[BTCC] BTCC 2017 Rumours & Silly Season

[Sodemo]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

yeah I wonder how this works , can Mr. Gow after that terrible PR fiasco from BMR just slap them with some penalties for the boxer engine ??

or do they have to vote in the post season meeting ? and then how does it work cos I assume all teams minus BMR (and perhaps BKR - 888) would want to slap penalties on them

I think that's part of my gripe with how the current series is run. There is no transparency with the "performance balancing". It all takes place behind closed doors and very little is released publicly.

[auroan]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

yeah I wonder how this works , can Mr. Gow after that terrible PR fiasco from BMR just slap them with some penalties for the boxer engine ??


or do they have to vote in the post season meeting ? and then how does it work cos I assume all teams minus BMR (and perhaps BKR - 888) would want to slap penalties on them

Do you really think TOCA/MSA/GOW are really that petty ?

[porsche962fan]

it didn't hinder them to slap 25.000 fine and removed TBL on Team Dynamics for some comments Matt Neal supposedly made , so not even a public official press release like BMR did

[auroan]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

it didn't hinder them to slap 25.000 fine and removed TBL on Team Dynamics for some comments Matt Neal supposedly made , so not even a public official press release like BMR did

They didn't "remove" the TBL. I was a suspended fine and series ban following the comments Matt Neal made to Autosport after Rockingham.. And the remarks MN made were an order of magnitude worse that BMR.

I quote;

"The Championship Stewards subsequently met on Tuesday 23rd September and, after having heard from Matt Neal, found that ‘such remarks are prejudicial and have brought the Championship into disrepute.’ On the decision of the Championship Stewards, penalties are then imposed by the Championship Administrator in accordance with Regulation 4.4.4."

BMR's statement was carefully worded and well withing regs. Matt Neal's was a personal rant with wild accusations.

You're comparing Apples and Oranges.

[porsche962fan]

again it's Matt Neal personal not Team Dynamics official statement , if anything it should have been a Matt Neal himself a suspended sentence , not the whole team

and the "such remarks are prejudicial and have brought the Championship into disrepute" can be aplied to BMR statement regarding the boost too , specially since they themselves got a break otherwise they would still have been outside the top 10 all the time

[auroan]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

again it's Matt Neal personal not Team Dynamics official statement , if anything it should have been a Matt Neal himself a suspended sentence , not the whole team

and the "such remarks are prejudicial and have brought the Championship into disrepute" can be aplied to BMR statement regarding the boost too , specially since they themselves got a break otherwise they would still have been outside the top 10 all the time

Your view.... no one else's, especially not the championship stewards.

[porsche962fan]

and you just proved my point that TOCA/MSA/GOW are really that petty that they could do it

[auroan]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

and you just proved my point that TOCA/MSA/GOW are really that petty that they could do it

Eh ? what exactly have I proved. There can be no pettiness in a rule set. The rules are applied to everyone the same.

BMR we're within the rules with their statement, Matt Neal wasn't. Simple.

Do I really need to dig out the exact wording of what they said and explain the difference ?

Or I'm I just feeding a troll ?

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by auroan

Eh ? what exactly have I proved. There can be no pettiness in a rule set. The rules are applied to everyone the same.

so by this logic if Turks gets fed up at BMR he can just publicly slap and rant at TOCA, Gow etc and the whole team would get punished with fines and other sentences for his rants ?? it's brilliant

and of course every driver who is unhappy at their team

[Minicross424]

Originally Posted by BLiTZ

It's a shame Andrew hasn't inherited his dad's more humble side (watching him through the GT's the BTCC, he always came across as a gent). Instead we've got an arrogant brat

I have met Andrew a number of times and i assure you he does not come across as a arrogant brat in any way, shape or form!

[850Estate]

Anyone know who is testing for Power Maxed at Snetterton today? Saw a picture with 'Smith 37' on the window.

[Ry44]

Originally Posted by Minicross424

I have met Andrew a number of times and i assure you he does not come across as a arrogant brat in any way, shape or form!

Have to agree on that one Very nice guy who has time for his fans

[SteveLevin]

Based on this statement in the Pirtek press release...

Andrew Jordan and Pirtek Racing are eyeing new and exciting opportunities for the 2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season after today announcing that the current agreement with Motorbase Performance is to come to an end.

I would be surprised to see something not-BTCC. That paragraph could easily have been worded more generically if they seriously expected to persue other options, series-wise.

My wild guess is that his comments about needing more space are because they are either going to set up their own BTCC team again (going back to buying cars and parts from Team Dynamics), or they are getting more fun vintage stuff to race outside of BTCC (and AJ will drive for an existing BTCC team).

That's my two cents (which shockingly rounds to two cents everywhere, it seems)

Steve

[FIRE]

“Talks are ongoing about a programme that would be fantastic for both myself, as well as for Pirtek and my other sponsors. I’m certainly very confident that we will be able to build on the success that we have enjoyed this year when the new season comes around.”

Reading this part on Touringcartimes.com I thought he will switch to WRX (Ekstrom Audi with support from Pirtek and Red Bull).

But the Pirtek press release hints clearly on a return to BTCC in 2017.

[ExplodeTheApex]

I think when Pirtek renewed their sponsorship of Jordan until the end of 2018 it was specific to them competing in the BTCC so unless anything has changed I imagine he'll be staying in the series

[Jiiiiiiim]

Originally Posted by 850Estate

Anyone know who is testing for Power Maxed at Snetterton today? Saw a picture with 'Smith 37' on the window.

Rob Smith from Mini Challange #37 😉

[Steel Wheels]

Looks like WIX may be departing from Ciceley Racing, below quote from their FB page:

The 2016 BTCC season is now over and here at WIX we are already missing the action. It was another fantastic year and a great season for Adam and the team.

We have enjoyed 3 years in a fantastic partnership with CiceleyMotorSport and created some unforgettable memories, achievements and delivered some first class great racing.

Now the winter sets in and we have the long wait until we know what 2017 brings for WIX Racing. We will keep the giveaways going throughout to help us all through waiting for the season to start again.

Thank you all for your support of WIX Racing in 2016 and for all the years before #teamwix

[Rob877]

Good to see Motorbase looking like they have likely got that title sponsor they've been after. I think it's a sign of a strong championship if you can see plenty of these type of deals happening.

Regarding Wix,I wouldn't say that statement provides definitive proof that they could be pulling the plug on Cicely. Hope not, it's one of the nicer liveries out there IMO.

I think it would be a disaster if TOCA started to take boost away from competitors as a punishment for what they say. Happily I don't think TOCA would do something like that. I keep seeing people making a big deal about BMR being given some kind of free pass on their manifold earlier in the season. Was it not the case that Team Dynamics were also afforded that luxury in the past when trying to get an engine working in the BTCC. I could be wrong but I'm sure it was mentioned by Mr Plato at the time. I would add that regarding the boost, from watching on TV and being at some races I don't think there is a huge difference in straight line speed between the cars.

[850Estate]

Originally Posted by Jiiiiiiim

Rob Smith from Mini Challange #37 😉

Cheers

[LeonardBernstein]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

I think Turkington will be back "home" with WSR next year, with Sam Tordoff's place in the team. It's a shame as the BMR deal had the potential to be a huge success, but Plato doesn't want him there. I'll lose a lot of respect for Warren Scott if this does happen, the tail shouldn't be wagging the dog, no matter how much of an egotistical nightmare the tail is!

I've heard that this is very likely. Also that there could be increased backing from BMW to make it happen. Possibly downsizing to a two-car team for just Turks and Collard. Goff out.

[cameronpoe]

Originally Posted by LeonardBernstein

I've heard that this is very likely. Also that there could be increased backing from BMW to make it happen. Possibly downsizing to a two-car team for just Turks and Collard. Goff out.

Not so sure Leonard
WSR , from a few whispers are looking hard at a driver currently on the Toca package for one of the cars, but so are lots of other major teams so still early days on the driver line ups at WSR, BMR , Motorbase for 017. To Close to call and not straightforward at all.

[BLiTZ]

Originally Posted by Ry44

Have to agree on that one Very nice guy who has time for his fans

Being nice to fans is one thing (I don't think there'd be anyone up or down the grid who'd be off to a fan's face) but how he comes across in interviews on TV doesn't do him any favours as all we saw this year (and for the two years past for that matter) was him moaning when things didn't go his way!

Compare him to guys like Collard or Morgan who somehow finds a bit of positive in a situation and you find yourself rooting for them!

[Ry44]

Originally Posted by BLiTZ

Being nice to fans is one thing (I don't think there'd be anyone up or down the grid who'd be off to a fan's face) but how he comes across in interviews on TV doesn't do him any favours as all we saw this year (and for the two years past for that matter) was him moaning when things didn't go his way!

Compare him to guys like Collard or Morgan who somehow finds a bit of positive in a situation and you find yourself rooting for them!

I would say its frustration in general as in 2013 he has proved that He can win the championship with a team with less resource and funding than some of the more works based teams such as Dynamics and WSR. I suspect one of the main elements that helped his title push in 2013 was his family and friends who both helped mentally as well as practically on race weekends and with that it has been very difficult to replicate that exact environment within the teams he has signed for in the past 2 years. I would say given next year at Motorbase (We know this is not happening) he could have been in strong contention however i do feel the constant movement has unsettled him and with this it could be argued given the correct package for his style of driving and the correct people supporting hims behind the scenes he still has potential to be double champion

In a way I feel that his current issue is comparable to People like Morgan and Tingram who both push hard with very little change behind the scenes to unsettle them allowing them to be constant frontrunners in a car developed to their individual driving styles giving them that more familiar platform to work from on a year by year basis but i feel if Jordan does settle down in the correct environment he has more than the ability to lift another championship

[Benj]

Just popped in to Snetterton as we heading past today and saw these two testing, any ideas who could be behind the wheels?

[850Estate]

Will Burns from Ginetta GT4s is in the Avensis. Not sure about the Focus - 44? Jack Clarke was 44 in 2014 if I'm remembering correctly, could be him.