[BTCC] BTCC 2018 Rumours & Silly Season

[S griffin]

Plato just did not seem his old self at Brands. After taking the wets in R1 which turned out to be wrong, he just seemed to give up, I mean in R3 he was beaten by Stewart Lines of all people.

Interesting wiki have on their entry list two Handy Alfas.

[850Estate]

Originally Posted by psq43

Now, I heard that too....

I'm glad someone else said it first though in case I said it, and it wasn't true!

Purely to fan the flames of rumour here, you could maybe read something into this from Jason on BTCC Crazy.

“What a brilliant result,” Plato told BTCC Crazy. “Ashley winning the title validates everything we knew we could do with this package despite the constant changes being made throughout the season – it is job done.

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Interesting wiki have on their entry list two Handy Alfas.

References the TCT article, yet that article clearly talks about 'the car' in the singular.

Entry has since been updated. Remember that wiki can be edited by anyone, including those who are unable to distinguish between one and two.

[ExplodeTheApex]

On a positive note, in the interviews after the final Porsche race on Sunday Dan Cammish seemed to suggest that he has his best chance yet of landing a competitive BTCC seat next year, which would be great!

Thinking wildly outside the box for a minute, is it possible that there could be some sort of Plato/Ingram team tie up with a new manufacturer? Plato seems to be a big fan of his and mentored him on the KX Akademy program, and could fit in with the Plato leaving BMR and Speedworks car switch possibilities?

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by ExplodeTheApex

On a positive note, in the interviews after the final Porsche race on Sunday Dan Cammish seemed to suggest that he has his best chance yet of landing a competitive BTCC seat next year, which would be great!

Thinking wildly outside the box for a minute, is it possible that there could be some sort of Plato/Ingram team tie up with a new manufacturer? Plato seems to be a big fan of his and mentored him on the KX Akademy program, and could fit in with the Plato leaving BMR and Speedworks car switch possibilities?

Two Scoobs Speedworks? That would be interesting...

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by Londoner

I'd really like to know why Josh Cook thought driving such a geriatric car was a better choice than sticking with the decent Ford Focus at Maximum.

Josh didn't have the budget to finish the season at Maximum, in fact I don't think he would have gone past Croft if he'd stayed.

The MG drive didn't require any budget from him.

[850Estate]

Originally Posted by sceptic

Josh didn't have the budget to finish the season at Maximum, in fact I don't think he would have gone past Croft if he'd stayed.

The MG drive didn't require any budget from him.

If that's true it's quite something - where did MG/Triple Eight/BMR get the money to run the car from?

[Jiiiiiiim]

Originally Posted by 850Estate

If that's true it's quite something - where did MG/Triple Eight/BMR get the money to run the car from?

Josh definitely didn't have the funds to see out the year at Maximum, though I don't know the details of the deal he struck with 888.

[BobJones]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

If there are any Subarus in 2018......

There's a three-year contract out there, but as we know, BMR doesn't own the chassis and who knows the exit clauses.

Would be a massive shame, especially after winning the driver's title.

[BobJones]

Originally Posted by luckn002

Stewart Lines - as others have said, and as much as they've been hanging onto the TBL, I think Maximum will be off to TCR UK. Other than with Cook they've had little success and it was clear Lines really did not want to be driving from the interviews I saw.

Tony Gilham had a driver and sponsors lined-up to help Lines with the Cook-shaped hole. Lines said no because....well, god knows. Maybe he saw Cook's performances in the upgraded car and thought he could give it a bash?

Originally Posted by luckn002

As for drivers changing teams, I can't see many changes happening - most people looked at home to me in their current teams. But then again I said the same thing last season - roll on silly season!

I think the reverse, we are in for one of the silliest seasons it quite some time and perhaps a return of some more 'amateur' drivers filling seats.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by BobJones

Tony Gilham had a driver and sponsors lined-up to help Lines with the Cook-shaped hole. Lines said no because....well, god knows. Maybe he saw Cook's performances in the upgraded car and thought he could give it a bash?

???:

“We tried to make it work with a younger driver, and I thought the summer break would have given us time to find another racer with some budget, but that hasn’t been the case,” said Lines.
“Rather than being left high and dry, the best option was for me to do the rest of the year to make sure we can fulfil our commitment to be on the grid.”

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by sceptic

The MG drive didn't require any budget from him.

Funding Cooks ride whilst not repairing Platos?

[luckn002]

Sounds like no change for Andrew Jordan next year... for once!

http://www.btcccrazy.co.uk/btcc/andr...surrey-racing/

[S griffin]

Hopefully he'll have a more consistent season in 2018

[luckn002]

Originally Posted by luckn002

Sounds like no change for Andrew Jordan next year... for once!

http://www.btcccrazy.co.uk/btcc/andr...surrey-racing/

...and looks like a similar story for Mat Jackson at Motorbase

http://www.btcccrazy.co.uk/btcc/mat-jackson-signs-off-rollercoaster-year-with-independent-victory/

[850Estate]

Originally Posted by luckn002

...and looks like a similar story for Mat Jackson at Motorbase

http://www.btcccrazy.co.uk/btcc/mat-...ndent-victory/

I can't remember if it was said at the time, but I take it the Shredded Wheat deal is in place next season?

[pimmy]

It's a three year deal.

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by BobJones

Tony Gilham had a driver and sponsors lined-up to help Lines with the Cook-shaped hole. Lines said no because....well, god knows. Maybe he saw Cook's performances in the upgraded car and thought he could give it a bash?

I'm pretty sure Tony's offer included Stewart handing over the TBL to Team Hard.

[850Estate]

Originally Posted by pimmy

It's a three year deal.

Good stuff, should give the team some continuity over the break - and, I'd imagine, allow Jackson to get some decent test miles under his belt.

[S griffin]

Well hopefully the backing will this time work, as you say with more time to test

[BobJones]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

???:

“We tried to make it work with a younger driver, and I thought the summer break would have given us time to find another racer with some budget, but that hasn’t been the case,” said Lines.
“Rather than being left high and dry, the best option was for me to do the rest of the year to make sure we can fulfil our commitment to be on the grid.”

Link to tweets already discussed elsewhere in the forum (sorry, I forget where) that showed Gilham's helping hand that was turned down.

[BobJones]

Originally Posted by sceptic

I'm pretty sure Tony's offer included Stewart handing over the TBL to Team Hard.

I think you are correct. Or at least borrowed.

[S griffin]

Well it's obvious Lines wanted to keep his TBL for 2018 when he could get a better driver in his seat

[thlbtcc]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

That Mr Bleach is a rumour I heard at the weekend but thought it way wide of the mark... even if BMR fold I would think one of the other teams would come in for the cars at the right price.

Upon reflection. Here's a stab.

JP and Adrian Flux sponsorship go elsewhere. The Subaru deal is dependant on a title sponsor. So BMR will be there with Subaru in 2018, provided they can find matching sponsorship funds from elsewhere.

If true, they'll lack Plato's marketing company to find sponsors, but they can at least say they are champions now.

Warren Scott https://twitter.com/DunlopBTCC/status/914125862206832641

[Ash winning the title] "It's good for us, for Subaru, for all of our sponsors and potentially for gaining more sponsors next year"

Also, I noticed Ash was keen to mention "Thanks to Subaru Adrian Flux Racing" in every interview at Brands, unlike previews interviews. Almost like a public job interview, showing he can provide good sponsorship coverage, reminiscent of when Jackson/Motorbase were trying to keep Airwaves backing.

Anyway, something like that.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by BobJones

Link to tweets already discussed elsewhere in the forum (sorry, I forget where) that showed Gilham's helping hand that was turned down.

The thing is, the tweets will only have contained certain information, and won't have mentioned everything else that was part of the 'deal'.

From Lines' comments, it seems that he wanted to keep the TBL and look to carry it forward into 2018. It would suggest that the Gilham offer would have put that in jeopardy in some way?

The TBLs are pretty valuable nowadays with the consistent full grids, so Lines' public statement may be referring to being high and dry without one after this season if he didn't run the car himself?