[BTCC] rounds 19-20-21 2015 Knockhill

[crmalcolm]

Was much coverage given to Plato's start in R1?
From where we were watching, he seemed to take up the wrong position at the start, then didn't go straight away when the lights went out?
It appeared to put Alex Martin off as he could see Plato not moving.
Also, a couple of laps later he seemed to be weaving in front of Newsham a bit?

[S griffin]

What was annoying was we were looking at Plato dawdling at the back while the restart happened

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Was much coverage given to Plato's start in R1?
From where we were watching, he seemed to take up the wrong position at the start, then didn't go straight away when the lights went out?
It appeared to put Alex Martin off as he could see Plato not moving.
Also, a couple of laps later he seemed to be weaving in front of Newsham a bit?

Addison and Harvey discussed this prior to the green flag laps, and speculated that he would probably start after the rest of the grid got away to give himself enough room to warm up the tyres and then attempt to set the fastest time. Apparently what he did was not against any rules (well, it is JP after all), but the only danger might have been if he got caught up in any melee in the opening laps.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Matt Neal though! What a move for the win! I know it was a dive-bomb but it was more calculated than usual and that was fabulous...

[BtccLee]

Conspiracy: Was that race three safety car suspicious, as Harvey pointed out its never been an occurance to replace barriers and the race had been a little tamer to that point?

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Originally Posted by BtccLee

Conspiracy: Was that race three safety car suspicious, as Harvey pointed out its never been an occurance to replace barriers and the race had been a little tamer to that point?

I thought there were a few bizarre safety cars, I think in all of the BTCC races, which helped the marshals fix up the odd thing, but weren't absolutely necessary. Classic case of trying to create closer racing.

Although it's not as if Neal didn't have to charge back up to Morgan, helped by the debris though.

[Sodemo]

I was surprised they called out the safety car to put the tyres back at the chicane, that was quite a big call.

[BtccLee]

I wonder if the marshals had to drag it back, therefore they were moving unprotected towards the circuit? And the drivers would have taken liberties and brought all the rubbish onto the track?

[Sodemo]

Originally Posted by BtccLee

I wonder if the marshals had to drag it back, therefore they were moving unprotected towards the circuit? And the drivers would have taken liberties and brought all the rubbish onto the track?

From my point of view, the kerbing solution there needs to be better. I'm not sure when it changed but certainly back in the 90s there were much bigger kerbs on the inside of that chicane, which prevented cutting.

[pimmy]

The reason that most circuits no longer have high kerbs is to take bikes into account. I don't see high/saw-tooth kerbs returning.

[BtccLee]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

I thought there were a few bizarre safety cars, I think in all of the BTCC races, which helped the marshals fix up the odd thing, but weren't absolutely necessary. Classic case of trying to create closer racing.

Although it's not as if Neal didn't have to charge back up to Morgan, helped by the debris though.

To destroy my own theory, I didn't realise the race one safety car after Moffat's spin was to replace that tyre barrier (recorded and fast forwarded through the intervention). You could see drivers in the proceeding laps after it was moved and before the safety car taking a bigger cut of the grass. So it wasn't just a race three decision, I think it was simply a firm line on track limits and avoiding penalties.

[S griffin]

I thought it was cause of debris on the track and took the opportunity to put it back anyway

[BtccLee]

Originally Posted by S griffin

I thought it was cause of debris on the track and took the opportunity to put it back anyway

I'm not sure but I think that debris may have been due to a car riding the kerbs without the barrier. I think it may have been mis-leading as that is what the cameras picked up on, marshals seemed to go for barrier first.

[BtccLee]

Was so intrigued by this I enquired to Gow who confirmed on both race one and three safety car periods: "To allow the marshals to safely and quickly put the Rectecel barrier (it wasn't a tyre stack) back in its correct position after it was dislodged....otherwise many cars would have continued to exceed the track limits at that point, no doubt resulting in a lot of penalties and protests against some drivers."