BTCC 2024 News & Rumours

[Sodemo]

Originally Posted by TinTopGrumpy

I just wish they would make the series FWD only. They're never going to get a perfect balance and people will always be unhappy on one side or the other.

Yes RWD do have a disadvantage for the first lap or two but it's far easier to defend from the car behind during that period than it is for a FWD car to defend from a RWD car on the start IMO.

But the point is that BMW are penalised in other ways than the other cars.

These are some of the measures introduced over the years;

- They run a much higher min weight
- They have a raised ride height
- Additional weight placed above the engine for COG purposes
- Forced by regulation less than ideal location for the ballast box
- Reduced boost in 1st gear
- Longer 1st gear ratio

I dont honestly know how much of this is still active since its never made totally clear to the public what is going on, sadly.

[TinTopGrumpy]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

But the point is that BMW are penalised in other ways than the other cars.
.

I know all that and it doesn't change my point. Trying to balance radically different cars is always going to be a minefield so just ditch the outlier and concentrate on balancing cars that have a great deal more in common with each other.

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by TinTopGrumpy

I know all that and it doesn't change my point. Trying to balance radically different cars is always going to be a minefield so just ditch the outlier and concentrate on balancing cars that have a great deal more in common with each other.

BOP looked pretty good at LeMans so as a concept it can work

[Greem]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

BOP looked pretty good at LeMans so as a concept it can work

Evidently you're not reading the same posts I am about the BOP at LM! There are some proper anti-Ferrari conspiracies doing the rounds

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by Greem

Evidently you're not reading the same posts I am about the BOP at LM! There are some proper anti-Ferrari conspiracies doing the rounds

Whats new?

[TyH]

Unlimited Motorsport to run 2 Cupras next season.

Deleon partnered by Sim racer Lee Duncan

Heard it here first ?

[MarcusH26]

Originally Posted by TyH

Unlimited Motorsport to run 2 Cupras next season.

Deleon partnered by Sim racer Lee Duncan

Heard it here first ?

More cars on the grid is only a good thing from my perspective!

[Pickles]

Originally Posted by TyH

Unlimited Motorsport to run 2 Cupras next season.

Deleon partnered by Sim racer Lee Duncan

Heard it here first ?

Not really, Lee has been talking about it on his socials for weeks. This is not not going to happen, as confirmed by the team owner. Lees just a bit deluded I think.

[5five]

Originally Posted by Pickles

Not really, Lee has been talking about it on his socials for weeks. This is not not going to happen, as confirmed by the team owner. Lees just a bit deluded I think.

I had to Google the name and he has achieved nothing of note or has competed in any of the serious top level esports championships. A few public races on GT7 isn't going to cut it. Unless he is sitting on a fortune, or has plans to acquire one very quickly, this sounds like a pipe dream. Plenty of talented real life and sim drivers cannot make it happen....

[hen henths]

I think it was Tim who said at Oulton they have a rule this year that any loose bodywork at all can result in a black and orange flag. I understand the safety consideration but in terms of the effect on the racing and the entertainment value, it is unfortunate to have this at the same time they have become much stricter on track limits and also seem to be somewhat more relaxed about contact. If the drivers have to stay fully on track and can rub a bit when they get past then there will regularly be little bits of loose bodywork, won't there?

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by hen henths

I think it was Tim who said at Oulton they have a rule this year that any loose bodywork at all can result in a black and orange flag. I understand the safety consideration but in terms of the effect on the racing and the entertainment value, it is unfortunate to have this at the same time they have become much stricter on track limits and also seem to be somewhat more relaxed about contact. If the drivers have to stay fully on track and can rub a bit when they get past then there will regularly be little bits of loose bodywork, won't there?

Interesting that it only seems to apply to "big teams" Smiley had exactly the same flapping arch and yet was allowed to proceed?....

[antnee]

Halfway through the season already!

Biggest surprise for me is PMR, what ever work they did over the winter is clearly paying off. Both drivers have finished every race AND scored points, no one else has scored points in every race. ATS is up in 7th in the standings ahead of Morgan, Moffat, Chilton, Huff, Rowbottom and Watson - thats pretty impressive.

I like the increased hybrid power available. I think its just at the right level, not enough that a pass is guaranteed but it is just enough to pull alongside and they can fight it out into the next corner. Tyre options are too much though - I think we could go back to just having 1 tyre available.

[paulinhot]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

- Reduced boost in 1st gear
- Longer 1st gear ratio

I dont honestly know how much of this is still active since its never made totally clear to the public what is going on, sadly.

I agree, I wish more was made public, if the 1st gear limiting was still in place, couldn't they just start in 2nd and gear it accordingly ?

[Pdh]

Originally Posted by paulinhot

I agree, I wish more was made public, if the 1st gear limiting was still in place, couldn't they just start in 2nd and gear it accordingly ?

I think 1st 2nd and 3rd gears are fixed

[tee.1s]

Originally Posted by antnee

Halfway through the season already!

Biggest surprise for me is PMR, what ever work they did over the winter is clearly paying off. Both drivers have finished every race AND scored points, no one else has scored points in every race. ATS is up in 7th in the standings ahead of Morgan, Moffat, Chilton, Huff, Rowbottom and Watson - thats pretty impressive.

I like the increased hybrid power available. I think its just at the right level, not enough that a pass is guaranteed but it is just enough to pull alongside and they can fight it out into the next corner. Tyre options are too much though - I think we could go back to just having 1 tyre available.

I slightly hope ATS gets a shot at a works drive sometime soon. He's been very very good this year. slightly disappointed with pearson who hasn't kicked on from his win at brands. Driver of the season right now would be sutton. Biggest disappointment would be turkington I'd say

[Jay87]

Originally Posted by tee.1s

I slightly hope ATS gets a shot at a works drive sometime soon. He's been very very good this year. slightly disappointed with pearson who hasn't kicked on from his win at brands. Driver of the season right now would be sutton. Biggest disappointment would be turkington I'd say

In Pearson's defence though both he and Chilton have had terrible luck with reliability lately, something which could also hit Ingram's title push at some point if the team can't get on top of it

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by paulinhot

I agree, I wish more was made public, if the 1st gear limiting was still in place, couldn't they just start in 2nd and gear it accordingly ?

a lot of the cars (both front and rear drive) start races in 2nd gear

[Matt K]

Originally Posted by tee.1s

I slightly hope ATS gets a shot at a works drive sometime soon. He's been very very good this year. slightly disappointed with pearson who hasn't kicked on from his win at brands. Driver of the season right now would be sutton. Biggest disappointment would be turkington I'd say

Biggest disappointment for me would be Andrew Watson. Perhaps I expected a bit too much from him but his form is pretty miserable, last year was also quite up and down but there were more flashes of brilliance in a seemingly worse car. When it was announced he's going to Speedworks I thought he might be regularly around Top 6 and fight for podiums on numerous occasions. So far, he hasn't been close.

[Pickles]

I see the winding up petition against Team HARD will be heard in court next week.

[thetool]

Originally Posted by Pickles

I see the winding up petition against Team HARD will be heard in court next week.

Wednesday. Tony's significantly younger wife is now the companies sole director. He's probably resigned to avoid the auto 5-year ban from acting as a director again. They can go after him anyway for what he's done, but I imagine it's probably unlikely in relatively small-fry cases like this one.

[V8 Fireworks]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

But the point is that BMW are penalised in other ways than the other cars.

On the one hand, it would be good if there were more rear wheel drive cars out there (Alfa Romeo Giulia, Jaguar XE, Subaru Levorg etc).

On the other hand, if West Surrey feel they are being disadvantaged the front wheel drive BMW 128ti exists from them to race (just as Honda eventually decided to race a V-twin in WSBK in ~1999 to use the same rules as Ducati).

Ultimately, the BMW 3 series is competitive as is, no?

You can run the 3 series or Giulia or XE or Levorg and feel you have a chance to be competitive IMO, so there is no problem.

If there was a problem, surely WSR would not hesitate to get some 1 series shells and go front wheel drive?

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

If there was a problem, surely WSR would not hesitate to get some 1 series shells and go front wheel drive?

I would imagine the main problem would be the cost. If you consider that they couldn't or can't find the necessary funds to run Thomson, then it must surely follow that they can't afford to go to the expense of buying the 1 series shells and then prepare them to be at the sharp end of the grid and races.

I think that I am right in saying that they now receive very little dealer support, so the huge investment required to change their fleet would fall on their shoulders. Having said that, how much longer will they be permitted to run the current cars; I'm not sure when their eligibility runs out?

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Having said that, how much longer will they be permitted to run the current cars; I'm not sure when their eligibility runs out?

Homologation is valid until 5 years after the model is no longer for sale on the UK market. Current G20 generation of the 3-series went on sale in 2019, and typically BMW replace the 3-series every 7-8 years. Based on that it will probably still be the 'current' model until 2026 and still eligible for BTCC until 2031.

That said, new regs are due in 2026, although likely that current spec cars will be grandfathered in for a period.

[coffinpilot]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

I would imagine the main problem would be the cost. If you consider that they couldn't or can't find the necessary funds to run Thomson, then it must surely follow that they can't afford to go to the expense of buying the 1 series shells and then prepare them to be at the sharp end of the grid and races.

I think that I am right in saying that they now receive very little dealer support, so the huge investment required to change their fleet would fall on their shoulders. Having said that, how much longer will they be permitted to run the current cars; I'm not sure when their eligibility runs out?

It's five years after they leave UK forecourts isn't it?

It'll be after the new regs come in anyway, which does have me wondering. In one interview Gow said that cars will be able to be carried over, in another he said they'll be quite different. Hmm.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

It's five years after they leave UK forecourts isn't it?

It'll be after the new regs come in anyway, which does have me wondering. In one interview Gow said that cars will be able to be carried over, in another he said they'll be quite different. Hmm.

I would think that it's a combination of the two, the same as when the current cars came into being. So, what we might have is the new cars being considerably different, however, for a period, teams will be permitted to carry on using the then current cars with some type of equivalency introduced to try to keep the two types on par with each other.