BTCC 2013

With the current BTCC season drawing to a close this weekend, there's lots of info and rumours flying around with how the championship will shape for next year.

Have been told that Jason Plato is retiring after this weekend. I think that is unlikely, given that MG are comitted to a three year deal, but who knows?

Rumours that Team Dynamics are to sell off their NGTC cars and go off to the WTCC, which is experiencing a bit of a renaissance just now with the S2000+ regs. Seems Honda are ready to pull their backing from the team with all the manipulation of the boost TOCA has done this year.

NGTC might not be taking the national scene by storm across the world, but regardless of opinion, it is working for the BTCC. We have teams constructing their own cars who would never have been able to under the previous S2000 regs, and we have the biggest range of manufacturers on the grid for a long time. For 2013 the engines will be derestricted to run 350bhp, with a push-to-pass function included. This will make S2000 uncompetitive, but there will be an S2000 cup for those still wishing to compete with the outdated machinery.

So MG will be back for year 2 of their BTCC challenge. Save for the possibility above, Plato will be driving for them. Neate has been dreadful, and doesn't deserve that drive, but he has invested a significant amount of money in the team. However, I have been saying for a while that Dave Newsham is a well-funded talented driver, who I'd think would compliment Plato well at MG. Sure enough, I've heard Newsham is moving from Team ES Racing for 2013 to an NGTC drive. If I worked at 888, I'd have had a wee chat with him about his 2013 plans long ago...

If TD/Honda don't leave, can't see them changing their line-up from Neal and Shedden. They've spent a lot of time and development on the NGTC Civic, and without TOCA's interference would be the team to beat.

Chris Stockton has purchased the RML-developed Chevrolet Cruze NGTC shell(s). Stockton has been planning a return to BTCC for a while, dependant upon the sale of his GT4 BMW M3, which has now happened. With his Ningbo backing and the funds from the BMW sale, he's got a hold of the aborted RML project, which should be the Cruze hatch, run by BTC Racing.

Tony Gilham's Team Hard has purchased the two Thorney Motorsport Insignia VXR-Rs, to run alongside his S2000 Civic in 2013. He also plans to construct a further two NGTC cars of unknown make and model.

Thorney Motorsport plans to construct a further two NGTC Insignias, having secured a 'major sponsor' for 2013. Thorne also says he is in talks to construct more cars for other clients.

Motorbase will construct their second Ford Focus NGTC, for a two-car assault with Mat Jackson in 2013. Can most likely see him being joined by Aron Smith, given his performances this year. The team are selling their S2000 Focus'.

AMD will be back with an NGTC car, probably a VW Passat. Shaun Hollamby has stated in the past that if the team went to NGTC it would be a Passat, and the recent advert for their S2000 Golf mentions that the team will be switching to NGTC.

Nick Foster has confirmed WSR are constructing NGTC cars for next year, and speculation is they will most likely be BMW 3 series cars.

Dan Welch has said in the past the team want to get the funding together to complete a second car, and his recent performances at Silverstone show the Proton has a bit of pace about it.

Can't see Frank Wrathall not returning with the Dynojet Avensis. Hope he finally finds some luck, he's a future race winner.

Speedworks will be one to watch. Tony Hughes has said he and his sponsors are willing to put Paul O'Neill in the car after his outing at Knockhill, if he can raise the rest of the budget. The car, one of the first GPRM NGTC builds, is still overweight, but Paul's a decent peddler. Doubtful that Adam Morgan will stay in the second car, his prize for winning Ginettas was a year in the Avensis, and he's been a disappointment.

The Jordans will be back with their Pirtek Civics, Pirtek signed a long-term sponsorship deal with them. I'd imagine Jeff Smith will be in the second car again.

Hopefully Rob Austin's new deal with Wix Filters will run into next year, the car in its new NASCAR style livery looks fantastic.

So being realistic, in terms of NGTC cars on the grid I make it:

2 Audi A4s (RAR/Wix Racing)
3 Vauxhall Insignia VXR-Rs (Team HARD, Thorney Motorsport)
2 MG MG6 GTs (MG KX Momentum)
4 Honda Civics (Honda Yuasa Racing, Pirtek Racing)
3 Toyota Avensis (Dynojet, Speedworks Motorsport)
1 Chevrolet Cruze (BTC Racing)
1 VW Passat (AMDtuning.com)
1 Proton Persona (Welch Motorsport)
2 Ford Focus STs (Redstone Racing)
2 BMW 320s (Team eBay/WSR)

21 NGTC cars realistically? And then about another half dozen S2000s? Not a bad looking grid if it works out.

Dont forget, John George ( tech speed ) are also thinking about getting back in with a Turbo'd Cruze, Matt Hamilton is also still aiming on getting his Skoda Octavia finished.

Ive heard rumours that ES will be getting 2 NGTC cars? if thats so, could Newsham be staying? and isnt it rumored that their will be someone else in MG6's possibly ES? i dont know!

Turkington is also supposed to becoming back. and Macdowall may also make a return ( hes my hometown driver lol ) with Chevvy pulling out of WTCC.

The 2nd Proton driver is SUPPOSEDLY Craig Dolby! ( Dans Fiances brother or something like that )

Still have drivers like Griffin ( although also awful ) Lea Woods, its going to be mental!

Either way, it looks like 2013 will be the biggest season yet! Really does have that 1994-1997 vibe to it now!

Point to note, I did spy Mr Turkington chatting to WSR people in the Silverstone paddock....

Turkey was with WSR at Silverstone and Steve Rider interviewed him on the grid for ITV4, don't think he has BTCC plans for 2013! ES Racing tweeted this the other day.

"Ooohhh so theres S2000 class next year, did this 2 car NGTC 2013 team just become a FOUR car dual class 2013 team!? That'd be quad AV IN IT!"

So that's 2 NGTC and 2 S2000 possibly for ES Racing to add to the list!

CQR Rusty wrote:
Either way, it looks like 2013 will be the biggest season yet! Really does have that 1994-1997 vibe to it now!

Bar a full grid of wealthy works teams, professional drivers and top line engineering.. yes.



The WTCC is gaining manufacturers all the time. Meanwhile the BTCC is getting more back markers running around in wonky bouncy NGTC barges.

nickyf1 wrote:

CQR Rusty wrote:
Either way, it looks like 2013 will be the biggest season yet! Really does have that 1994-1997 vibe to it now!

Bar a full grid of wealthy works teams, professional drivers and top line engineering.. yes.



The WTCC is gaining manufacturers all the time. Meanwhile the BTCC is getting more back markers running around in wonky bouncy NGTC barges.

That's what it has to be. The BTCC isn't in competition with the WTCC. NGTC works for the national market, where works team are absent and the future of the series is in the hands of the independants. I don't have a problem with the NGTC cars, they look good and they make the right noises, but they are doomed to be compared to S2000 the way that was to BTC, and the way BTC was to super-touring... I just wish TOCA would open up the control part construction so that teams could machine or source their own components, rather than giving money to GPRM for a shoddy job.

As for the calibre of the drivers, yes there are plenty of 'gentlemen drivers' looking for a Sunday hobby, but for everyone of them there is a talented driver on the grid, and today showcased two future stars, Aron Smith and Frank Wrathall. The series will always centre around the talented cast of Shedden, O'Neill, Jackson, Neal, Plato, Jordan, Collard, Onslow-Cole et al. Just hope they can keep the funds going.

And similarly, the WTCC drivers are not all paid drivers with works contracts. Tom Boardman and Alex MacDowall? Former BTCC also-rans? The WTCC might be about to ascend, but the platform it has suits manufacturers better than national series now.

Yeah I understand that, but my point is that there are no comparisons with the BTCC of the mid-nineties any more. It's almost a different series now.

But still, that's no excuse for some of the shocking builds we're seeing in the BTCC. Every time I see that RAR Audi lean round a corner, or see that Thorney Insignia move in any way, I cringe..

In light of the recent STCC/TTA merger, is it likely that some Swedish teams might bring the NGTC engined cars they spent money on to race in the BTCC?

nickyf1 wrote:In light of the recent STCC/TTA merger, is it likely that some Swedish teams might bring the NGTC engined cars they spent money on to race in the BTCC?

maybe maybe who knows seems like BTCC is on its own once more which is not a bad thing lets see what happens

Eh? The BTCC's strongest years were when it shared a rules package with the rest of Europe..

Last time the BTCC was on it's own, they switched to Super 2000 within four years.

So that leaves the BTCC the only championship in Europe running NGTC cars am I correct?

Yeah, that's what you said, isn't it?

Nicky if you could do 1 thing to BTCC to make it better what would you do?

Regs change? Rules?

I know you are directing that at Nicky, but I would say the only thing they need to do is open up the control part regulations. If the teams could machine their own parts, or source parts from an available range, we'd see less reliabilty issues with the NGTC cars. Plus, a spec part like the suspension, that works fine on the Civic in all weathers, clearly doesn't work well on the MG in the wet, so it might reduce performance disparities.

Costs might be higher, but is that a price worth paying to have a championship free of tinkering?

NGTC needs to be given a chance, but similarly it needs to be developed. 2013 will see the NGTC cars derestricted and running as the regs envisaged. BTCC could go with a number of regulations other than NGTC, like S2000+, or Solution F, but I'm not convinced they'd work for us.

We've seen over five years where the majority of entries were WTCC cast offs. Only the Civic, Focus and Vectra were constructed solely for the BTCC, and they had significant manufacturer support in their construction. While there is little doubt the impending resurgance of the WTCC would create a bigger S2000 market, there aren't many teams can afford to purchase and run the newer S2000 cars, but they can take a road car and turn it into a race car with NGTC. Solution F might as well be spec racing, and personally I am not a fan of silhouettes.

The range and depth NGTC is producing is a success for the regs in itself. The cars and regs need refined, GPRM need fired, and the other national markets need to take a good look at themselves.

http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=8402

Interesting rule changes ahead of the 2013 season.

Some added info here, the Chevrolet Cruze that Chris Stockton bought from RML is apparently going to be a hatchback, or a similar size to the Honda Civic NGTC.

As it stands, there'll be only three Honda Civic NGTC cars next season as Jeff Smith is said to be taking off for the Superstars V8 Series. I'm half expecting Dave Newsham to be replace Jeff Smith.

There's been more than enough talk of Chris James not returning next year due to lack of funds. And can you blame him? He spent most of this year sticking his car in walls and other cars...replacements are hard to afford

That and Mr James has been winding up half th paddock on Twitter!

His most recent 'victim' has been Jason Plato for raising funds for charity.. :/

Apparently Ross Noble (the comedian) is going to test an ES Vectra..

And reports in todays Autosport point to the possibility of the return of the feature race (with pit stops) when the championship goes all-NGTC. And when you consider that NGTC has centre-locking wheels, and S2000 cars don't, it all makes perfect sense.

Can you imagine the Commentary Team trying to talk to him during the safety car.... They'll be there forever....

lol great on RLM midweek this week ref new tyres and performance balance for 13 rules

Should be named TV racing I dont mind lets just not kid ourselves its not pure racing any more

We all know what the biggest exponent of TV racing is duncan I saw it last weekend.

Believe me guys, having had the misfortune to sit on the stands during the BTCC weekend at Silverstone I know the sort the series is attracting in terms of fans and it's not nice. Whooping and hollaring when Collard blatantly took Welch out the race!
If you didn't like Plato you were sneered at. It wasn't pleasant at all.