[BTCC] BTCC 2021

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by Matt K

Evantra, congrats for working #Sumobo out!!

Ha I'm glad I finally got something right, I spent ages last night trying to work out what it meant!

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Ok serious question. Team HARD are arguably the most amateur and underfunded(...?) BTCC team, very little in the way of success, half the time the cars break down before the race starts and the rest of the time they struggle to qualify inside the top 20, signing some rather novice drivers, apparently running cars on very little money with serious allegations of running them 'dangerously' on older and worn parts.

So why then, have they attracted last years title winning team and driver, why is a driver like Jack Goff so keen to sign multi year deals with them, and what about their shocking 2020 campaign has attracted the likes of Aron Taylor-Smith and Tom Onslow-Cole?

Sorry to rant but I can't understand how so many people see them as such an attractive prospect?

Don't think of this as Team HARD attracting last year's champion driver or building a load of new cars.

Think of it as BMR designing and building the cars, and Team HARD running the hospitality and marketing.

[touringlegend]

It’s probably a sign of the times teams linking up.

Am I right in saying with these 7 cars there’s been an extra TBL acquired from somewhere ? It’s also confirmation of 4 Cupras next year when I believe originally it was just 3

[antnee]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Ok serious question. Team HARD are arguably the most amateur and underfunded(...?) BTCC team, very little in the way of success, press releases riddled with mistakes, half the time the cars break down before the race starts and the rest of the time they struggle to qualify inside the top 20, signing some rather novice drivers, apparently running cars on very little money with serious allegations of running them 'dangerously' on older and worn parts.

So why then, have they attracted last years title winning team and driver, why is a driver like Jack Goff so keen to sign multi year deals with them, and what about their shocking 2020 campaign has attracted the likes of Aron Taylor-Smith and Tom Onslow-Cole?

Sorry to rant but I can't understand how so many people see them as such an attractive prospect?

On a positive note I'm looking forward to seeing Boardley in the 3rd Infiniti, given he was a front runner in Ginettas I don't think we've seen the best of him in a touring car.

I think the reliability is due to running to a budget. To offer the cheapest seats, compromises have to be made. The drivers who have raced with them previously will have known that - they haven't been charged Bentley money and only received a Dacia. Now if you turned round to Tony and said 'I want to fight for the championship, 100% reliability, etc' he would put a suitable package together and parts would be replaced in line with the likes of Dynamics and WSR.

No different to your average driver on the road opting for the cheapest brake pads available and some part-worn tyres - then wondering why they crashed.

[B0U170NS]

So have laser tools acquired the tbl for Boardley or has Boardley? I'm guessing this could be from TPR.

The news story on team hard website says they have acquired the infinitis but btcc.net says the 2 outfits will remain as separate teams. Confusing.

Is this really because laser tools have hit financially problems?

[AnnoyedMoose]

I wonder if the Boardley Infiniti is the same spec as Ash and Aiden are running or if it's one of the old ones from the previous season?

EDIT: Just read the full press release and they say they are building a new one.

[An0nym0u5]

Originally Posted by touringlegend

It’s probably a sign of the times teams linking up.

This is definitely not the last team 'merge' we'll see before the beginning of the season

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by B0U170NS

So have laser tools acquired the tbl for Boardley or has Boardley? I'm guessing this could be from TPR.

The news story on team hard website says they have acquired the infinitis but btcc.net says the 2 outfits will remain as separate teams. Confusing.

Is this really because laser tools have hit financially problems?

Sutton and Taylor-Smith have the same manager - and that is where the most influence in putting the deal in place has come from. It's a way for both drivers to have BMR engineer their cars.

[5five]

Originally Posted by An0nym0u5

This is definitely not the last team 'merge' we'll see before the beginning of the season

I'll just leave this as not seen it posted in this thread.

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/13059436

[Pringles]

Originally Posted by 5five

I'll just leave this as not seen it posted in this thread.



https://find-and-update.company-info...mpany/13059436

So Shaun Hollamby is now a director of Motorbase. Interesting. Seems most teams are going to be working in tie ups for next year.

[An0nym0u5]

Originally Posted by Pringles

So Shaun Hollamby is now a director of Motorbase. Interesting. Seems most teams are going to be working in tie ups for next year.

Hollamby and Osbourne. Wonder who Jake's teammate will be..?

[BertMk2]

So with the Laser Tools announcements and the recent HARD announcements we've got a fair chunk of drivers confirmed already - anyone fancy a stab at a table?

[medius]

Originally Posted by Pringles

So Shaun Hollamby is now a director of Motorbase. Interesting. Seems most teams are going to be working in tie ups for next year.

David Batrum is still a director of "A" Motorbase, not necessarily the part that operates the Focii.

My guess is an MB/Motorbase tie up seeing Civics being replaced by Focii. Bartrum keeping the historics side of the business, Shaun doing modern racing?

[S griffin]

I don’t think many people expected a tie up between Moffat and HARD, but then nothing should surprise us when it comes to the BTCC anymore. The way things are going atm, it’s no wonder more teams are tieing up with each other. Nice to see there will be three Infinitis next year. Right to keep the current lineup of Sutton and Moffat. Boardley looked quite decent in last years BMW, it seems RWD suits him better than FWD. Let’s see what he can do with the Infiniti

Interesting Hollamby has gone to Motorbase. Wonder how much difference it will make to MB Motorsport, although I’m sure Blundell has plenty of good ideas

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by Pringles

So Shaun Hollamby is now a director of Motorbase. Interesting. Seems most teams are going to be working in tie ups for next year.

This is a new company called Motorbase Performance though - it's only existed a few weeks.

Motorbase Vehicle Services Ltd was the original team and still exists.

Originally Posted by medius

David Batrum is still a director of "A" Motorbase, not necessarily the part that operates the Focii.

The part that operates (operated?) the Focuses is Racing-Red 2020 Ltd.

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by An0nym0u5

Hollamby and Osbourne. Wonder who Jake's teammate will be..?

I've only just realised that Sam is the son of Porsche Cup racer Pete Osborne.
They don't look at all alike.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Pringles

So Shaun Hollamby is now a director of Motorbase. Interesting. Seems most teams are going to be working in tie ups for next year.

It must be noted that this company was only set up a few days ago; it is not the original Motorbase company that ran the Focus last year.

[Pdh]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

It must be noted that this company was only set up a few days ago; it is not the original Motorbase company that ran the Focus last year.

It is the same company that ran the fords last season they have just made the company limited

[Evantra]

So maybe two Fords for the Motorbase side (Butcher, Jackson) and two for AmD (Hill, Osborne)?

[crmalcolm]

Team	Car	Driver	Notes
Confirmed Entries
Power Maxed	Vauxhall Astra	Plato	Confirmed in press release
Power Maxed	Vauxhall Astra	???	Confirmed in press release
Team Dynamics	Honda Civic FK8	Cammish	Confirmed in press release
Team Dynamics	Honda Civic FK8	Shedden?	Confirmed in press release, Neal talked about options away from racing and trying to get a deal for Flash
Autobrite (HARD./BMR)	Cupra Leon	Goff	Confirmed in press release
Autobrite (HARD./BMR)	Cupra Leon	Geddie	Confirmed in press release
HARD./BMR	Cupra Leon	Taylor-Smith	Confirmed in press release
HARD./BMR	Cupra Leon	???	Confirmed in press release
Laser Tools (HARD./BMR)	Infiniti Q50	Moffat	Confirmed in press release
Laser Tools (HARD./BMR)	Infiniti Q50	Sutton	Confirmed in press release
Laser Tools (HARD./BMR)	Infiniti Q50	Boardley	Confirmed in press release
Ciceley Motorsport	BMW 330i	Morgan	Confirmed in press release
Ciceley Motorsport	BMW 330i	???	Confirmed in press release
EXCELR8 Trade Price Cars	Hyundai i30	Smiley?	Strongly suggest in Bert Taylor social media
EXCELR8 Trade Price Cars	Hyundai i30	Butel	Confirmed in press release
EXCELR8 Trade Price Cars	Hyundai i30	???	Confirmed in press release
EXCELR8 Trade Price Cars	Hyundai i30	???	Confirmed in press release
MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square	???	Hill	Confirmed in press release
MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square	???	???
WSR	BMW 330i	Jelley?	Reported as considering a move away from Parker
WSR	BMW 330i	???	Reported in motorsport.com as a confirmed 3-car entry
WSR	BMW 330i	???	Reported in motorsport.com as a confirmed 3-car entry
BTC Racing	Honda Civic FK8	???	Reported in TCT as 2021 plans following change to management
BTC Racing	Honda Civic FK8	???	Reported in TCT as 2021 plans following change to management
BTC Racing	Honda Civic FK8	???	Reported in TCT as 2021 plans following change to management
Likely Entries
Speedworks	Toyota Corolla	Ingram
Motorbase	Ford Focus	Butcher	Talked about plans for second season in the car during interview
Motorbase	Ford Focus	???
Motorbase	Ford Focus	???
Possible Entries
Speedworks	Toyota Corolla	???	Stated as planning for two cars at a given point
???	???	Parfitt Jr	Publicising an attempt to be on the grid
???	???	Cook	Social Media posts suggest a possible move away from BTC
Team Dynamics	Honda Civic FK8	???	Intention for 3rd car reported in MN - depending on TBL
Entries with doubt
All entries could be marked '*' due to COVID

[S griffin]

According to Wiki the Infinitis are Constructor entries. But I haven’t seen anything to suggest this is the case, as someone knows something we don’t

[Alfisti]

Interesting indeed!

My gut said somebody somewhere would talk to Bob Moffat about a car. Didn't see the tie up with Tony coming, but it will potentially give the Infinitis an in-season home closer to the action rather than the haul back to Scotland - at least I assume this. AS always tagged BMR Engineering last year, so clearly some of Warren's outfit exist and are active and continue to be.

I can see Boardley improving, suspect the Infiniti will be more to his driving style than his rides to date. Just a gut feeling.

And Mr H with the Focii sounds good to me - that car seriously impressed me this year, with decent luck and the right wheelmen it's going to be at the business end of the grid again.

Santa hasn't done bad today has he?

[medius]

I guess we all saw Jelley's BMW sat alongside the Mercs at HARD too? I'm calling Jelley in a 330 over that. Ciceley or WSR though?

[porsche962fan]

so what does Team HARD do with those old Mercs and BMW ?

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by medius

I guess we all saw Jelley's BMW sat alongside the Mercs at HARD too? I'm calling Jelley in a 330 over that. Ciceley or WSR though?

Rumours suggest Jelley at WSR and Chilton at Ciceley.