[BTCC] rounds 7,8,9 Thruxton 2016

[skells22]

next weekend time for the BTCC to hit the fastest UK track and that means only one thing, no soft tyre allowed for this 3 races

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Dan Lloyd will be making his debut for Eurotech too, should be good to see.

[skells22]

thank you for reminder of that, back up to 32 drivers

[porsche962fan]

did Matt Neal have a magic potion to get his winning mojo back ??

near front row with full ballast !!!!! and he did outperform Shedden after a long time


expect Ingram to mess it up again in Race 2...

and Moffat 2nd , this might be a podium for him !!

[S griffin]

Matt Neal has always had it in him, even if if he has underperformed in the past

Great effort by Tingram, let's hope he learns some better racecraft this time and gets three results tomorrow. Also well done Moffat, not beyond the realms of possibility he can win a race tomorrow. And both Smiths are up there again. And Colin once again is the lead Scooby

[porsche962fan]

all Scoobys withdrawn

looks like Aron Smith is far better off in the old VW Passat

[Sodemo]

I'm sure Subaru are less than impressed. Nevertheless, if the cars aren't safe, then its the only course.

[skells22]

how many cars are we now for race 1?

at least the team has a whole month before next round

[Ry44]

Originally Posted by skells22

how many cars are we now for race 1?

at least the team has a whole month before next round

More to then point how many for race 2 with the small ish turnaround time after this incident

[porsche962fan]

you fancy Subaru doing an Infiniti ?

[maximus]

Stupid move by Matt Neal at the final chicane in Race 1! Nothing he could do about the puncture but you can't just torpedo in to cars because you need the pitlane, taken out his team mate with that one.

[skells22]

erm, if pit is blocked there no way Matt neal could get in. ps does that tick a box for me or two as that counts as a pile up & a red flag?

[maximus]

Originally Posted by skells22

erm, if pit is blocked there no way Matt neal could get in. ps does that tick a box for me or two as that counts as a pile up & a red flag?

Er, that was my point? He can't help having a puncture but his actions after that were stupid, especially as a driver of his experience.

[Mark0994]

Agree. BTCC have very low driver behaviour.

[porsche962fan]

first 8 laps were awesome, then the tyre started to puncture


Neal should have parked and wait for the train to go by but in the heat of the moment it's hard to react right, at least he did get 1 point for leading a lap

and well done to Dan Welch, finished 8th !!!!

[850Estate]

Poor move from Neal to try and get into the pitlane with a whole 'gaggle' (copyright Charlie Cox, 1998) of cars behind him, I know it's difficult to react in that situation, but he should've pulled to the left and prevented starting that pile up.

That was, for 8 laps at least, one of the best BTCC races at Thruxton I've seen for a long time. Then the tyres started to go and it became a matter of luck.

Not a good start to the weekend for Dunlop.

[Sodemo]

My guess is that they will limit the laps to 14 for the last two races.

The only thing Dunlop and TOCA can do is place camber and psi limits if it's going to a major issue.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

I don't see why the other drivers couldn't use their heads and realise Neal would obviously go for the pit lane and simply go around him. Neal didn't act very sensibly, but he wasn't cutting anyone up as such, and a bit of common sense wouldn't have gone amiss from all involved.

One of the best races I've ever seen in touring cars, typically, had to end in one of the most ridiculous accidents I've ever witnessed. Cook's car especially was a mess, I'm sure at least 3 corners were mangled in that crash.

Bring on race 2...

[Mark0994]

Are there some rules in BTCC with cutting corners (Moffat cutting first just to get back on his position)? I mean in other series i see drivers cut only if there are runoff are (Like on Spa Les Combes) but never cut through grass.

[tux]

Originally Posted by Mark0994

Are there some rules in BTCC with cutting corners (Moffat cutting first just to get back on his position)? I mean in other series i see drivers cut only if there are runoff are (Like on Spa Les Combes) but never cut through grass.

He had a puncture.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Originally Posted by Mark0994

Are there some rules in BTCC with cutting corners (Moffat cutting first just to get back on his position)? I mean in other series i see drivers cut only if there are runoff are (Like on Spa Les Combes) but never cut through grass.

I'm pretty sure there are, and Moffat had a puncture so couldn't do too much about it.

[maximus]

Apparently all the drivers caught up in Neil's stupidity are "halfwits". Right Matt. Seriously park him for the next race if he is able to start it.

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

I don't see why the other drivers couldn't use their heads and realise Neal would obviously go for the pit lane and simply go around him. Neal didn't act very sensibly, but he wasn't cutting anyone up as such, and a bit of common sense wouldn't have gone amiss from all involved.

How could they have gone around him? They had nowhere to go!

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Originally Posted by maximus

How could they have gone around him? They had nowhere to go!

Yeah...

...you can go around him to the outside instead of dive up his inside in an ever-closing gap. Other drivers were perfectly capable of that, for example, Gordon Shedden, who was promptly taken out as a result of brain failures from a couple of drivers in the field.

[maximus]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

Yeah...

...you can go around him to the outside instead of dive up his inside in an ever-closing gap. Other drivers were perfectly capable of that, for example, Gordon Shedden, who was promptly taken out as a result of brain failures from a couple of drivers in the field.

Oh right, so you exit a chicane side by side with someone only to be faced with a slow car in the middle of the track and you are supposed to just slam on the brakes with other cars around you and dive to the outside? Alright then.

The only one with a brain failure was Matt Neal.

[thlbtcc]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

Yeah...

...you can go around him to the outside instead of dive up his inside in an ever-closing gap. Other drivers were perfectly capable of that, for example, Gordon Shedden, who was promptly taken out as a result of brain failures from a couple of drivers in the field.

Easy to say from the generous camera angle we are treated to. Think about it from being behind Neal. A front left puncture is blind, it may have even looked like he simply outbraked himself into the chicane.

Note how when Neal got slow exits from that corner earlier in the race, the locigal place to put your car if you have a 'run' is to the right so you have the inside line for T1. It happened several times in the race and is the known overtake line at this track.

So, the question is, assuming you are unaware of a puncture, maybe you are 2 cars back like Cook, why in earth would you go to the left? Those who did only did so in avoidance of an already happening accident.