[BTCC] BTCC 2021

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by BobJones

Glad Shedden is back, unconvinced about his speed. I know there were reasons for it, but his second WTCR was woeful.

I've got visions of him clobbering into everyone in the midfield a la Menu.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

I've got visions of him clobbering into everyone in the midfield a la Menu.

Is midfield a euphemism?

The WTCR tracks are mostly not proper tracks; tight corner, point, squirt, brake, repeat. Shedden is a flowing sort of a driver. Smooth. Steady. Maybe not as smooth and steady as Damon Hill, but you get my point. So a good chunk of the season it just wasn't his thing.

I think he'll be right up at the business end after some track time in the FK8. Anyone know if there are any planned away trips for testing pre-season?

[billy bleach]

Anyone know if there are any planned away trips for testing pre-season?[/QUOTE]

Dont you read the newspapers? Also thanks to the UK fantastic Brexit it would cost £1000's just in customs paperwork for an overseas test. Those days are over for UK based teams who only race in UK

[S griffin]

Don't think we'll see any overseas testing. Too expensive, especially during this time

[Millvi]

WSR tweeting that they are at Silverstone today. A little clip of Turkington, not clear if Jelley and/or Oliphant there as well.

[Cinghio44]

Really enoyed the 2020 season

Sad to see the departure of Cammish but these things had already happend in the past to other drivers. He adapted really well to FWD and was a strong contender in the Honda, so I hope he will come back in future.

As for Shedden, really happy to see him back in BTCC. Multiple champion, one of the fastest guy in FWD cars on the grid in my opinion. In WTCR he did well in the first year of Audi, then the car become less competitive and heavily affected by BOP... I'm sure he will return on form in BTCC with the Civic

[WestHam92]

Originally Posted by Cinghio44

Really enoyed the 2020 season

Sad to see the departure of Cammish but these things had already happend in the past to other drivers. He adapted really well to FWD and was a strong contender in the Honda, so I hope he will come back in future.

As for Shedden, really happy to see him back in BTCC. Multiple champion, one of the fastest guy in FWD cars on the grid in my opinion. In WTCR he did well in the first year of Audi, then the car become less competitive and heavily affected by BOP... I'm sure he will return on form in BTCC with the Civic

My thoughts exactly. Glad to see Shedden back and I'm sure he'll be a title contender.

As for Cammish, he did really well in the last two seasons but if Dynamics needed more sponsorship than he could give then they had to let him go. For him to lose the title in the manner he did must have been very difficult to come back from. Hopefully he gets another chance in the championship, but without decent financial backing he might struggle.

I assume Shedden has a good sponsorship package lined up, rather than Dynamics signing him and hoping they can get better sponsors with a multiple champion driving for them.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

Anyone know if there are any planned away trips for testing pre-season?
Dont you read the newspapers? Also thanks to the UK fantastic Brexit it would cost £1000's just in customs paperwork for an overseas test. Those days are over for UK based teams who only race in UK

Brilliant hyperbole here - £1000's???

Originally Posted by S griffin

Don't think we'll see any overseas testing. Too expensive, especially during this time

I agree - COVID restrictions mean that overseas testing is unlikely before this season - but I don't think it is an expense matter.

Compared to every other associated cost with overseas testing, the additional post-brexit fees are minimal. Unless I am missing some extra post-brexit charge, it would amount to around ~£1,000 for a BTCC team to test for a week?

https://www.motorsportuk.org/movemen...s-post-brexit/

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Brilliant hyperbole here - £1000's???



I agree - COVID restrictions mean that overseas testing is unlikely before this season - but I don't think it is an expense matter.

Compared to every other associated cost with overseas testing, the additional post-brexit fees are minimal. Unless I am missing some extra post-brexit charge, it would amount to around ~£1,000 for a BTCC team to test for a week?

https://www.motorsportuk.org/movemen...s-post-brexit/

Carnet charge x 2 cars plus one for spares , insurance policy for 40% of total value Go on Motorsport UK - its all there......

[antnee]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Brilliant hyperbole here - £1000's???



I agree - COVID restrictions mean that overseas testing is unlikely before this season - but I don't think it is an expense matter.

Compared to every other associated cost with overseas testing, the additional post-brexit fees are minimal. Unless I am missing some extra post-brexit charge, it would amount to around ~£1,000 for a BTCC team to test for a week?

https://www.motorsportuk.org/movemen...s-post-brexit/

Have you not seen anything around the paperwork required? Some of it is open to interpretation by the customs inspector - I can't remember the exact term, but it is something like 'suitable amount of spares'. Now if you were trying out a modified front bumper across 2 cars, you might have 2x spare originals plus 2 modified - is 4 bumpers 'suitable' for a 3 day test? If the inspector doesn't think so then pay up!

[bella]

the issue with the paperwork is that for just one trip the cost is pretty expensive. it makes uk based series doing winter testing pretty financially difficult, more so with the mandatory covid testing.

if you're doing it multiple times during a year, it becomes both more time and cost effective. from the non-motorsport worldwide export stuff i've done via container shipping, i've never itemised tool boxes, or gone into too much detail. never been asked by any customs to justify contents. "site engineer consumables" covers both bolts and beer

whilst requirements are open to interpretation, evidence so far since new year, even in this very parish is that they aren't being ridiculous. unless you're carrying ham sandwiches on the long boat to the hook

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

Carnet charge x 2 cars plus one for spares , insurance policy for 40% of total value Go on Motorsport UK - its all there......

Yes - that is exactly what I linked in my post. And if you read what is there you will see that there are two options for the scenario you propose:

Option One:
-Fixed price processing/arrangement fee of £240+VAT
-Refundable deposit of 40% of the vehicle’s value (typically £240k for 3x NGTC cars)

Option Two:
-Fixed price processing/arrangement fee of £240+VAT
-Non-refundable insurance premium to cover the 40% proportion of the premium (typically £1,728 for 3x NGTC cars for up to 2 months)

Option One - total cost £240 (once deposit is refunded)
Option Two - total cost £1,968

So yes - there is an additional cost, but it is minor compared to the rest of the costs of testing overseas. I'm not saying I expect to see any overseas testing this year, but that is a result of COVID restrictions, not Brexit. Unless I have missed any other additional costs as a result of Brexit?

[S griffin]

I think they will leave it for this year. By the time the restrictions are lifted, the racing will have started. It’s just not worth it this year. Next year it will be back to normal.

So anyway plenty to look forward to this year. Only two months till racing starts and we will see who will be the ones who will fight for wins and who has work to do come round 1

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by S griffin

I think they will leave it for this year. By the time the restrictions are lifted, the racing will have started. It’s just not worth it this year. Next year it will be back to normal.

(minus the next year being back to normal, but that is a different discussion)

Does it cost more to test overseas - yes, it always has done and will continue to do so.
Has Brexit made it more expensive - yes.
Has Brexit made it so much more expensive that it will never happen - no, the additional cost for a BTCC team is marginal compared to everything else.

In reality, how many teams actually test overseas? It seems to be the exception, rather than the norm. That was in a pre-brexit context, so it won't change much anyway.

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

Carnet charge x 2 cars plus one for spares , insurance policy for 40% of total value Go on Motorsport UK - its all there......

The carnet will be on the truck and contents, so only need one I think. At least that’s how it has been for non-EU countries, like Switzerland, forever.

[Evantra]

Formula 4 testing today - 17 cars according to TSL, so already bigger than last year's grid.

Not sure how the other supports are shaping up?

[MagicBoy]

Originally Posted by fergus_r

Hopefully Sheddon will pick up a few wins at Donnington.

They're racing at a village in Sussex?

Or did you mean in a baking competition at the village fair...

[mark_l]

Originally Posted by MagicBoy

They're racing at a village in Sussex?

Or did you mean in a baking competition at the village fair...

I thought it was near Telford

[S griffin]

What’s the nearest circuit to Telford?

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by S griffin

What’s the nearest circuit to Telford?

BTCC-wise - Oulton Park
In general, Loton Park or one of many Autograss venues in the area for other forms of Motorsport.

[bella]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

In reality, how many teams actually test overseas? It seems to be the exception, rather than the norm. That was in a pre-brexit context, so it won't change much anyway.

hard to tell over the past 12 months because covid's kind of got in the way, but elite were testing in spain before christmas. quite a few british f3 teams used to go over, there has always been talk of an "official" test over there. think quite a few btcc teams have been out early in the year running new cars in previous seasons.

like i say, the biggest obstacle now is covid testing and quarantine. there's enough expertise going around about the brexit paperwork if they ring the right person. the past few formula 3 tests in spain have been cancelled for that reason.

[aland]

vic lee liked testing in holland

[psq43]

Originally Posted by aland

vic lee liked testing in holland

Must have liked communal meals/showers too!

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

(minus the next year being back to normal, but that is a different discussion)

Does it cost more to test overseas - yes, it always has done and will continue to do so.

That very much depends how much testing you are doing.
If you have a brand new car, and will benefit from doing four or five days at the same circuit, then going to Spain is much cheaper.

You can get exclusive hire of Guadix for €4,000 per day. If you wanted to hire Donington Park, you are looking at 12 times that amount. (Donington is the most expensive of the BTCC circuits though, and Croft and Knockhill would both be closer in price to a trip to Spain, though still more expensive).

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by sceptic

That very much depends how much testing you are doing.
If you have a brand new car, and will benefit from doing four or five days at the same circuit, then going to Spain is much cheaper.

You can get exclusive hire of Guadix for €4,000 per day. If you wanted to hire Donington Park, you are looking at 12 times that amount. (Donington is the most expensive of the BTCC circuits though, and Croft and Knockhill would both be closer in price to a trip to Spain, though still more expensive).

Comparing Gaudix to Blyton would be a much fairer comparison though!