[BTCC] BTCC 2022 season discussion, News and Rumours!

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

The brand that were not as succesful (IMO) were the 3 non-Ginsters cars, the Blue Square partners and the HARD.

2 of the 3 non-Ginsters cars don't really have a single big primary sponsor, instead they are mostly a stickerbomb of smaller logos. Not really surprising that they don't stand out.

One of the bigger sponsors of those cars is a company that sell bulk quantities of steel. It doesn't really matter if Average Joe in the grandstand can't make out the logo; it's not aimed at him, it's aimed at the senior buyer sitting in corporate hospitality.

Similar story with most of the Blue Square partners. It's about B2B and corporate hospitality. Being on TV or selling a bit of merch to the fans it's largely irrelevant.

[coffinpilot]

20 years on Ten Tenths and only my fourth or fifth post!

Have heard that Jac Constable has the funds to step up next year, aiming to stay in the PMR family after his TCT season.

Realistic?

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

Have heard that Jac Constable has the funds to step up next year, aiming to stay in the PMR family after his TCT season.

Realistic?

Can't comment on how realistic his funds are - but a seat in a PMR Astra is definitely realistic.

PMR STEPS UP DRIVER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
CONSTABLE LOOKS TO A FUTURE IN THE BTCC

'How are you feeling after your unfortunate bout of illness last year at Croft?

It’s a hard feeling to sum up but the disappointment in not making the race day at Croft has made me even more determined to get myself back on the BTCC grid for 2022.'

[sceptic]

Tweet from Rokit today which appears to confirm that Nic Hamilton will be in the BTCC next year.

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by sceptic

Tweet from Rokit today which appears to confirm that Nic Hamilton will be in the BTCC next year.

Whilst I don't think that's more than a light-hearted comment and deals might be far from done.... I'll keep my mouth shut on this one.

[porsche962fan]

Jade intends to stay with BTC

[antnee]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Whilst I don't think that's more than a light-hearted comment and deals might be far from done.... I'll keep my mouth shut on this one.

Offering a VIP prize to join Nic at a 2022 round?

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by antnee

Offering a VIP prize to join Nic at a 2022 round?

That depends on how you interpret the tweet.

On one end of the scale, it can be seen as that Nic will be on the grid and you will be his guest.
On the other end of the scale, if Nic is not on the grid he can still host you at a round in hospitality.

There will be a lot of T's & C's attached that mean this competition is not a confirmation of being on the grid.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

Jade intends to stay with BTC

Anything formal other than an interview comment?

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by antnee

Offering a VIP prize to join Nic at a 2022 round?

Are they going to put 'Nic currently has no drive, so prize' ?

[antnee]

You wouldn't offer such a prize if you didn't have firm plans to be on the grid though.

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by antnee

You wouldn't offer such a prize if you didn't have firm plans to be on the grid though.

Very true... but at this early stage of the off season I interpret it as just firm plans, without any deals done.

Maybe though that's just because I'd rather Nic departs to something where he can be more competitive. To put it politely!

[AnnoyedMoose]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Maybe though that's just because I'd rather Nic departs to something where he can be more competitive. To put it politely!

And where would that be? I can't think of any racing series where the majority of the grid has to deal with the same physical limitations that he has. There's plenty of others at the back who don't have the same issues who are way behind their team mates.

He's doing a great job where he is inspiring many people to achieve things they thought they never could. I can't think of any racing series where every driver is capable of winning so why not have drivers that can inspire in other ways?

As long as Rokit are coming up with the money I can't see why he wouldn't be on the grid.

[crmalcolm]

I think it is a testament to the BTCC's inclusiveness that we have seen a few drivers recently on the grid demonstrating that age, gender, disability or illness are no barrier from competing. And also refreshing that people see past those facets of certain drivers and judge them on results.

I support any comment that critiques (not criticises) a driver's competitiveness so long as that is based on results alone and not what they have had to overcome to be on the grid in the first place.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by AnnoyedMoose

And where would that be? I can't think of any racing series where the majority of the grid has to deal with the same physical limitations that he has. There's plenty of others at the back who don't have the same issues who are way behind their team mates.

He's doing a great job where he is inspiring many people to achieve things they thought they never could. I can't think of any racing series where every driver is capable of winning so why not have drivers that can inspire in other ways?

As long as Rokit are coming up with the money I can't see why he wouldn't be on the grid.

I would hope that anyone who watched the final meeting and saw the struggle he had getting out of and away from his beached car would now have a greater respect for the guy, competing at this level with such a severe & obvious disability.

[thetool]

If we're saying his disability means he's not capable of being competitive, then he shouldn't really be out there at all. I know nothing of this incident of him trying to get out of the car, but rather than something to respect him for, it's more grounds for concern on a safety basis. What if the car had been on fire? And marshalls had to put themselves at risk to help him because he wasn't capable of getting out due to his disability? This won't be the case though, as disability or not he will have still been required to meet the same car exit standards as the rest of the field.

[aland]

the only time a driver has to be out of the car fast is if it is on fire, nic can still get out fast enough, i had a racer in a evo at club level that had no legs at all, advice was to haul out using the straps o the shoulders of the ovies as thats what they are for.

leave the driver in with belts done up until the race is neutralised

[thetool]

Hamilton still has to meet the car exit safety requirements, as they are not just for his safety, but everyone elses too. Don't want a situation where his lack of mobility puts others, including marshalls, at risk.

However, Hamilton can meet the required 7 second exit, and I'm pretty sure there was a video online at one point or other of him demonstrating this.

[Mike Harte]

I have now seen Nic race at Croft two or three times, spectating at or near the same spot. In that time, he has improved substantially and his lap times will be testament to that. At his first time at Croft it was quite noticeable that he was lifting quite considerably going through the chicane, and this year he was quite able to maintain the same momentum as most of the other cars, and indeed, he was considerably quicker than some of the other drivers.

I admire him, and his positivity, greatly. And he does his racing on his own terms, not relying on his brother to financially support him which many others might do and expect him to do as well.

Give the guy a break. Oh, and his problem wasn't so much getting out of the car, but walking across the gravel to get behind the barrier.

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Give the guy a break.

For a couple years, fine, but he made his debut in 2015, and is still spinning off on his own and last in every race. There has to come a point...

And why is it not ok for Andy Neate to be in the series then?

[AnnoyedMoose]

Originally Posted by Evantra

For a couple years, fine, but he made his debut in 2015, and is still spinning off on his own and last in every race. There has to come a point...

And why is it not ok for Andy Neate to be in the series then?

People think he is spinning off all the time but generally the only time the TV coverage shows those at the back is when they have an incident. He has less DNF's for incidents than some others.

Also he is not last in every race and even if he was so what?

I've got zero problem with Neate being in the series but I guess those who don't want him there is more to do with the accidents he has with others than just where he is on the grid.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by thetool

If we're saying his disability means he's not capable of being competitive, then he shouldn't really be out there at all. I know nothing of this incident of him trying to get out of the car, but rather than something to respect him for, it's more grounds for concern on a safety basis. What if the car had been on fire? And marshalls had to put themselves at risk to help him because he wasn't capable of getting out due to his disability? This won't be the case though, as disability or not he will have still been required to meet the same car exit standards as the rest of the field.

Sorry, I was probably a bit clumsy in my last post and as Mike Harte has pointed out below, he had difficulty getting through the gravel an not out of the car.
What I was trying to say that I (personally) think that Nic is doing a magnificent job and considering his obvious disability I think that his performance in the car is amazing, and he is setting a fantastic example to others (in many ways). His disability should not be used as a reason to discriminate against him from competing in the championship, he has the passion to do it and the ability to source the funding to enable him to live his dream, so good luck to him I say.
Unfortunately I read too often on this forum where some keyboard warrior is complaining that certain drivers should not be on the grid, for various reasons, which I think is totally unfair, just because they're not up at the pointy end of the race. Whatever happens, and no matter how talented the drivers are, there will always have to be drivers at the back of the race. I used to consider myself as a 'bit of a driver' but feel sure that despite being (relatively) able bodied, I wouldn't be able to get anywhere near Nic's lap times in a BTCC car and I think that is something we all should consider before throwing criticisms around...

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Evantra

For a couple years, fine, but he made his debut in 2015, and is still spinning off on his own and last in every race. There has to come a point...

You're right he made his debut in a partial entry for the 2015 season - but really didn't get a more permanent seat until 2019.
Since which time, he's spent a season in the VW CC and the Cupra - neither car has been expected to regularly challenge for wins by commenters here.

And yet, in his last two seasons he has finished last on only a handful of occasions.

[redshoes]

I've somewhat changed my view on Hamilton. I've never subscribed to the view that he was buying a drive that could go to someone more deserving - BTCC is not a meritocracy and never will be.

If you go back a few years then you could almost guarantee that at some point in the weekend there would be a red flag or safety car because he was beached in the gravel. Rarely did his accidents involves anyone else so I wouldn't call him a liability or a danger to other drivers, more that he was a unnecessary disruption.

In the last year he has noticeably improved. For the most part he's kept it on the black stuff. Not saying he hasn't had a few DNFs, but so have many other drivers. His qualifying and race pace have improved. He's never going to be championship contender or even a regular points scored, but you could say the same about several other drivers, and I'm ok with that.

[porsche962fan]

didn't he bumped into a car (at Croft?) BEFORE the race started ?