Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship 2013 Season Thread

  • Thread starter Tom
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Ardius
So if WSR can get Turkington back....who on earth are 888 going to field next to Plato? Will Plato even let a decent driver in the other seat? Or will 888 call the shots? (I hope so!)

There are plenty of brilliant or great drivers on the market right now:
Rob Huff
Alain Menu
Yvan Muller
Paul O'Neill
Tom Chilton
Fabrizio Giovanardi
Click to expand...

No chance of Alain, Yvan, Paul or Fabrizo coming. Alain and Yvan I think will want to stay in the WTCC (and as well Yvan has a massive ricvalry with JP), Owy I think will join Speedworks and as much I would wee myself if Gio came I think he will stay in the V8's.
 
Might be a third VW Passat, and did anyone hear the news Rob Holland got the 2nd Passat space?? Swear it wasn't on the BTCC website.....but apparently he has a contact for the minimum rounds of Snetterton and Knockhill, so he will for sure be in two rounds but they hope to do more, but I think it depends if they can build the 2nd car quick enough. Guessing they want TOC to have car at the very first round and get some data too.
http://www.btcc.net/html/generalnews_detail.php?id=3302
 
Yeah it was rumoured since Autosport.

They've also sold the S2000 Civic to someone, supposedly a "team that was on the grid last year". My only thought is BINZ/Wood (Lea Wood's family team)?

I doubt ES Racing have bought it seeing as they have/had 2 fine Vectras and are supposedly going NGTC.
 
Holdenhsvgtsr
Or it could be an ngtc only team last year buying an s2000 car sp they can go for the jack sears trophy too.
Click to expand...

Well I think we can eliminate:
888, Team Dynamics, Motorbase, WSR, Dynojet, Speedworks, RAR, Welch and AmD.

As they are either manufacturer backed, have plenty of work to do already or don't really have the budget.

That leaves:
Lea Wood's team
ES Racing
Pirtek

I can maybe see Pirtek doing it if they're feeling even more ambitious but I doubt it.

ES Racing has been rumoured to be on the rocks and struggling though Chris James has mentioned running NGTC.

Not heard anything from Lea Wood though he did have the test with Speedworks.

I've not even included Thorney because they're barely managing to even turn up to an event and run a car.
 
I think Lea Wood hasn't said much because he's waiting for Paul. If Speedwork get the funding, then they'll hire Paul. If not I reckon Lea will be taking that 2nd spot, he has funding.

Unless BINZ Racing has bought the Honda and just keeping it silent for a few days, but you never know.
 
If Speedworks have either Newsham+Wood or Newsham+O'Neill they've effectively propelled themselves into regular podium contenders, perhaps even Independents Champion contenders.
Hell even with just Newsham they've got a pretty solid team going. 👍

I think Lea did mention something along the lines of "NGTC is the way to go" (like everyone else has said) before but then again the S2000 grid seems to be pretty small at the moment so any experienced driver is going to stand a pretty good chance of taking a sweep of S2000-class wins.

If Lea is in the S2000 Honda, it would be awesome if he could repeat the kind of giant-killing he did in the Integra in the wet! I'm still gutted for him that his Vectra let go at Snetterton as he was all set for a podium at least.
 
Yeah Speedwork are looking at a strong team this year, interesting battles against the other independent teams.

I think if you asked every driver where the BTCC was heading, car wise, they'd all say NGTC. But how many can actually build/buy one? Not sure Lea Wood could afford to build one, same for ES Racing: do they have enough money to buy a NGTC - and there's none for sale(?) so they would have to build one, and do they have enough time now? Considering Lea Wood doesn't have a big budget I don't think his building an NGTC so he's left with three options.

1. Hope he gets the seat at Speedwork.
2. Stays with Vectra and try winning S2000-class.
3. Buy the Honda and win with a newer car

I think if he bought the Honda its because of the Snetterton race. He was looking good for his podium finish, but the car let him down. And its getting old, and they don't have enough spare parts for gearboxs or engines. So maybe he decided to get the Honda as it was newer?
 
GOTMAXPOWER
He's already signed in the WTCC with Lada, pretty sure some rounds will clash.
Click to expand...


Didn't know he'd re-signed, haven't really paid much attention to WTCC for the last few years.
 
Yeah, "big name" and "shock" are not really what I'd call Chilton. To me a shock would be a WTCC champion :P.

Or Giovanardi. :D

It could even be someone left field like Johnny Herbert (not suggesting it is him, but you know, someone reasonably famous basically).
 
Holdenhsvgtsr
O'Neill is making his announcement in 2 weeks so never know it might be him he would be "big" as he's a fan favourite.
Click to expand...

Plus he proved last year that he was quick in an NGTC car with less testing than other drivers. Hope he gets a drive somewhere, Paul is a must have for the BTCC.👍
 
Ardius
Yeah, "big name" and "shock" are not really what I'd call Chilton. To me a shock would be a WTCC champion :P.

Or Giovanardi. :D

It could even be someone left field like Johnny Herbert (not suggesting it is him, but you know, someone reasonably famous basically).
Click to expand...

'Someone reasonably famous basically'?:lol:

I am an MG/Triple Eight fan. So long as is overall competition consistent; is able to battle the best over the 30 races, win a decent share of the races and is at the business end of the points, I don't give two shiny shades about who it is. And the fact Tom can be overlooked purely because he is not a "big name" is just the perfect punch-line to that gag. I think he would do very well for MG. But I just don't see who else is willing to come back to the BTCC or is available who raced last year.

EDIT: It is Sam Tordoff

http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=8550
 
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Well that makes this years grid probably one of the strongest at the front of the field for a few years now. 👍
Its going to be difficult for guys like Welch to make much impression into the top 10 this year methinks, but thats how it should be of course.
 
Still many drivers without a seat or a confirmed drive, like Lee Wood and Paul O'Neill

Hope we know soon whats happening with Speedworks.

Grid is looking good this year.👍

EDIT: Well done Holdenhsvgtsr for getting the final MG spot right.:bowdown:
 
The ES Racing Vectra's are for sale:
BBe7A6SCcAE7d7K.jpg


One apparently crashed. Must be Chris James car.
 

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