[BTCC] BTCC 2020 season discussion, News and Rumours!

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by 3marinadrive

100% not Osborne or Hill....

Really hope it's not Cook, not sure he's ever had the best of budgets. Don't think we need to worry about Chilton!

[B0U170NS]

Originally Posted by medius

I'm hearing a honda seat is shortly going to become vacant.

It will surely be Crees. Btc racing did a video with all 3 drivers at the start of lock down and Crees said he had already lost a sponsor or 2.

[S griffin]

That could put BTC Racing’s position under question too

[porsche962fan]

maybe leaves room for some deal with Dynamics to get Shedden in ?

as Matt Neal did directly say that they tried to enter Shedden in 3rd car but couldn't get hold of TBL

[AnnoyedMoose]

Originally Posted by Moneyseeker

I've not seen a any government guidance that allows spectators at sports events, the most relevant current guidance on this refers to elite sports, but the points are similar for sports events in general.

https://www.gov.uk/government/public...ition-guidance

Domestic Competition: No Spectators: Domestic sporting competition exclusively involving Elite Athletes, hosted within the UK, where no cross-border travel (from outside the UK & Ireland) is required for the Competition to take place. Access to the Competition will be restricted to individuals with essential functional roles.

Looks like a unilateral decision from MSV this is not the latest government guidance, that I have seen anywhere.

The key is the wording they've used "day visitors". That is the same term used to describe people visiting zoos, theme parks, gardens etc. They can't access the paddock or pits so they're basically visiting the grounds and there happens to be a motor race on at the same time...

[Adamcas87]

Just putting it out there what about Shedden to replace Jordan?

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by AnnoyedMoose

The key is the wording they've used "day visitors". That is the same term used to describe people visiting zoos, theme parks, gardens etc. They can't access the paddock or pits so they're basically visiting the grounds and there happens to be a motor race on at the same time...

But what if I want a selfie with Michael "Creesy" Crees? 😔

[Matt K]

Originally Posted by Adamcas87

Just putting it out there what about Shedden to replace Jordan?

I'd love to see it happen but I think it's far from realistic

[RS67]

Originally Posted by AnnoyedMoose

The key is the wording they've used "day visitors". That is the same term used to describe people visiting zoos, theme parks, gardens etc. They can't access the paddock or pits so they're basically visiting the grounds and there happens to be a motor race on at the same time...

It would also mean no camping. Take away camping and you have reduced the number of people being able to go and it reduces the number of people travelling greater distances to get there.

[bella]

Originally Posted by AnnoyedMoose

The key is the wording they've used "day visitors". That is the same term used to describe people visiting zoos, theme parks, gardens etc. They can't access the paddock or pits so they're basically visiting the grounds and there happens to be a motor race on at the same time...

christ we’re the animals in the zoo

in all seriousness i’m not happy about this from a personal perspective. but i AM happy that people get to see and hear racing cars again. it’s even more awesome than it was pre-lockdown

i just hope people behave themselves and understand that a significant part of continuing to be able to attend motor racing involves there being no clusters of cases that can be traced to a circuit. that goes for us in the paddock and people in the spectator areas.

[S griffin]

We’ve still got a month to go. We’ll see what guidelines are in place by then.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

so a top driver like Jordan is gone and a really dangerous one like Neate stays, what a terrible world

I didn't realise Neate was connected to WSR/Jordan?

Only in a BTCC thread can the news about one driver's withdrawal be turned into a driver-bashing of someone totally unrelated to the announcement.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Only in a BTCC thread can the news about one driver's withdrawal be turned into a driver-bashing of someone totally unrelated to the announcement.

This has been a very long off season - people ran out of actual stuff to talk about months ago

But I think that post is just another reflection of the age old problem with motorsport - a lot of the time money trumps talent in who gets a seat.

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

This has been a very long off season - people ran out of actual stuff to talk about months ago

But I think that post is just another reflection of the age old problem with motorsport - a lot of the time money trumps talent in who gets a seat.

And that problem is likely to get higher in these tough times. Quite a few teams will probably have to rely on paying drivers to stay afloat

[thetool]

Originally Posted by S griffin

And that problem is likely to get higher in these tough times. Quite a few teams will probably have to rely on paying drivers to stay afloat

One way or another pretty much every driver on the grid the last 20 years has paid for their seat.

[medius]

Originally Posted by Matt K

I'd love to see it happen but I think it's far from realistic

Agreed, most likely is Gow waiving the TBL fulfillment criteria this year and the chassis is parked for the duration of 2020 as a spare if needed.

Then if the world economic situation doesn't improve WSR or whoever else can enter a reduced number of cars in '21 and Gow gets his long held ambition of a reduced grid. This may be something he moves toward sooner or later instead of ''natural losses'' with likely paddock social distancing in the coming months/years. He wanted 26 cars but with all the hospitality gubbins, a 20 car grid is more realistic.

[RS67]

Originally Posted by medius

Agreed, most likely is Gow waiving the TBL fulfillment criteria this year and the chassis is parked for the duration of 2020 as a spare if needed.

Then if the world economic situation doesn't improve WSR or whoever else can enter a reduced number of cars in '21 and Gow gets his long held ambition of a reduced grid. This may be something he moves toward sooner or later instead of ''natural losses'' with likely paddock social distancing in the coming months/years. He wanted 26 cars but with all the hospitality gubbins, a 20 car grid is more realistic.

Only danger of a 20 car grid is that there will be less common parts needed by the teams. The fewer parts required will push up the unit costs for the teams remaining.

[Daverb]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

I didn't realise Neate was connected to WSR/Jordan?

Only in a BTCC thread can the news about one driver's withdrawal be turned into a driver-bashing of someone totally unrelated to the announcement.

I thought it was a very good point. It's been used lots of times before like with Pinkney, Chris James etc... but still valid.


In a fair world maybe Jordan would still be in the BTCC and other drivers might not but sometimes money is needed not talent.

[S griffin]

Money is a necessary evil, but as long as a higher percentage of the grid is still top class drivers, it shouldn’t be a problem. Still hate seeing the grid depleted though

Btw I wouldn’t put Pinkney amongst Chris James and Neate. He at least added to the series and it was always good to see him punch above his weight

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Daverb

I thought it was a very good point. It's been used lots of times before like with Pinkney, Chris James etc... but still valid.


In a fair world maybe Jordan would still be in the BTCC and other drivers might not but sometimes money is needed not talent.

It's possible to comment on a perceived injustice of money vs talent without referring to a particular driver just to insult them.....

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

It's possible to comment on a perceived injustice of money vs talent without referring to a particular driver just to insult them.....

is there any worse driver than Neate on the current grid ?

[bella]

don’t think we need to try and debate worst driver on the grid. no good can come of that.

[GT6]

what ever you personally think about a driver, best to remember it is only your opinion and that that only one driver on the grid is likely the best driver there. Many of the others are there to learn, get experience, support the lead driver in the team, provide cash/sponsorship to run the team. Without the drivers finishing in positions other than first there would be no racing. We all like racing and a variety of drivers with different skills and levels of talent, that is what makes BTCC fun. If you hate racing watch F1 not BTCC, sorry that is just my opinion.

[Spanner monkey]

Originally Posted by S griffin

We’ve still got a month to go. We’ll see what guidelines are in place by then.

Back in lockdown by then with all the morons having Raves/Days at the beach and non social distancing on marches...

[andy97]

Originally Posted by GT6

what ever you personally think about a driver, best to remember it is only your opinion and that that only one driver on the grid is likely the best driver there. Many of the others are there to learn, get experience, support the lead driver in the team, provide cash/sponsorship to run the team. Without the drivers finishing in positions other than first there would be no racing. We all like racing and a variety of drivers with different skills and levels of talent, that is what makes BTCC fun. If you hate racing watch F1 not BTCC, sorry that is just my opinion.

And it seems really easy to criticise without any evidence that the person commenting has ever been a racer themselves!