BTCC 2019 season discussion, News and Rumours!

[btccbloke]

I said earlier I get that he is disabled, I've absolutely nothing against him, he always comes across a nice lad.
I also get with his condition, getting the car round is an achievement at times, and he would easily be quicker than most of us here.
But he isn't beating many people in clios, and whilst he won't be dreadful, hewon't be beating many people in BTCC.
I wish him well, and maintain he is something of a big name, but I feel it's because of the points noted rather than results.
The first criticism my comment received pointed at doing OK staying on track despite his disability rather than "oh but look at race x" or "he did really well against y", you know actually racing, when it matters

[mattcanary]

Originally Posted by redshoes

Before anyone says anything, I'm not judging him on his disability, I'm judging him on his ability to race. I'm sure he's a nice guy and takes a great selfie, but that's hardly a criteria here.

Who exactly are these able bodied drivers that he is regularly beating?

There was a couple of tail-end charlies he regularly beat last season in the Clios. Luke Walden and Jeff Alden, the latter of which owned his team.
But yeah, he regularly finished in the bottom five or so.

[bella]

for the sake of a fuller picture, luke warr also ran his car as a rowbottom-esque one car effort off a flatbed car trailer in a little awning versus out of a truck with multiple teammates like the matrix and wde drivers.

hamilton has as much right to be on the grid as anyone else. he might not be front of the grid levels of quick, but given that unlike the other drivers, he’s also competing against his own body the lad’s doing a decent job. his presence is significant for spectators, especially those with disabilities of their own, in whatever series he races in.

just viewing him in the context of whether he has the potential to be at the front of the grid is a bit short sighted, especially with current low levels of participation of disabled drivers in higher level motorsport as a whole.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by thlbtcc

It's already been revealed earlier in this thread somewhere...

My educated guess was just that.

[btccbloke]

Originally Posted by bella

for the sake of a fuller picture, luke warr also ran his car as a rowbottom-esque one car effort off a flatbed car trailer in a little awning versus out of a truck with multiple teammates like the matrix and wde drivers.

hamilton has as much right to be on the grid as anyone else. he might not be front of the grid levels of quick, but given that unlike the other drivers, he’s also competing against his own body the lad’s doing a decent job. his presence is significant for spectators, especially those with disabilities of their own, in whatever series he races in.

just viewing him in the context of whether he has the potential to be at the front of the grid is a bit short sighted, especially with current low levels of participation of disabled drivers in higher level motorsport as a whole.

Nobody has said Nick Hamilton has no right to be there.

In that case should Jade Edwards automatically get a BTCC ride because she is a good role model for females (of which there are a high proportion of fans at BTCC events) and there are low levels of female drivers in higher level motorsport?

I have nothing against drivers with disabilities, drivers of ethnic minorities or anything like that but I am sure deep down, even Nick would prefer to have got there in spite of his disability rather than because of it

Whilst the sponsorship he brings talks, saying its "short sighted" to believe the countries top level series should be based on having the top level drivers means we are in danger of the sport becoming very PC for the sake of being PC in that regard.

[S griffin]

He’s only taking one seat out of 30, still got plenty of room for top class drivers in the series

[porsche962fan]

a thought out of the blue


could it be Rob Austin at AMD ?

[850Estate]

Nicholas Hamilton is a good bloke, and not the worst driver out there, just as the same can be said about Mark Howard, Stewart Lines or countless other gentleman drivers.

It does frustrate me a bit that he'll be on the grid over quicker guys who don't have the budget or marketability, but that's motorsport. We've all been involved for long enough to know that talent is (more often than not) not enough to secure a place on the grid. Especially in a series like the BTCC.

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by bella

hamilton has as much right to be on the grid as anyone else.

I wouldn't dispute that. It's not the first time, and certainly won't be the last time, we have a driver with more budget than talent. I don't really have a problem with that - it's just the reality of motorsports these days.

My issue is not with Hamilton being on the grid, it's with the idea that anyone seriously considers him a 'big name'.

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by redshoes

I wouldn't dispute that. It's not the first time, and certainly won't be the last time, we have a driver with more budget than talent. I don't really have a problem with that - it's just the reality of motorsports these days.

My issue is not with Hamilton being on the grid, it's with the idea that anyone seriously considers him a 'big name'.

I was talking in terms of the team owners - who, in terms or publicity, budget and huge sponsors, would definitely consider him a big name.

Like others have said, just a shame that this comes above race results.


Back on track, we have a double AmD announcement due next week apparently.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Evantra

I was talking in terms of the team owners - who, in terms or publicity, budget and huge sponsors, would definitely consider him a big name.

How many other drivers can claim that their multiple WDC brother dropped in to watch him race in the BTCC? That happened a couple of years ago at Croft, when LH helicoptered in after the end of race 1 and flew out again before the start of race 3.


Some of that "glitter" rubs off on sponsors and the team, and is something that no other team in the BTCC will benefit from.

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by Evantra

I was talking in terms of the team owners - who, in terms or publicity, budget and huge sponsors, would definitely consider him a big name.

Like others have said, just a shame that this comes above race results.


Back on track, we have a double AmD announcement due next week apparently.

We'll have an announcement from a different team this week.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by sceptic

We'll have an announcement from a different team this week.

Driver? Sponsor? #HARDs new 2019 model year bobble hats?

Maybe PMR?

[btccbloke]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

Driver? Sponsor? #HARDs new 2019 model year bobble hats?

Maybe PMR?

There will be something said on twitter, and i think we will hear something else before Christmas and again in the new year, most likely on a week day and involving cars, drivers and sponsors, at least one of these announcements will provoke a conversation while another may be underwhelming

[Alfisti]

Mmmmmmm... Could Jason Plato be driving an FWD bobble hat? Will a BMR Subaru become the new Prime Minister? Will Kent be annexed by Mr Putin thus it won't be BTCC anymore but RBTCC? Have the recently unemployed Daleks decided to pilot race cars for a living? What is the record for daft questions in a single post on this thread? And who is Hong Kong Phooey?

[sceptic]

RCIBRacing (which was the MGs last season, and I presume is now the AmD-prepped Hondas) has been tweeting about Aiden Moffatt today.

[Northern Monkey]

Originally Posted by sceptic

RCIBRacing (which was the MGs last season, and I presume is now the AmD-prepped Hondas) has been tweeting about Aiden Moffatt today.

RCIB have sponsored Aiden for the last few years

[MotorsportMechanic86]

Originally Posted by btccbloke

There will be something said on twitter, and i think we will hear something else before Christmas and again in the new year, most likely on a week day and involving cars, drivers and sponsors, at least one of these announcements will provoke a conversation while another may be underwhelming

Someone has a major case of I know something you don't know!!

[bella]

Originally Posted by redshoes

I wouldn't dispute that. It's not the first time, and certainly won't be the last time, we have a driver with more budget than talent. I don't really have a problem with that - it's just the reality of motorsports these days.

My issue is not with Hamilton being on the grid, it's with the idea that anyone seriously considers him a 'big name'.

understand why you'd feel that way, though he's arguably a big name for a lot of casual spectators (who, being realistic, make up a solid percentage of any touring car crowd). whilst your good self and many of the others posting on this thread may not be swayed by a famous brother - the biggest active name in global motorsport, arguably - it does bring him attention. and his story of hard work and overcoming his disability resonates with a lot of people. a lot of folk will root for him - perhaps not as their cap or fleece of choice, but they'll look out for him, want to hear from him and want to meet him.

that makes him a big name, i guess.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by MotorsportMechanic86

Someone has a major case of I know something you don't know!!

I suspect a tongue was firmly in cheek when the original post was written 🤔

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by Northern Monkey

RCIB have sponsored Aiden for the last few years

Indeed RCIB have sponsored a number of seats in recent years. The MGs, the VWs carried the brand at BMR, young Aiden and others...

[porsche962fan]

All Quiet on the BTC Front ?

[Alfisti]

Tumbleweed.

30 days to ASI (assuming I can count). Somebody will announce something then.....

[porsche962fan]

for all the talk so far fact is only 8 (plus 3 extremly likely , Simpson, Cammish and Moffat) fully confirmed drivers out of a 30 car grid

MG - Excelr8 Motorsport - ???????
MG - Excelr8 Motorsport - Rob Smith

Volkswagen CC - Team HARD - Mike Bushell
Volkswagen CC - Team HARD - Bobby Thompson
Volkswagen CC - Team HARD - Carl Boardley
Volkswagen CC - Team HARD - Michael Crees

Toyota Corolla - Speedworks - Tom Ingram

Mercedes A - Ciceley - Adam Morgan
Mercedes A - Ciceley - Dan Rowbottom

Mercedes A - Laser Tools - Aidan Moffat ?

Honda Civic - Team Dynamics - Matt Neal ??
Honda Civic - Team Dynamics - Dan Cammish

Honda Civic - BTC Norlin - ????
Honda Civic - BTC Norlin - ????

Honda Civic - Simpson Racing - Matt Simpson

Honda Civic - AMD - Jake Hill ????????
Honda Civic - AMD - ????????

Audi S3 - Trade Price Cars Racing - ???????
Audi S3 - Trade Price Cars Racing - ???????

Vauxhall Astra - PMR - ?????
Vauxhall Astra - PMR - ?????

BMW 125 - WSR - Andrew Jordan ??????
BMW 125 - WSR - ??????
BMW 125 - WSR - ??????

BMW 125 - Team Parker - Stephen Jelley ??

Ford Focus - Motorbase - Tom Chilton ??
Ford Focus - Motorbase - Olie Jackson ??
Ford Focus - Motorbase - ?????

Subaru Levorg - BMR - Ash Sutton ???
Subaru Levorg - BMR - ?????

[Jiiiiiiim]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

Tumbleweed.

30 days to ASI (assuming I can count). Somebody will announce something then.....

Expecting a few announcements over this week and next.

Seen a few social media comments from Josh Cook and Jack Goff saying they aren’t sorted for next year yet. Considering they were two of the top ten this year I’m surprised they haven’t nailed the deals yet. Clock is ticking for ASI where they like to have most deals done by.