B&Q is worst BTCC driver in 2001

[Takuma]

John B&Q is too slow and dangerous, at Donington Park he was running upto 20 seconds off the pace.

He has no place in what is claimed to be the top british racing series, or in any other series with serious drivers.

[MrTTraces]

What about Annie Templeton?????

[Chris Y]

John has had problems with the car all this year, it's got nothing to do with his driving ability

There are plenty of drivers worse than John!

[Maisie]

Return to whence you came, misguided spindle-worshiper, and bother us no more...

I'd like to see you do better with a dodgy engine and one gear.

[Lorna]

Maisie, I couldn't have put it better myself!

Hasn't Mika Hakinnen been having problems all year with his car? Does that mean he is unsuitable to be racing F1? I think not!

So, what are your reasons, Takuma, for posting such a negative post?

[Paul Rayner]

I agree that John shouldn't have been running when his car was so slow at Donington and nobody should in my opinion, but he had car problems. This is not my feeling about the rest of the season though.
I can think of at least one driver who has on several occasions driven more slowly than John with what is probably a superior car.

John isn't the best driver in the BTCC, but he isn't the worst either.

[AndyF]

John may not be the quickest driver out there, but the BTCC would be so dull without him. Nick Beaumont is a bloody quick driver, and he is stuck with John at the back, proving that it is the car and not he that is the problem.

[bella]

run like the wind, my friend, as you shall be proven wrong quite quickly...

[gomick]

you have stirred the pot here takuma, B&Q has been a talking point here all season and has many friends on the board.....why have you dissed him over an obvious engine problem

[Les]

and that's the last we see from him...

do you think he feels a little outnumbered?

[pb btcc]

Reasons y John was 20 seconds off the pace hmmmmmmmmmmm.

1.the Interga is pile of S**t
2.there only put a Engine in the car on race day
3.It was raining John went to wets then the track dryed out.
4.The car only has 1 gear (4th) I think.

If u give John and Nick a much faster car e.g Peugeot 306 there would be further up the field.

[MGF]

I just think that John B & Q has had a tough run of luck this year. What car are you going to be using next year John?

[touringcarnut]

Who cares!!??!! He's got a car with four wheels, that's enough as far as i'm concerned, he's provided some great action to watch, and he doesn't get in the touring class cars way.

[100% honda fa]

he has got a really good car its just him that car has had a great history
first mardi gras had it then sold it to gr then madi gras got them back and then sold em 2 b and q 2nd with mardi gras then 1st with gr and 3rd with madi gras then last this year with the c*** its driver B and Q

[Takuma]

Production times from Brands Hatch.

The manager of the leading production team said that "there was no reason why the Honda Integra's shouldn't be competitive this season with good drivers".

John B&Q was only 5.2seconds off the pace(110% of pole time)


BTC Production Qualifying
POS NO DRIVER NAT CAR TIME LAPS GAP MPH
1 58 Paul O'NEILL GBR Peugeot 306 52.053 28 84.80
2 99 Simon GRAVES GBR Honda Accord 52.183 27 0.130 84.59
3 60 Simon HARRISON GBR Peugeot 306 52.343 27 0.290 84.33
4 64 Gavin PYPER GBR Alfa Romeo 156 52.434 23 0.381 84.18
5 98 Mat JACKSON GBR Ford Focus 52.479 28 0.426 84.11
6 88 James KAYE GBR Honda Accord 52.513 28 0.460 84.06
7 94 Gareth HOWELL GBR Ford Focus 52.572 31 0.519 83.96
8 62 Robert COLLARD GBR Renault Clio 52.577 24 0.524 83.95
9 50 Roger MOEN NOR Peugeot 306 52.668 25 0.615 83.81
10 70 Dave ALLAN GBR Honda Accord 53.172 23 1.119 83.02
11 77 Tom BOARDMAN GBR Peugeot 306 53.205 20 1.152 82.96
12 97 Richard MEINS GBR Ford Focus 53.330 27 1.277 82.77
13 65 Colin BLAIR GBR Alfa Romeo 156 53.559 19 1.506 82.42
14 59 Annie TEMPLETON GBR Peugeot 306 56.134 25 4.081 78.63
15 55 John B-AND-Q GBR Honda Integra R 57.238 15 5.185 77.12
16 86 Steven WOOD GBR Proton Satria GTi 57.329 23 5.276 77.00
17 96 Rick KRAEMER GBR Ford Focus

[AndyF]

So you are now also claiming that Nick is a poor driver too!!? Put him in a HTML Pug, and I think he'd finish on the podium.

[Takuma]

All I did was pass on a quote from the manager of a top production team.
Actually a team that has had experience of running Honda Integra's.

It would be interesting to see what time one of the top 5 production class drivers would get from teh Integra.

[Guy Goddard]

Originally posted by Takuma
John B&Q is too slow and dangerous, at Donington Park he was running upto 20 seconds off the pace.

He has no place in what is claimed to be the top british racing series, or in any other series with serious drivers.

Its a shame this has been posted on the thread as John B&Q has been kind enough to give us all an insight into how the BTCC operates and race reports.
Like Takuma I was out spoken over the Donnigton Park situation but after hearing Johns view I apologised on the thread and sent him a private mail.
John is open and honest to the fact he is not the fastest driver,I only hope this thread does not deter John from giving us more info from his side.
There are times when its best to be tactful and this is certainly not.

[Radisichrox]

I agree with Guy, it's not fair to bash John about something he had no control over. That's like telling someone you didn't need their help when they drove 300 miles in one night for you .

[Eddie_harasym]

I don't personally know John like many of you others do here, maybe I'll get chance to meet up with him and the rest of the gang next season.

But.....

I'm sure John is able to take the rough with the smooth, because after all if you are involved in a public series such as the BTCC you have to take some critism. I hope John is back next year in some kind of capacity, maybe with a car thats on the pace, so he can then put some of his critics to rest.

[RIKB]

Yes this car may have had a great history when it was new, but the Integra is now quite a dated car, in addition it has an 1800cc engine where everyone else has 2ltr.

I seem to remember Barwell running one last year and it was not at all on the pace of the Accords.

John has been very much a breath of fresh air to the series this year, he has done a great job for both his sponsors and his fans.

If racing for you Takuma is just about winners and losers then I guess John is not your cup of tea. But if racing is about fun, then we need more John B&Q's

[Guy Goddard]

I think this thread should be removed in light of the fact that this is not in the interests of those that rely on people like John B&Q to provide us with information to the BTCC from a drivers point of view.
Its hard enough to get any opinion from the drivers or team personal to talk to us but then tell him he is a useless driver is in bad taste and unexceptable.

[Eddie_harasym]

Originally posted by Guy Goddard
I think this thread should be removed in light of the fact that this is not in the interests of those that rely on people like John B&Q to provide us with information to the BTCC from a drivers point of view.
Its hard enough to get any opinion from the drivers or team personal to talk to us but then tell him he is a useless driver is in bad taste and unexceptable.

""""""

[touringlegend]

As RIKB said about winner and losers, well in my opinion that's F1!

Probably the most attractable part of the BTCC is the contactibility with drivers.
Takuma, have you ever been to a BTCC meeting? You can walk down the pit lane and brush shoulders with every driver, even the TV stars such as Dawn McDaniel. At Knockhill I literally bumped into her(!), and i was also a few metres away from Phil Bennett.

It is because of charcaters like John that the BTCC is enjoyable. It's not just the Get the overalls on and race drivers in this sport, well at least someone admits 'he's an arse...'

[Takuma]

I have been to many touring car meeting over the past 12 years. Indeed I have been at all but 4 meetings this year, Missing Thruxton and Snetterton because they clashed with F3 meetings.

Therefore I am fully aware of the access the public have to the drivers, something that can also be found in F3, cart and ALMS.

Racing isn't just about winning, it's about doing a good safe professional job to the best of your ability.

Driving round, on the racing line over 20 seconds off the pace, regardless of how "good a chap" the driver is, is not doing a professional job, especially when that causes an accident eliminating the leader of the class.