All-new V8 Championship To Join British F3/gt

[Ian Sowman]

ALL-NEW V8 CHAMPIONSHIP TO JOIN BRITISH F3/GT


Announced today, Tuesday 1 July 2003, the all-new SCV8 Supercar Championship is set to join the BRDC British F3/GT Series from 2004. This major new championship featuring V8-engined, 550 bhp rear wheel drive racing saloon cars will bring fresh momentum to F3/GT meetings and is sure to further enhance the appeal of these race events for race fans and new audiences alike.

This new British motorsport series featuring two major races per event is now in the final stages of preparation and has been created by a consortium of experienced industry professionals with strong support from leading industry organisations. The Supercars concept has been developed by Rouse-Hall Motorsport, with the aim of bringing fans a series that features the excitement and spectacle of extremely high performance, yet easily recognisable, saloon cars for fast and furious championship racing. The rear wheel drive configuration of the cars guarantees crowd pleasing action and has been designed to put the wow! factor back into British motor racing.

Andy Rouse, four times BTCC champion, Pete Hall, prominent motorsport businessman and Roger Etcell, a leading motorsport marketing consultant, have pioneered this unique series with a multi-million pound investment programme and a commitment to generate fresh, entertaining and competitive motorsport action with unpredictable results. The programme has recently received long term support and commitment from the Haymarket Publishing Group and the British Racing Drivers’ Club, both of whom bring in-depth experience and enormous backing to this exciting new championship. The Championship has already been given the thumbs-up from both professional drivers and industry, with former Formula One, Champ Car and Le Mans star, Mark Blundell saying,

"I think the SCV8 Supercar Championship will be a great addition to the British motorsport calendar. These cars will be awesome to drive; there’s nothing quite like a rear wheel V8 for getting ‘on the edge’ and pushing to the limits. And as for the racing - it will be fierce! I’m positive that manufacturers with motorsport programmes, such as MG, will be keen to evaluate this championship for their future plans".

Roger Etcell explains the rationale of SCV8 Supercars: "Motorsport fans have a thirst for ultimate power and high quality racing with dramatic cars and star name drivers, a format which is currently not seen in Britain, but is enjoyed in other countries around the globe with series such as the Australian V8s, DTM and NASCAR. We are planning a race series that adds a new dimension to the UK motorsport scene, with sexy cars, professional stars and young talented drivers, and the spine tingling roar of massive horsepower. We are confident SCV8 will quickly establish itself as one of the cornerstones of national racing and build a solid, loyal fan base who will become avid followers of the series."



The SCV8 Supercar Championship

The SCV8 Championship is well advanced in its development with the championship programme pending MSA approval in the near future. The foundations are extremely strong with a six year business plan that provides the extensive investment, experience and commitment that are the necessary and fundamental requirements of this new motorsport series.

The all-new series will be presented around 4 unique, exciting and bold initiatives:


The Cars - their performance and low costs


Driver Options


Young Driver Programme


The Show



1. The Cars

Based around popular mid-range four-door saloons, the cars feature race prepared chassis and 550bhp V8 racing engines that deliver massive power and torque but limited grip through rear wheel drive and controlled slick or wet racing tyres. With many common parts the cars feature performance equalising facilities, which will provide varied and exciting racing where driver skill will be the deciding factor on either road or oval circuits.

The races could see Jaguars versus Audis versus MGs, Peugeots, Fords and more, all with power to weight ratios that are twice that of current touring cars, and all at a fraction of the costs. Long-term technical stability is a cornerstone of the concept, thus ensuring commercial viability for teams and sponsors. Teams will be offered a SCV8 Franchise Scheme where selected teams will hold an exclusive arrangement for their chosen brand from a selection of


over 15 different models. Manufacturers will play a part in the team selection process and just 5 franchises are offered in year 1 to reach the targeted 20 car grid.



2. Driver Options

The high-power, rear wheel drive format has been created to attract back to Britain the real star drivers of International motorsport, who have taken drives in other parts of the world due to the lack of suitable product in the UK. Whilst all cars will be equal in performance, entrants will be able to choose between the Drivers' Championship and the Teams' Championship. The teams' contest, with two drivers driving one race each, will provide the opportunity to share costs and mix youngsters with mature drivers, guests with professionals and perhaps even establish famous father and son combinations.



3. Young Driver Programme

A brand new concept, completely unique and much needed, the team class within the SCV8 series will create a driver career path to International racing. This will provide a suitable platform for drivers to move up from single-seater categories such as Formula Ford and Formula Renault, as well as one-make championships. This new category will provide the opportunity for young lions to mix with established stars in the drivers’ class, enabling talented young drivers to show their skills on an equally competitive basis. Young drivers can then graduate into the SCV8 drivers’ class, or continue on in their careers to International single-seaters or sports cars.



4. The Show

Extensive thought and planning is behind an all-new event programme that will provide non-stop entertainment for enthusiastic race fans and all the family. The SCV8 Supercar championship will be fully supported with quality terrestrial television and a comprehensive marketing programme and will tour the country headlining the BRDC British F3/GT series.



Ends

[Ian Sowman]

A long post - I'm interested to hear what people think of the new initiative. Will it succeed?

[Craig]

Oh great... yet another series we don't need...

[Ian Sowman]

I'm sure that will be the over-riding view to be honest. If they can make it work I'm sure it will be very good - but the if is quite a big one. We'll see what Roger and co can do.

[Andrew Kitson]

Sounds good. I hope so.
Rid the world of front wheel drive. Bring back those oversteering power slides.
Hey, give it two or three seasons to find its feet and why not re-name it the BTCC!

[redshoes]

For those of you who don't remember this idea first surfaced about 3 years ago, was taken over by BMP and quietly pushed under the carpet so as to not upset the then recently relaunched BTCC. Assuming the spec hasn't changed much these are tube-frame chassis with saloon car style bodywork, vaguely similar to the German V8STAR series.

I'm still a little undecided on this - big V8s and RWD are a great idea but too many times we've seen big powerful cars don't mean great racing. Is there really space in an already crowded calendar for another new series? How does it fit in with the MSA's new announced matrix and Championship Control Panel?

[kmchow]

No offence, but just great (in a negative way!!)!! What the motorsport world needs right now is another series to further split up sponsorship dollars, teams, resources and fans!

[ATF]

This could really affect the BTCC - and what about ASCAR?

And I thought the bit about:

"attracting back to Britain the real star drivers of International motorsport, who have taken drives in other parts of the world due to the lack of suitable product in the UK."

that's a bit cheeky!

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

I have two words to say to the people behind this and neither are postable.

[BootsOntheSide]

V8 cars are truly awesome to watch, sliding all over the place and bumping and boaring around the track. Not for nothing is it Australia's favourite form of motorsport. All the same, it may die a death due to alack of support. Most of the companies they hope to attract seem keen on either BTCC or ETCC, and may feel that these cars aren't similar enough to their road cars to merit development. Maybe the rules could eb set to allow old cars from Australia in?

[redshoes]

Boots, this may be called V8 Supercars but it definately isn't the same as the Aussie version.

[Craner Curves]

Originally posted by Sim_Da_BTCC_Man
I have two words to say to the people behind this and neither are postable.

off isn't a bad word though. :confused:

I hope it falls flat on it's backside. There's no need for it at all.

[codename_47]

Reminds me of that V8 Eurocar thing that was set up a few years ago....even got TV coverage on Channel 4 IIRC....and where's that now exactly? :confused: (I'm not being all "ha ha ha...that's gone isn't it here...I really don't know If it's still around or not! )

But yeah, I agree with everyone here, what we don't need is for this and the BTCC to go all CART/IRL on us

[Craner Curves]

What's the odds on this ending up forming part of the VSR/Super Silhouette fields at club meetings when it doesn't attract the numbers?

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

Originally posted by Craner Curves
off isn't a bad word though. :confused:

You read my mind.

This seems like another pointless scheme.

[gttouring]

V8 supercars are not V8stars, Supercars OZ are best.
Now how does this series interfere with DTM?
and can it get off the ground-i have read it is struggling a bit.

[kykiske]

thing is the BritGT is basically as V8Touring championship as it is with the N-GT and lower specs the cars now run too. (the cars are of course GT derived cars not saloons but im sure you get my point!)

This is one championship British Motorsport does not need right now. in a boom time maybe, in a time of economic slowdown no-way.

[Muppet]

If it has full grids, looks good, sounds good and brings in the crowds then I'm all for it.

[El_Gibleto]

The people behind this series have a good track record and are very succesful in their chosen careers. Remamber that Andy Rouse was the brains behind the 2 litre supertouring regulations.

Running as part of the BF3/BGT package this could be a very attractive championship for many drivers and sponsors, especially if the costs incurred are reasonable.

[Jimeth]

i think it'll end up like the series that started up out of Eurocars. If i remember right, it was basically like V8 stars, like S-Type bodywork and so forth, with some old Eurocar drivers in it. It didn't succeed. I know its really vague and probably wrong so i apologise but i just don't think it'll work out.

[PTs Bro]

If Brit GT was scrapped, the now lamentable TVR Tuscans were scrapped, the BTCC was scrapped, the also lamentable Porsche Carrera Cup was scrapped, the Seat Cupra Cup was scrapped, the ASCARS were scrapped, all of which I consider should be ditched; and the supercars were as per the V8 Aussie Championship i.e the premier and indeed only major saloon car championship, attracted at least 30 drivers, were as "cheap" to run and were always billed as the headline Championship at a meeting and not part of a "package" or "tour", then it would stand a chance of suceeding and also attracting manufacturer interest in so much as they would franchise their vehicles / designs.

[Ian Sowman]

One thing they have done already is make it clear that the championship *will* always be the headline series at F3/GT meetings. It shouldn't affect F3 but it might make GT suffer a bit.

[PTs Bro]

It will mean the GT's suffer more than just a bit, if they suffer anymore from the position that they are in at present they will die on their feet...........In the "brave new world" F3 should be a headline series and the V8's should be one too. They should both be run once a month, on alternate weekends to each other so that you don't get the ridiculous clash that you had on the 21st & 22nd June 03, the circuit owners should be allowed to build a support programme up from lesser international/national/club championships, who should not be restricted in terms of licence requirements and not made to pay enorurmous entry fees for 45 mins practice on a saturday and a 20 min (max) race on the sunday. This would possibly mean that there will be different championships competing on both the sat & sundays, making the whole weekend a major motorsport event, of course the danger is that either the BRSCC or the BRDC will get hold of the whole thing and nause it up unless there is very careful planning.

[bella]

on the quiet i think this might just be being created to take over from the btcc. not wanting to start the doom and gloom debate, but i've heard from a number of 'sources'/people that the btcc is looking in a bit of a sorry state with regards to manufacturers. i'm guessing this v8 thing will have a quiet year, then start to pick up some serious manufacturer interest.

and it'll seriously brighten up the nearly completely pointless f3/gt package...

[kmchow]

I guess Rouse is really set on starting his "own" series. Otherwise, I don't understand why he didn't return to the BTCC after several years of absence. It would be cool to have Rouse come back to race against VLR, Team Halfords,etc... It will be the early 90s all over again?

Now if only GM Visa Card, Listerine and Securicor Express would return? Ditto for Toyota with their Corolla,Carina,etc...