Vectra for BTCC? / Astra confirmed (merge)

[redshoes]

Vauxhall confirmed today that they will be using the Astra.

Mike Nicholson - "For 2004 we have committed to carry on with the Astra, but we continue to look at all our options."

[ADnet]

This came today in an email from 888:

09/01/04

VX Racing has today confirmed it will be running the Vauxhall Astra Coupé in its challenge for the 2004 British Touring Car Championship. The team has elected to continue with the Vauxhall Astra Coupé after strong competition from its stable-mate, the Vauxhall Vectra, in recent tests.


The Vauxhall Astra Coupé has dominated the BTCC in recent years, with VX Racing securing the team, manufacturers’ and drivers’ championship for a third consecutive year in 2003. However, the recent comparative tests have lead to wide debate and the eagerly anticipated decision on which model will race in 2004.


Mike Nicholson, Motorsport Manager, Vauxhall Motors, explained: “Both the Vectra and Astra performed extremely well in testing, and it was a difficult decision to make. For 2004 we have committed to carry on with the Astra, but we continue to look at all our options.”


Regular VX Racing drivers, Yvan Muller and James Thompson also return for the 2004 season and will be joined by new recruit, 2003 BTCC Production Class champion, Luke Hines.


Muller is thrilled to be piloting the Astra: “I will be defending my championship in the Astra which means we can begin 2004 where we left off in 2003, so it is good for me and for the team. The Vectra has a lot of potential – perhaps we will see it on the grid in the future.”

[ADnet]

what do you mke of this decision?

[kristof14]

i think we'll see the vectra race in 2005. That way vauxhall can continue to win on track whilst they develop the vectra into a race winner.

[Neil Adams]

I think they'll probably continue to develop the vectra in 04 and race it 05, but they'll be racing an out of date shape astra for half the season which is an odd decision to make.

Alls not lost though if people are worried about them walking away with the championship again, they've been getting less wins year or year (25 in 01) (16 in 02) (11 in 03).

If they do start winning the championship again with ease, the people who couldnt understand why i said Hondas decision to not be a full works effort was daft will begin to see what i was worried about.

In short i dont think there's stiff enough competion for vauxhall in the btcc, however will have to wait and see.

[Hobson]

Mike Nicholson, Motorsport Manager, Vauxhall Motors, explained: “Both the Vectra and Astra performed extremely well in testing, and it was a difficult decision to make. For 2004 we have committed to carry on with the Astra, but we continue to look at all our options.”

Means that Vauxhall have the door open to change to the Vectra when the new Astra comes out?

[BootsOntheSide]

From a racing perspective, they've made the right decision to start the season with the current Astra, especially if the rules allow them to switch to the Vectra mid-season (or even the new Astra; perhaps they'll run some tests with it behind closed doors, bearing in mind that it should be easier to switch some of the racing-specific hardware across to it).

Even if they have to race the old Astra at the end of the season, maybe if the championship is tight and they can't afford to risk reliability issues, it won't be a massive publicity disaster, as long as they continue to perform on track.

[redshoes]

On Autosport there's a couple of quotes from Vauxhall's spokesperson - "The Vectra was part of a far bigger programme because it will be racing in 2004 in Germany.." and "We are going to continue developing the Vectra programme, in partnership with our guys in Europe.."

This seems very odd given that virtually no cross-over between the BTCC and DTM in terms of car development. Perhaps the 'in partnership with Europe' is a reference to an ETCC programme, although that seems unlikely given Opel's recent investment in a new DTM car. To be homest I'm a little surprised Vauxhall didn't go for an ETCC-spec car but I guess the pressures of time meant it was eaiser to take BTC-T components from an Astra and bolt them into a Vectra shell than start from scratch.

[rdjones]

To honest I am not that suprised that they are sticking with the Astra. I think the reason why, is because they wouldn't have had time to develop the car into a race winning package in such a short time. I have feeling that they will continue to develop the car through out the season, and maybe enter it in the last couple of rounds.

[JEMMO]

Originally posted by redshoes
I'm a little surprised Vauxhall didn't go for an ETCC-spec car but I guess the pressures of time meant it was eaiser to take BTC-T components from an Astra and bolt them into a Vectra shell than start from scratch.

Thinking about it, I cant see why any manufacturer would build a new car to BTC Touring spec. Now ETCC regs are allowed manufacturers can spread development costs over two series. Makes me wonder how long it will be before BTC Touring regs are dropped.

[touringlegend]

They're too frightened of the bad press they'd get if the Vectra was a complete flop this year..Vauxhall of course being the class of the field at the moment in the BTCC..

Although the Astra Coupé will be an out of date model, it's probably worth that sacrifice of promoting a new model to continue succesfully.

[ATF]

Originally posted by touringlegend
They're too frightened of the bad press they'd get if the Vectra was a complete flop this year..Vauxhall of course being the class of the field at the moment in the BTCC..

Although the Astra Coupé will be an out of date model, it's probably worth that sacrifice of promoting a new model to continue succesfully.

Don't forget the manufacturers main target for competing in the BTCC is to sell cars. The teams target is to be successful.

So why an old model? Vauxhall won't sell any more Astra Coupes?!

[cos]

Originally posted by ATF
So why an old model? Vauxhall won't sell any more Astra Coupes?!

IMHO they're not specifically promoting Astras anymore - they've rebranded as 'VX Racing' to sell whatever Vauxhall 'sporting' models they like.

[kmchow]

Originally posted by ADnet
what do you make of this decision?

Simple. They took the easy way out. By racing the Astra, Vauxhall can perhaps be the first team/manufacturer to win 4 straight championships? Never mind the fact they never really had much competition these past few years. OTOH, can you blame them? Why struggle when you can cruise to another easy championship?

Hmmm, do I sound too harsh on Vauxhall??

[kmchow]

Originally posted by btcc-thunder
I think they'll probably continue to develop the vectra in 04 and race it 05, but they'll be racing an out of date shape astra for half the season which is an odd decision to make.

And the rules don't allow for a mid term veh change? Otherwise, could we see a mid season change to the Vectra?

Will the Astras be brand new '04 cars or updated '03s? Have all the '03s been sold?

[GTRMagic]

Arent the Astra '03 cars '02 cars with updates?

Is this a somewhat arrogant response, suggesting the Astra will do, and not build new cars, while the rest of the field is struggling to keep up??

[Craig]

I don't think it's arrogant, I think it's sensible. They want/have to run the Vectras but they realise they're not going to be competitive without a fair bit of testing and development which is not possible once the season has started due to the ban on testing. Therefore carry on running the Astra for 04 whilst testing and developing the new car in private.

Ref the cars they ran this year, I believe Thompsons car was the ex Plato and Thompson chanpionship winning car, Mullers was one of last seasons test cars and O'Neills was new for this season (yes, I'm sad, I asked!)

[Craig]

And the rules don't allow for a mid term veh change? Otherwise, could we see a mid season change to the Vectra?

From memory any mid-season change requires special dispensation from the championship organisers. However I cannot see any reason that this would be anything more than a formality if this is something that the team wanted to do. However, for the reasons stated above, the only way I could see them wanting to change mid-season would be if they were comprehensively beaten and they had no chance of picking up either title with three meetings to go. And that is just not going to happen!

[GTRMagic]

I still find this quite odd. That a team is allowed to construct and develop a new car privately just because they arent running it in the BTCC proper, witha view to shortcutting the development timeline.

If 888 are so confident they are a champion team, you would have thought they would relish the challenge of a new car, rather than running 3 season old things....

[Jonny Apex]

The decision is not Triple Eight's - it's ultimately Vauxhall's. They fund the programme, after all.

I don't know what all the fuss is about. Vauxhall and Triple Eight kind of know what they're doing and surely have good reason behind their decisions. They know the facts; we conspiracy theorists don't.

[Craig]

If 888 are so confident they are a champion team, you would have thought they would relish the challenge of a new car, rather than running 3 season old things....

'Champion teams' don't go for the biggest challenges generally, they go for what is going to win them another championship. Triple Eight obviously believe that they stand the best chance of doing that by running the Astras again.

Some might say that continuing to wring the neck of a '3 year old thing' and develop a new car for the following season might be more of a challenge anyway - let's hope so - the thing that used to attract me to the series was never knowing who would win - the series has lost a little of that since the Astra has been around.

[Navigator]

In testing, the Vectra buried the Astra on cornering, but the Astra was quicker down the straights. On balance, the Astra is still the quicker package - and promises to be even quicker in 2004 .....

[coxmattycox]

hmm, its easier to get a better engine than cornering surely?

[touringlegend]

The Vectra is a far larger car so obviously the balance is better on it as the wheelbase and width are larger than the Astra Coupés.