BTCC 2019 season discussion, News and Rumours!

[Steel Wheels]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Plato in a BMW would be very interesting and I wouldn't completely rule it out

Not likely from what I’ve heard but would be an interesting curve ball!

[Robin Marriott]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

The BMW is one, if not the, best car in BTCC. Even with TOCA nobbling it. Goes against the popular FWD rumour, but JP was awfully convinced RWD is the way to be. Maybe RWD is his future, but in the proven BMW?

Did he not say all this about RWD while he was setting himself up to be in a Subaru? Marketing... sell the product by telling everyone it’s the best.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Robin Marriott

Did he not say all this about RWD while he was setting himself up to be in a Subaru? Marketing... sell the product by telling everyone it’s the best.

I think the height of Plato's comments about RWD can be traced back to the 2014 season, where his efforts were an attempt to get concession for his FWD car - or to plant the justification for why he would not take a title.

'If you take into account the weight Colin was carrying, he’s a good eight tenths quicker than me; that’s not a whinge, that’s just fact. What we are witnessing, unless the regulations are changed, is the death of front-wheel drive in the BTCC. Rear-wheel drive is a better package for a racing car than front-wheel drive,'

The fact that the top three positions in the 2015 championship, along with the 2016 drivers' title, were taken by drivers of FWD cars shows that Plato's comments should not be taken in any seriousness.

Everything Plato says is usually an explanation of why he is the best. If he can't take any credit for his driving, he'll take credit for his marketing, contract negotiations, car development or engineering prowess. It will always be placing the reason for not getting a win firmly outside of things he has control over, and not being in a RWD car was the favoured topic at the time.

In scale of importance to his comments:

1 - Plato is the best driver
2 - Plato has the best sponsors on the grid
3 - Plato has put together the best team on the grid
4 - Plato has brought the best car to the grid
5 - The regulations stop Plato from winning
6 - Another driver took Plato out
7 - Another driver broke the rules
8 - The car is not right for Plato to win
9 - The team are letting Plato down
...
...
...
9,999,999 - Plato made a mistake in the car that prevented a win.

[BobJones]

Getting wind of a new line-up at BTC Norlin to go with the new wheels.

Who would you want in there? Perhaps someone who has competed in Clio Cup this past season.

[btccbloke]

Originally Posted by BobJones

Getting wind of a new line-up at BTC Norlin to go with the new wheels.

Who would you want in there? Perhaps someone who has competed in Clio Cup this past season.

I would be amazed if Chris Smiley is not at Norlin considering the relationship he seems to have built with Bert

[Robin Marriott]

Originally Posted by BobJones

Getting wind of a new line-up at BTC Norlin to go with the new wheels.

Who would you want in there? Perhaps someone who has competed in Clio Cup this past season.

What new wheels? I didn’t think anything had been confirmed there?

[Steel Wheels]

Originally Posted by Robin Marriott

What new wheels? I didn’t think anything had been confirmed there?

Rumour was a pair of FK8’s. Not sure if Norlin are hanging about as title sponsor, so if they go there might be no Smiley.

[S griffin]

I hope BTC Norlin are back, they really did well in the past season

[BobJones]

Originally Posted by S griffin

I hope BTC Norlin are back, they really did well in the past season

Oh, they'll be there, provided drivers arrive with £500K + testing.

[B0U170NS]

Originally Posted by BobJones

Oh, they'll be there, provided drivers arrive with £500K + testing.

Could you elaborate on this please?

[porsche962fan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lqdErI9uss

[Jiiiiiiim]

Originally Posted by B0U170NS

Could you elaborate on this please?

I think it means the drives understandably won’t be cheap, someone’s gotta pay for the new wheels. The Honda’s aren’t cheap to buy or run.

Question is if the rumblings are true, where have their current cars gone?

[Alfisti]

Plato Silverline KX Momentum Academy with TinkyWinkyRacing.

[Racer65]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Everything Plato says is usually an explanation of why he is the best.

Actually everything he says is playing to the character that he has created to maintain a position with the series. He's mentioned several times over the years in interviews that talent isn't enough. There has to be something else and, in his case, he's chosen to be the pantomime villain. No doubt there are better drivers out there and there are certainly those who have won more championships but I guarantee if you ask 100 people who actually know what BTCC is to name a driver the majority will say Plato.

I doubt he believes a lot of what he actually says but it keeps the profile up and a racing driver who says he's losing because the other guy is better doesn't stay around long.

[S griffin]

Yeah, but it gets wearisome after a while, especially when he had to come up with a ridiculous reason as to why he lost

[medius]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Yeah, but it gets wearisome after a while, especially when he had to come up with a ridiculous reason as to why he lost

That happens when every single media outlet hound you every day of every meeting for a soundbite. Anybody would realise saying the exact truth (whatever it is) could harm the sponsors, the guys paying his mortgage. So you become creative to deflect attention away. He's not forgotten how to drive but by his own admission when your head gets down and everyone's on your back for reasons of no control of his own, it's difficult to be fired up for scrapping over 27th place every week.

The guy has his critics but I feel they are most unjustified by people with preconceived ideas bandied about of social media. He's a complex guy with a tactical brain and if that means saying a certain aspect of the regs or whatever gets column inches for his sponsors, there's no harm in saying it. Ever sport needs a villain and he plays it well. Nothing sinister or constant whinging about it.

I'm an Ingram fan before anybody says otherwise!

[Mike Harte]

But as many should have observed this past season, Plato has been out of the media spotlight almost entirely. So while he has been languishing at the back of the field, he hasn't needed to make excuses about his results because the media outlets have been ignoring him.

As for Tom Ingram, there is an inspiration to any aspiring racing driver. Even when everything goes wrong for him at a meeting, he still manages to try and smile. And he doesn't try to tell the media that it was all somebody else's fault - his reply is usually along the line of 'It's just one of those things, but we'll be back stronger next time out'. I would imagine that his sponsors and backers would really appreciate his handling of the media.

I would really love to see him win the championship next year - he has been knocking on the door for the last two seasons. It would be justice served.

[Alfaholic]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

Plato Silverline KX Momentum Academy with TinkyWinkyRacing.

I thought they were running a self built Nissan Qashcow

[btccbloke]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

But as many should have observed this past season, Plato has been out of the media spotlight almost entirely. So while he has been languishing at the back of the field, he hasn't needed to make excuses about his results because the media outlets have been ignoring him.

But it says a lot about the man that by far the majority of this thread has been speculating on where a driver who hasn't been competitive for 2 years will be

[S griffin]

A driver who hasn't been competitive in only the past couple of seasons. So it's not like he's always been down at the rear. It remains to be seen if he is the same driver he was. Anyway the racing hasn't suffered with him not being at the front

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by S griffin

A driver who hasn't been competitive in only the past couple of seasons. So it's not like he's always been down at the rear. It remains to be seen if he is the same driver he was. Anyway the racing hasn't suffered with him not being at the front

I've been trying not to ask this question, but can resist no longer. I've also noticed that the racing at the front has been a lot cleaner over the past couple of seasons, are the two things related?

[Racer65]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

But as many should have observed this past season, Plato has been out of the media spotlight almost entirely. So while he has been languishing at the back of the field, he hasn't needed to make excuses about his results because the media outlets have been ignoring him.

Have they or is it his choice to not make himself as available? Given the massive profile he still has I would find it very odd if the media deliberately chose not to speak to him.

Any story involving Plato on the fan pages gets more comments than any other by a wide margin and he is the one driver you can guarantee will get a mention in the comments even if the story is nothing to do with him.

[Alfisti]

I was told (by one of the tv crew) that JP had politely asked to be excluded from the grid walk interviews. This was somepoint last year (2017). Whether this is true I do not know. Mostly Louise is at the pointy end of the grid anyhow, where aside from Croft this year JP has been a rare visitor.

I'm sure we'd be speculating as wildly over Matt Neale in a similar situation; the Neales decision to run their own outfit does seem to have generated a great career for Matt and produced a fine team to boot. Would JP have had more championships if he'd been less Nomadic through his career?

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

I'm sure we'd be speculating as wildly over Matt Neale in a similar situation; the Neales decision to run their own outfit does seem to have generated a great career for Matt and produced a fine team to boot. Would JP have had more championships if he'd been less Nomadic through his career?

but not a guaranteed way to have succes

we have Andy Neate and his short lived own team as an axample...

also Tom Chilton achieved 3rd in the standings this year , way better than he did when he was in "own " Arena team

[mark_l]

BMR Racing have finally filed their accounts for 2016.

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/c...filing-history

All I will say is WOW!!