Dunlop MSA BTCC 2011

  • Thread starter Thread starter Furinkazen
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RML's problem is the fact they are developing the 1.6 WTCC Turbo, can't do both.

As said above,if the boot was on the other foot for any of the current turbo drivers then they'd be saying the same. Problem is the turbo cars lack engine breaking, surely then the non-turbo runner should be compromised breaking wise. I actually think they are quite balanced at this moment.

I hated that Plato blamed the turbo cars for his puncture. That was a complete joke.
 
Ardius
which they have already attempted to do by limiting the Honda turbo boost.
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I think you read the same article as me last week, it was wrong and the site corrected it later. Honda were restricted the same amount as every other turbo car.
 
A surprisingly dull set of races this weekend i thought. The BTCC rounds at Thruxton are usually amongst the best action-wise you see in a season, but this year they were pretty dull, certainly compared to Donington last time out. With punctures being such an issue here over the past few years, perhaps no one wanted to push their luck and risk losing points this early in the season?
 
Only_in_f1
RML's problem is the fact they are developing the 1.6 WTCC Turbo, can't do both.

As said above,if the boot was on the other foot for any of the current turbo drivers then they'd be saying the same. Problem is the turbo cars lack engine breaking, surely then the non-turbo runner should be compromised breaking wise. I actually think they are quite balanced at this moment.

I hated that Plato blamed the turbo cars for his puncture. That was a complete joke.
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Well in the near-future everyone will have turbos, which is why most people don't really care for the non-turbo runners, they are only being given the concession to help spread the cost of upgrading over time. While of course they are right to demand proper competition, this is why they lack support.

Plato was probably referring to having to go aggressive on his setup which therefore wore his tyres too much and caused the puncture. But I do get sick of his moaning when he never moaned about his SEAT turbo.

TheCracker
A surprisingly dull set of races this weekend i thought. The BTCC rounds at Thruxton are usually amongst the best action-wise you see in a season, but this year they were pretty dull, certainly compared to Donington last time out. With punctures being such an issue here over the past few years, perhaps no one wanted to push their luck and risk losing points this early in the season?
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Really? I thought it was a pretty average BTCC weekend - quite exciting and decent racing action. Several battles going on all the way down the field. The only thing it lacked was drama...but we don't always need drama, particularly not like Donington.
Donington was BTCC at its worst, very little clean racing and too much amateur driving.
 
Ardius
Really? I thought it was a pretty average BTCC weekend - quite exciting and decent racing action. Several battles going on all the way down the field. The only thing it lacked was drama...but we don't always need drama, particularly not like Donington.
Donington was BTCC at its worst, very little clean racing and too much amateur driving.
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I totally agree, not anything special but a good set of races for people at the front and back of the grid. Cant wait for the Snetterton 300 race.
 
Just flicking through my Photos from the weekend, thought this was funny...

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Almost caption competition material I think!
 
Ardius
Really? I thought it was a pretty average BTCC weekend - quite exciting and decent racing action. Several battles going on all the way down the field. The only thing it lacked was drama...but we don't always need drama, particularly not like Donington.
Donington was BTCC at its worst, very little clean racing and too much amateur driving.
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I wasn't inferring it should have been as bad as Donington, as stated, that was pretty scrappy even by BTCC standards. But i expected more overtaking like previous Thruxton rounds. You often see a glut of moves at the Cambell/Cobb complex, along with the usual desperate late lunges at the chicane - little of which was seen, or at least caught on camera, this past weekend.
 
Plato.. talk about a bad winner. I'll agree that the Turbo's are much faster, but at least celebrate. I'd love to be a fly on the wall in the Honda camp afterwards...
 
I was at Oulton today and had wondered what had happened to TOC, how bizarre.
I doubt Aon have offered him a drive again, unless they have suddenly come to their senses and noticed Andy Neate doesn't cut the mustard.

What kind of offer makes a driver leave just before a race though? TOC had two bad races due to slick tyre gambles which dropped him down the order in both races (though I think he might have started on wets in race 1 but fell back as the track dried). But not so bad to make him want to suddenly leave the team when its so close to running with the top guys! Today's results were due to gambles, not a lack of pace.

Anyway, it was good fun, today I was watching from the Hairpin at the top of the hill and witnessed the Smith/Boardman collision with my own eyes! Boardman reminded me of Cleland when he stepped out of the car :lol: he wasn't pleased!
I will also add that Lea Wood came out of nowhere in the wet, very impressive, and Rob Austin was hanging onto (and even overtaking!) the back of the pack which is nice to see.
The Toyota's once again had terrible pace and reliability. Wrathall had looked competitive in qualifying but was suffering from multiple stalls and spins at the hairpin due to starting on slicks. Jackson also stalled his car a lot at the hairpin too.
I was pretty shocked to hear the Honda's collide in race 2! I had started walking off to the toilets before the race finish (as they had already all past me for the final lap) and had assumed an easy victory for them. Neal being a complete idiot once again, this is how to lose championships.
 
MrMulsanne
"AmD Milltek Racing.com can announce that it has come to an amicable agreement to part company with driver Tom Onslow-Cole in order to allow him to take up the offer of a drive elsewhere."
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What puzzles me is that why is he leaving a team that is clearly going on a right direction? Or perhaps as Ardius said, get offered by Aon to drive for them again. Owkey let's just wait and see...
 
I just find it funny how Honda are so much like Red Bull in 2010, massivley fast car but keep losing points now this. :lol:

I have lost most of my respect for TO-C now, I was admirable the way he took 2010 and then being left out of Aon's plans for this year. He really showed his class and even got the Golf to some dizzying (relativley) results. Now to end the relationship like this with AmD is a bit rude to be honest.

And I only ever thought Neate was a there for as little as possible. I'm pretty sure he was a pay driver, but there's only so many rounds with so little points a team can take, whether you're a pay driver or not.
 
I think you've hit the nail on the head on why hes going back. AON need points and podiums soon and TOC is the man to do that. A three car team it is then!
 
A great shame really, the Golf was starting to look pretty good but then I'm guessing Tom is getting a nice pay to go back to Aon.
I'm not looking forward to the team orders BS the Chilton's have pulled in the past.

Hopefully Hollamby finds another great driver to put in the Golf. Vain hoping for Thompson? :D
 
Yes very hopeful. Although we can dream.

Steven Kane would be a good choice.
 
Can't blame Onslow-Cole, he's a racer, he wants to win. He can do that in the AON, he can't in the Golf.

Interesting race, Neal taking out Shedden had me laughing for a few minutes.
 
Thats fair enough but the Golf wasn't far off the Focus' pace at Thruxton. It doesn't seem like much of a step up.
 
Well it seems like it's also money aswell, I get the feeling he was having to put his own money in to AmD.

Autosport
"We were told of Tom's decision 15 minutes before the final race today," he said. "There was no point [doing the race] because he doesn't have the money to fix any damage.
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Besides Steven Kane, are there any other good BTCC drivers free to take up the seat? Or any drivers who can be tempted away from their current seats?

Fabrizio Giovanardi isn't racing at the moment :sly:
 
Turkington and Thompson are busy in STCC, Steven Kane is currently racing sportscars. Maybe Jonathan Adam or Dan Eaves?
I don't think Hollamby will find anyone of TO-C's measure again, if he needs a paying driver. He might plump for a Clio, Ginetta or Porsche driver if they have the budget.
 
Dan Eaves popped into my head but I though I might have been out of the game for to long.

Wasn't aware about Kane aswell, I know he did a GT race earlier in the year but as a one-off.
 
Most of the recent quality drivers left because of budget reasons, so its very unlikely they will come back right now. (Otherwise, they would mostly already be back).
 
Duffers917K
Well it seems like it's also money aswell, I get the feeling he was having to put his own money in to AmD.
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Ardius
A great shame really, the Golf was starting to look pretty good but then I'm guessing Tom is getting a nice pay to go back to Aon.
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Onslow-Cole left AON as he didnt have the money for the seat and Neate did. There are very very few paid BTCC drivers and Onslow-Cole isn't one of them, even at AON.

Now AON are struggling and Housemans have put up a bigger budget for Onslow-Cole he moves back to AON.

The reason he didn't do race 3 wasn't because he didnt have a budget, its because he had no contract and if TOC had binned it it would have left AMD with a huge bill.

My tip for a replacement... Tony Gilham.
 
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