unnecessary tap to pass Jordan (boo Matt, booh!) the racing was fair and clean.

It was good to see some new names showing promise. Cook drove like a guy with years of experience under his belt, amazing performance. And I really enjoyed watching Goff, that guy definitely has the fighting spirit!

[touringlegend]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

Not a massive revelation really. Just historically good BMW tracks over the years, including Oulton.

I perhaps worded it wrongly. Not a revelation as such, just in the context of this thread and people writing off WSR.. we still have their good tracks to come up, where Turkington seemed unstoppable in the past.

[SteveLevin]

I thought the racing was good, but I'm tending towards "does the soft tire make any sense?" now... admittedly, perhaps the intention is to change it up, but the way it is working right now, we might as well just mandate 50 or 100kg of extra ballast to be run instead of the expense of extra tires.

And then there's Matt Neal's move on Andy Jordan. Not the classiest move I've ever seen...and boy, if it had been Jason Plato, there's be another 50 posts in this thread whinging about why he shouldn't even be in the series.

Josh Cook did a great job. I see him winning one of these races before the end of the year.

Steve

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by touringlegend

I perhaps worded it wrongly. Not a revelation as such, just in the context of this thread and people writing off WSR.. we still have their good tracks to come up, where Turkington seemed unstoppable in the past.

And Collard as well. He performed very well at Croft in the turbo 320Si and won at Knockhill in the 125i.

[steve_r]

The soft tyres are too much of a hinderance now.

[porsche962fan]

regarding top speed this season it seems the victims are WSR BMW and the Mercedes and of Protons

the Hondas however where not a sitting duck anymore , they were quite good even in the straight

just imagine the situation once we go the tight and twisty tracks when they sort out that chassis even more


will be interesting to see how Wilmott will do with TOCA engine and if Welch also wil use it


also quite surprised with Team Power Maxed progress, they seem to be a genuine top 10 team with occasional chances to the front , almost like they replaced Motorbase !!!

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Imo the Protons are only a victim to their engines! Would rather see cars that can finish races, regardless of where, then those 2 things parked in their garages all weekend. Not sure why Welch bother turning up these days...