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

[GT6]

Well if tomorrow does go as predicted then both the circuits and people at BTCC should be able to get at least a few races on this year.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by mattcanary

Look how quickly the nightingale hospital in london was built.

I didn't realise circuits had 200+ staff working round the clock, free of charge, to carry out such tasks....

[S griffin]

Of course precautions have been taken, but lockdown can only go on for so long. I’m sure people have been getting anxious and/or frustrated to get back out there again. Of course the few meetings almost certainly won’t go ahead with crowds, but after that who knows? It might take some measures, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see decent crowds again

[GT6]

If they do not get things moving again, and money spinning races back on the cards i susppect some circuits will find it hard to survive the year

[S griffin]

Of course that is the fear, how circuits can go ahead with getting people through the gate at major meetings

[GT6]

All the circuits are sitting empty, with no races, and all their other revenue earning activities also closed down, if they can not do something soon then how many will survive is a serious problem for uk motor racing series.

[Pdh]

Originally Posted by GT6

All the circuits are sitting empty, with no races, and all their other revenue earning activities also closed down, if they can not do something soon then how many will survive is a serious problem for uk motor racing series.

Track days and test days have been running at circuits for about 2 weeks now so for one second don’t think they are sitting empty not earning money

[RS67]

Originally Posted by mattcanary

Absolutely.
People are being really slow-moving about getting back to normal.
I''m not scared at all now. There's what can be a deadly virus around, but then cancer has been around for ever and in bigger numbers than coronavirus now. Everyone doesn;t abandon living their lives because of a fear of getting cancer.



So many people have fallen hook line and sinker for the scare tactics perpetuated by most givernments around the globe. Yres, it's been serious, but come on, we have to live some kind of normal lives!

Cancer isn't a virus that you catch off other people. Big difference.

[RS67]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

How quickly could a circuit ramp up a ticketed event if the given notice is only something like 4-6 weeks?

The only thing circuits will have to overcome is toilet facilities and how to police them and constantly keep them clean.

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by RS67

The only thing circuits will have to overcome is toilet facilities and how to police them and constantly keep them clean.

Some of the train companies are 'fogging' carriages that kills any virus and also has a protective property on surfaces that is quite long lasting.

If the circuits order large numbers of the blue building site type toilets, they could open and close them in rotation with fogging inbetween.

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Of course that is the fear, how circuits can go ahead with getting people through the gate at major meetings

They would have to limit numbers and then it would be quite easy to sub-divide car parks into red/blue/green,etc zones and then text each group when their 'slot' to enter the circuit on foot would be, so there is limited queuing to get in.

You would also scan all e-tickets on entry to the car park so no ticket checking at any other gates to stop a bottle neck.

Actually some circuits may learn stuff about managing people that they have not tried before and use technology more. Would require investment, but in thr long run would reduce staffing, queuing and perhaps deliver a better customer experience.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by RS67

Cancer isn't a virus that you catch off other people. Big difference.

Exactly that!
I agree that it could/would be possible for the circuits to control entry times, they could buy/rent loads of portaloo's and 'fog them' on a regular basis, but all of this takes time & money. Running the first few BTCC meetings behind closed doors will still involve a heck of a lot of people coming into and moving around the circuit which will present the organisers with enough of a challenge to start with. Isn't it common sense to allow them to start off like that and use this 'practice' to develop their systems & procedures, fine-tuning things and ensuring the safety of everyone involved to start with, then when they feel confident that they can handle the added 'complications' of spectators start letting them in too? ITV4 will televise the races so you will still have the opportunity to see the action if you want to or is your burning desire to boo & hiss at the pantomime villains Matt Neal & Jason Plato live at the circuit more important than all of that?
Please note that my use of the word "your" in the last sentence does not mean I am aiming this an anyone in particular, it is a general comment prompted by the posts saying that spectators should be allowed.

[mattcanary]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

Exactly that!
I agree that it could/would be possible for the circuits to control entry times, they could buy/rent loads of portaloo's and 'fog them' on a regular basis, but all of this takes time & money. Running the first few BTCC meetings behind closed doors will still involve a heck of a lot of people coming into and moving around the circuit which will present the organisers with enough of a challenge to start with. Isn't it common sense to allow them to start off like that and use this 'practice' to develop their systems & procedures, fine-tuning things and ensuring the safety of everyone involved to start with, then when they feel confident that they can handle the added 'complications' of spectators start letting them in too? ITV4 will televise the races so you will still have the opportunity to see the action if you want to or is your burning desire to boo & hiss at the pantomime villains Matt Neal & Jason Plato live at the circuit more important than all of that?
Please note that my use of the word "your" in the last sentence does not mean I am aiming this an anyone in particular, it is a general comment prompted by the posts saying that spectators should be allowed.

Need to get back to normal as soon as possible, for everyone's sake.
Too much caution.

People are milling around well within two metres everywhere you look. There were extensive protests in many cities three weekends agio, an no spike in cases. Motorsports is run outdoors, where the risk is minimal. Okay, perhaps close the grandstands, so people space out more.

Judging by city streets in Norwich yesterday, they are still relatively derserted. Many people that otherwise would go racing live would rather not attend at the moment anyway, so crowds wuld in all likleihood be down. Stop prevemting people from doing things, if they are prepared to accept the, (now small), risks.

It's been a long three months, and I really don;t want this whole year to become a write-off.

[RS67]

Originally Posted by mattcanary

Need to get back to normal as soon as possible, for everyone's sake.
Too much caution.

People are milling around well within two metres everywhere you look. There were extensive protests in many cities three weekends agio, an no spike in cases. Motorsports is run outdoors, where the risk is minimal. Okay, perhaps close the grandstands, so people space out more.

Judging by city streets in Norwich yesterday, they are still relatively derserted. Many people that otherwise would go racing live would rather not attend at the moment anyway, so crowds wuld in all likleihood be down. Stop prevemting people from doing things, if they are prepared to accept the, (now small), risks.

It's been a long three months, and I really don;t want this whole year to become a write-off.

It can take 2-3 weeks in some cases for symptoms to develop. It only takes a few people not to show any symptoms and pass it onto others and suddenly you have a spike a month or more down the line. Even Germany and South Korea are experiencing a secondary spike and they thought they were in the clear.

[Peter Mallett]

In Germany as I've just read, the spike was located in a meat processing plant and was dealt with locally. So although it hit the stats it was a minimal issue.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by mattcanary

Stop prevemting people from doing things, if they are prepared to accept the, (now small), risks.

I might not be willing to accept the risk of you forming part of a crowd at a BTCC meeting, and then spreading the infection to me.

As restrictions are being eased in many countries, significant control measures are still in place. Places are not going back to how they were before the infection spread, and we are a long way from being in a position to remove all restrictions.

Racing is possible without a crowd (as demonstrated by other sports). That should be the starting point.

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

In Germany as I've just read, the spike was located in a meat processing plant and was dealt with locally. So although it hit the stats it was a minimal issue.

In the briefing yesterday the Dep CMO explained that as the number of cases gets down to a low level the R number becomes more unreliable as a measure, so I think we will see the R number quoted less as the absolute defining measurement than we have done before.

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

I might not be willing to accept the risk of you forming part of a crowd at a BTCC meeting, and then spreading the infection to me.

As restrictions are being eased in many countries, significant control measures are still in place. Places are not going back to how they were before the infection spread, and we are a long way from being in a position to remove all restrictions.

Racing is possible without a crowd (as demonstrated by other sports). That should be the starting point.

I have made the point elsewhere in this parish, that as the virus decreases it actually makes large events more cautious than when it was at a high level and they 'knew' what to. No one wants to be the one that inadvertantly starts a second wave at their event, aside from the personal cost to health it would be reputationally disasterous.

[GT6]

Originally Posted by Pdh

Track days and test days have been running at circuits for about 2 weeks now so for one second don’t think they are sitting empty not earning money

I was certainly not aware of that in the uk, looked on line and nothing seems to be available until July

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by GT6

I was certainly not aware of that in the uk, looked on line and nothing seems to be available until July

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[Sodemo]

They should try at least to not have the BTCC race 3 as the last race of the day. I know the btcc world revolves around the live TV aspect but they should at least try.

This would help to stagger people leaving the venue.

[thetool]

There's not going to be anyone at the venues.

[Alfaholic]

Originally Posted by Daverb

Some of the posts on here are ridiculous and way over the top.

Beaches are full, mass protests with huge crowds are happening yet you guys are on about should someone be at a circuit taking photos. Tomorrow we go down to 1 metre restrictions.

Get real. The rounds should be going ahead, with spectators, socially distanced. If Toca was brave enough to say this was happening now it would give circuits time to plan and put preparations in place.

Except it's not tomorrow - it's July 4th this is happening, and they can still reintroduce tighter lockdown measures if the infection rates start to increase again.

IF they do allow spectators in to any of the circuits, why not just allow those that have already pre-booked theirs and not allow any more sales from now on?

[crmalcolm]

It's also not going down to 1 metre.

It's 2 metres, or 1 metre plus. The plus should not be overlooked, because it means other control measures must also be in place such as barriers, screens or masks.

[stuart thompson]

Theme parks are opening, so what is worse, the layout of a theme park and queuing for rides has got to be harder to manage than a crowd at a racetrack if they were to limit the amount of spectators allowed?