[BTCC] Round Ten, Brands Hatch GP 08-09 Oct, Races 28,29 & 30

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by Pickles

I'm slightly surprised that Hill hasn't already wrapped it up, at times this year he's been blistering. Sutton's done his usual job of dragging a car much further up the grid than it should be, shocked at the difference in pace between him and Cammish.

I don't think there should be any argument that Ash Sutton is the best BTCC driver of the last decade. Anyone who believed his previous titles were simply down to RWD advantage have been proven wrong.

[Pickles]

Originally Posted by sceptic

I don't think there should be any argument that Ash Sutton is the best BTCC driver of the last decade. Anyone who believed his previous titles were simply down to RWD advantage have been proven wrong.

Agreed. I'm not his biggest fan but after the first round of this year who honestly saw him leading the championship going into the final round? It's not unusual for a team to have one standout performer but he consistently does it, every year regardless of the car or his team mates. That's no coincidence.

[Jay87]

Originally Posted by Pickles

I'm slightly surprised that Hill hasn't already wrapped it up, at times this year he's been blistering. Sutton's done his usual job of dragging a car much further up the grid than it should be, shocked at the difference in pace between him and Cammish.

I don't think Cammish has done bad against him. If you take out the first thruxton round when he got wiped out on the first lap and then donington when his car was on fire in qualifying I think his results stack up pretty well against Sutton

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by Jay87

I don't think Cammish has done bad against him. If you take out the first thruxton round when he got wiped out on the first lap and then donington when his car was on fire in qualifying I think his results stack up pretty well against Sutton

He's had a lot of bad luck mixed in. I think he's gotten much closer through the second half of the season - Thruxton, and outqualified at Silverstone (albeit with more hybrid). Seems to drop away a bit in the races.

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by Pickles

I'm slightly surprised that Hill hasn't already wrapped it up, at times this year he's been blistering. Sutton's done his usual job of dragging a car much further up the grid than it should be, shocked at the difference in pace between him and Cammish.

Hasn’t he waved Sutton by at least twice including a race win?

[SSmith]

This is the final entry list of the year. As usual, there may be a few changes as the week goes on. Like Silverstone, there may be a few very late entries that don't appear on any entry list.

https://www.barc.net/wp-content/uplo...-List-v1.0.pdf

BTCC - Boardley replaces Powell as confirmed late last week. No other changes.

MINI JCWs - 27 cars. Same grid as Silverstone minus Barry Ward

Ginetta Juniors - 23 cars for the last ever TOCA round. Same grid as Silverstone but with no Sonny Smith. He reached 36 penalty points at Silverstone which I think means a meeting ban.

Ginetta GT4 Supercup - 17 cars for the last ever round. Same entry as Silverstone (although Poulain did not race on the Sunday at Silverstone). James Taylor listed as racing for Team HARD, but I believe (like at Silverstone) he is racing for SVG and was looking for some support on social media the other day to make it to Brands Hatch. 5x G56 Pros, 2x G56 Ams, 6x G55 Pros, 4x G55 Ams.

British F4 - 19 cars. Same field as Silverstone, but no Alex Dunne (due to a clashing Italian F4 meeting) meaning we get the somewhat farcical situation of the as-yet-uncrowned champion not being in the same country as the final meeting!

Porsche Carrera Cup GB - 22 cars. Same Pro and Pro-Am fields (10 and 8 entries respectively) as Silverstone. 4 Ams listed (Stanton, Rice, and Frost), Mark Radcliffe again listed (as at the last 3 meetings) but he hasn't raced since sustaining a shoulder injury (I think it was his shoulder, I vaguely remember Tim Harvey mentioning it in comms) at Knockhill, so probably only 3 entries. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a last minute entry as we saw at Silverstone.

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by SSmith

He reached 36 penalty points at Silverstone

British F4 - 19 cars. Same field as Silverstone, but no Alex Dunne (due to a clashing Italian F4 meeting) meaning we get the somewhat farcical situation of the as-yet-uncrowned champion not being in the same country as the final meeting!

What!! 36!

Probably gives ITV an excuse not to show that race on the Saturday then!

[SSmith]

Originally Posted by Evantra

What!! 36!

It is a lot! Its a 36 championship points deduction which would seem to match up with what others have reached before receiving race bans in Ginetta. I can't remember how many race licence points it is before a ban, but he must have exceeded the limit to reach 36 championship points lost for disciplinary reasons.
Fun fact - if we look at championship points deductions, Akshay Bohra has lost 100 points this season in the Juniors...

Originally Posted by Evantra

Probably gives ITV an excuse not to show that race on the Saturday then!

I would imagine so! Technically race 1 of the weekend is the 'championship decider' but unless I'm incapable of basic arithmetic it is a done deal. Oliver Gray needs to score 103 points and by my maths there are only 86 available this weekend.
A win + fastest lap in race 1 and race 3 is 26 points per race. A win + fastest lap in race 2 is 16 points and if he qualified last he could gain 18 places (19th to 1st so an additional 18 points). 26+26+16+18 = 86 points available. There is a legal challenge to the results at Silverstone but I can't imagine that will make any real difference.

[codename_47]

Originally Posted by Evantra

What!! 36!

Probably gives ITV an excuse not to show that race on the Saturday then!

Are they likely to add the supports to the saturday stream?

They've been doing that for the past few years but no word this year?
(Lets hope the hike in prices that scared ginetta off includes more Saturday coverage....time to get with the modern world BTCC!)

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

yes I do, Sutton has too much ( divine ? ) luck

Luck? lol. The guy is the best talent of this generation of the BTCC, he's earnt every point he's ever scored.
You only had to see his early races in Formula Ford (remember that? to know he had what it takes
TBH we're lucky to have him in the BTCC paddock, he could've climbed the open wheel ladder if he had the funds

For this weekend I'm hoping for another Epic Wet/Dry/Wet/Dry BTCC finale, lots of quality racing as usual and an Ash Sutton championship, but tbh whoever wins will be a worthy winner, it's been a season when everyone has showed some class at various times

Oh, and goodbye Plato, looking forward to his underwhelming end of his career fizzling out away from the Spotlight as is fitting

[kipper]

Originally Posted by SSmith

I can't remember how many race licence points it is before a ban, but he must have exceeded the limit to reach 36 championship points lost for disciplinary reasons.

For completeness, it is 12 disciplinary points on a race licence over a rolling 12 month period before a ban kicks in.

A quirk of the system is that any such penalty points are applied at the end of a meeting. Therefore, a driver incurring a penalty that takes them over 12 points in, say, Race 1 is permitted to compete in the rest of the meeting before being banned.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by kipper

For completeness, it is 12 disciplinary points on a race licence over a rolling 12 month period before a ban kicks in.

A quirk of the system is that any such penalty points are applied at the end of a meeting. Therefore, a driver incurring a penalty that takes them over 12 points in, say, Race 1 is permitted to compete in the rest of the meeting before being banned.

Just to add - from the regulations (explaining the 36 point deduction)

'Any driver found guilty of a driving offence which generates penalty points under Motorsport UK Regulation C2.1.5 will also have championship points deducted proportional with the severity of penalty imposed. Any deduction of championship points will be three times that of the associated licence penalty points. i.e., formal written reprimand 6 points, fine or time penalty 9 points, exclusion from practice, qualifying or race 12 points, exclusion from meeting 18 points. '

[SSmith]

Thanks kipper and crmalcolm for clearing that up. I thought it was probably something along those lines.

[redshoes]

https://www.btcc.net/2022/10/05/apec...-hatch-livery/

New look for the the good old boys at Motorbase

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by redshoes

https://www.btcc.net/2022/10/05/apec...-hatch-livery/

New look for the the good old boys at Motorbase

Nice to see a special livery once in a while!

[SSmith]

Originally Posted by redshoes

https://www.btcc.net/2022/10/05/apec...-hatch-livery/

New look for the the good old boys at Motorbase

I quite like that! Always nice to have something a bit different. Is this the first Valvoline sponsored BTCC car since the Ford Mondeo in 1996?

Wonder if we might see Team Valvoline and NAPA Racing UK as the Motorbase entrants names in 2023?

[Matt K]

Originally Posted by SSmith

Wonder if we might see Team Valvoline and NAPA Racing UK as the Motorbase entrants names in 2023?

Would love that but seems too good to be true!

[WestHam92]

I'm going to Brands Hatch for BTCC for the first time on Sunday and would like to know what facilities are like. I usually go to Snetterton, which usually has a lot of food and drinks stalls & shops.

I've been to BH a few times before, but only for Masters Historic Festival and 750 Motor Club. I know there are a couple of restaurants, but on BTCC days are there many food vans? Most importantly, is there a beer bus?!

How about parking? For my previous visits we've parked in the area behind the Paddock Hill grandstand, but I assume there are other car parks on or near the site?

[fergus_r]

Originally Posted by WestHam92

I'm going to Brands Hatch for BTCC for the first time on Sunday and would like to know what facilities are like. I usually go to Snetterton, which usually has a lot of food and drinks stalls & shops.

I've been to BH a few times before, but only for Masters Historic Festival and 750 Motor Club. I know there are a couple of restaurants, but on BTCC days are there many food vans? Most importantly, is there a beer bus?!

How about parking? For my previous visits we've parked in the area behind the Paddock Hill grandstand, but I assume there are other car parks on or near the site?

There are plenty of food vans, merchandise stalls etc around the venue - this is typical for all major events at MSV circuits so your experience in that regard will be pretty much identical to Snetterton. There's even a (relatively new) bar/food setup at Druids with an elevated viewing platform.

Re. parking, you can't drive into the circuit free-of-charge and park anywhere like at a club meeting. You can park in the field at the front of the circuit for free or pay £10 to drive in (Southbank), but the closest you'll get to parking at Paddock Hill Bend is the area around Druids.

Also note that the circuit has to be accessed from the second entrance (don't turn into the main gate entrance). Chances are there'll be a queue out on the road so this will be obvious. Once you're in, you'll turn right for Southbank and be sent around a field (expect significant queues), or turn left for parking in the front field for free.

[S griffin]

I'll be at Paddock Bend. Really looking forward to seeing the cars go through there

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by codename_47

Are they likely to add the supports to the saturday stream?

F4's on Saturday has been confirmed, so imagine the others will be too.

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by Evantra

F4's on Saturday has been confirmed, so imagine the others will be too.

https://twitter.com/GinettaCars/stat...60551485267970
Ditto Ginetta

[Alfaholic]

Originally Posted by WestHam92

I'm going to Brands Hatch for BTCC for the first time on Sunday and would like to know what facilities are like. I usually go to Snetterton, which usually has a lot of food and drinks stalls & shops.

I've been to BH a few times before, but only for Masters Historic Festival and 750 Motor Club. I know there are a couple of restaurants, but on BTCC days are there many food vans? Most importantly, is there a beer bus?!

How about parking? For my previous visits we've parked in the area behind the Paddock Hill grandstand, but I assume there are other car parks on or near the site?

In addition to the info from fergus_r above, if you are coming down the A20 from London you will be likely directed into the car park/field just outside the circuit behind the start/finish straight (hopefully) in the centre of this Google maps link: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.36.../data=!3m1!1e3
It is well signposted and accessed off the A20 at the top of Gorse Hill (after the Scratcher's Lane turn off) as per Google streetview

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by redshoes

https://twitter.com/GinettaCars/stat...60551485267970
Ditto Ginetta

If they're showing every race, including before BTCC, then coverage should start around 1:15, more than I thought! If only it was every Saturday!

[redshoes]

Qualifying LIVE: Saturday 8 October
ITV.com/BTCC from 1535

Raceday LIVE: Sunday 9 October
ITV4 & ITV4 HD 1000 – 1830

BTCC website only shows the time for BTCC qualifying, there's no reference to any of the support races. ITV website doesn't show any sort of schedule, just that the video will show on the page when available. not exactly helpful.

On Sunday, it's unlikely ITV4 will jump straight into the F4 race. I'm guessing they will show the Porsche race live at 10:35 and show the F4 during the lunchbreak.

[Mike Harte]

There appears to be a miss type on the BTCC website that states ITV4+1 starts at 11:30, however my Virgin Media guide shows it at 11:00.