Another positive announcement from Alan Gow

[Craig]

Love him or loathe him, you can't dispute that Alan Gow has a nack of getting things moving in the right direction. Today he made an announcement regarding next year's support package:

Organisers of the Green Flag MSA British Touring Car Championship today unveiled the support line-up for the 2004 TOCA Tour package. Exciting new additions include the hugely successful SEAT Cupra Cup and the all-new Formula BMW UK Championship, which was announced today at the BMW WilliamsF1 Team factory.

The Porsche Michelin Carrera Cup GB, the Elf Clio Renaultsport UK Cup and the Formula Renault UK Championship all retain their slots, promising yet another year of top quality race action for the fans.

Commenting on the latest announcement, TOCA Tour Series Director Alan Gow said: “The SEAT Cupra Cup has consistently provided first class track entertainment during 2003, whilst the Formula BMW concept promises to engender the next generation of single seater stars. Both are very worthy support categories for the BTCC, which has itself gone from strength to strength in 2003.

“We’re also delighted to retain the Porsche Michelin Carrera Cup GB, the Elf Clio Renaultsport UK Cup and the Formula Renault UK Championship, all of which makes for an absolutely stunning package of 5 strongly manufacturer-backed series providing the very best in UK motorsport”.

The Formula BMW concept will offer young drivers an entry-level single-seater opportunity, designed to equip them with the tools necessary to progress to the very top of their sport. In addition to intensive practical training, the series is underpinned by courses in sports management, sporting law, public relations, sponsorship, media training, diet and fitness, vehicle technology and data analysis.

The SEAT Cupra Cup introduced a new generation of fans to motorsport this year as the subject of the ITV1 ‘Racing Rivals’ docu-soap, regularly attracting television audiences in excess of one million. The series will retain its six-event format and as such, will run at selected rounds of the 10-date TOCA Tour series.

The latest announcement serves to underline TOCA Tour’s position as the UK’s premier four-wheeled attraction which provides spectators, manufacturers, teams, drivers and sponsors alike with an unrivalled sporting showcase.

A finalised calendar for 2004 will be announced shortly.

Nothing unexpected in there but it's great to see it all sorted and formally announced. Let's hope the rumours that the BMW and Seat series arrival is part of a deal that will see both marques bring their ETCC-spec cars to the series next year.

And I think that the Seat thing could be a superb means of getting people to return to attending the races. Anyone who can get 40,000-odd people along to Rockingham for an F3 meeting can only be good for the series!

[rdjones]

Just read that over on the TOCA site, I knew about Formula BMW and have done for sometime, as for Seat that not really a suprise. Let hope both of them bring tourers in to the BTCC now.

[Craig]

Mate I think everyone has known that both parties have been working for that to happen. What is good news is that it's finally confirmed and gonna happen...

One thing that does surprise me is the Porsche series staying on - I thought that was set for a move to the F3/GT package.

[rdjones]

But I see Formula Ford will not be returning next year, what a shame

[Craig]

Yes, it is. It's provided some good entertainment this year. Unlike the Porsches. Let's hope the FBMWs live up to their FF predecessors!

[SPARK Msport]

Great to hear, some great support races for next year then! Never seen the Formula BMW stuff, so that will be fun to watch, as for the Seat racing - that really is a sort of line-up area for the future Touring Car races so im sure those drivers, team managers and us (viewers) will welcome them aswell!

(The Clio cup is still running? lol I thought all the drivers destoried there cars during the races and would later withdraw due to the fact Renault had ran out of cars lol Only joking, they are class drivers really...)

[cos]

Originally posted by Craig Antill
One thing that does surprise me is the Porsche series staying on - I thought that was set for a move to the F3/GT package.

I'm surprised it's carrying on in any form at all!

[Les]

you say that about the Porsches but it was contracted to stay as part of Toca and a lot of new faces seemed to appear at Donington. Could be they were testing the water for next year.
Lets hope some if not all of them appear this weekend and stay for next year.

[bella]

looking at the fbmw spec, i don't think the racing will be anywhere near as good as fford. bad luck.

it's good for touring cars, especially in the face of this scv8 thing. but what will the toca package lose? heritage touring cars? occasional leg-ends?

[Craig]

Clios and FRenault will be at all rounds bar Mondello, but Seat will only be at six meetings (as per this year with their slot on the F3/GT package.) Therefore there will be at least four meetings where there is a slot for the 'occasional' series such as Legends and Historics. Take into account the bank holiday meetings and I'm sure an extra race can be snuck onto the schedule.

I'd hazard a guess that it'll be the Legends who get dumped as the Historics are pretty popular.

[rdjones]

I'm a bit suprised to see that the Seats are doing only 6 rounds, saying that they might not have enough spare parts to do all 10.......

[Craig]

They only did six this year. I presume the reason is that it's such an expensive series to enter - 75k for six meetings (fair enough, double headers) plus IIRC £1,500 'insurance' per race... looks BTC-P look like a positive bargain! If they were to do 10 meetings then the price to the driver would be up there with a BTCC Touring drive!

[kestrel]

Originally posted by rdjones
Just read that over on the TOCA site, I knew about Formula BMW and have done for sometime, as for Seat that not really a suprise. Let hope both of them bring tourers in to the BTCC now.

Bring back Jason Plato

[redshoes]

Originally posted by Craig Antill
I'd hazard a guess that it'll be the Legends who get dumped as the Historics are pretty popular.

Hasn't been made public but I have it on pretty good authority the Legends definately won't be on the TOCA bill. They were trying to become a more permenent fixture next year but were told there wasn't room.

Haven't heard anything on the Heritage GTs yet but I hope they do continue where space/time permits. They are well liked by the spectators (at least by the ones I know) and seem happy to be shoved to the start or end of the programme.

The Porsches partly surprises me but was I guess to be expected. They've struggled to get a half decent grid, even resorting to running 2 guest cars to get into double figures, and are apparantly to the MSA's watch list because of that, yet they are manufactorer backed which is what TOCA/Alan Gow want.

Will be interesting to see how the SEATs and Clios compare as they do seem to be fairly similar, but in the type of car and the target market.

[rdjones]

Heritage GTs are great fun and it would be sad to see them go as I have quite enjoyed them this year. Leg-ends not really fussed about them.

As Redshoes say I am also quite suprised about the Porsche as they have not added to the package, but may be there will be bigger grids next year who knows.

[codename_47]

No, the Legends are always fantastic races, 3 wide into most corners, 2 races this year have ended in photo finishes....

Heritage GT's.....they have races?? Or just parades??

I don't blame them though, those cars are far to precious to be raced hard...that's why most of the races have been a bit yawnsome....

[touringlegend]

I'm not so sure we'll see the free ticket giveaway's that SEAT had this year - apparently that was the reason they were on the F3/GT package in the first place as TOCA was unwilling to give away as many tickets.

Not at all suprised about the Porsches - being manufacturer backed and all as has been said.

[andy_b]

we at seatcupra.net got lots of free tickets during the season and as Touring Legend says, I doubt that will happen next year which will be a shame. The Village has been a great success and very accessible, it will be interesting if they can accomodate that within ToCA as it will be a squeeze if Thruxton ToCA is anything to go by (compared to Thruxton F3/GT

[Maisie]

I love Heritage and Legends, and would be very happy to see them stay rather than big fat tedious Porkers

[Neil Adams]

brilliant to have the seat cupra races as well, the races i've seen on tv of this year where second only to the btcc for entertainment.
Will be great to have more 'car races' alongside the touring car races.

Semi sad to lose formula ford but if formula bmw is the same i.e. no wings should be allrite.

not looking forward to more of those porsche races unless the grid doubles and gets closer to one another (perhaps this is a case where ballast is needed?)

the legends and herirtage races i've seen this year have been great.

dont agree at all with codename47s comments about the heritage races being yawnsome and a parade, races i've seen have been extremely good.
Better than formula renault, porcshes and champ car put together.

[JR Ewing]

Formula BMWs are slicks and wings. Legends are motorbikes with roofs! They don't even have a car transmission or differential...

[Chris Y]

They use motorcycle engines, but have propshaft transmissions (with reverse gears). So do Radicals - doesn't make them motorcycles.

[JR Ewing]

Radical don't have propshafts I think. Chain driven, cos you can knock it off on the curb...

And having four wheels doesn't make them cars either!

[Maisie]

No? What are they then? Steam locomotives? Giraffes?

[JR Ewing]

Legends are miniature 'hybrids' with car like features, motorbike engine and non-car-like transmissions.

tempted to say that a dog being born in a stable isn't a horse...