[BTCC] BTCC 2020 season discussion, News and Rumours!

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Looks like a "Brown" will be getting a run in a CC.

https://twitter.com/teamhardracing/s...182769667?s=21

It's Bobby. I really shouldn't have told you, it was his perogative to announce it himself but he was taking so long.

[crmalcolm]

https://twitter.com/TeamHardRacing/s...769963522?s=19

[medius]

I stand by my signature line.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

you mean other drivers will leave the series but not the likes of Neate ?

I fear so and have heard names in confidence; if it turns out true then I imagine it's what JP/ PMR have done - put the toys and the sponsor safely away until next year when hopefully all will be back to normal and networking/ wining/ dining of guests at track becomes a thing again.

I think some of the elderly among the BTCC entourage may stay away too - why would Neale Snr, for example, want to run risks ?

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

https://twitter.com/TeamHardRacing/s...769963522?s=19

Ah thought it may have been the scholarship winner but couldn't remember the name.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Ah thought it may have been the scholarship winner but couldn't remember the name.

I don't know for certain - just putting 2+2 together.....

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

you mean other drivers will leave the series but not the likes of Neate ?

In which case - shouldn't we be grateful for the likes of Neate still funding a driver?

We should be glad that some drivers are still willing to participate and give us some racing to watch.

In understand the decision behind PMR's withdrawal, and not knocking them for doing so. But if too many others follow that lead, it lessens the spectacle for the rest of 2020.

[S griffin]

Looks like Speedworks could run two cars after all. And having AJ in it would be a bonus

https://www.autosport.com/btcc/news/...st-hybrid-test

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Looks like Speedworks could run two cars after all. And having AJ in it would be a bonus

https://www.autosport.com/btcc/news/...st-hybrid-test

The way that article is written, the chances of it happening before the series goes hybrid seems to be close to zero.

[Matt K]

I'd say the door is open but there are a lot of ifs and buts on the way so probably this won't happen but who knows, mayne 2021 or 2022? I think it'd be proper to see two Corollas of the factory team on the grid.

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Have to say I respect Plato for his reasons there. It’s been hard for everyone not being able to see family and it’s hard trying to balance getting the budget together and seeing family

Except it seems he is happy to do TV work in the same paddock and is forecasting economic armageddon later this year so how does the 2021 restart happen? Why not just stand up and say " it's all gone wrong but that's life" time will tell....

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Matt K

I'd say the door is open but there are a lot of ifs and buts on the way so probably this won't happen but who knows, mayne 2021 or 2022? I think it'd be proper to see two Corollas of the factory team on the grid.

This will be the same Andrew Jordan that said:

'if I wasn’t going to be with WSR, I didn’t want to be [on the BTCC grid]'
, ‘I’m a factory driver for BMW in the 2020 BTCC’ and 'What makes this really special, though, is that I’m here on merit and not because I’ve got a big bag of cash.'

Which ultimately became:
'for me it wasn’t a case of being a factory driver and not having to worry about anything', 'I’d have to take some financial risk on it'


Could I see AJ returning to the grid in the future - possibly.
In something other than a WSR BMW - maybe.
In a second Corolla in 2021 - highly unlikely.

What it does tell me is that if there is any truth in a Jordan-Speedworks speculation, then that fact that drivers will be economical with the truth is further underlined.

[S griffin]

You can paint it however you want, but at the end of the day, if he was offered a top line seat, he would take it. Like any top driver would.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by S griffin

You can paint it however you want, but at the end of the day, if he was offered a top line seat, he would take it. Like any top driver would.

Jordan, Jul 1st 2020: 'The offer to drive was still there from both BMW and West Surrey Racing,'

[Pickles]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Jordan, Jul 1st 2020: 'The offer to drive was still there from both BMW and West Surrey Racing,'

The way I understood it was the offer was still there, but it wasn't the same offer as pre COVID

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Pickles

The way I understood it was the offer was still there, but it wasn't the same offer as pre COVID

I took it that the offer was still the same, but his own circumstances were different.

I guess only WSR and AJ know the real truth.

He seems to talk about his own package (of financial backing) being different after lockdown. He also talks about the fact that he knew for a while. 'It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a couple of months and, in the end, it was my decision to make.' Which suggests to me that he was the one who instigated the withdrawal?

Maybe it's a bit of both. It seems that an opportunity to drive a WSR BMW still has a value some people feel is not worth it?

[S griffin]

If he still had Pirtek, he would probably still have had the drive. Then again, there’s no telling how much they would have been affected or have been affected by all this.

[Matt K]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

This will be the same Andrew Jordan that said:

'if I wasn’t going to be with WSR, I didn’t want to be [on the BTCC grid]'
, ‘I’m a factory driver for BMW in the 2020 BTCC’ and 'What makes this really special, though, is that I’m here on merit and not because I’ve got a big bag of cash.'

Which ultimately became:
'for me it wasn’t a case of being a factory driver and not having to worry about anything', 'I’d have to take some financial risk on it'


Could I see AJ returning to the grid in the future - possibly.
In something other than a WSR BMW - maybe.
In a second Corolla in 2021 - highly unlikely.

What it does tell me is that if there is any truth in a Jordan-Speedworks speculation, then that fact that drivers will be economical with the truth is further underlined.

I meant the general idea of a second car...

And, as others said, we don't know the details. Jordan had offer from WSR but probably it needed his own money to be able to happen. If he was given a different option from Speedworks, that would make the thing work, then who knows?

Lewis Hamilton said one day he'd never leave McLaren and Sebastien Loeb after retiring from WRC said he's not gping to follow Schumacher's path and return after a few years.

Don't believe everything drivers say

[AnnoyedMoose]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

Except it seems he is happy to do TV work in the same paddock and is forecasting economic armageddon later this year so how does the 2021 restart happen? Why not just stand up and say " it's all gone wrong but that's life" time will tell....

The risk of being a pundit in the paddock (assuming they don't run it all from a remote studio or his home) is way lower than being mixed up in the team I would have thought.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Matt K

Don't believe everything drivers say

I believe what the drivers say about 50 % of the time. The rest is just putting across a message that they want to portray, and is based on selling themselves as a marketable commodity or spinning a narrative, rather than giving the reader/listener an insight into the truth.

Take the PMR withdrawal - if you read one set of comments it comes across as being Plato's decision that influenced the whole team. But another set of comments tells you it was Weaver's decision, made in consultation with Gow.

What did Jordan tell us - a story that was intended to portray the whole situation as being positive. His strive to stay on the grid, his signing as a 'factory' driver, his decision to leave the team. All done for positive reasons.

BTCC, more than any other series in the UK, is based on the off-field narrative as much as the on-track action. The comments from drivers in interviews are all part of that. Reading into those comments, and passing opinion, is surely part of BTCC? The difference comes when it is difficult to understand there is a difference between story and truth.

[Pickles]

Absolutely. People will always dress the situation up to make it look like they're the ones in control. Obviously I have no idea on the situation with AJ but he's not going to come out and say 'Yea, I'd love to be able to drive this year but I just can't afford it.' My understanding was that the deal with WSR changed after COVID which would have involved him having to pay out of his own pocket. If thats the case you can't blame him for taking a step back, he's got a family and business to think of.

[Matt K]

Yeah, I fully agree and it is true what you said about Jordan and his reasons behind withdrawing from 2020.
But what he said about being in WSR and it being the only place he wants to be was true last year maybe. But who knows what will be in the future. I mean if other team gave him opportunity that would be financially viable then I could see him switching teams.

[Daverb]

Plato was definately putting a lot of spin in his story. If he could be out there he would and underneath it all he will be gutted he's not out.

[EastonNeston]

If all the "spin" is stripped away, for both Jordan and Plato, and no doubt others.
With the absence of on circuit spectators, the lack of on event hospitality and the losses most companies have experienced, the companies lined up to provide sponsorship have decided not to proceed.
With the lack of those funds, Jordan, Plato, & others, are unable to pay for the drives.

[GT6]

Originally Posted by EastonNeston

If all the "spin" is stripped away, for both Jordan and Plato, and no doubt others.
With the absence of on circuit spectators, the lack of on event hospitality and the losses most companies have experienced, the companies lined up to provide sponsorship have decided not to proceed.
With the lack of those funds, Jordan, Plato, & others, are unable to pay for the drives.

And i think the same problem is happening not just in the BTCC or even just in motorsport, things will need to change in the short time but hopefully after a few years things will return to some resemblance of normal.