2019 Touring Car discussion - WTCC, BTCC etcTouring Cars

[05XR8]

https://www.speedcafe.com/2019/02/26/tcr-australia-announces-250000-prize-pool/

 

[MatskiMonk]

The 3 series comes back to the BTCC

https://www.wsr-racing.com/bmw-wsr-3series-back-to-btcc

 

[Northstar]

Risi Competizione is expanding to TCR with an Alfa.

https://sportscar365.com/sro/tc-america/risi-expands-to-sro-america-enters-alfa-romeo-tcr/

 

[TheHun99]

Risi Competizione is expanding to TCR with an Alfa.

https://sportscar365.com/sro/tc-america/risi-expands-to-sro-america-enters-alfa-romeo-tcr/

Good to see Risi expanding to TCR. While my main automotive interest is with German premium brands (Audi, BMW, Porsche), I do like the Italian brands. I have soft spot for the 333SP run by Risi, so seeing them coming in 2nd at Daytona in GTLM was great - and as a proper car nut I'm a big fan of Alfa. My love of Cuore Sportivo began in 1992 when I saw an hour-long summary on Eurosport of the '92 Italian Supertouring championship where Alfa was running 4 155 GTAs (2 liter turbo, 400 HP, AWD), still one of my all-time favorite touring cars, especially in the Alfa corse Martini livery. Then in 1993 Alfa cleaned up DTM with the 155 V6 Ti that looked very similar to the '92 GTA.

While the Giulietta is not my favorite Alfa, I hope it will fare well - the Alfa TCR was running pretty well at Daytona in MPC for a while, so we can hope for a strong competition there.

(As a last personal note, the lease of my Audi A3 is up in August, the Giulia is one of the cars I'm considering as the next car - some say you gotta have an Alfa if you like cars.)

 

[TheHun99]

View attachment 802648

The 3 series comes back to the BTCC

https://www.wsr-racing.com/bmw-wsr-3series-back-to-btcc

This is good stuff, so glad to see that RWD cars can go in BTCC. I'm a bit sad to see the 125i going away as I liked the compactness of it (sorry for butchering English) but hey, 330i M Sport, great to see the 3er back on the track.

 

[05XR8]

Definitely glad the sedan is back. After the E30, the E90 WTCC are my next favorite BMW touring cars. With the E36 DTM very close behind that.

 

[TheCracker]

Sucks that Goff will be without a drive this year, he's a really solid guy with the talent to back it up, really quick. I'm led to believe sponsorship/money may be the reason for his departure, though I could well be wrong, so don't quote me on that.

I can't imagine there's possibly any other reason, given that he's a young and proven race winner and there are several newbies already confirmed to have seats.

In other BTCC news though, I had a hunch on this one after the rumours of him wanting to depart from BMR, but Plato is back in a Vauxhall, once again an Astra, having switched to PMR for this year. http://www.btcc.net/2019/02/20/jason-plato-joins-power-maxed-racing/

In theory Plato should thrive once more, given his performances in a FWD touring car, as it generally seems to suit him better, but we'll have to see, mind the PMR Astra is a quick car/squad.

Looks like he's going to be partnered there by Rob Collard 👍 - quite the mature line-up. Makes me wonder if those Astra's will feature folded blankets and a box of tissues on the parcel shelf?

 

[Northstar]

The first race of TCR/TCA America is about to start.

 

[05XR8]

That was a commanding win. Impressive win for two "new" cars, in a couple categories, this weekend.

JUst realised an ND RF was in the field.

 

[TheHun99]

That was a commanding win. Impressive win for two "new" cars, in a couple categories, this weekend.

JUst realised an ND RF was in the field.

Agreed, that Veloster was running great. A bit bummed about the Alfa falling back though.

 

[05XR8]

Agreed, that Veloster was running great. A bit bummed about the Alfa falling back though.

Yeah, didn't catch what was wrong with it. The driver seemed too timid at the start.

 

[jake2013guy]

Anyway. Stories of WTCR having Aragon for 5 years starting next year.

 

[Furinkazen]

This is good stuff, so glad to see that RWD cars can go in BTCC. I'm a bit sad to see the 125i going away as I liked the compactness of it (sorry for butchering English) but hey, 330i M Sport, great to see the 3er back on the track.

Parker Racing still have a 125i (ex Collard chassis).

 

[jake2013guy]

Renault Megane with John Filippi in TCR Europe.

 

[05XR8]

Need more of these on the grids of each series

 

[jake2013guy]

Need more of these on the grids of each series

Me 1 - 0 You

 

[05XR8]

Me 1 - 0 You

You know what they say about twins. The one that came out first, is the youngest. Mine was already there, just let the youngin' have his moment.

 

[Carbon_6]

R-Motorsport's DTM Aston Martin is out in the wild, completing its first roll-out at Jerez before official testing starts.

Looks pretty decent to me. 👍

 

[05XR8]

 

[05XR8]

https://autoaction.com.au/2019/03/07/opel-plans-for-tcr-australia

Holden... Opel.. who cares? Just get 'em in. Bring Ford too. Subaru, Renault. They all need to sign up.

 

[TenEightyOne]

That's one angry looking budgerigar.

 

[05XR8]

https://www.speedcafe.com/2019/03/12/tcr-australia-hyundai-in-agp-speed-comparison/

 

[TheHun99]

https://www.speedcafe.com/2019/03/12/tcr-australia-hyundai-in-agp-speed-comparison/

View attachment 805931

Gotta say, the Hyundais look pretty good, although I dig the Veloster TCR better, hope to see them IRL at Watkins Glen later this year.

 

[05XR8]

May have been better if the Megane TCR and Megane R.S. ran versus a Renault F1 car.

 

[TheHun99]

May have been better if the Megane TCR and Megane R.S. ran versus a Renault F1 car.

In terms of branding that would certainly make sense but Hyundai is the reigning WTCR champion, I could see that as a motivation (I also have to admit that despite having an Audi, I do root for Hyundai as Michelisz is driving for them in the WTCR )

 

[05XR8]

https://www.touringcartimes.com/2019/03/14/tom-ingram-buzzing-first-test-proper-new-toyota/

 

[jake2013guy]

PWR announce their lineup.

 

[05XR8]

 

[05XR8]

Hope TCR Australia has at the least this many in the grid
https://tcr-japan.jp/news_tcr/2019/190320.html

 

[Spacegoat]

Hope TCR Australia has at the least this many in the grid
https://tcr-japan.jp/news_tcr/2019/190320.html

You can add two more to the Aussie grid. GRM will field two Renault Mégane's alongside it's two Alfa's.