[BTCC] BTCC 2020 season discussion, News and Rumours!

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by stuart thompson

I can totally understand the problem with a crowd the size the BTCC attracts, but why are little clubbie events that would be lucky to attract 500 spectators still closed to spectators?

Same as with BTCC events, no need for the extra risk of having them there

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by stuart thompson

I can totally understand the problem with a crowd the size the BTCC attracts, but why are little clubbie events that would be lucky to attract 500 spectators still closed to spectators?

They are focusing on managing the entrants, for example the MSUK sign on now includes Covid-19 decleration - i.e. do not attend the event if you have symptoms, they have the contact data of all the people in the paddock for test and trace, the rules also state a Covid officer will enforce Covid procedures in the paddock/garages, there is a limit of passes per car, etc.

At the moment, public spectators bring limited revenue to club meetings, but potential problems and extra costs.

I know every little helps but 500 people paying £15 brings in £7,500 which in the scheme of things as a balanced risk is not worth the effort.

[RS67]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

One wonders how many UK hospitals you have been in since the Corvid-19 pandemic arrived on these shores, to make such a bold statement?

From my observations in the hospital that I have been in since April, all the staff don face masks as soon as they walk through the entrances to start their shifts, and only remove a mask when they leave to go home. Not only do they wear them when just walking about the hospital, but most of the staff, both medics and non medics, also wear visors as well when dealing with patients.

And before you ask, I am talking about the wards dealing with patients who do not have the coronavirus. I am waiting for an operation (which should be in mid July), and for medical reason the doctors and surgeons firmly believe that I am safer in the hospital than outside.

However, they firmly believe that, now restrictions are being eased, that there will be another surge in virus infections, which will probably mean that my operation will be delayed further.

And as for it being safer outside, maybe you would like to tell that to the scores of people who contracted the virus at the European football matches that took place, in February was it?, in France and Italy! And probably quite a few who thought that it was a good idea to go to the beaches in droves in the last few days.

The statement came from two hospital doctors.
We have take a questionnaire every day before going to work. If we fail the questionnaire we are told not to report for work until we have quarantined the required number of days. If the answers are successful we recieved a pass allowing us to go to work. Access points at work are restricted so that they can be manned to check the daily pass. Before entering we have to use hand sanitiser. We then show the pass and we are given face masks to last our workday, the first mask is put on immediately, then we have our temperatures scanned if we pass that, we are then allowed to go directly to our place of work, fail the temperature scan and we have to return home. Restricted space corridors are one way only, those with more space are divided so that people can walk in opposite directions safely. Hand sanitiser and wipes stations are everywhere, as well as signs constantly reminding people to maintain 2 metres apart, any areas where queueing is likely to take place, there are 2 metre markers on the floor. If working with someone and two metres distancing is impossible face screens are available. People are discouraged from going into other areas to prevent cross contamination, some areas are totally off limits. A team of cleaners are constantly cleaning all day long, paying special attention to all touch points such as doors, handles and door frames. We also have cleaning equipment to clean our work areas down at the start of work, during work, and at the end of work. Nitrite gloves are also supplied and worn as much as possible. Start and finish times are staggered so not too many people are coming or going all at one time, more sanitizing stations are available of exit points and more regular cleaning takes place at those points with large industrial wheelie bins for disposal of face masks. Another team of cleaners will do further cleaning during the night, including sanitizing all hard floor surfaces. Any areas that have an early shift and a late shift now have a half hour gap between shifts to avoid cross contamination and even though we clean and sanitise our own work areas before leaving, the team of cleaners also do the same during the half hour break. Anyone able to work from home has been doing so since the beginning of March, if they have to go in and work in a 2 shift area they are only allowed to be at work during one of the shifts again to avoid cross contamination. Plus on our first day back at work, we were all supplied with a back to work kit of PPE including hand sanitiser so we can keep applying it during our workday, topping up the bottle at one of the sanitiser stations through out the day. We are all encouraged to keep our cars clean inside and out. It all sounds excessive, but very easy to cope with. Wearing a facemask indoors all day at work has become so familiar, I keep thinking I am missing something when I go to Tesco.

[Greem]

Originally Posted by RS67

The statement came from two hospital doctors.

That sounds considerably more rigorous and onerous than "have to wear a mask".

I know two marshal friends who work in ICU. They're basically taped into hooded paper suits for their entire shift, with almost no skin surface exposed apart from that next to their mask (which isn't paper or disposable).

However: none of the arguments here are relevant. Venues can only operate within government or local authority regulation and guidelines, and insurers will hold them to that. If there's a risk of a claim from a spectator/driver/marshal/staff member etc who followed every rule but contracted the virus from someone at an event who did not, they will not accept that risk.

In short: spectating will only happen when the relevant insurers deem it to.

[RS67]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

Err - are you sure you've been out? It's amazing how many people have no clue about social distancing - go into just about any shop and people will push past you or lean across in front of you to get something off a shelf. It was bad enough at the start of all this but now there seems to be an almost total disregard for social distancing.

Well let's start with queueing to get in the supermarket, our Tesco and I imagine other supermarkets do the same, have cordoned off an area of car park for people to queue. Because people struggle to imagine a 2m distance everyone stands the width of two parking spaces apart, slot further than two meters. Where the queue crosses area with no lines the gap actually grows. When you get to the store entrance, they only allow 5 people in at a time and that is only when five people have exited the store. Because of this the number of people is restricted in store at anyone time. On average you will find maybe two or three people on the same aisle at a time. All aisles are marked for which direction you should be walking, even when someone walks the wrong way, there is plenty of room to keep a distance. As your shopping trolley is in front of you, someone will be hard pushed to push and reach past you to grab something off the shelf, even if they do there is plenty of room to keep out of their way and let them take what they want. It's no different to driving a car, you take note of what those around you are doing not only in the immediate vicinity but further afield too, you can second guess when someone is likely to make a move that they shouldn't and take early evasive action. If the shops you go in are as bad as you say perhaps the shop isn't doing a good enough job of controlling the number of customers in store. Even at the checkout there are staff ensuring people remain distanced and observing the markers.
All our local small food stores operate a system of one customer at a time everyone else quite happily queues 2 meters apart outside.
Initially during lockdown, shopping was a chore having to queue for an hour or so in the car park, now it takes 10 to 15 minutes maximum, get there at the right time on the right day and you can practically walk straight in and be out again in no time at all. For the most part people are alot more polite, considerate and friendly than before the virus hit.

[bella]

your work routine is basically what the organisers will be doing at some of the bigger events. it's pretty much the textbook.

the cleaning stuff is what we do in the garages, just without actual cleaners. nothing unusual there...

and i very much disagree with people being in better moods and more polite than they were, it's the opposite - they're stroppy, under pressure and are being lulled into a false sense of security.

[Alfaholic]

Originally Posted by redshoes

Yeah but no but.....

The April round due to be held on the National circuit isn't being replaced. The Sept round moves from the International to National circuit on the same date.

A lot of people got tickets via their Black Friday 2-for-1 offer where they paid for the Apr round and got Sept tickets free. Those will get a refund, i.e. they no longer have tickets for either date.

If you just had April tickets then those are being refunded.

If you just had Sept ticket then those haven't been refunded, at least not yet. "We are currently in talks with the Series Organiser, TOCA, to determine how we can safely run the race meeting and whether this will take place behind closed doors or in front of ticket holders."

Silverstone are saying it may take up to 3 months to process all refunds. It's not just BTCC, they have F1, MotoGP, WEC, and who knows what else to deal with.

And here is the Silverstone FAQ page regarding this: https://www.silverstone.co.uk/kwik-f...p-faqs/?g4id=4

I did the Black Friday 2 for 1 offer so will be getting a full refund, but I'd much rather have the September ticket - especially as I've got a hotel booked on non-cancellation terms. In a way this could be how they limit spectator numbers as I sugested earlier - just allow in those who already have pre-booked tickets for the meeting (you can't currently buy them on the Silverstone website) and don't allow walk up purchases.

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by Alfaholic

I did the Black Friday 2 for 1 offer so will be getting a full refund, but I'd much rather have the September ticket

I suspect Silverstone's ticketing facility isn't really set up for refunds, as it's not something they ever have to do. It certainly won't be set up for the large volume of refunds they are currently processing. There's almost no chance it can handle partial refunds.

If they let you keep the Sept ticket then do they refund half the original price? If, or perhaps when, the Sept event is behind closed doors and they are forced to refund those tickets, they need to remember that you have already had a part refund whereas people who just had a Sept ticket get a full refund. It all get unnecessarily complicated.

I all honesty, I don't see Silverstone being open for the Sept round. BSB is only 3 weeks earlier and they have already decided to run as a closed event.

[Alfaholic]

I'm not interested in a partial refund as I'd much rather have a ticket for September's meeting instead. IF that does get cancelled, then I'd take the refund.

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by Greem

That sounds considerably more rigorous and onerous than "have to wear a mask".

I know two marshal friends who work in ICU. They're basically taped into hooded paper suits for their entire shift, with almost no skin surface exposed apart from that next to their mask (which isn't paper or disposable).

However: none of the arguments here are relevant. Venues can only operate within government or local authority regulation and guidelines, and insurers will hold them to that. If there's a risk of a claim from a spectator/driver/marshal/staff member etc who followed every rule but contracted the virus from someone at an event who did not, they will not accept that risk.

In short: spectating will only happen when the relevant insurers deem it to.

Indeed insurance is a major issue, I imagine F1 and F1 teams insurance must have rocketed. I also suspect that some event organisers are not covered for any covid eventualities and will revert to 'buyer beware" should the problem arise.

Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

[andy97]

Originally Posted by RS67

I am feeling an overwhelming sense of some people haven't been out much since the lockdown has started to ease and a being overly paranoid.

Or overly optimistic/ ignorant.

[bella]

a symptom of the lockdown has been that despite social media, peoples worlds have become very small and very different.

this is partly why we all have such differing opinions on this - someone who has worked through it will have a different opinion to someone who’s been furloughed or laid off completely. we’re all seeing it differently.

and we’re seeing it evolve differently now too. but it’s extremely foolish to ignore the herds of muppets acting as if nothing is going on. this isn’t germany, compliance isn’t our strong point. and this isn’t france. we don’t negotiate by flipping cars and calling in the riot police...

[mattcanary]

Originally Posted by S griffin

It all depends where and when they decide to allow spectators back. We still have just over a month till it starts, things can change, so we’ll see what Gow says.

Of course big circuits like Donington with lots of spectator areas would find it easier than other circuits

Yeah, Donington is great in that sense. So many places you can watch the racing from whilst not close up with others

[medius]

Originally Posted by mattcanary

Yeah, Donington is great in that sense. So many places you can watch the racing from whilst not close up with others

Not when 25k come through the gate. BTCC draws big crowds even without a 6+month motorsport drought. Whatever last years attendance was I'd expect another 20% on top made up from bike racing goers, GT goers and Joe Public. W could see the likes of '93 Mansell Mania at Donny.

[bella]

i think in the context of limiting spectator numbers mattcanary's right - it's a good one for allowing in a set crowd. and probably for rs67's idea of marking out spaces too, though bathroom facilities out yonder aren't exactly plentiful. they aren't in the paddock either, but that's another moan completely

[crmalcolm]

As we wait for the cars to return to action, a short read here covering some of WSR's history is good for passing a few minutes.

'Dick Bennetts, the engineering ace who founded WSR in 1981, is proud of his team’s trophy collection – although he quips, semi-jokingly, that he’d rather the British Touring Car Championship hand out prize money instead. Still, all this silverware represents his team’s remarkable 39-year history, as a dominant force in British F3 and now as the multi-title-winning standard-bearer in the BTCC.'

[S griffin]

I went there a few times as part of a work experience. I remember seeing that Palmer F3 car as a bare chassis. Nice to see it in all it’s glory.

I always have respect for the way Dick Bennetts has gone from strength to strength with his team all the way back to F3

[BobJones]

Originally Posted by medius

One team won't have its original roster of drivers from Media Day.

Far from ideal.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by BobJones

Far from ideal.

But given the circumstances hardly a surprise. I'd be amazed if it's only one. I wonder what the grids are like in the support classes? There are usually drivers in those that are right on the limit budget wise so any negative impact from the Covid situation and they won't be on the grid.

[Racing Harz]

Jordan leaves BMW!
https://www.facebook.com/26291706391...type=3&theater

[BertMk2]

One down - how many more to follow?

It'll be interesting to see how the TBL situation is handled - if WSR can't get another driver in to replace AJ will they lose the TBL or will circumstances mean that there's leniency?

[crmalcolm]

AJ's statement:

https://twitter.com/AndrewJordan77/s...326629376?s=19

[S griffin]

I am shocked. Major disappointment to lose AJ like that. Wonder what he will do now?

[Peter Mallett]

That is a shame but I suspect the losses his historic car company may be suffering has something to do with it. I hope he returns though.

[touringlegend]

Looks like perhaps there was personal funding being put in to remain on the grid going by his statement.