Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt K
Returning to class system would be very wrong. For me, it'd be better to make BTCC all about either FWD or RWD rather than introduce a class system. But this RWD/FWD variety is kind of interesting and I believe the championship is well balanced still.
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As the dad of a current BTCC driver, who is not always flavour of the month on this forum, I tend not to post very often, although I do enjoy this forum having been on it long before my lads BTCC days and accept that everyone has an opinion.
On the FWD / RWD debate then I watch the practice starts etc and at Knockhill people were allowed to watch the race from an area just to the Left of the stand that is in front of the Hairpin.
This position provides a very vivid answer to why RWD cars generally make up 3 x the number of places on Lap 1 than FWD cars and its because they have a massively better launch, the BMW in particular has an impressive "squat and go" that reminds me of the Porsche Carrera Cup cars I am familiar with,
So what happens is that the RWD cars launch and gain track position quickly, as they cannot warm up the fronts the FWD cars latch on quickly, this is easily noticed if you watch R1 & R2 at Knockhill. R1 was classic as Hill in a zero ballast car was 50 metres behind at Turn 1 for Duffers but was on the boot of Colin at the Hairpin, so Track position is hugely important in the BTCC.
For Ash & Colin then the key is to defend hard the first couple of laps until the fronts come in and then they can show the pace they have without the need to overtake to gain position.
I think the RWD cars are a little faster for sure at this stage of the season but its not massive If you take R2 at Knockhill once our car was released after the Hill/Butcher incident then we quickly caught the Toyota but Ingram is a seasoned driver very good in defence and our very fast car at that moment was caught unable to progress,had it have done so there is no doubt it would have been a 3 way lead battle so once again Track position you see, as a RWD car would have been past Ingram probably off the start and could then display its performance.
The season may close up with some dry/wet races as the achilles heel of the RWD is to run a dry set up with wet tyres, on full wet or dry they are very fast, but its not all done and dusted yet I dont think... Thruxton will be key to many peoples season.
Enjoy the season and please go kind....