Who is the bad boy?

[Andy Metcalf]

Last year Yvan Muller said during an interview, "who is the bad boy".

So my question is:-

Who is the bad boy?

[Andy Metcalf]

I could only put ten names on here so if I have missed your nomination, add it yourself with your reply.

[manicmarshal]

Hmmm! Gavin punted off one each meeting so he gets my vote for now.

[BSchneiderFan]

Having just watched the Brands Hatch round on ITV, I'd have to say Matt Neal. His move on Paul O'Neill at the last corner was right out of order; there wasn't a gap, he didn't have any of his car alongside the Astra, he simply pushed O'Neill out of the way and I think he ought to have been disqualified for it. Not only was it a rough move, but it ended Warren Hughes' race as well. £500 fine? Don't make me laugh. I think he and Honda can afford that if it means winning the race.

[racingdick]

i will never forget the little incident that chilton pulled on Poor old Harvey @ Brands last year

[Craner Curves]

Thompson. Dirty driver number 1

[lauz]

i have to say matt neal because he stopped paul oneill winning at brands!

[speedy king]

Colin Turkington, he deliberately hit Thompson back at brands and took him self out

[touringcarnut]

I think turkington was just straightening the car out, i don't think it was anything malicious. Bennett was a bit bargy at the start of race 2, but my vote goes to Muller.

[Jamie P-E]

I'm going for Bennett after his move in qualifying at brands against the 2 Barwell Honda's

[ATF]

Matt Neal's a tool!

[nicker less]

The BTCC hasn't got a bad boy no more. All the characters have gone!

[Matthopps]

Originally posted by nicker less
The BTCC hasn't got a bad boy no more. All the characters have gone!

Yeah, exactly, where are Cleland, Tarquini, Harvey, Menu, Winkelhock etc?

[SALEEN S7R]

Tarquni is in the ETCC. And I think Menu the DTM.

[Craner Curves]

Originally posted by ATF
Matt Neal's a tool!

Thompson is a whole Teng Tools equipped workshop!!

[Teletubby]

Has to be Muller, consistently hits other cars but seems to get an extraordinary level of the 'benefit of the doubt'!

[KPC]

I don't think it's fair that Matt is the Bad Boy owing to one incident, however out of order it may have been. However, when the safety car was out I saw him punt one of the proddy Civics up the rear as it wasn't taking the opportunity to close the field. Muller was playing very dirty at Mondello and Hughes was fighting back at Brands... although I don't think he crossed the boundary but displayed some of the best racing I've seen in a long time. We didn't see from the camera shot whether Phil Bennett's moves on Gavin Pyper were as a result of a third party or not, but looked pretty damning to me. Anthony Reid spent last year punting everyone around but seems to have calmed down. It's some damn fine racing in my books and we've waited two years for it to be this close. Let's hope it remains close with paint swapping rather than the stock car stuff we've seen so far.

[AndyF]

Originally posted by btccnews
I could only put ten names on here so if I have missed your nomination, add it yourself with your reply.

I could nominate more than 10!!!

[MichaelH]

I'd say Bennett. A heck of a lot of scrapes involve him...

[KPC]

I must confess that those Soper incidents are looking a bit more grey than once they did. The golden boy of 2001 is fast going the same way this year as he did last... and Leslie seems to deliver the goods. Harsh words maybe, but the bloke does always seem to be in the thick of it.... like Patrick Watts once upon a time. Bad luck or bad driving Mr B?

[touringlegend]

Unlucky seem's to be Phil's middle name these days - as for a dirty driver or not definitely not, he doesn't just race in the BTCC these days - he does well in other formula too.

[Andy Metcalf]

Originally posted by KPC
I don't think it's fair that Matt is the Bad Boy owing to one incident, however out of order it may have been. However, when the safety car was out I saw him punt one of the proddy Civics up the rear as it wasn't taking the opportunity to close the field. Muller was playing very dirty at Mondello and Hughes was fighting back at Brands... although I don't think he crossed the boundary but displayed some of the best racing I've seen in a long time. We didn't see from the camera shot whether Phil Bennett's moves on Gavin Pyper were as a result of a third party or not, but looked pretty damning to me. Anthony Reid spent last year punting everyone around but seems to have calmed down. It's some damn fine racing in my books and we've waited two years for it to be this close. Let's hope it remains close with paint swapping rather than the stock car stuff we've seen so far.

That is the main point that I was trying to make. One incident, a bad boy does not make. Also people's perception of an event is always tainted by their opinion of the Drivers involved.

[KPC]

Very true. My brother has never been a great fan of Thommo, whereas I don't think the bloke can do a thing wrong. Okay, obviously he does misbehave. But I like the bloke and so when he makes a move like the very famous incident on Plato at Oulton Park (where the pit bloke get's away with an F word if you listen carefully - bit about the jacks) I think it's a good thing. I grab a tinny from the fridge. But say the incident was reversed and Plato drove Thommo off... I'd be parapletic. Thommo did a similar thing to Rydell at Croft around about the same time - but I don't care - wheels got locked if you ask me.

But as you say... it's a love hate perception thing. If some drivers walked on water some of us wouldn't be impressed.

[pink69]

Is there really a "bad boy" in the BTCC? There is the odd accident / purpose but its not every race is it. :confused:

[peter briggs]

Ref, Tom Chilton , it looked to me that Tim Harvey thought his braking point had to be a bit earlier than normal on the lap in question.I would not blame Tom.