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

[redshoes]

Reducing the number of laps gets round the previous issue where the 10th place car could use hybrid on 17 of the 18 laps, but as no-one could use on the first lap it made no difference compared to those behind.

The change in deployment speed means another challenge for the drivers, as depending on results the deployment point could change throughout the weekend. I'm sure most drivers learn to anticipate where hybrid will be available exiting a corner, just as the learn the braking points. You spend all free practice / qualifying anticipating when hybrid will be available, then that point changes forward or backwards depending on what deployment speed you now have.

[antnee]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

As I understand it, the application for races would be someting like (figures are indicative, not absolute - based on a 18 lap race):

That is how I understand it too. Then cars 1-8 get less than 50% laps to use it (on a sliding scale), 9-31 get 50% of laps to use.

It will bring more tactics into play, eg you start low down so use it up early in the race to make up places, but others you have passed are saving for the end, so then try and battle back past in the closing stages.

This year there was often a stalemate when so many cars were using the additional power in the same places - it means the same defense/attack can't be used on every single lap.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by antnee

Then cars 1-8 get less than 50% laps to use it (on a sliding scale), 9-31 get 50% of laps to use.

I think this is the key phrase.

[crmalcolm]

Just one minor update this week - Sam Osborne has talked about being with the team for 2023, so is pencilled in.

2022 TBL	Team	Car	Driver	Status	Jack Sears
EXCELR8-1	Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com	Hyundai i30 Fastback N	Ingram	Confirmed in press release	Inel.
EXCELR8-2	Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com	Hyundai i30 Fastback N	Chilton	Confirmed in press release	Inel.
EXCELR8-3	Excelr8	Hyundai i30 Fastback N	Lloyd?	Talked about being confident of 2023 drive	Inel.
EXCELR8-4	Excelr8	Hyundai i30 Fastback N	???		???
Team Dynamics-1	Halfords/Cataclean?	Civic?	Shedden?	Talked about next year with the team	Inel.
Team Dynamics-2	Halfords/Cataclean?	Civic?	Rowbottom?	Talked about next year with the team	Inel.
Aiden Moffat-1	Laser Tools?	???	Moffat?	Infiniti described as being end of life by the team	Inel.
Aiden Moffat-2	Laser Tools?	???	???	Infiniti described as being end of life by the team	???
Motorbase-1	NAPA Racing	???	Sutton	Confirmed as 3-year deal in press release, talk of new build car	Inel.
Motorbase-2	NAPA Racing	???	Cammish	Confirmed as 3-year deal in press release, talk of new build car	Inel.
Motorbase-3	???	???	Osborne?	Talked about looking forward to next year with the team	Elig.
Motorbase-4
HARD.-1	HARD.	Cupra	Taylor-Smith	Confirmed as multi-year in press release	Inel.
HARD.-2	HARD.	Cupra	Thompson?	Talked about his next year in the car	Inel.
HARD.-3	HARD.	Cupra	Hamilton?	Talked about his next year in the car	Inel.
Speedworks-1	Toyota Gazoo Racing UK?	Corolla?	Butcher?	Talked about wanting another year with the team	Inel.
Speedworks-2
WSR-1
WSR-2
WSR-3	MB Motorsport?	BMW 330e?	Hill?	Talked about being back next year in the same team	Inel.
Ciceley-1
Ciceley-2
PMR-1	PMR	Astra?	Hand	Confirmed as multi-year in press release	Elig.
PMR-2
BTC-1	Rich Energy BTC Racing?	???	???	Reported as considering a new build	???
BTC-2	Rich Energy BTC Racing?	???	???	Reported as considering a new build	???
BTC-3	Rich Energy BTC Racing?	???	???	Reported as considering a new build	???
Boardley-1	???	???	Boardley?	Has described 2022 as a sabbatical	Elig.
Boardley-2
TOCA-1
TOCA-2
TOCA-3
???	Graves Motorsport?	???	Max Coates?	Outlined plans for an entry in 2021	Elig.
???	Parker Motorsport?	Alfa Giulia?	???	Press release states a planned return after hybrid is introduced	???
???	Parker Motorsport?	Alfa Giulia?	???	Press release states a planned return after hybrid is introduced	???
???
???	MB Motorsport	???	???	Talked about a 2-car entry for 2023	???
???	Bert Taylor Racing	???	???	Talked about getting a TBL for 2023	???
???	???	???	Proctor?	Has described 2022 as a sabbatical	Inel.
???	???	???	Smelt?	Has described 2022 as a sabbatical	Elig.
???	Volvo	Kia	T.Harvey	Rumoured in threads every year, has to be true one day	Inel.

[S griffin]

Having a top 10 shootout at 50% of the races is fine. Not so sure about bringing back option tyres though

[AnnoyedMoose]

I think bringing back the option tyre is a good idea. With no ballast if you hit the sweet spot with the car you're pretty much guaranteed two race wins so the option will spice things up a bit. It's an entertainment series after all.

[BobJones]

Croft Circuit coming to PC simulator rFactor 2 this month, the first time it's ever been laser scanned.

Hoping for Thruxton or Oulton next, please.

I make that Brands, Donington, Croft, Silverstone plus the Toyota, Ford, Hyundai, Infiniti and BMW official BTCC content delivered this year - maybe the full grid and calendar by early 2023?

https://traxion.gg/north-yorkshires-...r-2-simulator/

[redshoes]

https://www.btcc.net/2022/11/04/nick...-2023-line-up/

Nick Halstead in Excelr8 Hyundai

[S griffin]

Halstead seemed to go alright in his one off outing a couple of years ago. So it'll be interesting to see him full time in the series

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Halstead seemed to go alright in his one off outing a couple of years ago. So it'll be interesting to see him full time in the series

He has to be one of the early favourites for the Jack Sears surely?

2022 TBL	Team	Car	Driver	Status	Jack Sears
EXCELR8-1	Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com	Hyundai i30 Fastback N	Ingram	Confirmed in press release	Inel.
EXCELR8-2	Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com	Hyundai i30 Fastback N	Chilton	Confirmed in press release	Inel.
EXCELR8-3	Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com	Hyundai i30 Fastback N	Lloyd?	Talked about being confident of 2023 drive	Inel.
EXCELR8-4	Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com	Hyundai i30 Fastback N	Halstead	Confirmed in press release	Elig.
Team Dynamics-1	Halfords/Cataclean?	Civic?	Shedden?	Talked about next year with the team	Inel.
Team Dynamics-2	Halfords/Cataclean?	Civic?	Rowbottom?	Talked about next year with the team	Inel.
Aiden Moffat-1	Laser Tools?	???	Moffat?	Infiniti described as being end of life by the team	Inel.
Aiden Moffat-2	Laser Tools?	???	???	Infiniti described as being end of life by the team	???
Motorbase-1	NAPA Racing	???	Sutton	Confirmed as 3-year deal in press release, talk of new build car	Inel.
Motorbase-2	NAPA Racing	???	Cammish	Confirmed as 3-year deal in press release, talk of new build car	Inel.
Motorbase-3	???	???	Osborne?	Talked about looking forward to next year with the team	Elig.
Motorbase-4
HARD.-1	HARD.	Cupra	Taylor-Smith	Confirmed as multi-year in press release	Inel.
HARD.-2	HARD.	Cupra	Thompson?	Talked about his next year in the car	Inel.
HARD.-3	HARD.	Cupra	Hamilton?	Talked about his next year in the car	Inel.
Speedworks-1	Toyota Gazoo Racing UK?	Corolla?	Butcher?	Talked about wanting another year with the team	Inel.
Speedworks-2
WSR-1
WSR-2
WSR-3	MB Motorsport?	BMW 330e?	Hill?	Talked about being back next year in the same team	Inel.
Ciceley-1
Ciceley-2
PMR-1	PMR	Astra?	Hand	Confirmed as multi-year in press release	Elig.
PMR-2
BTC-1	Rich Energy BTC Racing?	???	???	Reported as considering a new build	???
BTC-2	Rich Energy BTC Racing?	???	???	Reported as considering a new build	???
BTC-3	Rich Energy BTC Racing?	???	???	Reported as considering a new build	???
Boardley-1	???	???	Boardley?	Has described 2022 as a sabbatical	Elig.
Boardley-2
TOCA-1
TOCA-2
TOCA-3
???	Graves Motorsport?	???	Max Coates?	Outlined plans for an entry in 2021	Elig.
???	Parker Motorsport?	Alfa Giulia?	???	Press release states a planned return after hybrid is introduced	???
???	Parker Motorsport?	Alfa Giulia?	???	Press release states a planned return after hybrid is introduced	???
???
???	MB Motorsport	???	???	Talked about a 2-car entry for 2023	???
???	Bert Taylor Racing	???	???	Talked about getting a TBL for 2023	???
???	???	???	Proctor?	Has described 2022 as a sabbatical	Inel.
???	???	???	Smelt?	Has described 2022 as a sabbatical	Elig.
???	Volvo	Kia	T.Harvey	Rumoured in threads every year, has to be true one day	Inel.

[Robin Marriott]

Originally Posted by BobJones

Croft Circuit coming to PC simulator rFactor 2 this month, the first time it's ever been laser scanned.

Hoping for Thruxton or Oulton next, please.

I make that Brands, Donington, Croft, Silverstone plus the Toyota, Ford, Hyundai, Infiniti and BMW official BTCC content delivered this year - maybe the full grid and calendar by early 2023?

https://traxion.gg/north-yorkshires-...r-2-simulator/

They’ve said in some replies on Twitter “We haven’t announced all BTCC tracks, and in fact likely won’t develop them all”

I was hoping they’d build the whole game, including all the tracks and cars in RF2 then port it to console and rebrand it as the BTCC game but it looks like it’ll be half a job.

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Halstead seemed to go alright in his one off outing a couple of years ago. So it'll be interesting to see him full time in the series

Really? He's been a backmarker and crash-magnet in everything he's bought himself a seat in, honestly shocked he would even be a candidate (£££). To be fair he's had a couple of decent runs in British GT this year, though as the Am. Hope to be proved wrong obviously and good luck to him all the same, but expect he'll be 2023's Will Powell or Mark Howard.

That means either Butel or Lloyd out of Excelr8 then.

[SSmith]

Nick Halstead as the 3rd Excelr8 driver was certainly not what I expected!

He was competent on debut at Croft in 2021, not qualifying last and I think not too far off the likes of Hamilton, Butel, and Neate on race pace.

He has definitely improved in GT3 machinery (especially at Spa this year) but his G55 GT4 campaign wasn't great (why he was in G55 Pro I don't know, but even compared to G55 Ams Morris and Duggan he wasn't fast). Him seemingly quitting GT racing is interesting, I wonder what Fox Motorsport will do in British GT going forward?

I'd think he'd be at a comparable level to Butel given the speed of the i30 N and what seems to be a decent pre-season testing plan.

Justina Williams said “Although the BTCC is going to be a different challenge, Nick is someone who has shown he has the drive and desire to achieve his goals, and when you also add in his business acumen, I’m confident that this can be the start of a successful partnership both on and off track during the year ahead.” Seems like he's bringing some £££ to the team to help it going forward, guess they had to finance the building of at least 1 new/upgraded chassis somehow.

I would imagine the 4th Excelr8 seat has a lot of interested parties.

[Robshillito1990]

Originally Posted by Robin Marriott

They’ve said in some replies on Twitter “We haven’t announced all BTCC tracks, and in fact likely won’t develop them all”

I was hoping they’d build the whole game, including all the tracks and cars in RF2 then port it to console and rebrand it as the BTCC game but it looks like it’ll be half a job.

Well Thruxton is going to be added as that's what track the screenshots of the bmw were taken on. So that leaves Oulton Park. Not sure whoever posted that was official to the game as they announced a few months back all cars and tracks would be added due to the game being put back to 2023

[Matt K]

Hardly exciting addition to the grid but such drivers (deep-pocketed) are sadly important/necessary for teams. Hopefully it's not Lloyd who's leaving. Lineup consisting of Tingram, Chilton, Halstead and Butel would be truly underwhelming for such a team. Chilton is a solid mid-pack driver now, Ingram a champion, Halstead will be a backmarker so would be great if Lloyd stayed with the team to somehow bridge the gap between Ingram and the rest of the team and help the team move forward. Be that Lloyd or anyone else who can be in the sharp end of the grid anyway.
I suspect £££ might be an issue for Lloyd, this season was exhausting for him in this regard.