2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car ChampionshipTouring Cars

[paulmac2k9]

Moffat up to 3rd! Holy moly.

 

[mustafur]

WSR on constructor Status: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/118177

Also to those that said the Infiniti wasn't a Factory deal are wrong, it is.

 

[Jimlaad43]

I'm guessing this is the livery of the new Infiniti team

 

[raceorama123432]

Managed to make it onto the pitlane. Spoke to Sheds and Rob Austin and saw Gow in his Porsche. Shame about the hour long rain brake but stuck it out till the end.

I also managed to get a couple snaps in the pitlane:

 

[Bo]

I bet on Tena For Men in a lobby with Furi on Sunday and got it right.

 

[True-blue-8]

Are BMR running that livery or are they running sponsorship?

 

[Clark]

Looks like Plato and Turkington mean business.

 

[paulmac2k9]

Are BMR running that livery or are they running sponsorship?

They are hiding it. The detail on the bonnet is imatating a cover with chrome underneath with a ? on it.

 

[True-blue-8]

They are hiding it. The detail on the bonnet is imatating a cover with chrome underneath with a ? on it.

Cool thanks mate 👍

 

[AudiMan2011]

Is Neal running with the #25 to signify 25 years in BTCC?

 

[raceorama123432]

I was also speaking to a BMR mechanic and I'm fairly certain those VW's will be a different colour when they reach Brands (well, at least have some sponsorship on them)

 

[True-blue-8]

I was also speaking to a BMR mechanic and I'm fairly certain those VW's will be a different colour when they reach Brands (well, at least have some sponsorship on them)

Hope they stay black personally. Can looks really nice like that.

Not long left now

 

[Furinkazen]

Looks like Plato and Turkington mean business.

Nah, they're just trying to one up the other

 

[paulmac2k9]

Plato and Turks were only separated by .006 and Moffat and Morgan by .004. For the same cars that's pretty good going.

 

[Furinkazen]

Plato and Turks were only separated by .006 and Moffat and Morgan by .004. For the same cars that's pretty good going.

The Merc partnership evidently working.

 

[Holdenhsvgtsr]

Moffat up to 3rd! Holy moly.

Not a surprise he's always been quick.

Was expecting more from O'neil.

 

[Malcolm Tucker]

Also to those that said the Infiniti wasn't a Factory deal are wrong, it is.

That's probably me you're thinking of I'm just skeptical about their full intentions, it seems like they're more in it for the charity association. And I don't get why it's Infiniti and not Nissan (although I'm not sure what Nissan model they could use actually)

 

[AudiMan2011]

That's probably me you're thinking of I'm just skeptical about their full intentions, it seems like they're more in it for the charity association. And I don't get why it's Infiniti and not Nissan (although I'm not sure what Nissan model they could use actually)

My theory is that Infiniti could be using the BTCC to try and boost it's brand image in the UK as it's currently a minority brand in this country, especially against the Germans. With the BTCC being one of the UK's top racing series, Infiniti could use that opportunity to showcase it's product to a wider national audience.

 

[Malcolm Tucker]

My theory is that Infiniti could be using the BTCC to try and boost it's brand image in the UK as it's currently a minority brand in this country, especially against the Germans. With the BTCC being one of the UK's top racing series, Infiniti could use that opportunity to showcase it's product to a wider national audience.

I think you're right, but that's why they've gone down the route they have; they could get more mainstream media exposure from the charity link than they would from winning the championship possibly. The fact that their cars weren't ready today as well made me think it even more, considering how long ago they showed the mock-up. But I should just stop moaning and look forward to it lol, I can see Support Our Paras being a popular team and they'll stick at it for a while, whatever happens with Infiniti.

 

[raceorama123432]

I hope it works, that Infiniti is a pretty car. Very neat too, I had a look at the one in the pit lane today and it looked the part. There was also a collection of them in the paddock.

Edit: Also my boss owns a business that does most of the paint work for the BMR and 888 guys. He told me that he thinks the reason that the VW's were all black today were because they were going to be in the Tesco livery the MG's were but due to Tesco having these store closures they haven't decided if they will be painted like that or not. (Explains Plato still running the #99)

 

[True-blue-8]

I hope it works, that Infiniti is a pretty car. Very neat too, I had a look at the one in the pit lane today and it looked the part. There was also a collection of them in the paddock.

Edit: Also my boss owns a business that does most of the paint work for the BMR and 888 guys. He told me that he thinks the reason that the VW's were all black today were because they were going to be in the Tesco livery the MG's were but due to Tesco having these store closures they haven't decided if they will be painted like that or not. (Explains Plato still running the #99)

I was hoping for that! Thought so too and they better

 

[MatskiMonk]

Good grief, it's started already.

RWD vs. FWD http://www.touringcartimes.com/2015/03/25/drivers-views-differ-on-rear-wheel-drive-revamp/

Seems Jason Plato has an opinion on it. I'd agree with Rob Austin's stand...

Although a wheel has not been turned in anger in the 2015 British Touring Car season, the debate between rear-wheel-drive and front-wheel-drive drivetrains appears to be rearing its head once again.

One of the biggest talking points of the 2014 season was that the rear-wheel-drive cars had a much better drive off the line, to the effect that if a rear-wheel-drive qualified on the second row it was almost a given that they’d be in the lead by the first corner.

New regulations for 2015 will attempt to reduce this advantage, as well as weight ballast now being pushed to the front of the car to try and equalise the front-wheel-drive disadvantage of having a much heavier front end.

However, last season’s runner up – and highest placed front-wheel-drive competitor – Jason Plato, feels that this will not be enough.

“Even Stevie Wonder could see the balance between FWD and RWD wasn’t right. How they’re going to compensate for the 200 kilos we’re heavier on the front axles than the BMWs I don’t know, because that was it is. I’ve not seen any proposals on how they’re going to adjust that.”

However, rear-wheel-drive stalwart Rob Austin, who drives the Audi A4, believes that the organisers are in danger of favouring the front-wheel-drive too much.

“I think it’s a real shame that TOCA are giving in to peer pressure. They’ve taken steps to equalise our advantage which is fine, but at the same time, if they’re going to do that they should equalise the front-wheel-drive advantage.

“Personally, I think as it was it worked out all-in-all on a par, I spoke to Colin, who’s now converted to FWD from RWD and he said there’s not a lot in it. Now there will be something in it now there will be now there’s a FWD advantage. It is what it is and hopefully they won’t get too carried away with it.”

 

[Yellowbeard]

Rob was talking about this at the owners club meeting last night after testing. Apparently as well as keeping the longer first gear they're also introducing a system to reduce the RWD car's BHP from a standing start up to 60 mph .... which require a sequence of button pushes and other actions on the drivers part to implement, if they get this wrong they will incure penalties. Rob refused to use it for testing yesterday as installing the required software caused issues with one of the BMW's.
Obviously I also agree with Rob's POV and really hope JP's crying and whinging hasn't pushed things too far the opposite way.

Good grief, it's started already.

RWD vs. FWD http://www.touringcartimes.com/2015/03/25/drivers-views-differ-on-rear-wheel-drive-revamp/

Seems Jason Plato has an opinion on it. I'd agree with Rob Austin's stand...

 

[Malcolm Tucker]

It all seems like preemptive moaning atm. Turkington and Tordoff are the only guys that have switched FWD/RWD this off-season so they're the only two opinions I'm interested in for the next week and a half. Turkington apparently said there's not much in it so that suggests his Passat is as competitive as his BMW was last year, which does back up Austin's view

It's gonna be fun to see what excuse Plato comes up with this year when he can't keep up with his team mate

 

[True-blue-8]

It all seems like preemptive moaning atm. Turkington and Tordoff are the only guys that have switched FWD/RWD this off-season so they're the only two opinions I'm interested in for the next week and a half. Turkington apparently said there's not much in it so that suggests his Passat is as competitive as his BMW was last year, which does back up Austin's view

It's gonna be fun to see what excuse Plato comes up with this year when he can't keep up with his team mate

Colin will play the FF/FR card as plato already mentioned.

But I think Jason's main argument will be 'Colin is #1 so the team are putting all their work and effort into him'

He'll find something, he always does

 

[MatskiMonk]

To be fair, Colin has to keep his mouth shut, if he says yeah FWD is disadvantaged, he devalues his titles, if he says there is no difference he is undermining the inevitable complaining from his team and team mate.

I'm planning to go to every race this year, and already have tickets for 6 events, If they engineer the BMW's to be uncompetitive I'll be genuinely ****ed off. I don't think anyone would deny that off the line the RWD cars have an advantage, but if it weren't for Turk BMW, or indeed RWD cars would not have had the success they did overall. When its a RWD 1, 2, 3 every race or perhaps even if there is more than one guy winning in a RWD car, then perhaps there's a problem. I feel sorry for Austin too, because he doesn't have the budget to engineer around this issues like WSR have.

 

[paulmac2k9]

The only problem I see is unless Priaulx gets on with the BMW, I doubt that Rwd will be represented. I just don't see the rest as full season challengers. They can maybe be up there at good Rwd tracks. I just see this season being VW vs MG and Honda.

 

[mustafur]

Yeah this year there will be no issue with RWD and will likely be forgotten about as there is no real Title Threat driver in one this Season

I think RWD does have an advantage somewhat, but they are only represented in two teams last year and only Turkington was a Driver good enough to win a Title with it, so it's still abit unclear where it fully stands imo but last year Turkington definitely dominated the season as much as you probably could in a BTCC season with Success Ballast.

If Infiniti or WSR hire a Top driver Next year expect the issues to come back.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Yeah this year there will be no issue with RWD and will likely be forgotten about as there is no real Title Threat driver in one this Season

I think RWD does have an advantage somewhat, but they are only represented in two teams last year and only Turkington was a Driver good enough to win a Title with it, so it's still abit unclear where it fully stands imo but last year Turkington definitely dominated the season as much as you probably could in a BTCC season with Success Ballast.

If Infiniti or WSR hire a Top driver Next year expect the issues to come back.

Don't rule Priaulx out too quickly, I'm not saying he'll be all conquering, but he's got masses and masses of experience, and if the car is reasonable theres no reason to think he couldn't be at the sharp end. Previous ol' dogs like Menu and Giovanardi didn't really make much of an impact, but then neither were really in title contention cars.

If the RWD cars don't lose to much of their off the line advantage, and Priaulx can qualify reasonably well I think he'll be up there with the others. As I said before, if he's mired in the midfield I don't think he'll crack the Top 5 very often.

If he comes up against Turk it could be excellent, both are great racers whilst being clean and respectful.

If he comes up against Plato, he'll be arse forward in the gravel or barrier before you know it.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Sorry, double post. Damned phone keypad is so sensitive.