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

[Spanner monkey]

Think the lack of teams testing has been due to the availability of getting the Hybrid stuff back from Cosworth.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by peebee2

Not his father?

Rory's father, Gordon's father in law.

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by Spanner monkey

Think the lack of teams testing has been due to the availability of getting the Hybrid stuff back from Cosworth.

Who has kits already? Seems unfair if some do and some don’t

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

Who has kits already? Seems unfair if some do and some don’t

teams dont collect and pay for the kits until they need to start seriously testing
it only takes a couple of hours to refit them

nothing to do with unfair its the teams choice when they do

[TuteZaek]

Originally Posted by touring fan01

teams dont collect and pay for the kits until they need to start seriously testing
it only takes a couple of hours to refit them

nothing to do with unfair its the teams choice when they do

So, the kits go in and out of Cosworth constantly or during the season they remain with the teams unless mainteneance is needed?

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by TuteZaek

So, the kits go in and out of Cosworth constantly or during the season they remain with the teams unless mainteneance is needed?

stay with the teams all season and go back to cosworth at the end of the season for servicing

[thetool]

Cosworth engineers are in-and-out of most of the teams garages at various points during the season too, particularly in the early days of the system where there were a lot of teething problems.

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

Rory's father, Gordon's father in law.

Thanks. I knew but was surpised to hear someone say Derek is Rory's father-in-law.

[aland]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

You sure about that? It’s a myth that Rory works at Knockhill - he said as much in an interview a while back

aye, rory has been working since he was a bairn, ground crew, painting kerbs, the crappy maintenance. its a family job, all the team are close, ,

[crmalcolm]

Rory Butcher (about Knockhill): "Absolutely, I’m here day to day helping, helping to organise the events that we run here at the circuit."

[Daverb]

Originally Posted by Spanner monkey

Think the lack of teams testing has been due to the availability of getting the Hybrid stuff back from Cosworth.

I think between this (hybrid) and Alan Gow will kill off the BTCC.

TCR UK on the up, cheaper with no hybrid. Loss of Ginetta. Dynamics? It seems to be the perfect storm.

[Adamcas87]

Originally Posted by Daverb

I think between this (hybrid) and Alan Gow will kill off the BTCC.

TCR UK on the up, cheaper with no hybrid. Loss of Ginetta. Dynamics? It seems to be the perfect storm.

No Load of rubbish
What’s Alan Gow done to kill off the BTCC?
TCR UK is used as a stepping stone at the moment for drivers coming out of mini’s etc
I don’t see how losing the Ginettas is a bad thing or what it has to do with the BTCC
Dynamics leaving is pure speculation, people just guessing cos there’s been no news yet

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by Daverb

I think between this (hybrid) and Alan Gow will kill off the BTCC.

TCR UK on the up, cheaper with no hybrid. Loss of Ginetta. Dynamics? It seems to be the perfect storm.

Alan Gow kill BTCC ? Are you sure? He picked it up off the floor after Otagon had wrecked it in two seasons and built it back up in less than one.

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by Daverb

TCR UK on the up, cheaper with no hybrid.

Hybrid is also in development (very slowly) for TCR anyway.

[coffinpilot]

I disagree with the Gow killing the BTCC line with the changes. I think a big threat is incoming Electric cars, and that's further off than we think - I reckon the 2030 ban on petrol sales will be put back. A bigger problem if the BTCC remains petrol is that there will be less cars suitable for rebuild as an NGTC machine (Unless it becomes the British SUV Championship)

Gow is only in his mid 60s, Bernie was nearly 90 when he gave up F1, and Gow is making serious money - he'll extend when the TOCA deal runs out I reckon.

The biggest threat overall though is bringing in new fans. Younger fans don't watch TV. Younger fans engage with social media and streaming. Shifting BTCC from ITV4 to the odd race on ITV1 is great, but in the long term it won't bring in new fans. F1 is getting things right, and the rest should follow. BTCC is never going to be that popular, but the disconnect in a changing digital world isn't good. Their YouTube views are rubbish, when you think of how much BARC livestreams grow when Jimmy Broadbent is racing it makes you wonder what goes on at BTCC. Look at their Youtube vids - many are only 3-6,000, a worrying amount under 1,000. Their Twitter/Insta/FB/TikTok strategy is terrible. THat's the threat. Even with small numbers TCR is building that for a younger market.

As for TCR, I don't think it's a stepping stone. As much as it's growing, it's still for those who can't afford BTCC, or who couldn't run at the front. Stuart Lines has said again and again that it's there because BTCC is too expensive. They all reckon it's a similar price to run in JCW Mini as a TCR, and even if they are slower I think they're mor relative, why? Because there's lots of contact, and the racing is similar to BTCC, and that budget for a year includes a bit of damage. TCR is pretty clean racing. because of that budget problem. The cars may be similar, but the driving isn't. They need to keep the cars in good shape dont they? Plus, one of the reasons it's cheaper is it's only 15 races.

I think the end game will see BTCC try to poach a modified TCR formula like DTM went ith a modified GT3 formula.

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

I disagree with the Gow killing the BTCC line with the changes. I think a big threat is incoming Electric cars, and that's further off than we think - I reckon the 2030 ban on petrol sales will be put back.

I hope so, but the manufacturers are pretty well down the line discontinuing traditional production lines.

[fergus_r]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

The biggest threat overall though is bringing in new fans. Younger fans don't watch TV. Younger fans engage with social media and streaming. Shifting BTCC from ITV4 to the odd race on ITV1 is great, but in the long term it won't bring in new fans. F1 is getting things right, and the rest should follow. BTCC is never going to be that popular, but the disconnect in a changing digital world isn't good. Their YouTube views are rubbish, when you think of how much BARC livestreams grow when Jimmy Broadbent is racing it makes you wonder what goes on at BTCC. Look at their Youtube vids - many are only 3-6,000, a worrying amount under 1,000. Their Twitter/Insta/FB/TikTok strategy is terrible. THat's the threat. Even with small numbers TCR is building that for a younger market.

This is a very important point and it absolutely baffles me how they can be so stuck in the past.

7+ hours of coverage on ITV was great 10-15 years ago. Not anymore. 95% of the motorsport I watch(and I watch a lot of different championships from all over the world) is live, free and archived on YouTube, and this has been the case for a good number of years now. And that's the whole weekend - not just select races on the Sunday.

A good example is Mini Challenge; every race was available to see on YT back when it was on the British GT package, but nowadays I don't watch any of it because I have no interest in seeing just one race over a weekend.

To add to that, national/club meetings are mostly all streamed now as well, and quite often to a very good quality. It's actually unusual for a meeting not to be streamed in at least some capacity nowadays. I'm not just talking about the UK either - check out 'BlendLineTV' on YouTube for some great Australia/NZ club racing.

Back to BTCC...it's great that every race is archived to watch on the ITV website - that's one thing they are up-to-speed with - but these should be on YouTube anyway, especially for international viewers who may not have a TV deal in their region, or don't have access to a VPN. But if one wants to watch the whole show (with interviews, analysis etc) they have to sit through the truly terrible mess that is the ITV player.

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by fergus_r

This is a very important point and it absolutely baffles me how they can be so stuck in the past.

7+ hours of coverage on ITV was great 10-15 years ago. Not anymore. 95% of the motorsport I watch(and I watch a lot of different championships from all over the world) is live, free and archived on YouTube, and this has been the case for a good number of years now. And that's the whole weekend - not just select races on the Sunday.

A good example is Mini Challenge; every race was available to see on YT back when it was on the British GT package, but nowadays I don't watch any of it because I have no interest in seeing just one race over a weekend.

To add to that, national/club meetings are mostly all streamed now as well, and quite often to a very good quality. It's actually unusual for a meeting not to be streamed in at least some capacity nowadays. I'm not just talking about the UK either - check out 'BlendLineTV' on YouTube for some great Australia/NZ club racing.

Back to BTCC...it's great that every race is archived to watch on the ITV website - that's one thing they are up-to-speed with - but these should be on YouTube anyway, especially for international viewers who may not have a TV deal in their region, or don't have access to a VPN. But if one wants to watch the whole show (with interviews, analysis etc) they have to sit through the truly terrible mess that is the ITV player.

Heres the thing. How many hits does Motorsport get on YouTube….

[FIRE]

Is there an official BTCC online racing league? For example NLS (Nurburgring endurance series) and WTCR have both racing leagues.

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by FIRE

Is there an official BTCC online racing league? NLS (Nurburgring endurance series) and WTCR have this racing leagues.

I’m sure it’ll come with the BTCC game… so never!

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by fergus_r

This is a very important point and it absolutely baffles me how they can be so stuck in the past.

7+ hours of coverage on ITV was great 10-15 years ago. Not anymore. 95% of the motorsport I watch(and I watch a lot of different championships from all over the world) is live, free and archived on YouTube, and this has been the case for a good number of years now. And that's the whole weekend - not just select races on the Sunday.

A good example is Mini Challenge; every race was available to see on YT back when it was on the British GT package, but nowadays I don't watch any of it because I have no interest in seeing just one race over a weekend.

To add to that, national/club meetings are mostly all streamed now as well, and quite often to a very good quality. It's actually unusual for a meeting not to be streamed in at least some capacity nowadays. I'm not just talking about the UK either - check out 'BlendLineTV' on YouTube for some great Australia/NZ club racing.

Back to BTCC...it's great that every race is archived to watch on the ITV website - that's one thing they are up-to-speed with - but these should be on YouTube anyway, especially for international viewers who may not have a TV deal in their region, or don't have access to a VPN. But if one wants to watch the whole show (with interviews, analysis etc) they have to sit through the truly terrible mess that is the ITV player.

I think TOCA is in the old Bernie Ecclestone mode, thinking if you can't make money out if it then it has no value - not seeing the bigger picture which Liberty has now made F1.

[coffinpilot]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

Heres the thing. How many hits does Motorsport get on YouTube….

The BRSCC livestream for yesterday on YouTube had 19,000 views.
I've seen bigger, and smaller in club racing. Some of the BARC meetings where Jimmy Broadbent raced hit 70-80,000 (when other meetings in the same year by BARC hit 15-20K)

I don't know the TV numbers for BTCC, but a few years ago (2018 I believe) I saw a BTCC prospectus that claimed around 300,000 viewers per race on ITV4 - and another sponsorship prospectus from a Porsche team claiming supports hit around 90,000.

I'm sure that I read BTCC on ITV hit more than 1 million - if so I don't think that's massive really.

[coffinpilot]

Originally Posted by fergus_r

This is a very important point and it absolutely baffles me how they can be so stuck in the past.

A good example is Mini Challenge; every race was available to see on YT back when it was on the British GT package, but nowadays I don't watch any of it because I have no interest in seeing just one race over a weekend..

I like the Touring Cars Masters from Down Under - brilliant stuff!

I think Ginetta Jr will take a massive hit on the GT bill. Even if the fees are lower, and the running costs drop, less races if I'm right, for those raising funds on TV exposure (some sponsors still fall for that) who can't fund the kids, it's going to bomb once TOCA bring in their own junior series. I expect it will initially do better than the GT5 viewing figures when it supports Brit GT - but they're on separate streams - Ginetta Jr will be a devalued series in three years. Unless they clean it up as a GT feeder series.

On the searching for streams, I'll be interested to see if TCR stick with the BRSCC main feed, or split off for their own rounds. Even though it's on the up, I don't expect the streaming to be huge.

[antnee]

Where TOCA could improve the coverage is to supplement the ITV coverage, perhaps through a premium app. However this would require things like in-car cameras for every car, better access to timing, etc - then allow the premium users to select different views, etc.

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by antnee

Where TOCA could improve the coverage is to supplement the ITV coverage, perhaps through a premium app. However this would require things like in-car cameras for every car, better access to timing, etc - then allow the premium users to select different views, etc.

Saturday support races shown…