BTCC 2018 in-season discussion

[porsche962fan]

we had in the past F1 champions who never won a race that season


the original DTM champion in 1984 was certain Volker Strycek ... he didn't win a single race but was crowned champion

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

we had in the past F1 champions who never won a race that season

that’s wrong. every F1 champion has won at least one race in that season.

[porsche962fan]

my bad

was thinking of Keke Rosberg but he did indeed win a single race that season

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

my bad

was thinking of Keke Rosberg but he did indeed win a single race that season

And while we are there, Mike Hawthorn should also be remembered.

[Londoner]

Over the other side of the Atlantic we have the incredibly underrated Oriol Servia, who became Indy Lights champion in 1999 without winning a single race. Bear in mind that was the feeder series to CART (which was still huge at the time), it's quite the feat.

Servia deserved far more than the solitary ChampCar win he has in his career.

[S griffin]

I feel that if you manage to beat everyone else at least once in the season, you deserve the championship

[Steel Wheels]

While I agree Colin is in the pound seat, if he only manages to qualify mid-grid at Silverstone, which is likely given the weight and suitably of the car at that track, he’ll be right in the danger-zone. Imagine if he got taken out of R1 it could ruin his whole weekend, with little chance of fighting back!

As a Turks fan I hope not, but it’s far from clear cut!

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by Steel Wheels

right in the danger-zone.

the Danger Zone you say ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK0P1Bk8Cx4


and we are very close to get a Plato no win season

[Steel Wheels]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

the Danger Zone you say ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK0P1Bk8Cx4


and we are very close to get a Plato no win season

they should play that as the warm up music

[Alfisti]

That or the tune from Rocky, someones car will no doubt be abused like a punch bag!

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

That or the tune from Rocky, someones car will no doubt be abused like a punch bag!

you mean this one ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27F46WPVJBs

[Racing Harz]

Josh Caygill in the 2. MG
http://www.btcc.net/2018/09/11/josh-...urance-racing/

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by Racing Harz

Josh Caygill in the 2. MG
http://www.btcc.net/2018/09/11/josh-...urance-racing/

Can't say I've seen him race before so not quite sure how to judge him, but good luck all the same. Shame not to have Ant back though.

[btccbloke]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Can't say I've seen him race before so not quite sure how to judge him, but good luck all the same. Shame not to have Ant back though.

Likewise. I can't help but look at recent replacements and think "who are these people??"
Considering the teams involved are not exactly front runners and both Amd and Hard have stretched up to 4 cars this year that they are starting to find budgets not quite stretching.
Butcher is doing OK but Awe's 1 outing aside, I haven't really seen anything from Amd that backed up Boardman was dropped for performance issues.

[Racing Harz]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Can't say I've seen him race before so not quite sure how to judge him, but good luck all the same. Shame not to have Ant back though.

In Blancpain GT Series and German Audi TT Cup Josh was a good driver

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by Racing Harz

In Blancpain GT Series and German Audi TT Cup Josh was a good driver

Good to hear. Sadly I haven't watched those but he's got an impressive CV! Hopefully once the weight is out he get some good results given how the MG suits Silverstone.

[Jiiiiiiim]

Originally Posted by btccbloke

Likewise. I can't help but look at recent replacements and think "who are these people??"
Considering the teams involved are not exactly front runners and both Amd and Hard have stretched up to 4 cars this year that they are starting to find budgets not quite stretching.
Butcher is doing OK but Awe's 1 outing aside, I haven't really seen anything from Amd that backed up Boardman was dropped for performance issues.

Well I think the planned replacement for Boardman would of got better results, but someone threw a spanner in the works! Hence then a string of ‘fill in’ drivers.

[52Paddy]

Originally Posted by Jiiiiiiim

Well I think the planned replacement for Boardman would of got better results, but someone threw a spanner in the works! Hence then a string of ‘fill in’ drivers.

Who was planned to replace Boardman before AWE got the seat? It makes sense if this is the case but new drivers need a bit more than a race weekend to get to grips with the car and deliver the best they can.

[btccbloke]

Originally Posted by Jiiiiiiim

Well I think the planned replacement for Boardman would of got better results, but someone threw a spanner in the works! Hence then a string of ‘fill in’ drivers.

... And there wasn't a single available steady driver who could have done 5 rounds?
Whats the point constantly throwing a new driver with no experience of the car and extra ballast in each time?

Jake Hill steady as he is, IMHO isn't spectacular, and isn't the only driver in the world available and if they sacked Boardman with no plan B it makes me wonder how much of a plan A they really had

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Originally Posted by Racing Harz

Josh Caygill in the 2. MG
http://www.btcc.net/2018/09/11/josh-...urance-racing/

...and so he and Hammerton will become the 40th and 41st drivers to contest the 2018 BTCC which is a new record for the NGTC era and the highest since 2001 (47 Drivers).

[Sodemo]

Originally Posted by btccbloke

... And there wasn't a single available steady driver who could have done 5 rounds?
Whats the point constantly throwing a new driver with no experience of the car and extra ballast in each time?

Jake Hill steady as he is, IMHO isn't spectacular, and isn't the only driver in the world available and if they sacked Boardman with no plan B it makes me wonder how much of a plan A they really had

Its funny because I thought Jake Hill was really impressive when he first came into the BTCC with the (now defunct) A4...

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

Its funny because I thought Jake Hill was really impressive when he first came into the BTCC with the (now defunct) A4...

He still is, he's just never had a particularly competitive car. Put him in a Honda, Focus, Astra etc. and he'll be a regular visitor to the podium.

[Jiiiiiiim]

Originally Posted by btccbloke

... And there wasn't a single available steady driver who could have done 5 rounds?
Whats the point constantly throwing a new driver with no experience of the car and extra ballast in each time?

Jake Hill steady as he is, IMHO isn't spectacular, and isn't the only driver in the world available and if they sacked Boardman with no plan B it makes me wonder how much of a plan A they really had

Plan A was sorted until someone renegaded on an agreement. I think testing proved that Jake would of been right up with Butcher (at the very least), I think both Jake & Mike Epps flattered the Team HARD cars over the last few years. There comments on how the MG compared to their recent cars says it all really!

[btccbloke]

Originally Posted by Jiiiiiiim

Plan A was sorted until someone renegaded on an agreement. I think testing proved that Jake would of been right up with Butcher (at the very least), I think both Jake & Mike Epps flattered the Team HARD cars over the last few years. There comments on how the MG compared to their recent cars says it all really!

Agreement in place with Hill or not, I still don't see why they were not able to secure a decent driver till the season end. Each time they are getting the extra ballast and spending the weekend with a car at the tail end while the driver acclimatises to the car rather than just picking out another hopefull and saying OK 5 rounds show us what you can do.
I thought Amd were a bit more professional than just being a rent a drive outfit towards the season end.

The whole thing with Hill is its the exact same situ we had with Team Dynamics and Mototbase a month before the season started. I don't see why people aren't being as critical of Hill trying to engineer a way into another team. People also criticise Team Hard for exactly this, yet Hill and Amd seem like teflon

To me at least, Amd should have had a better plan lined up than sacking a driver before having a replacement

[Jiiiiiiim]

Originally Posted by btccbloke

Agreement in place with Hill or not, I still don't see why they were not able to secure a decent driver till the season end. Each time they are getting the extra ballast and spending the weekend with a car at the tail end while the driver acclimatises to the car rather than just picking out another hopefull and saying OK 5 rounds show us what you can do.
I thought Amd were a bit more professional than just being a rent a drive outfit towards the season end.

The whole thing with Hill is its the exact same situ we had with Team Dynamics and Mototbase a month before the season started. I don't see why people aren't being as critical of Hill trying to engineer a way into another team. People also criticise Team Hard for exactly this, yet Hill and Amd seem like teflon

To me at least, Amd should have had a better plan lined up than sacking a driver before having a replacement

There is a lot more to this one that puts things in a different light, not for open forum discussions at present, but you’d see why AmD have ended up going down this route, which is not ideal. Plus the whole Hill scenario has ‘other factors’ compared to Jackson/Motorbase split. So whilst there are similarities there are also a whole lot of differences.