BTCC 2024 News & Rumours

[coffinpilot]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Seems WSR won’t be starting testing anytime soon either if their driver line-up is still up in the air (or they do it more covertly!), as NAPA get a headstart on everyone again this year.

But hopefully it’ll be a little closer, they weren’t too far off last year.

Excelr8 were testing at Anglesey before their car launch, have NAPA been out prior to their Snetterton run?

[TyH]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

So are we thinking WSR weren’t trying last year?

I'm struggling to see how you've come to that conclusion to be fair, i'd be interested to hear your thought process behind that.

Of course i think they were trying, it would've been a colossal waste of money more than anything else to enter 4 cars without trying

[cameronpoe]

Yes, dry, cold day hard for tyre temp, main feedback after a phone call with Dan on his way home is the new hybrid levels are very very noticeable, to point he missed corner on first try into brake zone with increased level, expect this to be story of season, the delta is large...

I will see if I can pass on the odd snippet when allowed... !!!

[Sodemo]

I’d be interested to know if they have had any of their RWD performance degrading measures revised…?

[cameronpoe]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

I’d be interested to know if they have had any of their RWD performance degrading measures revised…?

I can’t answer as I don’t know and don’t understand the question TOCA balance the Cars…

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

I’d be interested to know if they have had any of their RWD performance degrading measures revised…?

Are you referring to BMW, because this was the Fords that were testing?

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by TyH

I'm struggling to see how you've come to that conclusion to be fair, i'd be interested to hear your thought process behind that.

Of course i think they were trying, it would've been a colossal waste of money more than anything else to enter 4 cars without trying

“ Apparently they've done a sh*tload of work on the cars over the off season, so I'll expect to see them pushing the Ford's all the way this year”. Does this mean they weren’t trying last year? I gather Ford have been on track already, better hurry up BMW!

[TyH]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

“ Apparently they've done a sh*tload of work on the cars over the off season, so I'll expect to see them pushing the Ford's all the way this year”. Does this mean they weren’t trying last year? I gather Ford have been on track already, better hurry up BMW!

no as mentioned before it absolutely does not mean that, and I'd be naïve to think so.

It was a sweeping statement saying I believe they've doubled down on making a ton of improvements to the 3 series, and I expect them to be closer to the Fords this season.

Think it's a case of you reading too much into it fella.

[Mike Harte]

However, it is ignoring the fact that Alliance (Ford cars) will, most likely, also be doing tons of work to keep their cars in front. In which case, the difference between the two will, most likely, remain.

[TyH]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

However, it is ignoring the fact that Alliance (Ford cars) will, most likely, also be doing tons of work to keep their cars in front. In which case, the difference between the two will, most likely, remain.

Hi Mike, it's not ignoring the fact Alliance will be developing,

You asked me pretty much the same thing in a separate post yesterday to which I replied : "Absolutely not, would be naïve to think Alliance wont have improved"

It's just an opinion piece that I think WSR will have closed the gap a bit this season,

Cheers,

[Sodemo]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Are you referring to BMW, because this was the Fords that were testing?

Yep, the BMW’s.

Without sounding defeatist, what is the point of WSR / BMW making any improvements to the car if they are just going to get BOP’d further?

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

Yep, the BMW’s.

Without sounding defeatist, what is the point of WSR / BMW making any improvements to the car if they are just going to get BOP’d further?

Possibly because we don't know or won't know if that is going to happen.

[antnee]

'Breaking news' from BTCC - PMR headline sponsor is rebranding from Carstore to Evans Halshaw.

[MarcusH26]

I know they've already been involved with CarStore but that's a big statement to have title sponsorship from another major dealer network.

Interesting no mention of a third driver in the article unless they're still talking to multiple people.

[antnee]

Originally Posted by MarcusH26

I know they've already been involved with CarStore but that's a big statement to have title sponsorship from another major dealer network.

Interesting no mention of a third driver in the article unless they're still talking to multiple people.

Carstore is Evans Halshaw. They are just using a different brand name under an existing/extended agreement.

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by MarcusH26

Interesting no mention of a third driver in the article unless they're still talking to multiple people.

Was going to say you usually expect something like ‘the third driver will be announced in due course’ but it didn’t make any allusions of the sort. Hopefully reading too much into it.

[coffinpilot]

They have quite a few examples of the old Astra for sale at Halshaw, wonder if this will help to shift them.
I'm sure someone posted a while back that PMR were keeping the older Astra because Carstore shifted them in large numbers......

[MarcusH26]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Was going to say you usually expect something like ‘the third driver will be announced in due course’ but it didn’t make any allusions of the sort. Hopefully reading too much into it.

Yeah I was thinking the same but just mentioned ATS and Mikey. I guess if they don't have someone signed it's still an empty seat.

[tocatrucky]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

They have quite a few examples of the old Astra for sale at Halshaw, wonder if this will help to shift them.
I'm sure someone posted a while back that PMR were keeping the older Astra because Carstore shifted them in large numbers......

Severely doubt thats the case, as of 5 mins ago, they have 166 examples of that generation Astra (all body types) in stock compared with 546 Ford Focus (all body types), and 196 BMW 3 Series (all body types).

Not that it matters one bit. On its day over the last few year its proven to be a reasonably quick car as any. They've developed it well, but suggesting they're keeping it because of a commercial reason like that mention doesn't quite add up. If anything, if EH are increasing their budget into the team then PMR could go buy a couple of Alliance Focii. But I think this is just a logo change and little more.

[Craner Curves]

Speaking as an Astra K owner, I'm glad they're keeping the old things running still. My 5 year old keeps spotting his dad's car on Tv!

[Dudley]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

I may have mentioned this before (sorry, but repeating yourself is an age thing), but when I started going to The British Grand Prix the BTCC race was held AFTER the Grand Prix in order to delay people from leaving the circuit (and I seem to remember a Historic race was held after that!).

Certainly when I went in 2002 there was a historic race after the F1.

Also in how things change, capacity that year was 60,000, not 160,000.

[Pickles]

Daryl DeLeon attended the open day at Autobrite yesterday, you'd imagine they're back on board with HARD this year.

[Protonman]

Originally Posted by Pickles

Daryl DeLeon attended the open day at Autobrite yesterday, you'd imagine they're back on board with HARD this year.

If my memory serves me well didn’t DeLeon take over when Edward’s jumped ship last year. If so the car used was one of the older more well used cars which may have suffered much damage before . Assuming Restart have taken the pick of last years cars , used by Thompson or Lloyd . Thompson was complimentary about the updates used and the engineering expertise given by Barry Plowright , but the older cars were very inconsistent and never truly competitive . If he is using that same car Deleon will be lucky to be on the pace of Smiley and will be trying just to hang in there with the lower order drivers like halsteard and sumpton . Not a great prospect unless he drives the wheels of it, which will add to the possibilities of accident damage .

[Evantra]

Halstead livery now pushed back again to Saturday. Even the livery reveal is slow

[Northern Monkey]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Halstead livery now pushed back again to Saturday. Even the livery reveal is slow

Think it was always Saturday - it was the 'pre-announcement' that was put back