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

[Matt K]

That's reasonable then, didn't know it.

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

I also think a driver who says the following has definitely excluded themselves from a 2022 seat:

“I don’t mean it in a bad way against the championship, but I’m 110% happy with how things are these days with me and what else I’ve got going on,”

“It was good to be there and actually go, ‘Yeah, I’ve completely made the right decision and I’m at one with what we’re doing now.’

“I was more than happy with not being in there full-time, so I have no desire to do that if I‘m honest – I’ve moved on from it and it doesn’t do anything for me.

“If I watched the Goodwood Revival on the TV and I wasn’t there, I’d 100% want to be there, but with touring cars I’ve moved on – I’ll watch it if I’m around, just because I’m intrigued about who’s doing what, but it doesn’t one bit make me want to find the budget to get out there and do it.

“There’s nothing I hate about the championship – it’s just that in my head I’m quite done with it and I’m cool with not being in it.”

“With the historics it’s just so busy in terms of business that I wouldn’t have the time to do that and a full-time thing like touring cars. It just wouldn’t work – I couldn’t fit in such an intense programme alongside our historic commitments.

“I want to pick some of the big European rounds like Holjes and things like that – just bucket-list events that will be an adventure. I’m looking forward to that.”

that bit is key

not even if he would be offered a nice paycheck ?

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

not even if he would be offered a nice paycheck ?

Well - considering he has never been a paid driver in the past, you'd have to wind the clock back 20+ years to find a chance of someone like Jordan being paid to drive in the BTCC.

As said before - in the BTCC of 2022 you will not find (even in the remotest of wild dreams) a situation where Jordan attracts a paid drive from a team in the championship.

As a rumour of a 2022 entry, it's in the same area as Lewis Hamilton taking a seat in a Kia sponsored by the North Pole elves. How many ?'s would that need in a list?

[BTCC frog]

The Speedworks drive is an interesting one because they have suddenly expanded to three cars and very few drivers have been mentioned in relation to the seat. I would be surprised if Rory Butcher left, so would have him down for the first seat. Josh Cook has been linked to the second but I think this is unlikely, and Sam Smelt is probably leaving the team. Two drivers who I have not seen linked to the team but cannot see going anywhere else (except BTC) are Tom Chilton and Jason Plato. That would be quite a team, if they can get Butcher, Chilton and Plato, and would have enough backing to function competitively. I suspect it is more likely that they end up with a paying rookie in the third car alongside Butcher and Chilton, but if they can get either Plato or Cook that would be a great lineup.

[Matt K]

Speedworks expanding to three cars is generally quite an exciting and surprising prospect given how long they were a single-car operation. Let's be honest, this year they also seemed a bit like a one-car team so would be fantastic to see at least two competitive drivers in "factory" Toyotas. A great one would be to have, Butcher as sort of no 1, Chilton as a solid, podium- contending number 2 and a young, talented guy in the third car but probably that's a bit too much to ask.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Well - considering he has never been a paid driver in the past, you'd have to wind the clock back 20+ years to find a chance of someone like Jordan being paid to drive in the BTCC.

As said before - in the BTCC of 2022 you will not find (even in the remotest of wild dreams) a situation where Jordan attracts a paid drive from a team in the championship.

As a rumour of a 2022 entry, it's in the same area as Lewis Hamilton taking a seat in a Kia sponsored by the North Pole elves. How many ?'s would that need in a list?

I heard Lewis was in talks with the South Pole Penguins about a ride in their Mercedes powered Volvo's. JP and Matt Neale will be in charge of the bacon sarnies apparently.

[mark_l]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

I heard Lewis was in talks with the South Pole Penguins about a ride in their Mercedes powered Volvo's. JP and Matt Neale will be in charge of the bacon sarnies apparently.

I'd of thought Tim Harvey would of been in charge of catering, even if no one appointed him.

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by mark_l

I'd of thought Tim Harvey would of been in charge of catering, even if no one appointed him.

Tim's responsible for "quality control"

[porsche962fan]

if Hill will end up at Motorbase again it would kill 2 rumors at one , that he will be at WSR and Sutton at Motorbase

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

if Hill will end up at Motorbase again it would kill 2 rumors at one , that he will be at WSR and Sutton at Motorbase

I think it's pretty certain he won't be at Motorbase next year.

[Pickles]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

if Hill will end up at Motorbase again it would kill 2 rumors at one , that he will be at WSR and Sutton at Motorbase

Suttons announcement is planned for this week.

[piekey]

If i was a betting man ?
I would have a months wages on Sutton @ Motorbase.......
Watch this space.

[Robin Marriott]

Without me trawling through 55 pages to find out, can someone tell me why Sutton wouldn’t still be in the same car or at least at the same team as this year?

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Robin Marriott

Without me trawling through 55 pages to find out, can someone tell me why Sutton wouldn’t still be in the same car or at least at the same team as this year?

In summary - the 2021 drive was a combination of Moffat, BMR, Boardley and HARD. putting together a deal with Warren Scott for Sutton to be in a Laser Tools-branded Infiniti.

For 2022, that deal doesn't work for some of the parties involved.

[crmalcolm]

With seemingly the worst-kept secret in BTCC being revealed soon, another former champion is also moving teams due to sponsorship reasons. The date of this reveal is still not confirmed.

[Robin Marriott]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

In summary - the 2021 drive was a combination of Moffat, BMR, Boardley and HARD. putting together a deal with Warren Scott for Sutton to be in a Laser Tools-branded Infiniti.

For 2022, that deal doesn't work for some of the parties involved.

Perfect, thanks.

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

With seemingly the worst-kept secret in BTCC being revealed soon, another former champion is also moving teams due to sponsorship reasons. The date of this reveal is still not confirmed.

so it can be

- Plato
- Turkington
- Shedden

[mprmke]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

so it can be

- Plato
- Turkington
- Shedden

Shedden would be the most likely off that list. I expect Plato to move on from PMR, but not for sponsorship reasons. Turkington would only leave WSR if BMW withdrew support. Guess you could count that as sponsorship-related, but Shedden seems to fit that reasoning better than the other two.

[porsche962fan]

maybe Shedden and Butcher at Speedworks ? Team Scotland

[S griffin]

I can certainly see Flash at Toyota, alongside his brother in law. Would make a great team

[mprmke]

Seems a pretty natural fit. They also came pretty close to putting together a deal to run Butcher and Shedden together at Motorbase a couple of years ago.

[Matt K]

Who in Dynamics then? I bet Neal's return is almost a certainty but who in the third car?

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Matt K

Who in Dynamics then? I bet Neal's return is almost a certainty but who in the third car?

Today, Neal has talked about still working on a deal to get back into a drive for 2022.

Now whether that is typical smoke and mirrors?

[Matt K]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Today, Neal has talked about still working on a deal to get back into a drive for 2022.

Now whether that is typical smoke and mirrors?

I bet it is

[medius]

Neal has said in several interviews on podcasts that he would never want to outstay his welcome in the championship and didn't want to slide towards ths back of the grid. He hasn't been in a title hunt for a decade so I doubt he'll want to return to get beaten up by the midfeld dross again. He's enjoyed his team boss role this year. His time is doe and wants to pass on his knowledge to the next generation like Rowbo.