[BTCC] BTCC 2018 Rumours & Silly Season

[medius]

Originally Posted by Ry44

from Autosport

"Jackson said: "On Wednesday this week, my contract to drive the Motorbase Performance car was terminated.

"Unfortunately, this is quite late in the day [in terms of preparing for the season] and therefore I might be a spectator this year."

Motorbase Performance is still scheduled to run three cars in this year's championship."

sounds like he never expected it from that .

My supposition is somebody has come knocking on Dave's door with deeper pockets. Pure speculation and no evidence, but whatever the reason for the split appears to be a motorbase decision, not a Mat decision, so quite serious.

Theory 2: Dynamics came sniffing around Mat, he may have spoke to Barty about the possibility of leaving but once the Commish deal was done, motorbase may have decided having a driver not 100% committed to the team is a smart idea?

We likely never know but a big talent is now available. I can see the likes of AMD-MG OR Ciceley making moves.

[jsmee]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

"A new car to us!" they say in a twitter reply.

Ah thanks.

Subaru?

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by medius

My supposition is somebody has come knocking on Dave's door with deeper pockets. Pure speculation and no evidence, but whatever the reason for the split appears to be a motorbase decision, not a Mat decision, so quite serious.

Theory 2: Dynamics came sniffing around Mat, he may have spoke to Barty about the possibility of leaving but once the Commish deal was done, motorbase may have decided having a driver not 100% committed to the team is a smart idea?

We likely never know but a big talent is now available. I can see the likes of AMD-MG OR Ciceley making moves.

Theory 1 would require someone with also great talent as well as deep pockets. Mat Jackson is very experienced, he & the team know each other well, and he does have a great ability to drag a car up the field if he starts further back.
Theory 2 has legs, but I don't think they are that spiteful, plus (thinking of the word spite), getting rid of MJ like that would be a case of cutting off their noses just to spite their faces (see my explanation above).

[s25dce]

So Tordoff signed for Motorbase on Tuesday and by Wednesday Jackson gets his marching orders. A few posts previous mention if the Chilton family have anything to do with Jackson departing, it might purely be bad timing but would point towards Tordoff.
I do hope Jackson can get a drive in place in time.

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by jsmee

Ah thanks.

Subaru?

The 4th BMW chassis we all reckoned a few weeks ago as it was for sale last year.

[Matt K]

Originally Posted by btccbloke

27 Seats allocated as far as im aware at the moment...

Yes, you're right, so adding 1 Motorbase seat, two MGs and one more Subaru it is 31. Yes, so probably 32nd slot for Parker.
Wonder what car they are talking about. Subaru? Or BMW? Jelley used to drive RWD in BTCC so maybe it would mean going up for him after a very poor 2017.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by s25dce

So Tordoff signed for Motorbase on Tuesday and by Wednesday Jackson gets his marching orders. A few posts previous mention if the Chilton family have anything to do with Jackson departing, it might purely be bad timing but would point towards Tordoff.
I do hope Jackson can get a drive in place in time.

The Tordoff deal was announced on Tuesday, but I think you'll find that the deal was signed quite some time ago...

[JDMROB]

Don't think Bartrum liked the way Jackson went about an available seat elsewhere. No one is bigger than the team which is fair enough.

Hopefully replace him with someone quick. Be nice to see Mike Epps poached. He would do a job in that RS. I can't imagine he has enough of a budget to entertain it though unfortunately. Don't want Depper back in there. Waste of a car.

[mark_l]

I make it 27 seats announced.

The unannounced seats are:

1x Motorbase
1x BMR
2x MG
1x Team Parker (to be announced on Monday)

Total 32.

So as I see it there will be 3 BMR Subaru's as I think the 4th BMR TBL has been loaned/sold to Team GardX (Motorbase).

[btccbloke]

Originally Posted by s25dce

So Tordoff signed for Motorbase on Tuesday and by Wednesday Jackson gets his marching orders. A few posts previous mention if the Chilton family have anything to do with Jackson departing, it might purely be bad timing but would point towards Tordoff.
I do hope Jackson can get a drive in place in time.

The DUO stickers were gone on Tuesday, this has been kicking around for a while i think

[btccbloke]

Originally Posted by JDMROB

Don't think Bartrum liked the way Jackson went about an available seat elsewhere. No one is bigger than the team which is fair enough.

Jackson isnt exactly a Jason Plato or someone who would have caused a stir to get his move, i dont recall hearing anything from the man himself.
If anything Honda probably approached him

[JDMROB]

Originally Posted by btccbloke

Jackson isnt exactly a Jason Plato or someone who would have caused a stir to get his move, i dont recall hearing anything from the man himself.
If anything Honda probably approached him

You could be right. Something has caused a breakdown in relationships though and seems to be a bit of a poor outcome for all parties. Unnecessarily

[mark_l]

Looks like 1 sponsor didn't see the news coming

https://twitter.com/ikoplc/status/964454490823852033

Tweet posted at 3.00AM 16th Feb 2018

[luckn002]

Originally Posted by JDMROB

Hopefully replace him with someone quick. Be nice to see Mike Epps poached. He would do a job in that RS. I can't imagine he has enough of a budget to entertain it though unfortunately. Don't want Depper back in there. Waste of a car.

That would be awesome... either him or AWE

[Alfisti]

Ok, I've heard a number of bits today, some which back up what others have already posted...

Jackson was in talks with Dynamics. I hear this did not impress Bartie; let's face it a contract was signed and he'd have good reason to release an employee who clearly is not committed to the company.

A man who knows a man (yeah, great source) reckons he saw the prepped BMW shell being delivered to Parker a few weeks back. Of course if this was witnessed from a distance and without distunguishing features... the BMW is broadly speaking not too far removed from the Focus in shape and size. The Subaru is much bigger - best part of 2 foot.

James Cole signed back at BMR.

Nowt from MG and an annoncement was expected... things may be not quite settled. I wonder if Mat Jackson has been making enquiries... although if the Dynamics story is true that is not the sort of thing that will sit well with Shaun. He was mightily miffed over TOCs underhand ship jumping.

It seems also that the bugger means I do now need to eat another hat.

[Matt K]

I'd love to see AWE replacing Jackson, Epps would also be a good choice but unfortunately I doubt it will happen. I'm afraid that - given how late it is - the seat will be taken by some average (if not weak) driver, like Depper for instance. That would be a shame because Motorbase with three good cars, big sponsorship should be on the sharp end of the field. Depper and Davenport unfortunately wasted team's potential in 2017.

[luckn002]

Originally Posted by Matt K

I'm afraid that - given how late it is - the seat will be taken by some average (if not weak) driver, like Depper for instance. That would be a shame because Motorbase with three good cars, big sponsorship should be on the sharp end of the field. Depper and Davenport unfortunately wasted team's potential in 2017.

To be fair I wouldn't mind seeing Davenport get another chance. Disappointing early on (perhaps down to the less than stellar Focus) but went very well at Oulton to get into the top 10, and I'm sure would've continued to improve after that had it not been for the Croft pile up...

But, yes, I agree with you that it probably won't be someone we're going to be ecstatic about...

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by Matt K

I'd love to see AWE replacing Jackson, Epps would also be a good choice but unfortunately I doubt it will happen. I'm afraid that - given how late it is - the seat will be taken by some average (if not weak) driver, like Depper for instance. That would be a shame because Motorbase with three good cars, big sponsorship should be on the sharp end of the field. Depper and Davenport unfortunately wasted team's potential in 2017.

I think they found that last year this type of approach didn't work. This year was (going to be ) totally different with three top drivers on the team. It'll be interesting to see who fills the void, but if they're not of the same calibre, at least with Tordoff & Chilten Motorbase Motorbase will have two out of three.

[luckn002]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

A man who knows a man (yeah, great source) reckons he saw the prepped BMW shell being delivered to Parker a few weeks back. Of course if this was witnessed from a distance and without distunguishing features... the BMW is broadly speaking not too far removed from the Focus in shape and size. The Subaru is much bigger - best part of 2 foot.

James Cole signed back at BMR.

Nowt from MG and an annoncement was expected... things may be not quite settled.

1) I would imagine that BMW would be Collard's damaged shell from Silverstone? Either way, good luck to them. Parker have been very disappointing in the BTCC (likely down to driver choice...) and Jelley was underwhelming last year too. Hopefully they can turn it around, although of course it would be nice to see another model on the grid!

2) *sigh* ...Trying to be positive, but... ...let's hope I'm proved wrong and it's not just Sutton challenging with the Subaru!

3) Not a good start then, but I can't imagine the MGs were too tempting for drivers, and AmD is not really a front running team. Again, really hope I'm wrong, but there may be some TBLs floating around here in a year's time...

Doesn't look like Speedworks are expanding then...

[BSchneiderFan]

I’m not well-connected, so I don’t know the ins and outs. All I will say is that it will be a great shame if Jackson isn’t on the grid this year. I don’t whose fault it will be, but it will be a shame.

[Liquoriceman]

Has Matt Neal actually confirmed he's driving because in the BTCC Crazy list it's the only one without a corresponding link to an article?

http://www.btcccrazy.co.uk/btcc/btcc...tries-rumours/


Sent from my R7plusf using Tapatalk

[thetool]

Originally Posted by Liquoriceman

Has Matt Neal actually confirmed he's driving because in the BTCC Crazy list it's the only one without a corresponding link to an article?

www.btcccrazy.co.uk/btcc/btcc-2018-confirmed-entries-rumours/


Sent from my R7plusf using Tapatalk

http://www.btcc.net/2018/02/15/halfo...s-dan-cammish/ Paragraph 1.

[ChrisMarks]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

James Cole signed back at BMR.

This is what i am hearing too and Josh Price was testing an ex. Finlay Crocker TCR Honda at Silverstone today, so we might not see him in the BTCC this year.

[Jiiiiiiim]

Originally Posted by ChrisMarks

This is what i am hearing too and Josh Price was testing an ex. Finlay Crocker TCR Honda at Silverstone today, so we might not see him in the BTCC this year.

Yeah Cole has got a deal done, so unless there is any dramatic twist, I’d of guessed staying at BMR was most likely! So that confirms that then.

We know Jelley will be with Parker in their ex-WSR BMW, so only really the two AmD seats and the now vacant Motorbase one. Interestingly AmD had someone signed or about to sign as far back as ASI to pilot one of the MG’s, but were waiting on the money to arrive before announcing anything!

[lukej]

I’ll say what I can:

- Chilton & Tordoff have nothing to do with Jackson’s contract being terminated.

- Matt Neal is definitely driving for TD.

- Epps won’t be in BTCC this year, he has a contract for Clios.

- One AMD Seat is filled.

- Cole is probably going to race where you think he is. 😉

Luke