[BTCC] BTCC 2021

[medius]

Chances of seeing anybody testing in January? Normal times they would all be heading on track soon.

[Robshillito1990]

Originally Posted by S griffin

She definitely made progress in Clios and now has some BTCC experience under her belt with the meeting at Silverstone in the Astra last year, so let's see how she does a full season's drive

I think she will do just fine. Got good team mates. A solid team behind her and arguably one of the best cars on the grid. The meeting at Silverstone wasn't helped by the fact someone in a red car kept hitting her.

[AnnoyedMoose]

Originally Posted by medius

Chances of seeing anybody testing in January? Normal times they would all be heading on track soon.

Guess it depends if any of the new builds are ready for testing yet. I don't see much point in testing anything else in January personally given the temperatures.

[peebee2]

Bert isn’t exactly perfect but I doubt he would have been happy having three top cars, but only one really competitive driver.

[Matt K]

Originally Posted by bella

mte. the drivers with a suitcase of daddy’s cash, bit less so. but to me, if you’ve got the ability to gather money or backing you’re doing a bloody good job. especially at the moment.

really, really pleased for jade. and not just because she’s also a girl, but because she’s got so much passion for the sport and she’s a great ambassador for it.

feels like some people want ash sutton in every seat on the grid sometimes.

Not Ash Sutton, just decent drivers in decent teams. Jade is not the level for BTC for me, the same as Crees and gender has nothing to do with it. But as she was able to find funding, good for her and good luck for her. Maybe she'll get there quicker than I expect.

[DaviePHD]

I was always neutral on Jade Edwards, not because of her gender but because all of the support drivers talk themselves up and say they are good enough for BTCC.

I was happy to see her get a run out in the Astra last year, I thought that at least we would find out if she was BTCC material or not. I have to say I was quietly impressed with her one run out in the BTCC in 2020.

Thrown in mid-season and probably a bit rusty as she wasn't activley racing at the time she held her own, and were it not for a couple of interventions from "Volderneate" she could have been a contender for some of the lower points.

I think in an FK8 Civic, with a good teammate to learn from and a full season to develop she'll do even better. I don't think we're talking race wins, or even podiums, but I think the JST is achievable and hopefully she can do enough to stay in the series in 2022!

[bella]

Originally Posted by Matt K

Not Ash Sutton, just decent drivers in decent teams. Jade is not the level for BTC for me, the same as Crees and gender has nothing to do with it. But as she was able to find funding, good for her and good luck for her. Maybe she'll get there quicker than I expect.

“the level” is based on what the driver market has to offer, the budgets and commercial relationships they can bring and what the team can offer them. not some sort of concept of deserving more.

maybe your perception of “the level” is based on pre-march 2020 still?

[Craner Curves]

So as I understand it, there was some news today that a driver with sponsorship behind them has found a seat with a privateer racing team?

I thought the world had imploded for a second.

[bella]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

So as I understand it, there was some news today that a driver with sponsorship behind them has found a seat with a privateer racing team?

I thought the world had imploded for a second.

news just in: the internet has raised its “disappointed” threat level to moderate, up from disgruntled

[porsche962fan]

so what is left for Bobby Thomson if he returns ?

[antnee]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

so what is left for Bobby Thomson if he returns ?

HARD Leon
Motorbase/MB Focus
Exceler8/TPR i30
Toyota Corolla
PMR Astra
WSR 3 Series.

Bobby has previously raced with PMR and HARD in VW Cup.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

so what is left for Bobby Thomson if he returns ?

Any one of the (publicly) unconfirmed seats....

[Alfisti]

Don't get some people moaning about Jade.

The girl has both the necessary licence and the financial backing to drive in BTCC. Good on her, hope she does well.

If any of the armchair warriors want to complain then maybe they should first get their ass in gear, get budgets together, do the work to get the licence and then go race.

After all, any idiot can do it, regardless of talent

[Overboost]

Originally Posted by antnee

HARD Leon
Motorbase/MB Focus
Exceler8/TPR i30
Toyota Corolla
PMR Astra
WSR 3 Series.

Bobby has previously raced with PMR and HARD in VW Cup.

Whilst on paper there are a lot a available seats, most deals are done. The Ford line-up is done, WSR is 'full', Toyota seats both allocated and Bobby's not in any of them, so that narrows it a bit.

[Matt K]

Originally Posted by bella

“the level” is based on what the driver market has to offer, the budgets and commercial relationships they can bring and what the team can offer them. not some sort of concept of deserving more.

maybe your perception of “the level” is based on pre-march 2020 still?

My perception of the level is based on BTCC being a motor racing series, in other words, motorsport series, not a buy-and-run family fest. I'm not saying Jade is too bad to be in BTCC at all, I'm just disappointed to see once a dark horse outfit falling to mediocrity. That's all.

[BTCC frog]

With lots of people talking about wanting the best possible drivers in the series, I wonder who you think are the top 30 BTCC drivers of recent times. This is my ranking, of how well I think they'd all do if they were all in equal cars, in 2021:
1. Ash Sutton
2. Colin Turkington
3. Tom Ingram
4. Gordon Shedden
5. Dan Cammish
6. Andrew Jordan
7. Josh Cook
8. Rory Butcher
9. Jake Hill
10. Jason Plato
11. Adam Morgan
12. Sam Tordoff
13. Mat Jackson
14. Jack Goff
15. Tom Chilton
16. Tom Oliphant
17. Matt Neal
18. Senna Proctor
19. Ollie Jackson
20. Stephen Jelley
21. Aron Smith
22. Chris Smiley
23. Rob Austin
24. Aiden Moffat
25. Mike Bushell
26. Daniel Lloyd
27. Tom Onslow-Cole
28. Michael Epps
29. Brett Smith
30. Bobby Thompson

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by peebee2

Bert isn’t exactly perfect

Rude

Originally Posted by Matt K

I'm not saying Jade is too bad to be in BTCC at all, I'm just disappointed to see once a dark horse outfit falling to mediocrity. That's all.

Do you have similar reservations over the WSR and Dynamics lineups? After all Turkington, Oliphant, Jelley doesn't look as strong as Turkington, Collard, Jordan did. Matt Neal doesn't appear to be the force he was so a Neal / Cammish lineup isn't as strong as Neal / Shedden from a couple of years back.

[Matt K]

No I don't. However, in my opinion it's time for Neal go go, he's had a brilliant career but I think it's a right moment (even despite you should not tell people when they should retire...).
When it comes to WSR, I also think someone stronger should join Turks and Oliphant but, hey, Oliphant has won a race and stood on a podium.

[Alfisti]

Talent is only a small part of getting to drive a race-car.

The bigger part is having the money to fund it.

That's the way it is, here, America, everywhere. It ain't gonna change any lifetime soon.

[Matt K]

Yes and it's always been the case to whatever extent. Even in the 'golden' 1990s. But it's quite a shame now there is not even a competition between drivers who can get their seat because still there are too few who can afford it. And it seems too easy (relatively, not that I assume it's easy for anyone) to get to the BTCC, technically 'premier motorsport category in Britain' as they call themselves.

[redshoes]

Start of the season delayed

http://www.btcc.net/2021/01/14/toca-...btcc-calendar/

Rounds Date Venue/Circuit
1,2,3 8/9 May Thruxton
4,5,6 15/16 May Snetterton (300)
7,8,9 12/13 June Brands Hatch (Indy)
10,11,12 31 July/1 August Oulton Park (Island)
13,14,15 14/15 August Knockhill
16,17,18 28/29 August Thruxton
19,20,21 18/19 September Croft
22,23,24 25/26 September Silverstone (National)
25,26,27 9/10 October Donington Park (National)
28,29,30 23/24 October Brands Hatch (Grand Prix)

[touringlegend]

I literally seen the news of the BSB calendar revision and thought that makes sense, then the BTCC news came out.

I think it’s a very wise move. If the vaccine roll out goes as planned I am sure the government will be lifting restrictions come May (not to full crowds I doubt )

[Matt K]

Quite sad that we have to wait this longer, keep my fingers crossed for smooth season with all rounds run! And hopefully more and more spectators as months go by.

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by redshoes

Start of the season delayed

http://www.btcc.net/2021/01/14/toca-...btcc-calendar/

Rounds DateVenue/Circuit
1,2,3 8/9 MayThruxton
4,5,615/16 MaySnetterton (300)
7,8,912/13 JuneBrands Hatch (Indy)
10,11,12 31 July/1 AugustOulton Park (Island)
13,14,1514/15 AugustKnockhill
16,17,1828/29 AugustThruxton
19,20,21 18/19 September Croft
22,23,24 25/26 SeptemberSilverstone (National)
25,26,27 9/10 OctoberDonington Park (National)
28,29,30 23/24 OctoberBrands Hatch (Grand Prix)

As predicted by my good self!

Sent from my SNE-LX1 using Tapatalk

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by peebee2

Bert isn’t exactly perfect but I doubt he would have been happy having three top cars, but only one really competitive driver.

Agreed... Cook's going to get about 5x times more points than those two combined.