BTCC Driver line-up 2005

[Hazard]

Well, in a quiet moment - thought I'd start of a thread to keep watch on the driver line-up we'll be seeing next year.

Not a lot confirmed yet - all italics are very supposed and unconfirmed.


# / Driver / Nat / Team /Car
2 - Yvan Muller - Fra - VX Racing - Vauxhall Astra
3 - Jason Plato - GBR - Seat Sport UK - Seat Toledo
4 - Anthony Reid - GBR - West Surrey Racing - MG-ZS
5 - Matt Neal - GBR - Team Dynamics - ?
6 - Colin Turkington - GBR - VX Racing - Vauxhall Astra
7 - Rob Huff - GBR - Seat Sport UK - Seat Toledo
? - James Pickford - GBR - Seat Sport UK - Seat Toledo.

Blinking hell...not a lot yet.

[John Winter]

Could you give me the URL where it's confirmed that Plato will drive in BTCC next year for Seat, because the German MSa reported two weeks ago that Plato might join Chevrolet and RML in the WTCC.

[E46]

Originally posted by John Winter
German MSa reported two weeks ago that Plato might join Chevrolet and RML in the WTCC.

I have heard Laurent Aiello.

[Kicking-back]

Chevrolet will run 3 cars in WTCC.


I fully expect Plato back at Seat though.

[luke]

With Plato, Muller, Reid and Neal and a few others I think the chase I think it shall be great next year.

[BootsOntheSide]

There are still 6 months until the start of the season, and Touring Car teams lead a much more hand-to-mouth existance than F1 or other single-seater squads. There's no reason to believe that Dynamics, Collard, Synchro, GA and Kartworld won't run as many cars as this year, and new entrants are certainly possible. I'd hope to see more than 1 Alfa as well.

[SPARK Msport]

WSR should be back next season, the 'show' they put on this year will attract alot of sponsors and the only real non-works challenge to the Vauxhalls. I expect Reidy to be apart of that attack or maybe Kartworld and WSR may gel together? That could be a good force... (just an idea tho)

[SPARK Msport]

Aren't Honda mean't to be back with some works cars next year? (was reported earlier this year)

[Hazard]

Back :confused: Honda had a works car this year

I don't recall any confirmation of a Honda effort next year - if it was, it was in rumourville still.

[SPARK Msport]

Well, I mean, this years works car wasn't the same 'effort' the last few were (no Honda Racing livery for a kick off), Arena had to put more effort into this year then the last few also. Wasn't it autosport saying they would be back with a new 2 car attack with an 80 billion pound budget and mobile factories at every race? (ok, the last 2 were made up...)

[gwyllion]

Originally posted by John Winter
Could you give me the URL where it's confirmed that Plato will drive in BTCC next year for Seat, because the German MSa reported two weeks ago that Plato might join Chevrolet and RML in the WTCC.

Plato has a contract with Seat Sport UK till end 2005.

Read interview with Seat Sport UK

[touringcarnut]

The way the BTCC is, the grid will not be ready until about the night before media day! Deals are always so last minute in the BTCC, take Anthony Reid's seat at WSR for example! And Dan Eaves having the team dynamics seat was a last minute thing.

I would hope that we can see 20 cars on the grid in 2005, with Honda putting more into the 2005 campaign, and maybe MG offering a more supportive role to WSR.

[SPARK Msport]

Any chance a Proton in the mix? Although they aren't that fast, would be a shame to have the last few years of 'trying' to make the car a winner go to waste...

[Hazard]

Team PSP are gone, and the Impian's are being modified to appear in another racing series elsewhere on the globe.

You won't see a Proton in the BTCC next year - unless someone enters there own!

[SPARK Msport]

Team PSP are gone, and the Impian's are being modified to appear in another racing series elsewhere on the globe.

Thats interesting, any idea what sort of series (And don't say Touring Cars! ) they might be entered in?

[Kicking-back]

Probably touring cars in South-East Asia.

[BootsOntheSide]

Probably true KB - they might as well give up on using racing as a marketing tool in the west. Do the Asian series use WTCC-style regulations? If they do they oculd enter those races on a wildcard basis, and step up to the full season if they do well.

[SPARK Msport]

Oh well, atlest if they are going to SE Asia they will never be seen again...its funny I saw an ad for one of those Impians in a newspaper quoting it a "winner" I was wondering what the ad was going on about as i'm sure they aren't talking about the BTCC

[touringlegend]

Dissapointed to read in MN BTCC review today that Watson-Smith is 'likely' to return to South Africa without a drive next year. Purely criminal to me..

[SPARK Msport]

I would had thought him and Reidy in the WSR MG's next year would had been a strong team...

[BootsOntheSide]

True Spark, unfortunately, grown-ups have a thing called money - or rather, WSR don't have it. The chance of them beign able to run 2 paid drivers is surely slim.

[SPARK Msport]

Proton could afford to pay their drivers?!?!? lol
Yea, it was just a thought, and like i've said before WSR have had a great year with what they have had to make do with and i'm sure sponsors were watching them and you never know, they might be able to put together a great package for next year. Wouldn't SWS be able to get some form of sponsorship from his homeland?

[KPC]

Well, last I heard:

WSR weren't going to race MGs unless they got factory backing, Petronas may be back racing Alphas????

VXR will be racing a new model, odds on the Astra, which is at the bottom of the development pile, so domination is likely over and Muller will shall see relegated to midfield. Depending on what Reid is driving, the Muller/Reid/Neal fight might not be so close.

That's what I think. We're back to the half of the year where there's bog all to really discuss and anything can happen. It's going to be a long winter.

[Rich R]

in the classifieds in todays autosport there are 2 team dynamics honda civics for sale.
so what are they running next year?

[SPARK Msport]

any chance of some accords (yea, I know, near impossible...)