[BTCC] BTCC 2017 Rumours & Silly Season

[thlbtcc]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

if this was a wokrs drive and they could afford to pay drivers wouldn't be there the likes of Menu, Giovanardi , maybe even Priaux ?

One could argue Gio and Menu are 'past it', whereas Andy is a Ford driver. Times have moved on.

[thlbtcc]

Originally Posted by peebee2

WTCC is FIA and a proper WORLD Championship. It has proper works cars, and drivers get paid in far higher regularity compared to the one in 20 in BTCC which is a local championship run to unique silhouette rules with cars all *******s under the skin, most with developments of the old Vauxhall engine from 25 years ago! Be serious please people!! Entertaining it may be but high level, open racing it isn't...

Stay classy.

A 10-12 car grid is serious. Seriously death knell.

[850Estate]

I think Chilton is a better addition to PMR than Menu or Gio would've been. He's still young and has been performing well at a very high level. Say what you want about WTCC, but the quality of driver on the grid is impressive. I don't think it's a 'foolish decision' in the slightest - it's an exciting opportunity to work with an up and coming, ambitious and well run team bringing a hugely popular marque back into the championship.

This year will be a development year for PMR I think. Not saying that they won't be right up there, but it will take time for team and driver(s) to settle into the new car. I suspect a year akin to WSR in 2013. As Craner says, they have a lot of experienced winners behind the scenes and I wouldn't say that they were a mid-rate team. The pinnacle is obviously Dynamics/WSR and BMR at the moment, but I'd place PMR along with Motorbase and Triple Eight based on where they are right now.

[ATF]

Let's not get into the whole BTCC v WTCC debate again - two very different series and difficult to compare. The BTCC may not be a world series but there's absolutely nothing it can do to change that! However, it is still held in high regard by a lot of people, evidenced by the fact that previous champions and race winners have returned over the last few years.

Different opportunities come along at different times in your career and you simply choose what's best for you. Nice to see Tom back and good luck to him and the team.

[Ry44]

Newsham to BTC Norlin

http://www.btcc.net/2016/12/20/newsh...acing-line-up/

[antnee]

NEWSHAM IS BACK!!

http://www.btcc.net/2016/12/20/newsh...acing-line-up/

[thlbtcc]

The grid is looking very nice at this early stage.

[850Estate]

Excellent news. Dave is a genuinely lovely guy and a very quick racer - third year (sort of) with the same car too - he'll score plenty of points.

Neal, Shedden, Plato, Jackson, Jordan, Ingram, Chilton and now Newsham already confirmed. That's a very solid batch of drivers! Hopefully they'll be added to by Turkington, Morgan, Sutton, Cook and Jake Hill.

[porsche962fan]

the supreme irony would be if BTC Norlin will get better results than PMR

[porsche962fan]

Team Dynamics - Honda Civic - Matt Neal
Team Dynamics - Honda Civic - Gordon Shedden
Simpson Racing - Honda Civic - Mat Simpson

Eurotech - Honda Civic - Jeff Smith ???
Eurotech - Honda Civic - ????

Speedworks - Toyota Avensis - Tom Ingram

Handy Motorsport - Toyota Avensis - Rob Austin ?

PMR - Vauxhall Astra - Senna Proctor
PMR - vauxhall Astra - Tom Chilton

BMR - Subaru Levorg - Jason Plato
BMR - Subaru Levorg - Colin Turkington
BMR - Subaru Levorg - Warren Scott ???
BMR - Subaru Levorg - James Cole ?

888 - MG - Ash Sutton ??
888 - MG - ???

WSR - BMW 125 - Andrew Jordan
WSR - BMW 125 - Rob Collard ????
WSR - BMW 125 - ????

Motorbase - Ford Focus - Mat Jackson
Motorbase - Ford Focus - ???
Motorbase - Ford Focus - ???

Cicely Racing - Mercedes A-Class - Adam Morgan ?

Laser Tools - Mercedes A-Class - Aidan Moffat

AMD - Audi S3 - Ollie Jackson
AMD - Audi S3 - ??????

HARD - VW CC - Will Burns
HARD - VW CC - Mike Epps
HARD - VW CC - ?????

Dextra - Ford Focus - Alex Martin ?????

Maximum - Ford Focus - Stewart Lines ???

BTC Norlin - Chevrolet Cruze - Chris Smiley
BTC Norlin - Chevrolet Cruze - Dave Newsham

[BryanJ]

Originally Posted by peebee2

Really?? Or a motor factors with some Astra shells?

What is your problem?

[thlbtcc]

Originally Posted by BryanJ

What is your problem?

It's François Ribeiro.

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by BryanJ

What is your problem?

None at all, just being accurate to anybody who might be falsely persuaded that this is a real works team.

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by peebee2

None at all, just being accurate to anybody who might be falsely persuaded that this is a real works team.

in the btcc a manufacturer team is one that the manufacturer supports with cash or equipment and signs up to the championship. so who cares how much they actually give? the btcc is doing really well exactly because it doesnt now rely on big factory budgets which killed it before and is killing WTCC in case you havent noticed!

[850Estate]

Originally Posted by peebee2

None at all, just being accurate to anybody who might be falsely persuaded that this is a real works team.

Define 'real works team' in BTCC terms for me.

[S griffin]

Good to see Newsham back, may be a different team again, but at least he's driving the same car he drove for the last two seasons

[Minicross424]

Am I getting my facts wrong or did Tom and his family bankrupt Mike Earle's Arena team?

[BLiTZ]

Originally Posted by Minicross424

Am I getting my facts wrong or did Tom and his family bankrupt Mike Earle's Arena team?

Something along those lines. I'm sure a more knowledgeable member can fill us in with the facts!

[RichP]

I thought they purchased the company and and then folded it once they had finished with it

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

I only remember him being outperformed by TOC in his own Arena team and TOC being forced to move over for him

also that he was totally overshadowed by Giovanardi a driver who didn't even know most of the tracks...

Chilton had a clause in his contract which prevented him from finishing above Giovanardi in the championship. (And I believe got a very nice bonus every time he let Gio overtake him).

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

if this was a wokrs drive and they could afford to pay drivers wouldn't be there the likes of Menu, Giovanardi , maybe even Priaux ?

Menu and Gio are in their 50s, and don't have the fitness to compete at the very top now... Gio especially. Priaulx is tied into a contract with Ford.

If I was running a team which newly had works backing Vauxhall, and wanted an experienced driver who knows the circuits and has a history with Vauxhall then Tom would be right at the top of the list.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by peebee2

None at all, just being accurate to anybody who might be falsely persuaded that this is a real works team.

The days of any team being a 'works' team are in the past.

PMR/Vauxhall will compete for the Manufacturer's/Constructors championship as they are exactly that - a manufacturer backed entry.

I am confused as to why they are the subject of such criticism and negative opinions at the moment?

[BLiTZ]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

The days of any team being a 'works' team are in the past.

PMR/Vauxhall will compete for the Manufacturer's/Constructors championship as they are exactly that - a manufacturer backed entry.

I am confused as to why they are the subject of such criticism and negative opinions at the moment?

Its when these 'Manufacturer' entries start acting like 'Works' teams in the eyes of the spectators then there's an issue. The average Joe Soap on his couch or trackside with 4 kids in tow and a warm pint of Carling will be fooled into thinking that a team like PMR are based out of a corner of the Luton factory and everything is paid for by GM Europe, that the (in my opinion) god-awful PMR livery is the new official Vauxhall colour scheme which is giving him ideas to get his Zafira wrapped the same way! It's these people that'll take whatever's said as gospel.

The PMR deal is nothing more than an entry fee and two shells for the price of an entry fee. It doesn't appear to have any approval or support from Vauxhall.

[antnee]

I applaud PMR - only been around 2 years and had some decent results with limited resources.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by BLiTZ

Its when these 'Manufacturer' entries start acting like 'Works' teams in the eyes of the spectators then there's an issue.

What exactly is 'acting like a works team'? If it's promoting the marque as part of your entry into the championship, why is that a bad thing?

Originally Posted by BLiTZ

The average Joe Soap on his couch or trackside with 4 kids in tow and a warm pint of Carling will be fooled into thinking that a team like PMR are based out of a corner of the Luton factory and everything is paid for by GM Europe.

You paint a pretty picture of your view of BTCC fans - but if they form the opinion that PMR are based out of the Luton factory, again is that a bad thing (if factually incorrect)?

Note - the Astra is assembled at Ellesmere Port, so your own reference to Luton is incorrect.

Originally Posted by BLiTZ

that the (in my opinion) god-awful PMR livery is the new official Vauxhall colour scheme

Have you seen the final colour scheme yet - or just the initial mock-up released to support the media story which is Power-Maxed branded and not Vauxhall?

Originally Posted by BLiTZ

which is giving him ideas to get his Zafira wrapped the same way!

And if he did choose to do that, and it is as a result of being a BTCC fan, surely that's his choice.

Originally Posted by BLiTZ

The PMR deal is nothing more than an entry fee and two shells for the price of an entry fee. It doesn't appear to have any approval or support from Vauxhall.

Except that Alan Gow has publicly stated that it is good to have Vauxhall back as a manufacturer - if they did not approve they would have distanced themselves by now.
The deal is a business partnership, so the support to each other is mutual.


I am further intrigued though as to why PMR bashing has now extended to a criticism of the perceived typical BTCC fan, and why it is problem for someone to have four children, enjoy warm lager and like to add a bit of style to their practical family vehicle????

[Bramzel]

BTCC has a definition / ruleset for what classifies as a Manufacturer entry. Apparently PMR qualifies for the 'manufacturer' title according to that definition. So I honestly don't get this whole discussion. Of course you're free to debate the worth of Vauxhalls involvement, but Vauxhall/PMR will enter as a manufacturer and that's a fact.

There's a different level of involvement from all manufacturers, Vauxhall probably a bit less, Honda a bit more, etc. I don't see a problem with that, and I honestly don't get the whole negativity in this thread.