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

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by SSmith

Porsche Carrera Cup GB and Sprint Challenge Media Day today at Silverstone.

Looking at TSL results from their first sessions - 18 Carrera Cup (7 Pros, 9 Pro-Ams, 2 Ams) and 15 Sprint Challenge (7 Pros, 8 Ams).

Would expect more cars to venture out on track as the day goes on. Hopefully full entry lists will be shared by Porsche later today.

18 is a bit disappointing from Carrera Cup, not too many Pros really. Jason Lockwood and a James Kellet notable additions.

Sprint is looking a little better (thankfully!) - with three races a weekend to sit through, hopefully the racing is improved too. Not that we’ll see more than one of those anyway

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by S griffin

I'm sure there are plenty of other teams that have enough of a budget that they can pick drivers for their talents or whatever and don't need to ask them to bring money or not much of it anyway

I would venture to suggest only Motorbase has free drives - Sutton / Cammish every other seat is supported by drivers in some form even Turkington who is probably supported by his 3 teammates

[SSmith]

Originally Posted by Evantra

18 is a bit disappointing from Carrera Cup, not too many Pros really. Jason Lockwood and a James Kellet notable additions.

Sprint is looking a little better (thankfully!) - with three races a weekend to sit through, hopefully the racing is improved too. Not that we’ll see more than one of those anyway

I wonder if a couple more cars may venture out on track as the day goes on, possibly taking us to the 20 mark in PCCGB. Looking forward to a few of the class battles. Whilst Pro lacks numbers I can see 5 or 6 of the drivers being capable of winning races. Pro-Am is stacked (a bit confused as to why former-winner Wylie is now a Pro-Am?).

Haha, we probably will get only 1 race at some weekends.

It is worth noting that drivers can be reclassified midseason and get retrospectively added into past class results.

"Underlining the championship’s desire to promote close racing, a driver’s category – Pro, Pro-Am, or Am – will continue to be determined via driver and team nomination prior to the start of the season. In 2023, championship competitors will be permitted to register a formal protest of a driver’s category up to round seven of the season. In addition, a panel of Porsche experts will have the power to re-categorise drivers during the season.

Any change to a driver’s category will not affect the championship or entrant points already earned. However, the driver will have their existing category points revised to reflect the number they would have obtained in the new category, had they been competing in it from the beginning of the season. In addition, all drivers from the competitor’s former category will have their category points revised to reflect the number they would have received."

[https://sportscarracingnews.com/2022...cup-gb-season/]

[annasto]

Originally Posted by SSmith

I wonder if a couple more cars may venture out on track as the day goes on, possibly taking us to the 20 mark in PCCGB. Looking forward to a few of the class battles. Whilst Pro lacks numbers I can see 5 or 6 of the drivers being capable of winning races. Pro-Am is stacked (a bit confused as to why former-winner Wylie is now a Pro-Am?).



Haha, we probably will get only 1 race at some weekends.



It is worth noting that drivers can be reclassified midseason and get retrospectively added into past class results.



"Underlining the championship’s desire to promote close racing, a driver’s category – Pro, Pro-Am, or Am – will continue to be determined via driver and team nomination prior to the start of the season. In 2023, championship competitors will be permitted to register a formal protest of a driver’s category up to round seven of the season. In addition, a panel of Porsche experts will have the power to re-categorise drivers during the season.



Any change to a driver’s category will not affect the championship or entrant points already earned. However, the driver will have their existing category points revised to reflect the number they would have obtained in the new category, had they been competing in it from the beginning of the season. In addition, all drivers from the competitor’s former category will have their category points revised to reflect the number they would have received."



[https://sportscarracingnews.com/2022...cup-gb-season/]

How does the classification work? I've never been able to find it anywhere online

Sent from my moto g62 5G using Tapatalk

[Evantra]

Incidentally, looks like Ginetta Juniors have managed 16 cars and the new ‘GT’ series (replacing GT4 Supercup) just 8, or at least that’s the numbers from their official test days at the weekend. GT Academy also only 8 runners at the test.

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by S griffin

I'm sure there are plenty of other teams that have enough of a budget that they can pick drivers for their talents or whatever and don't need to ask them to bring money or not much of it anyway

There really aren't. If you turned up with the budget, you could have a drive yourself no problem. At any team.

[thetool]

Originally Posted by peebee2

There really aren't. If you turned up with the budget, you could have a drive yourself no problem. At any team.

Andy Neate is the practical example of this. Driven with WSR, Arena, Triple Eight, Dynamics, Motorbase and AMD all whilst possessing negative talent.

[kipper]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Incidentally, looks like Ginetta Juniors have managed 16 cars and the new ‘GT’ series (replacing GT4 Supercup) just 8, or at least that’s the numbers from their official test days at the weekend. GT Academy also only 8 runners at the test.

I wouldn't attach much weight to test days - they aren't the most representative of race entries. For example, there were nine GT4s at last years test day; and two the year before. Grids were much healthier.

[AmD Tuning]

Originally Posted by thetool

Andy Neate is the practical example of this. Driven with WSR, Arena, Triple Eight, Dynamics, Motorbase and AMD all whilst possessing negative talent.

Andy didn't run with AmD although if he'd wanted to he could have done!

[SSmith]

Originally Posted by annasto

How does the classification work? I've never been able to find it anywhere online

I've never seen a specific guide as well! My best guess would be that Porsche classify drivers based on overall racing experience, racing experience in Porsches/RWD sportscars, speed (one-lap and race pace), age, and maybe even career intentions as well.

[coffinpilot]

Originally Posted by Ant25

Think a few teams are at Croft this Tuesday does anyone else know who or know anything about it?

I'm going first thing, not sure about BTCC. With Excelr8 being there last week and 13 race weekends you'd think they'd used up their 'loud' day allocation - but there are some TCR cars there on Wednesday, so I wouldn't be surprised. Fingers crossed.

[coffinpilot]

There is this tweeted by Matt Neal at 15:51

Anyone need a top class race engineer I have one available?
#btcc #gt #bgt #2023 #motorsport #wtcr #tcr #touringcars

https://twitter.com/MattNealRacing/s...66013182095361

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

There is this tweeted by Matt Neal at 15:51

Anyone need a top class race engineer I have one available?
#btcc #gt #bgt #2023 #motorsport #wtcr #tcr #touringcars

https://twitter.com/MattNealRacing/s...66013182095361

Not sure he needed to tag WTCR! Suppose he’s looking for a new commentary job…

If they’ve definitively canned their BTCC program not sure why it hasn’t been announced yet!

[SSmith]

PCCGB Launch Day over. Another test day tomorrow at Brands Hatch. 19 cars ventured out on track giving us a provisional entry list of...

PRO (8 cars)

#8 - Hugo Ellis - JTR
#13 - James Kellett - Rosland Gold by Century Motorsport
#18 - Harry Foster - Team Parker Racing
#21 - Adam Smalley - Team Parker Racing
#41 - Jake Giddings - Team Parker Racing
#54 - Theo Edgerton - Redline Racing
#57 - Gus Burton - Rosland Gold by Century Motorsport
#99 - Charles Rainford - CCK Motorsport


PRO-AM (9 cars)

#33 - Ryan Ratcliffe - Team Parker Racing
#44 - Max Bird - Redline Racing
#48 - Ollie Jackson - JTR
#52 - Angus Whiteside - Century Motorsport
#58 - Henry Dawes - Century Motorsport
#59 - Ross Wylie - Redline Racing
#77 - Frazer McFadden - Toro Verde GT
#95 - Josh Stanton - JTR
#315 - Jason Lockwood - EXCELR8 Motorsport

AM (2 cars)

#7 - Justin Sherwood - Team Parker Racing
#71 - David Stirling - Redline Racing

Other entries not on track today
TBA - Robert de Haan - Richardson Racing (probably PRO)
TBA - Micah Stanley - Richardson Racing (probably PRO)

[SSmith]

Porsche Sprint Challenge GB. 17 cars ventured out on track today, giving us a provisional entry list of...

PRO (8 cars)

#11 - Toby Trice - Redline Racing
#19 - Matthew Armstrong - Team Parker Racing
#26 - Robert Cronin - Team Parker Racing
#30 - William Jenkins - Century Motorsport
#33 - Reece Somerfield - Breakell Racing
#56 - Steve Roberts - Redline Racing
#71 - Max Coates - Graves Motorsport
#95 - Joe Warhurst - Team Parker Racing

AM (9 cars)

#2 - Dimitris Melas - LFP Motorsport
#5 - Rupert Laslett - Raceway Motorsport
#7 - Neil Tofts - Redline Racing
#12 - Callum Davis - CCK Motorsport
#17 - John White - Team Parker Racing
#23 - Danny Dwyer - Xentek Motorsport
#25 - Matthew Kyle-Henney - SW Engineering
#27 - Marc Warren - Raceway Motorsport
#42 - Graeme Mundy - Toro Verde GT

Entries not on track today
TBA - Ethan Hammerton - Graves Motorsport (probably PRO)


As with the PCCGB, there's still a few weeks to go until Donington so more entries could appear.

[Northern Monkey]

Originally Posted by SSmith

PCCGB Launch Day over. Another test day tomorrow at Brands Hatch. 19 cars ventured out on track giving us a provisional entry list of...

PRO (8 cars)

#8 - Hugo Ellis - JTR
#13 - James Kellett - Rosland Gold by Century Motorsport
#18 - Harry Foster - Team Parker Racing
#21 - Adam Smalley - Team Parker Racing
#41 - Jake Giddings - Team Parker Racing
#54 - Theo Edgerton - Redline Racing
#57 - Gus Burton - Rosland Gold by Century Motorsport
#99 - Charles Rainford - CCK Motorsport

PRO-AM (9 cars)

#33 - Ryan Ratcliffe - Team Parker Racing
#44 - Max Bird - Redline Racing
#48 - Ollie Jackson - JTR
#52 - Angus Whiteside - Century Motorsport
#58 - Henry Dawes - Century Motorsport
#59 - Ross Wylie - Redline Racing
#77 - Frazer McFadden - Toro Verde GT
#95 - Josh Stanton - JTR
#315 - Jason Lockwood - EXCELR8 Motorsport

AM (2 cars)

#7 - Justin Sherwood - Team Parker Racing
#71 - David Stirling - Redline Racing

There is also Robert De Haan and Micah Stanley at Richardson Racing who didn’t run today

[Evantra]

Thanks for those!

Not really sure why they don’t merge Am and Pro-Am together in Carrera Cup though at this point!

[BtccLee]

Very healthy numbers across all support categories, which is fantastic to see.

Looking forward to the final few mysteries of the grid revealing themselves.

Media day can't come soon enough

[mphplastering]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CqS3eYdN...d=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Stood with a kia. Hmmmmmm

[thetool]

Originally Posted by AmD Tuning

Andy didn't run with AmD although if he'd wanted to he could have done!

It all gets a bit confusing with the multitude of entites and names Motorbase has been over the last few years, but didn't you (AmD Tuning) run two of the cars (including Andy's?) in 2021? Apologies if I've muddled something up!

[SSmith]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Thanks for those!

Not really sure why they don’t merge Am and Pro-Am together in Carrera Cup though at this point!

It would make some sense! Sherwood and Stirling are both decent drivers so they will probably be up with the Pro-Am runners anyway in some races this season. I wonder if a couple of less-fast Pro-Am drivers may look at getting dropped back to Am-status? It also makes me wonder if the 992 car is less Am-friendly than the 991-spec car?

There's a test day at Brands Hatch tomorrow so I will keep an eye on TSL and social media and update the lists if anyone else appears.

[thetool]

More generally this season has a bit of a 2001/2005/2010 feeling to it at the moment. A few departing teams, a lot of driver line-up changes and a concentration of what's left with amalgamated teams running fewer cars in total (Morgan folding into WSR, for example).

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by mphplastering

https://www.instagram.com/p/CqS3eYdN...d=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Stood with a kia. Hmmmmmm

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn6vYCsPSmk/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn3V8ZJv7Ur/
Red Bull Yamaha

[mphplastering]

Originally Posted by Ant25

Think a few teams are at Croft this Tuesday does anyone else know who or know anything about it?

Napa
Pmr
Excelr8

Trucks have been seen at croft this evening

[Craner Curves]

Mat Neill offering the services of a top class engineer on Twitter. Could it be Barry Plowman?