BTCC 2014 : All Chat Here

[timor]

You might be right as they apparently did the same back in 2009 and Colin went on to win the title!

 

[Dan.86]

Was bound to happen but sure. Croft is Turkington territory once again so doubt we will have heard the last of MG and Plato's moaning.

 

[svensktoppen]

Just caught up with the last race. Pretty boring to be honest, zero overtaking. Not sure if it was just the track or something else.

Great result for Colin though

I really thought Rob Austin was going to get punted off in the second race, lol, but Plato behaved

Then I learned that apparently dodgem style overtakes are illegal now... They could have fooled me

 

[DEEJAY.B]

@ Sven , the rear wheel drive cars have all to use a longer first
gear from this next race at Croft onwards . .Front wheeel drive
biatches all complained last round . .

 

[timor]

Incredible effort from Turks today to claim pole especially with full ballast.It's going to be interesting to see how much the longer first gear affects the beemers,a little slower off the start for sure but WSR have done a great job with the cars this year and i don't think it's going to be too detrimental,but time will tell.....

 

[svensktoppen]

He does seem to be on a roll Tall order with full ballast, plus those new changes to the rules, but fingers crossed!

 

[Dan.86]

P1 by 7 seconds! Some action from collard and Plato, brilliant racing

 

[Graham]

The support races have bee awesome also

 

[DEEJAY.B]

Verbals traded after clash between Austin and Neal
Rob Austin and Matt Neal had very few kind words for each other after their untidy clash in Croft’s final race, with the Audi driver pledging to report Neal to the MSA, and the Honda man calling Austin a “maniac”.

The pair were eliminated from the race in an accident with Warren Scott, when the three were side-by-side into the opening two corners, and all ended up in the wall.

Austin was out on the spot, while Neal limped back to the pits and into retirement with front and rear damage. Team BMR boss Scott was able to continue and finish 17th.

Neither man was in the mood for holding back as the dust settled on a chaotic weekend, with Austin labelling Neal’s move “disgusting” and Neal calling the Audi pilot an “idiot”.

Both gave their take on the incident to TouringCarTimes.

Austin said: “We both started from the back of the grid, and he barged his way past me. I thought ‘whatever’, because I’ve raced against him before and I thought I’d be better following him through, as he’s more forceful than me.

“I think Matt tried to fire Warren Scott off at the last hairpin, and they were side by side. I had a nice clean run on both of them. I gave him a push down the straight to help him down the inside, and when we got to the corner, Matt went in deep and I had a nice clean line.

“I braked nice and early and sailed past both of them on the better line. I was 90 per cent past and turning right. The next thing I know I was getting a belt on my left rear and he kept his foot in until I was in the wall.

“I love the BTCC, I think it’s the best championship in the world. But that’s not what it’s about. I’ll take it to the MSA. It isn’t on – it’s disgusting.

“I’ve already had a word with the clerk of the course. Whatever it takes, because that is not on. That is not what the BTCC is about.”


“I got thrown to the back for race three, and you’re back with the maniacs,” said Neal to TouringCarTimes. “It was probably about the fifth or sixth time he’d clobbered me at some point on my car.

“On the straight he’s got so much boost, he just drives into you in a straight line. He doesn’t lift. He doesn’t care, because he’s not got a straight panel on his car.

“I had Warren Scott on my outside and I thought ‘right, we’re going to go two around here, and I’ve got the inside for two. No problem.’

“I was watching Rob Austin in my rear-view mirror and just as we’re about to hit the brakes at 125mph, he just goes bang and hits me hard. He takes me wide, and pushes me into Warren, so then he’s on the inside heading into turn two. But there’s a tyre stack on the apex, so we’re not going to get round.

“He moves over on me, I’ve got nowhere to go and I’m sandwiched between them.

“He should be figure-of-eight racing – he’s an absolute idiot. He thinks it’s funny. He started without a straight panel on his car, and it’s almost like he wants to dent as many other cars as he can. And I’m a big scalp. They should start smacking some points on his licence.”

Despite the strength of feeling from both drivers, the incident was not included in the lengthy list of penalties handed out by the stewards after race three.

 

[svensktoppen]

That was a great race, really enjoyed it

Good result for Colin, just a shame about the last race.

Plato did great work in the first race, master class in damage limitation, great defensive driving. The punt on Menu in race two was a bit too obvious though, surprised he was not penalised for that. Intentional or not, that was just sloppy.

That sandwich in the last race was looked more like red mist times three than anything else, lol. All three piling in to the same corner was only ever going to end in tears Neal got caught in the middle, but just one of those things really.

 

[Dan.86]

Plato got a 10 place grid penalty I think for the shunt on Menu.

He certainly knows how to control a race but lifting off the throttle on the hairpin after a while just got annoying. I have no idea how Collard kept his cool

 

[svensktoppen]

That penalty was well deserved to be honest if that is what he got, and I am a big fan of Plato. Intentional or not, that shunt was completely avoidable, there was no call for it, Menu made a clean pass and was well through.

Yes, a whole race defensive gets a bit tedious, lol But there is no denying the skill in the first race. Not so successful in the second, but hey.

 

[DEEJAY.B]

Team BMR car change removes Vauxhall brand from BTCC grid
Team BMR will switch to running a contingent of four Volkswagen CCs from this weekend, with two additional cars now ready for drivers Jack Goff and Warren Scott, and with the change, the iconic Vauxhall brand will be absent from the grid for the first time since the 1988 season.

The team have run a pair of Volkswagen CCs for Alain Menu and Aron Smith so far, but will represent just a single marque for the first time from this weekend at Snetterton.

“It’s fantastic to be able to bring the four VWs to Snetterton and is the result of a lot of hard work by everyone at the team,” said team principal and driver Warren Scott.

“It was always part of the plan but we weren’t absolutely sure we’d be ready by mid-season. Thankfully all the effort has paid off and we’re delighted to be able to start the second half of the season at full strength.

“It’s an exciting time for us. This is all part of the overall development and progression of Team BMR and we hope to have further announcements in the coming weeks.”

With the Insignias now no longer being used, the Vauxhall brand will not be present on the grid for the first time since 1988, the year prior to Vauxhall fielding a factory team in 1989, and then remaining in the Championship until the end of 2009. Vauxhall’s last touring car, the Super 2000 specification Vauxhall Vectra, continued winning races for another two years, as well as winning last year’s Jack Sears Trophy for S2000 spec cars with JWT Performance’s Lea Wood, before the class was eliminated from this season.

The Vauxhall marque’s life in the Championship had been given an extension after Thorney Motorsport developed the Insignia independently to Next Generation Touring Car regulations in 2011. Thorney built two cars, which were then used by Tony Gilham Racing in 2013, which were then bought by Team BMR this year while the team developed another pair of Volksagen CCs.

 

[svensktoppen]

Not a bad race today at Snetterton. First two races pretty uneventful, apart from a lot of attrition in the mid field. Last race was superb , all the top contenders fighting it out between themselves. Great racing, especially in the second half

Shame for Jordan though, a weekend to forget for him.

Aron Smith did a fantastic job in the last race, defending from start to finish.

Had a little chuckle when Giovanardi went off on the last lap, lol. Just goes to show how close to the edge they race.

Actually, the footage from behind when one car is close to another is amazing. The rear is so loose on these cars, always moving and shifiting and sliding and bumping. How they stay in track is beyond me!

 

[timor]

Latest news is Colin received an 8 place penalty for his collision with Neal,just a wee bit extreme i thought......

 

[svensktoppen]

Wow, that was harsh Looked like a race incident to me. He was moving one way, Neil the other, Neil hit the brakes a fraction of a second earlier.

Is that eight places from the third race today, or in the next race?

The move whoever-it-was did on Morgan was much worse, blatantly obvious and Morgan had done a brilliant race up until he got summarily punted off.

 

[timor]

The penalty comes into effect at knockhill,as far as i know Neal wasn't penalised for his move on Morgan.

 

[Blackie]

I didn't see the last race

 

[svensktoppen]

That is a joke Neal's move on Morgan was a blatant shunt, and completely uncalled for. Colin's incident was just that - just a racing incident

 

[Blackie]

Feck me it musta been bad, I saw the first two races, though giovanardi was a bit of a t**t when he went off, but he got his just desserts for that move! Last race must have been mental??

 

[svensktoppen]

Was a good race

 

[stuartyvilla]

Heading to Knockhill this weekend to see the Race, very very excited!Although I cannot find any info on sectator areas at the circuit and were you can and can't go, has anyone been before to shed some light?

 

[svensktoppen]

Knockhill is great both for driving and for spectators, very accessible Small enough that you should be able to move about as well, and try different spots.

@Graham might have some tips.

 

[Graham]

Knockhill is great both for driving and for spectators, very accessible Small enough that you should be able to move about as well, and try different spots.

@Graham might have some tips.

I was signed on media so had access all areas so of no use sadly

 

[DEEJAY.B]

Sherman P2 at Knockhill . . Mega !!

Rob Austin said: ”I’m really chuffed with that session – we know the car is good here and we have a really good set-up. I’ve always loved this place and gone well here too. It’s a much more competitive grid this year, so to be on the front row again two years running makes it particularly sweet. We’ve had a really good car at Croft and earlier in the year at Brands – we’ve missed out on some really good opportunities so I’m really over the moon to put it all together here. Our race pace is always our strong point, so I’m mega confident. If I can jump Sam – who put in a very impressive lap I must say – at the start it’ll be ideal, but I think there will be plenty of opportunities to make a move.”