[BTCC] BTCC 2017 Rumours & Silly Season

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by JDMROB

This screams works drive.

Aron Smith picked up his mg3 today in other news lol

Now there is a shockingly poor company car... bet he doesn't drive that unless he has to be in at a promotional event!

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by JDMROB

This screams works drive.

The WSR drivers all do a lot of work for BMW UK with customer drive days and promotional work. Have done for a few years because BMW support the team. That's why each one has had BMW logos on their overalls for a few years.

[auroan]

Oh dear....

PMR's factory Vauxhall backing may dry up soon.

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-new...-opelvauxhall/

[Sodemo]

I thought WSR didnt get any support from BMW?

[thetool]

Originally Posted by auroan

Oh dear....

PMR's factory Vauxhall backing may dry up soon.

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-new...-opelvauxhall/

That would require them to have any in the first place.

[thlbtcc]

Originally Posted by auroan

Oh dear....

PMR's factory Vauxhall backing may dry up soon.

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-new...-opelvauxhall/

If. But. Maybe. Let's take it easy.

[thlbtcc]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

I thought WSR didnt get any support from BMW?

They do. But of course, we don't know the full extent of what that means. Certainly, they do not fund the entire team.

Compare the size of the BMW logo, 2009 vs 2016.





Also, this since the use of the 1-Series.



At the very least, Dick gets a new 4-Series to drive and they visit each round with an official BMW stand. Plus 'BMW Original Engine Oil' on Jordan's new livery.

Livery space isn't free.



Apologies for the shonky paint outlines

Here's an excellent tour of WSR, which shows just how professional they are and how much work goes into running a BTCC team - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVfY8MhGfWA

[Jiiiiiiim]

Interesting to see that Kev Berry has also left BMR, I'd be more than a little surprised if he didn't follow Turks back to WSR.

Maybe a case of Plato & co getting all the RWD insight from the best RWD combo in terms of driver & engineer & then saying, thank you & goodbye!

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by thlbtcc

They do. But of course, we don't know the full extent of what that means. Certainly, they do not fund the entire team.

Compare the size of the BMW logo, 2009 vs 2016.

Also, this since the use of the 1-Series.

A thing to remember is the different approach BMW Germany have taken to touring cars over the timespan you refer to.

The 320Si was built to S2000 by BMW, and sold to many privateer entries around the world. They probably had little interest in 'backing' a BTCC entry at that time, as they had many customers wanting to buy their racecars from them.

With the end of S2000, and BMW's change of direction, WSR (and Motorbase) had to look at different options. Motorbase went down the Ford route, while WSR seem to have negotiated a partnership with BMW UK. Note that the tweets always tag BMWUKMotorsport, and not Germany. If BMW UK were not interested, WSR may be running a different car entirely.

[S griffin]

Nice to see the tour of the WSR factory having been there a few times when I was a teenager.

All this about BMW backing, surely there's more to this that meets the eye?

[antnee]

Is it not just BMW UK using their marketing budget as they see fit?

[Bramzel]

Originally Posted by antnee

Is it not just BMW UK using their marketing budget as they see fit?

This probably.

[thlbtcc]

Originally Posted by antnee

Is it not just BMW UK using their marketing budget as they see fit?

Yup, which is nice to see.

[thlbtcc]

Quick test at Brands for Colin today, before the team head to Spain. Which is nice, I don't recall WSR doing that in the recent past?

https://twitter.com/Brands_Hatch/sta...97940037869569

[Jon411]

Originally Posted by thlbtcc

Quick test at Brands for Colin today, before the team head to Spain. Which is nice, I don't recall WSR doing that in the recent past?

https://twitter.com/Brands_Hatch/sta...97940037869569

I can't remember WSR doing that either - normally if they haven't been out testing at a UK track they have said that they had the car up on the equipment in the workshop from what I can remember

[Craner Curves]

It's probably a little shakedown. There are a few teams going to Spain next week, Eurotech being one of them.

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

It's probably a little shakedown. There are a few teams going to Spain next week, Eurotech being one of them.

yeah I hear there are 5 BTCC teams going to Spain next week to share the track cost.

[porsche962fan]

got a bit of retro feeling

back in 1987 you didn't have 32 cars on the grid from 4 classes combined but the cars themselves were so exiting to watch and hear all by themselves

for example at 3.40 that 3.5 Rover V8 sound with its Titanic like handling , pure awesomens

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiYSYFr36Z8&t=5s

this is missing from 2017, very lose handling cars and some great sound

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

got a bit of retro feeling

back in 1987 you didn't have 32 cars on the grid from 4 classes combined but the cars themselves were so exiting to watch and hear all by themselves

for example at 3.40 that 3.5 Rover V8 sound with its Titanic like handling , pure awesomens

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiYSYFr36Z8&t=5s

this is missing from 2017, very lose handling cars and some great sound

I'm not sure it's missing from 2017. I would prefer 32 cars, all in the same class, with multiple race winners coming from different teams. Surely that is better than going into a season knowing already who the race winners will be, and which cars will dominate.

BTCC in 2017 is about close racing, not about extreme cars.

[luckn002]

Simon Hill's Twitter seems to suggest that HARD will be referred to as "TAG Industries Racing" this year

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by Jon411

I can't remember WSR doing that either - normally if they haven't been out testing at a UK track they have said that they had the car up on the equipment in the workshop from what I can remember

Looking at the picture of the car testing it is carrying the same amount of BMW branding as per recent years - front wing and rear spoiler end plate. I am still thinking there is a title sponsor announcement coming soon...

Re: Spain pretty sure Dynamics and Eurotech are both going.

[Craner Curves]

We still don't know what that company is. Apart from Tony's initials......

[thetool]

Originally Posted by luckn002

Simon Hill's Twitter seems to suggest that HARD will be referred to as "TAG Industries Racing" this year? Good to see increased backing

Increased backing? TAG is Tony Gilham!

[luckn002]

Originally Posted by thetool

Increased backing? TAG is Tony Gilham!

Whoops, ignore me then!

Looking at that BMW, noticed the RADEON sponsor on the side - seems out of place compared to the other smaller logos. A hint for the main sponsor?

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by thetool

Increased backing? TAG is Tony Gilham!

its a company with 2 million cash in the bank. i don't think that's Gilham!!

https://www.endole.co.uk/company/086...stries-limited