BTCC 2012 rumour mill

[Tim Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

That was for South Africa wasn't it? Funnily enough I was watching a race from 1995 in the SATCC and a Vento popped up at the back.

Italy, '93. Rinaldo Capello and Beppe Gabbiani.

[FIRE]

With VW moving to WRC I think a BTCC entry is unlikely.

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by FIRE

With VW moving to WRC I think a BTCC entry is unlikely.

Any VW entry would be funded by VW UK though, it wouldn't or shouldn't affect the WRC programme. If they did it like the works cars in the BTCC at the moment, who let's be honest, not as much manufacturer support as you'd think, then it would be possible.

[auroan]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

So TD will be building a full NGTC car for the BTCC and a new S2000 car for the WTCC based off the 2012 Civic? Sounds like a lot of work.

Who's to say it's TD who would be involved in the WTCC. I would have thought it would be more likely be JAS motorsport, who have experience of it.

[Craner Curves]

But have JAS really produced a decent Honda touring car? Not really. Mind you the funding's never been there to help develop it.

[Andrew Abbott]

Originally Posted by auroan

Who's to say it's TD who would be involved in the WTCC. I would have thought it would be more likely be JAS motorsport, who have experience of it.

Because it is Team Dynamics who have said that they are pursuing this:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/93719

[gregc]

TD have already announced that they will be building a car for evaluation purposes with a view to entering WTCC in 2013 - http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/93719

edit - snap...

[Alfa Fan]

What they really mean is they already have a S2000 Civic and their engine partner NBE is going to build a 1.6T engine so that teams can run it in the WTCC if they want!

[DS"]

Originally Posted by FIRE

With VW moving to WRC I think a BTCC entry is unlikely.

Isn't VW supportive of NGTC (In Scandinavia)? So let's say VW UK decides to build a NGTC-spec car, races it in BTCC and then sells/leases it to VW Sweden to let them race it there. On the other hand, how important are the UK and Scandinavia as markets to VW?

[jimothy84]

Nope, the Scirocco's in the STCC are s2000 spec, running biogas turbo engines. They first entered with endurance Scirocco's running ballast.

[Craner Curves]

I think the poster means they haven't said anything about the TTA series, so seem to be supportive of the STCC, which means the NGTC rules eventually.

[FIRE]

Or have no interest in STCC or TTA when the contract runs out.

[touringlegend]

Or a bit like Chevy with the STCC, they support it as it provides a few more years use from their current machinery.

[DS"]

Originally Posted by touringlegend

Or a bit like Chevy with the STCC, they support it as it provides a few more years use from their current machinery.

In VW's case, this makes actually sense to run their Sciroccos until 2013, because they have a turbo after all.

Still, I'd love to see a NGTC Jetta.

[FIRE]

Well we can talk about VW's interests but isn't the Scirocco project almost totally depending on Biogas? There isn't much VW branding on the car.

[davidjones]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

I think the poster means they haven't said anything about the TTA series, so seem to be supportive of the STCC, which means the NGTC rules eventually.

I think the VW Biogas team was originally part of the TTA, however, left around the time that Solution F was first proposed, although I could be wrong on that.

[Alfa Fan]

Today's Autosport reports RML will be back in 2012.

Also both them and Techspeed are to fit turbo NGTC engines.

They also report that WSR will have a turbo-powered car, meaning that Chris James, if he returns, will be the only NA entry.

[Craner Curves]

I'm assuming RML will build their own powerplants because they have the capacity to do so, plus the Toca unit has been pretty rubbish since the boost restrictions happened.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

I'm assuming RML will build their own powerplants because they have the capacity to do so, plus the Toca unit has been pretty rubbish since the boost restrictions happened.

It seems like RML already had this in mind when they developed their WTCC engine...

'In 2011 RML Engines debuted the new RML Chevrolet FIA Appendix engine, a 1.6 litre Direct Injection turbo engine [...] The turbo engine concept and castings are designed for capacities between 1.6 and 2 litres'

If not, what other series do they intend to use a 2L Turbo engine in?

[auroan]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

It seems like RML already had this in mind when they developed their WTCC engine...

'In 2011 RML Engines debuted the new RML Chevrolet FIA Appendix engine, a 1.6 litre Direct Injection turbo engine [...] The turbo engine concept and castings are designed for capacities between 1.6 and 2 litres'

If not, what other series do they intend to use a 2L Turbo engine in?

The only problem I see is that the RML 1.6T engine is quite a bit far removed from the NGTC regs. It's not just stock turbo and engine management that the NGTC reg engines must run.... but it's also certain internal etc have to be from road car engines.

The RML 1.6T engine sways a lot more to the prototype race engine than to a modified road one.

[c8nay]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

I'm assuming RML will build their own powerplants because they have the capacity to do so, plus the Toca unit has been pretty rubbish since the boost restrictions happened.

They would have a good customer base already with Tech-Speed, Chevrolet Sweden (must be looking at a turbo engine now that they know the biogas cars will be back) and I presume the Lacettis will be allowed to run the unit so Chris James and maybe even Bamboo (if they find some drivers with budget) could be interested if it makes the lacetti a decent mid grid car again.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by auroan

The only problem I see is that the RML 1.6T engine is quite a bit far removed from the NGTC regs. It's not just stock turbo and engine management that the NGTC reg engines must run.... but it's also certain internal etc have to be from road car engines.

I understood that the engine had to be from the manufacturer's broad 'family', would this engine meet the criteria.

The official NGTC release seems to suggest that it is just externals that are mandated. I know it's simpifying things, but I 'm sure RML's engine would need little work to meet NGTC regs if it's already designed to 2L.

Throw it in the Lacetti, and we can forget the parity issue as soon as next season.

[Craner Curves]

Haha, what about the full NGTC v S2000-NGTC parity! < /cynic mode >

[gregc]

Beat me to it - given that some of the teams have already been heard complaining that the NGTC cars are too quick...

[medius]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Throw it in the Lacetti, and we can forget the parity issue as soon as next season.

If only, I bet it'll be about the NGTC cars having bigger wheels/brakes than the S2000/NGTC hybrids.

Anyway.....

Driver	Team	Car	Engine	Status
Matt Neal	Honda Racing (Team Dynamics)	Honda Civic NGTC	NGTC Neil Brown	confirmed
Gordon Shedden	Honda Racing (Team Dynamics)	Honda Civic NGTC	NGTC Neil Brown	confirmed
Jason Plato	Silverline (RML)	Chevrolet Cruze S2000	NGTC (?)	probable
Alex MacDowell?	Silverline (RML)	Chevrolet Cruze S2000	NGTC (?)	probable
Paul O'Neill?	GoMobile (Techspeed)	Chevrolet Cruze S2000	NGTC (?)	probable
John George?	GoMobile (Techspeed)	Chevrolet Cruze S2000	NGTC (?)	probable
Andrew Jordan?	Eurotech	Vauxhall Vectra S2000	NGTC Swindon	probable
Jeff Smith?	Eurotech	Vauxhall Vectra S2000	NGTC Swindon	probable
James Nash?	Triple 8	TBA	TBA	probable
TBA	Triple 8	TBA	TBA	probable
Tom Chilton?	Team Aon (Arena Motorsport)	Ford Focus S2000	NGTC Mountune	likely
Ton Onslow-Cole?	Team Aon (Arena Motorsport)	Ford Focus S2000	NGTC Mountune	likely
Andy Neate?	Team Aon (Arena Motorsport)	Ford Focus S2000	NGTC Mountune	likely
Mat Jackson	Airwaves Racing (Motorbase)	Ford Focus S2000	NGTC Mountune	likely
TBA	Airwaves Racing (Motorbase)	Ford Focus S2000	NGTC Mountune	likely
TBA	Airwaves Racing (Motorbase)	Ford Focus S2000	NGTC Mountune	possible
Rob Collard?	eBay Motors (WSR)	BMW 320si S2000	NGTC Swindon?	probable
TBA	eBay Motors (WSR)	BMW 320si S2000	NGTC Swindon?	probable
Tony Gilham?	Geoff Steel Racing	BMW 320si S2000	NGTC Swindon	possible
TBA	Geoff Steel Racing	BMW 320si S2000	NGTC Swindon	possible
(Martin Byford? Jake Hill?)	AmD/Milltek Racing	Volkswagen Golf S2000	NGTC Lehmann	likely
Tony Hughes	Speedworks Motorsport	Toyota Avensis NGTC	NGTC Swindon	likely
Rob Austin	Rob Austin Racing	Audi A4 NGTC	NGTC Lehmann	likely
Chris Swanick?	Rob Austin Racing	Audi A4 NGTC	NGTC Lehmann	probable
Frank Wrathall Jr	Dynojet	Toyota Avensis NGTC	NGTC X-CTech-R	likely
Tom Boardman	Special Tuning Racing	SEAT Leon S2000	NGTC Lehmann	confirmed
Dave Newsham?	Special Tuning Racing	SEAT Leon S2000	NGTC Lehmann	probable
TBA	Special Tuning Racing	SEAT Leon S2000	NGTC Lehmann	possible
Dan Welch	Marriott (Welch Motorsport)	Proton Gen 2 NGTC	NGTC Swindon	likely
Matt Hamilton	TH Motorsport	Skoda Octavia NGTC	NGTC Lehmann	confirmed
TBA	Thorney Motorsport	Vauxhall Insignia NGTC	NGTC Neil Brown	confirmed
Ginetta Supercup Champion	TBA	TBA	TBA	confirmed

First table for 2012, in order of likeliness:

Confirmed = Confirmed by team on news sites
Likely = Everything in place, just waiting on confirmation
Probable = Unless radical things happen, it should happen
Possible = Depends on funding and sponsors, but something has been said publicly