[BTCC] BTCC 2021

[mprmke]

Originally Posted by thetool

Don't understand the interest in him and the chummy nickname he seems to have acquired with fans. He's no where near good enough for this level.

Yes, awful driver. One of the very worst on the grid. Bitterly disappointing that he had to inherit the JST through the misfortune of Thompson, who was the best driver in the JST by a country mile.

[Steel Wheels]

Originally Posted by mprmke

There’s a huge difference between a RWD BTCC car and anything he has raced previously, so there’s nothing to be learned from that.

Anyway, he’s racing a FWD car next season anyway, so that’s all incidental.....

So is he staying at BTC or paid for the second Toyota? Suppose he could pay for a 3rd Dynamic’s car if they had a TBL, but heard Rowbottom had that seat lined up a while back.

[Alfisti]

My brain has now lost the ability to track who is currently being talked about! Have we moved on from Tingram now? The definite definite way to determine if Tingram has a Hyundai is to peek in the glove box for evidence... i.e. a pasty.

As for Ginger a man wearing BTC gear stood in BTC's workshop next to a BTC car and recording videos sounds like a man who will, or is planning/ hoping to be in a BTC car. Hope he is, he impressed me last year.

As for Crees... he's a field filler at best. If his brought in money helps keep a team going then it's just fine by me. I doubt he'll be requiring the services of a cabinet maker anytime ever though.

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

JP. Absolutely yes. Watch the interview I posted a link to a few days back. Then you'll realise the fire for both JP and MN is burning bright.

The Astra was good in 2019 in JPs hands and Rob Austin had a good solid run out this year. That car can run with the FK8's and Focii no problem.

Yes, but the BTCC has moved on a lot in just a year and with 2 x extra BMW's with we believe good drivers, and the Hyundai's will be quicker with more development, etc. How much development are PMR doing on the Astra?

To me looking at the likely grid it looks like despite JP's best efforts he is likely to have at least the below ahead of the Astra on the grid and if the Cupra is good, probably one of those.

5 x BMW's
at least 2 x Focus
2 x Toyota's
2 x Infiniti
3 x FK8
2 x Hyundai's

[AnnoyedMoose]

Originally Posted by Moneyseeker

Yes, but the BTCC has moved on a lot in just a year and with 2 x extra BMW's with we believe good drivers, and the Hyundai's will be quicker with more development, etc. How much development are PMR doing on the Astra?

One of the things they said they were going to do with the extra time they gained through pulling out of the series was to develop the car further. Given that they've only raced one they could even have been doing a total Infiniti style rebuild on the other two shells.

Bottom line is we don't really know but I would be very surprised if they had just stood still and done nothing.

[Overboost]

Originally Posted by Moneyseeker

Yes, but the BTCC has moved on a lot in just a year and with 2 x extra BMW's with we believe good drivers, and the Hyundai's will be quicker with more development, etc. How much development are PMR doing on the Astra?

To me looking at the likely grid it looks like despite JP's best efforts he is likely to have at least the below ahead of the Astra on the grid and if the Cupra is good, probably one of those.

5 x BMW's
at least 2 x Focus
2 x Toyota's
2 x Infiniti
3 x FK8
2 x Hyundai's

It has moved forward just look at the FK2's & Audi that won in 2019, they weren't on the same pace despite the best efforts of some decent peddlers. Hopefully PMR were busy developing Plato's Astra Astra while running the other one and will upgrade it over the winter.

[Steel Wheels]

Originally Posted by Steel Wheels

So is he staying at BTC or paid for the second Toyota? Suppose he could pay for a 3rd Dynamic’s car if they had a TBL, but heard Rowbottom had that seat lined up a while back.

Ignore my post I write it before drinking my coffee this morning, I now realise it was Tingram being reffed to, for some reason I thought it was Sonic!

Couple of drivers not mentioned much are Proctor, who has decent backing & Bobby T, with Excelr8 filling up not sure where they might be heading?

[Matt K]

I also find Crees very annoying and he's nowhere near the level of top guys. Him being at BTC was a bit of a seat waste. Although he fared better than I expected. If he's going elsewhere somehow I can imagine him in the fourth HARD's Cupra but I bet he's aiming higher.

[Millvi]

Looks like a BTC driver announcement at midday today.

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by AnnoyedMoose

One of the things they said they were going to do with the extra time they gained through pulling out of the series was to develop the car further. Given that they've only raced one they could even have been doing a total Infiniti style rebuild on the other two shells.

Bottom line is we don't really know but I would be very surprised if they had just stood still and done nothing.

Probably did very little in reality - development costs money and it would seem there was precious little of that flowing in plus they had a big repair to do . They have done well to weather the covid storm and even turn up in 2021

[BTCC frog]

I think maybe Senna Proctor could replace Tom Chilton at BTC, as it sounds like he is leaving Excelr8, and I think he wants a faster car for next year. I also think maybe Rowbottom could go to PMR as a teammate to Plato.

[WestHam92]

Originally Posted by Matt K

I also find Crees very annoying and he's nowhere near the level of top guys. Him being at BTC was a bit of a seat waste. Although he fared better than I expected. If he's going elsewhere somehow I can imagine him in the fourth HARD's Cupra but I bet he's aiming higher.

"Aiming higher" in the BTCC usually means buying a seat in a car far better than your ability, which is exactly what he'll be doing next season!

[Millvi]

Originally Posted by WestHam92

"Aiming higher" in the BTCC usually means buying a seat in a car far better than your ability, which is exactly what he'll be doing next season!

Cicely!??!

[Pickles]

I'm going to say Crees (with no Y) to stay at BTC, he had the option of a 2nd year. I honestly can't see him fitting in at Ciceley, they will have their pick of drivers wanting into that car.

[tator2001uk]

Lots of drivers from last year not yet sorted....as we all know money talks and that language is difficult this year

So a few predictions for what they worth


WSR - Turks/Oliphant and Jelley - Why would you leave them once there (budget only)?
Cisley - I think Chilton will join Morgan
PMR - I think will be a Rockie driver

Motorbase/Hollamby etc will likely keep same drivers - bar the seemingly Butcher to Toyota (Austin isnt the worst case for them for 1 year to back up Butcher)

Smiley to stay?

Will Thompson, Cook, Hamilton, etc be back?

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by BTCC frog

I also think maybe Rowbottom could go to PMR as a teammate to Plato.

Do we know for sure Plato will be back? I know that they were talking about being back for 2021 but presumably that was on the basis that hospitality would be back. If there's no hospitality in 2021 then surely Plato (and PMR) have the same problem as the season just finished? If the sponsorship relies on the value of the hospitiality and there isn't any - then there's no Plato budget.

[antnee]

Plato is aiming to be back - Im sure given a year out he will have been formulating some plans which don't require hospitality, he is a clever bloke.

[Evantra]

Crees and Cook back at BTC.

Hopefully they'll be back on par with Dynamics and Cook can challenge for the title.

[thetool]

Originally Posted by antnee

Plato is aiming to be back - Im sure given a year out he will have been formulating some plans which don't require hospitality, he is a clever bloke.

Yes he's clever in that he's built a career out of spending other peoples money. Almost impossible to resume doing that until the crowds are back.

[BTCC frog]

I think only announcing Josh Cook and Michael Crees as good as confirms that Chilton is leaving, but I still think a third driver will be signed. It’s great to see Cook back, as I thought he had left BTC.

[Pickles]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Crees and Cook back at BTC.

Hopefully they'll be back on par with Dynamics and Cook can challenge for the title.

No mention of a 3rd driver in their press release though?

[Matt K]

Good for Cook to have some kind of a continuity, hopefully BTC will bounce back from their disappointing 2020 campaign. The announcement, I think, means Chilton is gone but what about a third car? Hopefully it'll be there with a strong driver. Without it, BTC will be kind of a one-car team which wouldn't be really helpful for Cook.

[tator2001uk]

Chilton to Cisley . . . i believe another driver had already signed on the dotted line in pencil


I can see Either Proctor or Rowbottom going to BTC

[S griffin]

Glad Cook is staying, he did well to bounce back from the early season bad luck. Crees did alright last season, sometimes impressive like at Thruxton, so he should be alright

Slightly O/T, a sad end for an ex BTCC support race series:
https://www.autosport.com/national/n...cup-uk-in-2021

[thetool]

Yes the UK is in somewhat of a precarious position with some of it's national level series. Imminent death of the petrol engine + lack of money in sport currently + deciding to implement trade barriers with Europe. Not a good combination.

BTCC will be relatively strong, and series like British GT won't have too many worries either. The national racing picture could be a bit bleak though, particularly the higher-end (Clio Cup, Porsche Carrera Cup, Ginettas, etc).

Not having national car marques like France (Peugeot, Citroen, Renault) or Germany (BMW, VAG, Mercedes) will make that particularly difficult as in times of economising, foreign activities tend to be the first to go (whether it makes commercial sense or not).