[BTCC] BTCC 2023 season discussion, News and Rumours!

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

With 6 BMW's having being built. Is chassis #1 retired again?
With #1 replacing #6 damaged at Oulton for the second half of the year, does that mean that there is a possibility that #6 hasn't been/won't be fully repaired?

#6 has been repaired. I don't know what has happed to #1 but assume it will be re-retired.

[antnee]

Originally Posted by SSmith

Further to this - Marcus Simmons at Autosport has suggested WSRs 2023 line-up will be Turkington, Jelley, Hill, and Morgan. According to Simmons, Gamble is in discussions with FWD and RWD teams for the 2023 season.

Gamble with RWD teams.... The only other RWD team this year was Laser Tools, who are looking for new cars and we know Motorbase are considering RWD options but their 4 drivers are not expected to change. Are there more teams making the switch? BTC and PMR are the only ones I can think of

[S griffin]

Can see Morgan at WSR, they like giving drivers a chance.

[Jiiiiiiim]

Originally Posted by antnee

Gamble with RWD teams.... The only other RWD team this year was Laser Tools, who are looking for new cars and we know Motorbase are considering RWD options but their 4 drivers are not expected to change. Are there more teams making the switch? BTC and PMR are the only ones I can think of

Depends if Ciceley have sold on their 2nd BMW, it could already be with an existing team!?!?

[porsche962fan]

they like drivers with lot of £££

[coffinpilot]

Not sure if this is the right place to post or ask. But is there anything other than Autosport/Motorsport News magazines and Touring Car Times/Touring Cars Net websites to get BTCC coverage. I mean more than just news and race reports?

I did like the Inside BTCC stuff, and way back when the Super Touring mag was out in the 90s.
Just puzzles me that a championship that has a TV audience, I was told around 300,000 a race, (would love to know if it’s accurate) and big crowd gets less features in Autosport than some other stuff. I mean, in the UK surely BTCC has a bigger following than DTM or WEC (when it isn’t Le Mans.) I know F1 is the main thing for Autosport, but you’d think they’d try and pull in some more readers.

If there is another thread for a question like this where would I go - don’t want to hijack off-topic.

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

Not sure if this is the right place to post or ask. But is there anything other than Autosport/Motorsport News magazines and Touring Car Times/Touring Cars Net websites to get BTCC coverage. I mean more than just news and race reports?

I did like the Inside BTCC stuff, and way back when the Super Touring mag was out in the 90s.
Just puzzles me that a championship that has a TV audience, I was told around 300,000 a race, (would love to know if it’s accurate) and big crowd gets less features in Autosport than some other stuff. I mean, in the UK surely BTCC has a bigger following than DTM or WEC (when it isn’t Le Mans.) I know F1 is the main thing for Autosport, but you’d think they’d try and pull in some more readers.

If there is another thread for a question like this where would I go - don’t want to hijack off-topic.

F1 is about F1 - that's it

[Matt K]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

Not sure if this is the right place to post or ask. But is there anything other than Autosport/Motorsport News magazines and Touring Car Times/Touring Cars Net websites to get BTCC coverage. I mean more than just news and race reports?

I did like the Inside BTCC stuff, and way back when the Super Touring mag was out in the 90s.
Just puzzles me that a championship that has a TV audience, I was told around 300,000 a race, (would love to know if it’s accurate) and big crowd gets less features in Autosport than some other stuff. I mean, in the UK surely BTCC has a bigger following than DTM or WEC (when it isn’t Le Mans.) I know F1 is the main thing for Autosport, but you’d think they’d try and pull in some more readers.

If there is another thread for a question like this where would I go - don’t want to hijack off-topic.

Actually that's a good question, BTCC seems to have very little coverage and to be fair, quite often this forum is the best source of information because the likes of Autosport, Touring Car Times etc usually just put news with some official statements from teams/drivers/Alan Gow and that's just it.

[Inside BTCC]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

Not sure if this is the right place to post or ask. But is there anything other than Autosport/Motorsport News magazines and Touring Car Times/Touring Cars Net websites to get BTCC coverage. I mean more than just news and race reports?

I did like the Inside BTCC stuff, and way back when the Super Touring mag was out in the 90s.
Just puzzles me that a championship that has a TV audience, I was told around 300,000 a race, (would love to know if it’s accurate) and big crowd gets less features in Autosport than some other stuff. I mean, in the UK surely BTCC has a bigger following than DTM or WEC (when it isn’t Le Mans.) I know F1 is the main thing for Autosport, but you’d think they’d try and pull in some more readers.

If there is another thread for a question like this where would I go - don’t want to hijack off-topic.

We're still here, even if the eMag isn't. Currently no plans to make the website into another news site like TcT or TouringCars.net but if there are any suggestions you want to make beyond all the stats then feel free to go for it...

[Pickles]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

they like drivers with lot of £££

Every team does

[Pickles]

Originally Posted by antnee

The only other RWD team this year was Laser Tools, who are looking for new cars

Are they?

[SSmith]

Originally Posted by Pickles

Are they?

It was hinted at the end of this season from the likes of Parfitt and ITV Sport that the Infinitis would be retired after Brands GP.

Even if they were just being speculative, given the lack of success they had this year I think another car must be worth considering. Moffat and Patterson 'tested' (at a Team HARD trackday thing) the CUPRA last month.

[Pickles]

Originally Posted by SSmith

It was hinted at the end of this season from the likes of Parfitt and ITV Sport that the Infinitis would be retired after Brands GP.

Even if they were just being speculative, given the lack of success they had this year I think another car must be worth considering. Moffat and Patterson 'tested' (at a Team HARD trackday thing) the CUPRA last month.

They did indeed. Moffat at the hot lap day and then both of them at a seperate test.

[antnee]

Team Hard to have a 'btcc announcement' on Friday

[coffinpilot]

Originally Posted by Inside BTCC

We're still here, even if the eMag isn't. Currently no plans to make the website into another news site like TcT or TouringCars.net but if there are any suggestions you want to make beyond all the stats then feel free to go for it...

Love the stats, keep 'em coming!! I'm just interested in the tech, people, stories and that. Just think the BTCC needs lifting, as a championship it seems a bit 'Bernie' in believing TV is everything, but ITV do great features, wish they did a preview/review mag like the BBC used to.


But I did have some breakthroughs. Joined Readly (Autosport/Motorsport News are on there cheaper than buying copies) and found Racecar Engineering magazine - have to admit that a lot of it is above me, but there's some good explainers on Hybrid - BTCC popping up i Octane and AUtocar (some good some bad.)
Also found a mag called Motor Racing UK - they sent over some PDFs of old issues - lots of massive interviews with drivers and some good stuff on UK racing, never heard of it before now.

Still, can always go back to the race programs.

[Pdh]

Morgan joins WSR

[Sunbeam347]

So is it (likely) 4x drivers at WSR or is someone making way?

[Mike Harte]

Good luck to the guy, but with, if they are retained for next year, 2 other proven race winners, surely it follows that the drivers will be competing against each other and therefore possibly diluting the individual driver's championship points tally.

[Jon411]

Originally Posted by Sunbeam347

So is it (likely) 4x drivers at WSR or is someone making way?

According to the Autosport article, WSR have purchased one of the Ciceley TBLs and both of the cars but has said they are not interested in running a 5th no matter who gives them a call.

Dick has asked Motorbase if they fancied the 5th BMW for Ash (I think that was a bit tongue in cheek somehow)

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by Jon411

According to the Autosport article, WSR have purchased one of the Ciceley TBLs and both of the cars but has said they are not interested in running a 5th no matter who gives them a call.

Dick has asked Motorbase if they fancied the 5th BMW for Ash (I think that was a bit tongue in cheek somehow)

With Turkington, Hill and Jelley all likely to remain.

[stuart thompson]

So are we looking at 2xWSR and 2x MB?

[Pickles]

Originally Posted by stuart thompson

So are we looking at 2xWSR and 2x MB?

3 x WSR and 1 x MB I believe

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by Pickles

3 x WSR and 1 x MB I believe

So 2x Team BMW, 1x Ciceley Commercials and 1x MB?

[Jiiiiiiim]

Originally Posted by Pickles

3 x WSR and 1 x MB I believe

[crmalcolm]

One other detail I noticed in the article is the sentence 'Morgan will [be] making his Manufacturers/Constructors debut'

This confirms the category in which WSR will enter, and strongly suggests that at least two cars are likely to be 'Team BMW'.