[BTCC] BTCC 2021

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by sceptic

If the races were being filmed on Saturday they could be shown live. But they aren't. There is considerable extra cost to doing that and, as I mentioned before, the support championships don't want that cost for what would be a small incremental benefit to them.

What extra cost? The cameras are already set up, and the camera operators, etc. are all on site and are required to cover the BTCC qualifying on Saturday afternoon. All they need to do is record it to show on the Sunday morning, possibly instead of all the talking that goes on. And it is what has happened in previous years when they have shown some of Saturday's races, or certainly some of the highlights.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

What extra cost? The cameras are already set up, and the camera operators, etc. are all on site and are required to cover the BTCC qualifying on Saturday afternoon. All they need to do is record it to show on the Sunday morning, possibly instead of all the talking that goes on. And it is what has happened in previous years when they have shown some of Saturday's races, or certainly some of the highlights.

I think the point about cost Mike is that ITV charge the series organisers (or Championships) for the privilege of showing their races on TV.

[S griffin]

Yes, they need a good deal out of it, otherwise they wouldn’t do it

[Matt K]

Originally Posted by bella

i don’t mind seeing an advert break to view at all, despite how irritating the emotional terrorism is from some of the charities. it’s just when you see a couple of seconds of coverage on the on demand service, realise you’ve got it wrong (oops, scrubbed too far), try again and then have to view another advert break focussed mainly on trying to prey on the vulnerable and extract money from them.

like i say, no issue with watching adverts to maintain a free service but it’s beef with itv being itv.

i’d imagine a lot of the ads on the live tv service are fulfilling a quota for the required number of broadcasts.

I agree, watching replays of races is an ordeal. I missed the first round of the season and wasted a lot of time on trying to find where exactly the three races are and watched tonnes of ads as a result of trying. That's terrible. I understand why the ads are here and have no problem with this whatsoever but would be great if replays of the races were put separately.

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by Matt K

I agree, watching replays of races is an ordeal. I missed the first round of the season and wasted a lot of time on trying to find where exactly the three races are and watched tonnes of ads as a result of trying. That's terrible. I understand why the ads are here and have no problem with this whatsoever but would be great if replays of the races were put separately.

then think yourself lucky you dont live in the usa
they go to ad breaks literally every 5 mins!

[Sodemo]

The only thing in recent times I’ve moaned about in terms of coverage is the lack of onboard footage which actually shows the driver working away at the wheel. All too often we get a “bonnet view” with no context of the drivers inputs. They have had the over the shoulder camera views, rarely, but not enough.

[Racing Harz]

Andrew Jordan will race with the Hybrid Car in Silverstone.
https://www.btcc.net/2021/08/05/debu...r-btcc-hybrid/

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

What extra cost? The cameras are already set up, and the camera operators, etc. are all on site and are required to cover the BTCC qualifying on Saturday afternoon. All they need to do is record it to show on the Sunday morning, possibly instead of all the talking that goes on. And it is what has happened in previous years when they have shown some of Saturday's races, or certainly some of the highlights.

That's not the case.

Saturday is ITV's final set-up day (they usually start on Thursday), and coverage of qualifying is just an interruption to that set-up.

Half of the cameras aren't used for qualifying because they aren't set up by then, and there is only a skeleton crew working on it.

And while they can interrupt their set-up for an hour, doing it for the whole afternoon is not so easy. It would mean having to start the set-up on Wednesday.

Which means everyone needs to be on site for an extra day, and in hotels for an extra night, and all the equipment needs to be hired for an extra day.

About ten years ago I was told that the extra cost of doing this would be £60k per weekend. And I don't imagine prices have gone down over the last decade.

[thetool]

Originally Posted by Racing Harz

Andrew Jordan will race with the Hybrid Car in Silverstone.
https://www.btcc.net/2021/08/05/debu...r-btcc-hybrid/

If you read the article then "race" is perhaps overstating it. He's going to be putting in track time, but not actually racing the normal entries. Hence the pitlane starts.

[BTCC frog]

Originally Posted by thetool

If you read the article then "race" is perhaps overstating it. He's going to be putting in track time, but not actually racing the normal entries. Hence the pitlane starts.

He will probably be able to overtake the backmarkers, as Gow said the car should be the fastest in qualifying. If there is a safety car Jordan might make some significant progress, although they might choose to bring him into the pits to stop that happening. It is an interesting move by the BTCC, I can't remember anything like this happening before. But it is a good move, nevertheless.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by thetool

If you read the article then "race" is perhaps overstating it. He's going to be putting in track time, but not actually racing the normal entries. Hence the pitlane starts.

It will be interesting to see how it is managed.

There will be a 'demand' from many that the Hybrid car is at least as quick as the current cars, and with Jordan at the wheel it should be one of the quickest in the field.

Two potential issues need to be handled:

Jordan catching / battling with back-markers (their race is just as important as the title battle).
A WSR car being towards the back of the field, and Jordan wanting to prove a point (I can't see his ego letting him allow a WSR car past).

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by BTCC frog

It is an interesting move by the BTCC, I can't remember anything like this happening before. But it is a good move, nevertheless.

Yes - definitely interesting.

The move from BTC-T, through S2000 to NGTC saw different regulations being eligible at the same time. The NGTC spec only ran in FP before it was fully eligible to compete.

[Nononsensecapeesh]

It will be great to have Jordan back, one-off or otherwise, shouldn't he be ineligible for points all things considered?

[thetool]

Of course he is ineligible. The car he is driving does not comply with the regulations.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Nononsensecapeesh

It will be great to have Jordan back, one-off or otherwise, shouldn't he be ineligible for points all things considered?

From the linked article:

Alan Gow :“It will be invisible as far as championship points go,"

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

From the linked article:

Alan Gow :“It will be invisible as far as championship points go,"

Sometimes, these things aren't so easy for me to interpret, but thank you. It probably won't come to pass but it's bound to spark rumours of Jordan coming back in 2022.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Nononsensecapeesh

Sometimes, these things aren't so easy for me to interpret, but thank you. It probably won't come to pass but it's bound to spark rumours of Jordan coming back in 2022.

Inevitably - the Jordanista will be all over a comeback.

[Greem]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

A WSR car being towards the back of the field, and Jordan wanting to prove a point (I can't see his ego letting him allow a WSR car past).

I can't his ego letting him lose out on whatever payday TOCA are giving him were he to be in that position!

[S griffin]

He's probably just glad to be back on the grid for now. Although we'll see how things go with the car, even if he isn't properly competing

[porsche962fan]

I don't get it, if it's supposed to be faster than curent car why not let him start from pole and get a lights to flag win to prove the point

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

I don't get it, if it's supposed to be faster than curent car why not let him start from pole and get a lights to flag win to prove the point

Because that would detract from the current championship contenders.

Cataclean, BMW, Halfords, Laser Tools etc would all question why they back an entry if an unbranded mule is allowed to beat them on track.

[redshoes]

Will the car have to run late entry ballast?

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by redshoes

Will the car have to run late entry ballast?

I didn't think the hybrid spec car(s) have a ballast box fitted?

[AnnoyedMoose]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

I didn't think the hybrid spec car(s) have a ballast box fitted?

They don't. The battery goes in the same place. Given that the whole hybrid kit weighs around 65kg that's probably "late entry" ballast enough.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by AnnoyedMoose

They don't. The battery goes in the same place. Given that the whole hybrid kit weighs around 65kg that's probably "late entry" ballast enough.

Yes, but as the electrical gubbins is also supplying additional power, that should more than negate the weight disadvantage. Do the hybrid cars have less petrol power than the current (no pun intended) ones do? I seem to recall that the amount of electrical assistance available will be used instead of the success ballast.
It will be interesting to see what gamed TOCA play to ensure that AJ is kept completely out of the way of the real race action (anywhere within the race).