Worst Car-Worst Driver combination...

[Daz]

For 1998 John Bintcliffes team mate was Yvan Muller who had been developing the FWD Audi outside of the BTCC in 1997. So it was only to be expected that Yvan would do better than John in 1998 as Yvan was more used to the car.

[Radisichrox]

Originally posted by Bennett Fan


Bobby Verdon-Roe - Took 2nd on the grid at Knockhill in 1992 in a year old car with the unfancied Dunlop tyres. I wouldn't say that was bad.

I changed my worst driver to Steve Robertson. Look above... I didn't realize after posting that that Bobby had taken the 2nd at knockhill.

[hunttheshunt]

Patrick Watts was bloody good-see 1994 and 1995. He seemed to tail off though in 1996 and 1997.

[rdjones]

As has already been said Warwick Alfa in 1995, but how about David Brabham in the BMW in the same year.

[Invincible]

Originally posted by Bennett Fan


Bobby Verdon-Roe - Took 2nd on the grid at Knockhill in 1992 in a year old car with the unfancied Dunlop tyres. I wouldn't say that was bad.

Yeah!, and by the end of the first lap was down in 10th place!

[Radisichrox]

Originally posted by Invincible


Yeah!, and by the end of the first lap was down in 10th place!

That's exactly why I chose him!!!!

[Radisichrox]

Originally posted by hunttheshunt
Patrick Watts was bloody good-see 1994 and 1995. He seemed to tail off though in 1996 and 1997.

That's because the pug was really slow and unreliable. He really tried hard, especially at knockhill in 96!

[Bennett Fan]

Originally posted by AndyF
1992 - Robb Gravett and the Pug 405.
1993 - Harry Nuttall Ecurie Ecosse Vauxhall
1994 - Eric Van De Poole and the Nissan
1995 - Derek Warwick and the Alfa
1996 - Owen McAuley, Nissan Primera
1997 - Patrick Watts, Peugeot 406
1998 - John Bintcliffe, Audi A4

These are my personal opinions, but believe that anyone who can race a Touring Car, and score any points, is a superb driver. I think the above were just unlucky.

The Pug was a new car and the team had no real race experience apart from running Patrick Watts to the 1991 National Saloon Championship title in a Peugeot 309 Gti. They were used to rallying and developing a highly tuned race car as opposed to the Group N 309 isn't easy for an inexperienced team such as they were.

Harry was a single seater driver and did well i feel in his season with the team. He showed how good he was at Pembrey, running 4th until his fire extinguisher went off and he ran off the track trying to switch it off. He eventually finished 6th.

The 1994 Nissan was a bit of a dog. Even the brilliant Kieth O'dor couldn't ring any good results from it. And having to learn new circuits and an out of form car didn't help van de Poele.

Derek was unlucky as the car just wasn't the same in the hands of Prodrive. Also everyone else had wings which equalled things up, unlike in 1994.

Owen MacAulay was a single seat racer turned BTCC driver and had to adapt to a front wheel drive car which was running towards the end of it's career.

The car let Patrick Watts down. You only have to see how well he did in 1994 to realise he is fast. The problem was MSD who ran the car, were not allowed setup details etc. from Peugeot France who ran Laurent Aiello to the German title that year.

Bintcliffe wasn't the only one to struggle with the front wheel drive A4. It wasn't a very successful car after they took the 4 wheel drive away.

[Radisichrox]

Wow, thats interesting! Kieth O'dor... ... Jeez, he was good!

[AndyF]

It was hard trying to choose the worst car/driver combinations. I don't think any of the drivers I listed did a bad job, they just did not live up to the billing they were given! I stick by my statement that any competitor in the BTCC must be a superb driver.

[knowlesy59]

has to be the alfa wif warwick.does anyone think that alfa would of won in 94 without the aerodynamic aids?

[JTBK]

Originally posted by knowlesy59
has to be the alfa wif warwick.does anyone think that alfa would of won in 94 without the aerodynamic aids?

No way, neither would the Audi's, cheatin' *******s!

[Daz]

Audi were not cheating, the car was well within the rules. Vauxhall tried to protest the suspension and failed. In Germany, Nissan and Ford tried developing a 4wd car and it was slower than the 2wd car so the scrapped the 4wd project.

[Radisichrox]

Originally posted by knowlesy59
has to be the alfa wif warwick.does anyone think that alfa would of won in 94 without the aerodynamic aids?

No, not possible. It would have been Ford with Radisich or possibly Renault with Menu or Vauxhall with Cleland. Hmm, that's interesting to think about!

[Bennett Fan]

I think it would have. It had the best driver.

[Radisichrox]

Maybe... I still think my main man the Rat would have won that year had Alfa not had the advantage, but still, I like Tarquini.

[Darin]

You are right about the Rat. Sure showed the Poms in the BTCC a thing or two about agressive driving!
As for Warwick in the 95 Alfa, I seem to recall a race at Brands when he fluffed the start badly and was passed by several cars, then was interviewed on TV saying 'I made a good start and passed a few cars'. Yeah right on Derek!

[Darin]

Eugene O'Brien still takes the biscuit though!

[John Batchelor]

I am very heartened to see that I have not yet received a nomination in this category!! Still, I suppose there is time yet!

[pb btcc]

Has if we would do a thing like that John o:-)

[hunttheshunt]

Sorry to disagree guys, but i think Alfa would have won the title in '94 without the aero aids. Even when they were forced to retract the wings and splitters they were still up there at the sharp end consistently. Tarquini was consistent throughout that year, something that Radisich, Cleland and Menu (to an extent) were not.

[Daz]

If I remember right, at a test session during 1994 Ford ran a Mondeo with front splitter and rear wing. The effect of this on the lap times was that it reduced them by about a second. Surely if Alfa had not had the wings and splitters then they would have been about a second off the pace. You only need to remember what Alfa were like in 1995 when everyone else had wings and splitters.

[Radisichrox]

Originally posted by hunttheshunt
Sorry to disagree guys, but i think Alfa would have won the title in '94 without the aero aids. Even when they were forced to retract the wings and splitters they were still up there at the sharp end consistently. Tarquini was consistent throughout that year, something that Radisich, Cleland and Menu (to an extent) were not.

The only reason Radisich was not fully consistent was because he had a lot of reliability problems (Oulton Park Round 15, Brands 16+17, Silverstone 18..) in the closing races. If you look at the first couple rounds from Brands 2+3- Knockhill 13+14, he was really consistent, except at the Brands Hatch grand prix circuit race, when he was pushed off by Patrick Watts.

[hunttheshunt]

Again sorry to disagree but Radisich reliablity problems are part of a championship-the Alfa was ultra-reliable. And remeber in '95 Prodrive ran the Alfa's and not Alfa Corse, who were outstanding the year before.

[Radisichrox]

True, true.