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12 Jan 2019, 10:21 (Ref:3875674) | #2876 | ||
Racer
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 266
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Quote:
First Year: After 'bringing the deal together', he 'bigs' the car up to be a super mythical unicorn of unbeatable existence so much that when the inevitable teething problems arise, people are hyper critical of the team/car (myself included). Rest of the season his lack of pace is blamed on lack of development etc. Year Two: He shunts the car at Brands, cue a year-long perma-excuse for his lack of performance that appears to tear apart the team in terms of moral and somewhat sours the fact that Ash drove the balls off the car to take the championship. (Funny how we saw more coverage of Plato's lack of performance than Sutton's success?!) Year Three: We get the silent treatment. 'Crash-related car issues rectified' he still can't get the thing to go well so bat and ball are taken home and Subaru get hardly any mention again despite Ash peddling well. Perhaps a retaliation to the fact that he's only there to keep the team afloat financially (if rumours were true they'd have had no engines had he not opened his wallet). All in all not the best experience from Subaru UK's perspective and after the trials and tribulations at MG I doubt he has the credibility to bring another manufacturer to the grid again. Would you want to get involved in the series if the driver you're funding spends half the year slagging off your car? Whilst he's a great marketing man, he's far too quick to point blame unlike drivers like Ingram, Turkington, Shedden etc who manage to 'look on the bright side' when success doesn't go their way in a race. |
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12 Jan 2019, 10:56 (Ref:3875681) | #2877 | |
Rookie
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 64
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I think a press release/unveiling is very iminent from Bart @ Motorbase.
Some interest seat/team changes with teams now leaning towards business sense, taking ££ from a driver rather than raw talent. Some big names will be without a drive for sure. |
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12 Jan 2019, 11:29 (Ref:3875687) | #2878 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,809
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Autodptt show nearly over {as of posting, Saturday lunchtime, all reveals done and none expected for Sunday) , BTCC-wise I think it's posed more questions than it answered.
Great to see Clio's replaced by Mini Challenge. AMD Civic and Trade Price S3 both look mega. Everything else on show seems a bit underwhelming. I guess a lot of late deals being worked on. |
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12 Jan 2019, 11:31 (Ref:3875688) | #2879 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,161
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Quote:
Your right tho, I see a few big names missing in 2019 such as Austin, Goff, Jackson, Collard (maybe on medical) .. I wonder how many of these may end up in Maximum Motorsports series |
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12 Jan 2019, 12:18 (Ref:3875695) | #2880 | |
Racer
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 294
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As things stand it looks highly unlikely that Goff will get a drive, which is a shame as he's a proven race winner.
Nic Hamilton at Motorbase is a done deal, been signed for a while, just not announced yet. Obviously, it won't be a Shredded Wheat-Sponsored car. Mat Jackson will be alongside Smiley at BTC Norlin. Almost every team would love Plato to be driving for them. The publicity and PR he brings would be immense. He's the biggest name and biggest draw in the BTCC by a country mile. As someone has already alluded to, which other driver would bring a vast amount of publicity for struggling towards the back of the grid? Get him back up the sharp end and the sky is the limit. That said, he's a shrewd operator and will only be on the grid this season if the right deal is there. By far the most likely destination would be at Power Maxed Racing, but we'll see. It would be a crying shame not to see him on the grid, but it's 50/50 st the moment. |
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12 Jan 2019, 12:28 (Ref:3875696) | #2881 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,592
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Quote:
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12 Jan 2019, 12:31 (Ref:3875697) | #2882 | |
Racer
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 294
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That's where I have been expecting to see Proctor end up, but that's only based on my general thoughts and snippets of info I've been given. That seat is still up for grabs and yes, by the way Cole posted the other day it suggests that he will be on the grid next season and there aren't many options left for him, so he's got to be another candidate.
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12 Jan 2019, 12:44 (Ref:3875700) | #2883 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 18,692
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It will be interesting to see where Cole fits in this season. A solid driver who can do a good job. I just hope Goff gets a seat
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He who dares wins! He who hesitates is lost! |
12 Jan 2019, 12:56 (Ref:3875702) | #2884 | |||
Rookie
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 78
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Quote:
Its hilarious |
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12 Jan 2019, 13:46 (Ref:3875706) | #2885 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,161
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Quote:
Got a win in the Subaru when they were dominating but wasn't on the pace much aside from that, prior to that no results worth talking about. I strongly think he has the BTC Norlin seat through sponsor links but I could probably name a dozen drivers who have made no announcements and would be better in that seat (Goff included) |
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12 Jan 2019, 13:52 (Ref:3875707) | #2886 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 18,692
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Quote:
No prior results to speak about before his win? Have you forgotten his two previous weekends at Snetterton and Knockhill? |
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He who dares wins! He who hesitates is lost! |
12 Jan 2019, 13:56 (Ref:3875709) | #2887 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 746
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12 Jan 2019, 13:58 (Ref:3875710) | #2888 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,161
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Quote:
Just looked it up, and yes, rather forgettable 5th places in a dominant car and 17th in the series with 8 points finishes whilst his team mate won the title, Similar to 2018, 21st while his team mate was 3rd. The only way James's performances are "solid" are that he doesn't have too many accidents, certainly isn't someone a team can rely on as a contender, a wingman or even regular point scorer |
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12 Jan 2019, 13:58 (Ref:3875711) | #2889 | ||
Rookie
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 78
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12 Jan 2019, 14:29 (Ref:3875713) | #2890 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 12,485
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12 Jan 2019, 14:42 (Ref:3875718) | #2891 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 11,082
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12 Jan 2019, 14:54 (Ref:3875722) | #2892 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,054
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12 Jan 2019, 14:56 (Ref:3875723) | #2893 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 11,082
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12 Jan 2019, 16:26 (Ref:3875729) | #2894 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 2,751
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Cole has a deal signed I am led to believe. I am surprised he didn't continue at Motorbase as he is solid, he brings backing and Bartie likes him. Maybe Cole, like Tordoff wasn't impressed with the Focus/ Motorbase? To me it's clear the Focus in Tom Chiltons hands was consistently good, so I conclude that the Focus is a decent set of wheels and I have long believed Motorbase to be a good team. Maybe Nic Hamiltons backing and publicity was a more attractive option for Motorbase than James - that's what I think.
Not much speculation as to who is in at BMR, I genuinely don't know who is driving - if anyone at this stage - or what sponsorship they have. I think Flux are gone, whether that is gone with JP or gone gone I don't know. Still hoping that AWE may arrive with funding... be awesome to see him and Hill in those Audis. |
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12 Jan 2019, 16:30 (Ref:3875730) | #2895 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 3,395
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Quote:
Not sure whether it's a good thing or a bad thing but there are certainly more drivers interested than they are seats avaliable. As someone mentioned, it looks like a lot of big names will be missing this year. |
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12 Jan 2019, 16:30 (Ref:3875731) | #2896 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,646
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12 Jan 2019, 16:35 (Ref:3875735) | #2897 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,422
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That's racing these days and it's maybe a sign of how popular the BTCC has become. Look at Garth Tander in Australia getting dropped for someone bringing in sponsorship, when he had a confirmed deal.
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12 Jan 2019, 16:50 (Ref:3875736) | #2898 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,161
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Calling my little prediction for the remaining seats:
Motorbase - Hamilton (pretty much a given) BTC1 - Smiley (Feel this is a given) BTC2 - Cole (Ticketmaster sponsorship sits nicely with Norlins previous sponsor arrangements) PMR1 - Plato (for all the reasons stated before) PMR2 - Proctor (initially thought Cook, but Plato would have an easier time against Proctor) XLR8 - Whorton Eals (Has experience of the car (brief) and expect he knows XLR8 people from 2018) BMR1 - Sutton (nothing to suggest otherwise) BMR2 - Newbie with money Parker - Jelley (nothing to suggest otherwise) TPC - Ollie Pidgley Meaning among other things the end of the road for Cook (will have a last year in Clios), Goff (British GTs/24hr series), Austin (Maximum Trophy), Lloyd (TCR of some sort or Maximum Trophy) and Collard (retire on medical grounds) and no return for popular guys like Jackson (back to doing nothing) or Epps (Ginettas) ....lets see how I do Last edited by btccbloke; 12 Jan 2019 at 16:58. |
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12 Jan 2019, 17:01 (Ref:3875739) | #2899 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 5,703
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I think it would be a shame if Josh Cook doesn't return (especially if the main reason for this being poor old JP is frightened to have such a talented team mate who might show him up - again!). I think he has great talent and although has been off the rails and over aggressive on occasions, he does appear to be able to race hard but far, as his duel with Ash Sutton in the final race last year showed. I'm sorry, but I certainly hope you're wrong on this one.
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Incognito: An Italian phrase meaning Nice Gearchange! |
12 Jan 2019, 17:02 (Ref:3875740) | #2900 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 835
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[QUOTE=btccbloke;3875706]I don't know if he is really "solid" few good drives at the start of 2018 and largely anonymous after Donnington.
Got a win in the Subaru when they were dominating but wasn't on the pace much aside from that, prior to that no results worth talking about. [/ 5QUOTE] It doesn't matter whether Subarus were dominating or not, he still required the ability to drive the car. He stuck it on pole and led lights to flag. Plenty of other drivers struggle to do that. I'd like to see him remain at Motorbase, he needs the stability of another season in a car he is used to to get some consistency in his results. |
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