[BTCC] BTCC 2023 season discussion, News and Rumours!

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Evantra

WSR suggesting (after the Red Bull livery) their livery will be much different this year - so perhaps no BMW backing?

https://twitter.com/official_wsr/sta...394521600?s=21

Just to add to the speculation about BMW backing (or lack of) [because this is the rumours thread]


Turkington announcement 2022 "The Northern Irishman will remain with Team BMW (run by West Surrey Racing) for their 6th consecutive season and feels that consistency and stability will be key in this new exciting chapter for the series."

Turkington announcement 2023 "Colin Turkington and West Surrey Racing will remain together for the 2023 British Touring Car Championship. I’m extremely pleased to be a part of the West Surrey Racing team for the 2023 season and to race the BMW 330e M Sport for another season."

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Just to add to the speculation about BMW backing (or lack of) [because this is the rumours thread]


Turkington announcement 2022 "The Northern Irishman will remain with Team BMW (run by West Surrey Racing) for their 6th consecutive season and feels that consistency and stability will be key in this new exciting chapter for the series."

Turkington announcement 2023 "Colin Turkington and West Surrey Racing will remain together for the 2023 British Touring Car Championship. I’m extremely pleased to be a part of the West Surrey Racing team for the 2023 season and to race the BMW 330e M Sport for another season."

the tweet came from;
"WSR - Team BMW
Running Team BMW and Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport in 2023"

(my use of bold to highlight)

[Matt K]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Just to add to the speculation about BMW backing (or lack of) [because this is the rumours thread]


Turkington announcement 2022 "The Northern Irishman will remain with Team BMW (run by West Surrey Racing) for their 6th consecutive season and feels that consistency and stability will be key in this new exciting chapter for the series."

Turkington announcement 2023 "Colin Turkington and West Surrey Racing will remain together for the 2023 British Touring Car Championship. I’m extremely pleased to be a part of the West Surrey Racing team for the 2023 season and to race the BMW 330e M Sport for another season."

Noticed that myself as well and was not sure whether to read too much into that. Lack of reference to Team BMW (or BMW in general) doesn't seem to be just a coincidence, however, as noted already, they still refer to themselves as Team BMW on Twitter. BMW's support will be dropped one day eventually (even if in rumours it seems to be happening every year) so we'll just wait and see.

[SSmith]

Putting this here as he is ex-BTCC, Tom Oliphant has once again teased on Twitter that there is exciting racing news from him coming soon.

As an aside, he still has BTCC in his Twitter name - "Tom Oliphant BTCC". Most likely he just hasn't changed it, but would certainly be interesting if he does come back to the UK for some racing.

[antnee]

The BMW liveries have been to promote a particular product within the BMW UK portfolio - it would be very easy to generate a completely different livery should they want to promote a different product.

[S griffin]

No surprise Colin is back. Be interesting to see how the rest of the grid fills up. Or rather how soon it fills up

[SSmith]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Be interesting to see how the rest of the grid fills up. Or rather how soon it fills up

Definitely! Still a long way away from the season starting - 10 weeks until Round 1 at Donington, so probably 7-8 weeks until Media Day.

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by SSmith

Putting this here as he is ex-BTCC, Tom Oliphant has once again teased on Twitter that there is exciting racing news from him coming soon.

As an aside, he still has BTCC in his Twitter name - "Tom Oliphant BTCC". Most likely he just hasn't changed it, but would certainly be interesting if he does come back to the UK for some racing.

Peak excitement……it HAS been a dull off season!

[InYourMirrors45]

Would expect that BTC’s “big news” will be an expansion into another series, likely British GT or something of sorts. Pretty sure Cook will be retained and I also have a suspicion that the first driver teaser photo is Plato.

[Pickles]

Originally Posted by InYourMirrors45

Would expect that BTC’s “big news” will be an expansion into another series, likely British GT or something of sorts. Pretty sure Cook will be retained and I also have a suspicion that the first driver teaser photo is Plato.

I think the big news is the rebrand/rename. I'm thinking a possible expansion to 4 cars as well

[Ant25]

Guessing the announcements have been delayed a little bit!

[redshoes]

Call me an old cynic, but the more teams trail a huge announcement the more I think it will be unremarkable

[PeterY]

Originally Posted by InYourMirrors45

Would expect that BTC’s “big news” will be an expansion into another series, likely British GT or something of sorts. Pretty sure Cook will be retained and I also have a suspicion that the first driver teaser photo is Plato.

This, BTC guys were out supporting a GT4 Merc at Oulton earlier in the week

[S griffin]

When are we next going to get an announcement that there's gong to be an announcement?

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by S griffin

When are we next going to get an announcement that there's gong to be an announcement?

lunchtime.

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by SSmith

Putting this here as he is ex-BTCC, Tom Oliphant has once again teased on Twitter that there is exciting racing news from him coming soon.

As an aside, he still has BTCC in his Twitter name - "Tom Oliphant BTCC". Most likely he just hasn't changed it, but would certainly be interesting if he does come back to the UK for some racing.

Looks like TCR Australia in an Alfa Romeo

https://twitter.com/motorsport/statu...162827265?s=21

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by S griffin

When are we next going to get an announcement that there's gong to be an announcement?

Its not been announced yet

[Craner Curves]

Team Hard trolling the supposed announcements ?

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

Team Hard trolling the supposed announcements ?

Funny, they've been one of the few teams that have announced any drivers

[Millvi]

https://twitter.com/btc_racing/statu...U7kcwJtAT0IQ4Q

BTC Racing updating and teasing us.

Looks like Drew Crees can’t keep a secret. He’s been Tweeting stuff alluding to Moffat linking up with BTC for a week or so.

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by Millvi

https://twitter.com/btc_racing/statu...U7kcwJtAT0IQ4Q

BTC Racing updating and teasing us.

Looks like Drew Crees can’t keep a secret. He’s been Tweeting stuff alluding to Moffat linking up with BTC for a week or so.

I thought Proctor and Cook at first but could also be Cook and Moffat.

Yeah he doesn't act the most professionally given his connection to a driver on the grid...

[SSmith]

If Moffat is potentially racing for BTC Racing this year, I wonder whether the two Aiden Moffat Racing TBLs will be unused?


It would explain why Autosport's most recent BTCC article [https://www.autosport.com/btcc/news/...ason/10429315/] only had 27 names or TBAs at the bottom (4x Motorbase, 4x WSR, 4x Excelr8, 2x Dynamics, 3x BTC, 3x Speedworks, 5x HARD, 2x PMR) as opposed to the 29 it should list.

[Millvi]

Originally Posted by SSmith

If Moffat is potentially racing for BTC Racing this year, I wonder whether the two Aiden Moffat Racing TBLs will be unused?


It would explain why Autosport's most recent BTCC article [https://www.autosport.com/btcc/news/...ason/10429315/] only had 27 names or TBAs at the bottom (4x Motorbase, 4x WSR, 4x Excelr8, 2x Dynamics, 3x BTC, 3x Speedworks, 5x HARD, 2x PMR) as opposed to the 29 it should list.

Moffat was getting his hospitality suite re-wrapped the other week though. I’m going to guess BTC Racing (or a new name) running the Moffat cars as well as their 3.

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by Millvi

Moffat was getting his hospitality suite re-wrapped the other week though. I’m going to guess BTC Racing (or a new name) running the Moffat cars as well as their 3.

That's what I'm thinking. A satellite effort.

[Millvi]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

That's what I'm thinking. A satellite effort.

Other team members then? From Jade’s posts she looks to be short of sorting a 2023 deal. Butel? Proctor was also giving off positive vibes and clearly has close links to Dudman still.

I’m going Cook + Gamble + Butel at BTC and Moffat and Proctor in the Aiden Moffat garage and hospitality tent.