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

[antnee]

Are we expecting Parfitt to be back? Wasn't he making noises at Brands that he might not be back?

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by antnee

Are we expecting Parfitt to be back? Wasn't he making noises at Brands that he might not be back?

IIRC, I think a few rounds before the end of the season, he sounded like he was leaving.
But, after the final round he sounded a bit more positive about a return.

[medius]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

IIRC, I think a few rounds before the end of the season, he sounded like he was leaving.
But, after the final round he sounded a bit more positive about a return.

Rick is moving back to GTs. Deal done but not announced yet.

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by medius

Rick is moving back to GTs. Deal done but not announced yet.

It suits more with his day/night job.

[Jon411]

Tweet from BMW UK earlier tonight confirming their continued partnership with WSR (doesn't comment as to what the partnership includes)... Wonder if that means we may get some news soon as otherwise seems a bit of a random thing to put out at 6pm on a bank holiday Tuesday between Christmas and New Year

[porsche962fan]

where is this tweet ?

[AnnoyedMoose]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

where is this tweet ?

https://twitter.com/BMWUKMotorsport/...89284657729538

[porsche962fan]

cool

that means the likelihood of Turkington staying gets a lot higher

and so much for WSR losing BMW backing and switching cars rumor ...

[porsche962fan]

Team Dynamics retweet a Cataclean tweet , guess Rowbo stays there too
https://twitter.com/teamdynamics?lang=en

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

Team Dynamics retweet a Cataclean tweet , guess Rowbo stays there too
https://twitter.com/teamdynamics?lang=en

I don't think it was ever in doubt was it?

https://www.btcc.net/2021/03/18/dan-rowbottom-signs-for-team-dynamics/

Team Dynamics has today (18 March) announced Dan Rowbottom as its second driver as part of a multi-year partnership between Halfords and Cataclean.

[Overboost]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

cool

that means the likelihood of Turkington staying gets a lot higher

and so much for WSR losing BMW backing and switching cars rumor ...

There should be an announcement next week regarding one driver at WSR that will also reinforce the fact they are running the same car and still BMW backed. Don't rule out of different name over one garage though.

[S griffin]

Great that BMW are continuing, would hate to see WSR having to scrap for budget. Turkington will almost certainly stay. We'll see who his team mates are

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Overboost

There should be an announcement next week regarding one driver at WSR that will also reinforce the fact they are running the same car and still BMW backed. Don't rule out of different name over one garage though.

Well Oliphant has already ruled himself out - so there's going to be at least one different name over the WSR garages. If BMW are still onboard then that looks good for Turkington staying, I'd also expect Jelley to stay - that leaves the 3rd car which seems to have Hill being mentioned as a likely candidate.

[Matt K]

Yep, I'd say it's Turks, Jelley and Hill in BMWs

[redshoes]

With MB Motorsport no longer part of the Motorbase setup, and Jake Hill still part of the MB Partners umbrella, what chance that Hill will be at WSR with MB/BlueSquare branding?

[Pdh]

Originally Posted by redshoes

With MB Motorsport no longer part of the Motorbase setup, and Jake Hill still part of the MB Partners umbrella, what chance that Hill will be at WSR with MB/BlueSquare branding?

I think it’s a strong chance but with Rokit branding if rumours are true

[Matt K]

Originally Posted by redshoes

With MB Motorsport no longer part of the Motorbase setup, and Jake Hill still part of the MB Partners umbrella, what chance that Hill will be at WSR with MB/BlueSquare branding?

Question is, where else can they go? Doubt it's Excelr8, BTC or PMR. Dynamics? Only if there's Hill in the third car in place of rumoured Neal's comeback. It might be Speedworks if two cars are branded as Toyota Gazoo and the third one is Rokit or any other MB sponsor. But as there were already rumours about Hill joining WSR it kind of feels realistic.

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Great that BMW are continuing, would hate to see WSR having to scrap for budget. Turkington will almost certainly stay. We'll see who his team mates are

it means Turks will have the real chance to go 2nd in the all time wins statistic as he has 60 and Matt Neal has 63 , wonder if WSR did get the help from "somewhere"

speaking of all time wins any more rumors on Plato ?

[stuart thompson]

Further cementing the Hill rumours, wasn’t there a guy from MB who had a test with WSR at the end of the season?

[Pickles]

Think it's already been mentioned but MB and Rokit already have links through Esme Hawkley, was surprised to hear they've moved away from Hamilton but that helps to explain it a bit.

[crmalcolm]

https://firstsportz.com/formula-one-...-social-media/

Last paragraph indicates an expectation of Nic Hamilton in a Rokit car for 2022. (Other sources are also linking him to a 2022 drive).

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

https://firstsportz.com/formula-one-...-social-media/

Last paragraph indicates an expectation of Nic Hamilton in a Rokit car for 2022. (Other sources are also linking him to a 2022 drive).

Not sure I'd treat that source as reliable. Story is obviously based on a third hand social media post and padded out with whatever they could find on Wikipedia.

[BTCC frog]

Update of what we know:

WSR (3 TBLs)
Colin Turkington and Stephen Jelley look set to stay. Tom Oliphant is taking a sabbatical from racing, and looks set to be replaced by Jake Hill.

Laser Tools (2 TBLs)
Aiden Moffat is confirmed, and Dexter Patterson will be replacing Ash Sutton as his teammate. The team have said they are trying to get a third TBL from Carl Boardley, and Michael Crees has been rumoured as the third driver. I think this is reasonable, given his connection to HARD.

Dynamics (3 TBLs)
Dan Rowbottom is set to continue, and despite rumours of his departure I would be very surprised to see Gordon Shedden leave. Matt Neal clearly wants to drive the third Honda, but will step aside if the team need more funding, meaning someone like Tom Chilton is a possibility. Henry Neal has been rumoured but I doubt it. And there is a very small chance that Jason Plato could drive for his former rival's team.

Motorbase (4 TBLs)
This one is confirmed. Ollie Jackson and Sam Osborne will drive for the Motorbase-branded side of the team, and the NAPA racing side will run the superteam of Ash Sutton and Dan Cammish.

Speedworks (3 TBLs)
Rory Butcher looks highly likely to continue as the first driver, but no other names have really been linked, with Sam Smelt likely to leave. I would suggest Tom Chilton has a good chance of being the second driver, considering his experience and high budget. For the third driver, it would be great if it could be someone like Josh Cook or Jason Plato, but I would suggest it will probably be a rookie with deep pockets.

BTC Racing (4 TBLs)
The team have said that they want to retain the same lineup of Josh Cook, Senna Proctor and Jade Edwards, and although Cook has been linked elsewhere, I suspect they will get their wish. Both Jason Plato and Dan Lloyd have been rumoured for the fourth seat, and I would say Lloyd is more likely.

Excelr8 (4 TBLs)
Tom Ingram, Chris Smiley and Jack Butel are all likely to remain with the team. For the fourth seat, it looks as though Rick Parfitt is leaving. Reddit has Dan Kirby and Nic Hamilton as potential replacements, both of which are plausible.

Power Maxed (2 TBLs)
Jason Plato is certainly leaving, and Dan Lloyd is possibly leaving too. I think Jac Constable is highly likely to be one of the drivers, and Bobby Thompson has a good chance of being his teammate. Michael Crees has been linked, but I don't think it will happen, and there is a very small chance of a return for Mat Jackson.

Ciceley (2 TBLs)
Adam Morgan will be the first driver, but as for his teammate in the traditionally inferior second car I have no idea, and suspect it will be a rookie I've never heard of. There is a chance it will be Senna Proctor, given he wanted the drive last year, or a return to the team for Jack Butel, but I doubt it.

HARD (3 TBLs)
This team has 3 TBLs, but will likely run four cars and loan one from Carl Boardley. Jack Goff and Aron Taylor-Smith will be continuing with the team, but I suspect Jack Mitchell will not. Nic Hamilton has been linked elsewhere but may continue with HARD. Sam Smelt has been linked and I think there is a good chance of this, while Michael Crees could also return if he doesn't get the Infiniti drive. Cook and Lloyd are rumoured on reddit but I don't think either will actually go here, unless they were replacing Goff or Taylor-Smith.

Other (2 TBLs)
While Carl Boardley is most likely to loan his TBLs to HARD and Laser Tools, he may choose to sell them to new teams. Parker stated their intentions to return after their departure last year, Triple Eight teased a return on TikTok, and Bert Taylor wants to run his own team, Restart Racing, with Chris Smiley. All of these three are unlikely, but not impossible.

[Pickles]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

https://firstsportz.com/formula-one-...-social-media/

Last paragraph indicates an expectation of Nic Hamilton in a Rokit car for 2022. (Other sources are also linking him to a 2022 drive).

I was told at the final round at Brands that Nic had signed for another team for next year. This move is now looking unlikely, possibly due to Rokit jumping ship or at least splitting their financial input. I'm wondering if a return to the support paddock could be on the cards for him

[porsche962fan]

what exposure was Rokit getting with Hamilton being at the very back and only shown when he was involved in incidents or occassionally even lapped

makes much more sense to back someone like Hill who can get much more regular exposure