Grand Prix Rejects

The thing with the MG was that 2015 was its fourth year of competition without any major changes. In that time Honda had changed vehicles twice, to the Tourer and then the Civic Type R. Plus the BMR VWs, the BMW 125i, the new Ford this year, and the Mercedes meant it was often the fourth or fifth best car out there. Definitely needed a new lease of life and I guess Plato realised that at the end of 2014.

BTW, love the username! Welcome to the forum!

AndreaModa wrote:The thing with the MG was that 2015 was its fourth year of competition without any major changes. In that time Honda had changed vehicles twice, to the Tourer and then the Civic Type R. Plus the BMR VWs, the BMW 125i, the new Ford this year, and the Mercedes meant it was often the fourth or fifth best car out there. Definitely needed a new lease of life and I guess Plato realised that at the end of 2014.

BTW, love the username! Welcome to the forum!

Yeah that's very true. Triple-8's track record is strong enough that when they make a change, it tends to lead to success. Having a 3-year deal is great from their end too to get a proper R&D cycle going. Good for the series to have manufacturer commitment too.

and cheers, glad to be here!

I just caught up with the TCR series, in some places it is better than WTCC, nicer circuits in countires that actually watch Motorsport (possibly ignoring a couple) fairly close cars (Honda v Seat) although Suburu and Ford need to catch up. Some great racing at circuits allowing for it (Monza, Red bull ring) and a championship decider in Macau.
Well done to Stefano Comini, that crash at the start was something else...

Team BMR have just become the official SUBARU works team in the BTCC this season. Championship gamechanger right there.

As the years go on, the more I'm convinced that Warren Scott is the second coming of Gandalf. Is there anything this man can't do off-track. His business acumen is second to none.

Ah well, an ugly car for an ugly driver - seems about right (and you know I don't mean Turkington, I'm guessing)

As if Citroen in WTCC wasn't bad enough.....

I'm kinda excited about this, hoping it'll give an advantage back to Turkington again. But have Subaru ever been in BTCC before (either as independent or works entry)?

The Subaru Levorg, eh? Someone at Fuji HQ wasn't thinking straight when they came up with that name. And don't go saying it was a non-native English speaker, because when I see this:

The All-Knowing Oracle wrote: According to Subaru, the name Levorg is a combination of three words, LEgacy, reVOlution, touRinG.

...I don't believe it came from someone with a grip of English as tenuous as the various members of Metalucifer. Rule number one of naming your new car: check to see if it has any unfortunate connotations like the Fiat Punto and Kia Provo. Spell it backwards, just in case...

New for 2016 from Japan will be the Toyota Timbus, the Mazda Esonnworb and the Mitsuoka Tnahpocys.

dinizintheoven wrote:The Subaru Levorg, eh? Someone at Fuji HQ wasn't thinking straight when they came up with that name. And don't go saying it was a non-native English speaker, because when I see this:

The All-Knowing Oracle wrote: According to Subaru, the name Levorg is a combination of three words, LEgacy, reVOlution, touRinG.

...I don't believe it came from someone with a grip of English as tenuous as the various members of Metalucifer. Rule number one of naming your new car: check to see if it has any unfortunate connotations like the Fiat Punto and Kia Provo. Spell it backwards, just in case...

Mind you Subaru is also the company that made the BRAT, whose name isn't just a misenomer of the people who drive it but rather a funky acronym much like the Levorg, meaning "Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transport".

Subaru going into touring car racing with some semblance of factory support, thus excluding the TCR Impreza, has been a rumor that has flown around cyberspace for the last few years without materialsing. It's good to see them finally pull the trigger. Now watch it not have a Boxer engine.

There will be a new feeder series for the BTCC using the older NGTC cars. Sadly it won't be part of the TOCA package and will have its own six meeting calender.
http://www.btcccrazy.co.uk/btcc/btcc-de ... d-in-2016/

Sound familiar?
http://formularejects.com/wiki/BTC_Development_Series

In other news, Tom Ingram will remain in the Speedworks Toyota.
http://www.btcccrazy.co.uk/btcc/speedwo ... -campaign/

Samster wrote:There will be a new feeder series for the BTCC using the older NGTC cars. Sadly it won't be part of the TOCA package and will have its own six meeting calender.
http://www.btcccrazy.co.uk/btcc/btcc-de ... d-in-2016/
/

Im Surprised there is enough NGTC cars around to make it viable, I know teams cannibalised cars for the spec parts to make new ones so surely the shells are around. So when teams upgrade to RML parts they can put the original GPRM parts in the spare shells. Good way for teams to earn especially with the limited appeal of the NGTC formula

Completely out of the blue, Jack Goff will be Andy Priaulx's replacement at WSR! No one saw this move coming. Fantastic opportunity for the chap, and it appears IHG are sponsoring his seat as well.

It does beg the question as to who's gonna be driving for MG this season. Those 5-season old MGs are not top machinery any long.

peteroli34 wrote:

Samster wrote:There will be a new feeder series for the BTCC using the older NGTC cars. Sadly it won't be part of the TOCA package and will have its own six meeting calender.
http://www.btcccrazy.co.uk/btcc/btcc-de ... d-in-2016/
/

Im Surprised there is enough NGTC cars around to make it viable, I know teams cannibalised cars for the spec parts to make new ones so surely the shells are around. So when teams upgrade to RML parts they can put the original GPRM parts in the spare shells. Good way for teams to earn especially with the limited appeal of the NGTC formula

I believe Rob Austin Racing are entering their two Audis in the series, whilst off the top of my head there's a bunch of Honda and Toyota shells available, the two Welch Protons, and maybe the two BMR Vauxhall Insignias, if they haven't scrapped the shells.

East Londoner wrote:It does beg the question as to who's gonna be driving for MG this season. Those 5-season old MGs are not top machinery any long.

I was under the impression that MG were introducing a new car this year, as part of the extended three year deal.

RealRacingRoots wrote:

dinizintheoven wrote:The Subaru Levorg, eh? Someone at Fuji HQ wasn't thinking straight when they came up with that name. And don't go saying it was a non-native English speaker, because when I see this:

The All-Knowing Oracle wrote: According to Subaru, the name Levorg is a combination of three words, LEgacy, reVOlution, touRinG.

...I don't believe it came from someone with a grip of English as tenuous as the various members of Metalucifer. Rule number one of naming your new car: check to see if it has any unfortunate connotations like the Fiat Punto and Kia Provo. Spell it backwards, just in case...

Mind you Subaru is also the company that made the BRAT, whose name isn't just a misenomer of the people who drive it but rather a funky acronym much like the Levorg, meaning "Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transport".

Subaru going into touring car racing with some semblance of factory support, thus excluding the TCR Impreza, has been a rumor that has flown around cyberspace for the last few years without materialsing. It's good to see them finally pull the trigger. Now watch it not have a Boxer engine.

Well...

Autosport and Warren Scott wrote:"Although it is an estate car, it has a very strong drag coefficient and also the dynamics of the boxer engine mean that the weight is lower down in the unit, which will help with the weight distribution of the car.

Rob Austin has made a shock move to Handy Motorsports to drive their new second Avensis. Presumably they bought one of RAR's TBLs which means there is no more Rob Austin Racing. Shame as I hoped they would pick up the ex BMR Passats.

http://www.btcccrazy.co.uk/btcc/rob-aus ... a-avensis/

roblomas52 wrote:Well...

Autosport and Warren Scott wrote:"Although it is an estate car, it has a very strong drag coefficient and also the dynamics of the boxer engine mean that the weight is lower down in the unit, which will help with the weight distribution of the car.

Awesome. Would love the variety of a boxer engine in the series.

In reading the rules, the BTCC site doesn't specify whether teams are limited to a 4-cylinder engine, so I've always wondered if we could get a lesser-tuned V6 a la the old Ford Mondeo days. I've always thought it was 4-cylinder only but I'm curious...

AndreaModa wrote:I was under the impression that MG were introducing a new car this year, as part of the extended three year deal.

I thought they were just going to update the cars with RML parts rather then a new build MG6.

AlliotsUsualAccident wrote:n reading the rules, the BTCC site doesn't specify whether teams are limited to a 4-cylinder engine, so I've always wondered if we could get a lesser-tuned V6 a la the old Ford Mondeo days. I've always thought it was 4-cylinder only but I'm curious...

Im sure they are limited to 4 cylinder engines the original rules back in 2011 seem to confirm that dont know is it has changed though
http://www.btcccrazy.co.uk/btcc/general-news-btcc/ngtc-rules-in-depth/

And the person to drive the third Honda Civic is..

Miguel98 wrote:And the person to drive the third Honda Civic is..

Why? Just why?

Wow, Honda must be short of money. Should be fun to watch him being a reject near the back of the field, just a shame he is wasting a good car.

Miguel98 wrote:And the person to drive the third Honda Civic is..

This has to be a practical joke surely. Worst driver signing ever.

Anyone care to have a bet on who crashed more this season, Andy Neate or Alex Martin?

This is a pisstake, right?

I would say that Honda could be having a laugh and just taking the huge wad of cash he's no doubt stumped up, but given that repair bills will take up most of that, there must be a better reason. Um....no...I'm struggling to think of one.

Mat Jackson confirmed to stay at Motorbase in the BTCC this season!
http://www.racer.com/latest-stories/ite ... -motorbase

Woooooo Fat Jackson is back. This has got to be his best chance of winning the title yet. BMR Subaru probably won't come good until after Donington Park, so if he can fend off the Hondas, WSR Beemers, Adam Morgan's Merc, and AJ in the other Motorbase Focus and build a cushion, it's hard to look past him for the title. Mind you, this is the BTCC, and we all thought that at the start of 2013, only for Motorbase to completely miss the boat with the NGTC Focus...

Also, WSR confirmed Collard and Tordoff alongside Jack Goff yesterday, and unveiled a new livery on the 1-series Beemer.

By my poor maths, that means 10 available seats are left:

2x 888 MG
1x BMR Subaru
1x Eurotech Honda
1x Handy Toyota
2x Power Maxed Chevrolet
1x AMD Audi
1x SOPR Infiniti (I doubt they'll show up at all, they burned through the Infiniti money so quickly, and only made it to the end of last season on a shoestring)
1x Dan Welch anything on wheels (though there's a rumour he may have bought the spare Motorbase Focus)

Number of cars Andy Neate will crash into this season = too many to count probably.

There is also the 2nd Rob Austin TBL avaliable who could have that?

My prediction for the grid.

Honda Team Dynamics
Gordon Shedden
Matt Neal
Andy Neate

All confirmed with Neate's inexplicable signing to the third car.

Subaru Team BMR
Jason Plato
Colin Turkington
Warren Scott
Ashley Sutton?

Clio Cup champion, Ashley Sutton gets promoted to the BTCC team.

BMW West Surrey Racing
Sam Tordoff
Rob Collard
Jack Goff

All confirmed.

MG Triple Eight Racing
Aron Smith?
Ash Hand?

Triple Eight's lineup is still anyone's guess but I see Aron Smith maybe moving here with the BMR alliance with most likely a rookie alongside him, or maybe someone like James Cole will buy the 2nd seat if he doesn't get to stay with Motorbase.

Motorbase Performance
Mat Jackson
Andrew Jordan
James Cole?

Can see the 2nd currently unaccounted for Austin TBL being bought by Motorbase so that they can keep Cole in their 3rd car.

Ciccelly-Moffat Racing
Adam Morgan
Aiden Moffat

All confirmed.

Power Maxed Racing
Dave Newsham?
Josh Cook?

Can't see their lineup changing.

Eurotech Racing
Martin Depper
Jeff Smith
Jack Clarke

Since he didn't get the 3rd Dynamics seat I can see Clarke being loaned out to Eurotech.

Speedworks Motorsports
Tom Ingram
Matt Simpson

All confirmed

Handy Motorsport
Rob Austin
Robb Holland?

Simon Belcher won't be racing this season and I can see Holland returning full time in the 2nd car.

AmD Tuning
Jake Hill?

It doesn't look like Nicolas Hamilton will be back so who drives AmD's S3 is anyone's guess. Hoping for Jake Hill to finally get a full time drive but it might go to some pay driver.

Team Parker Racing
Alex Martin

All confirmed to see if he can out crash Andy Neate this season.


Welch Motorsport
Dan Welch

Still have no idea what they'll be turning up with but hopefully something that can bring them back to their 2012-13 form.

Tony Gilham Racing
Chris Smiley

All confirmed with random driver no one has heard of, none of the new RML parts and the oldest car on the grid. Will be fighting Lines and Paras for the wooden spoon this season.

Support Our Paras Racing
Derek Palmer Jr.

Still no official news on them but I think they'll at least survive into this season. Derek Palmer will probably still be the driver.

Maximum Motorsport
Stewart Lines

All confirmed, can't see Lines being much quicker than last season despite a better car.

James Cole doesn't get re-signed by Motorbase, and ends up in the BMR Subaru.

http://www.touringcars.net/2016/02/james-cole-switches-from-motorbase-to-complete-team-bmr-lineup

So with Cole to BMR could we see Aron Smith in a MG. Be intresting to see who has the 2nd Rob Austin TBL a current team with a 2nd or 3rd car or a new entry. I dont see SOPR making it on to the grid this year maybe that leaves another TBL free

Rydell "rydes" to the sunset.

http://www.motorsport.com/wtcc/news/ric ... ng-673836/

Miguel98 wrote:James Cole doesn't get re-signed by Motorbase, and ends up in the BMR Subaru.

http://www.touringcars.net/2016/02/james-cole-switches-from-motorbase-to-complete-team-bmr-lineup

So two champions and two scrub-lords for BMR. I'm hoping Aron Smith and Ashley Sutton get the Triple Eight MGs then.

Aron Smith is best off out of there. He was never allowed to do much anyway, lest Lord Plato get a bit upset.

Dave Newsham has called time on his BTCC career and joins Rally Cross.
http://www.btcccrazy.co.uk/btcc/dave-ne ... allycross/

Samster wrote:Dave Newsham has called time on his BTCC career and joins Rally Cross.
http://www.btcccrazy.co.uk/btcc/dave-ne ... allycross/

At least for the first time ever Newsham has stayed with the same team. With Newsham rally-crossing and Cook struggling with funding who could be driving the 2 Cruze's this season

peteroli34 wrote:

Samster wrote:Dave Newsham has called time on his BTCC career and joins Rally Cross.
http://www.btcccrazy.co.uk/btcc/dave-ne ... allycross/

At least for the first time ever Newsham has stayed with the same team. With Newsham rally-crossing and Cook struggling with funding who could be driving the 2 Cruze's this season

And now they have signed up Hunter Abbott.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/122941

Considering the success Triple 8 have had over the past 20 years, and how recent some of that success has been (mostly with Plato), it seems shocking that they the last team not to have any drivers signed up yet. Is the team with their MGs that bad that drivers don't want to go? Are their finances precarious?

The beginning of the end? I hope not.

dr-baker wrote:Considering the success Triple 8 have had over the past 20 years, and how recent some of that success has been (mostly with Plato), it seems shocking that they the last team not to have any drivers signed up yet. Is the team with their MGs that bad that drivers don't want to go? Are their finances precarious?

The beginning of the end? I hope not.

Well, Sam Tordoff and Andrew Jordan have both been eluding to potential problems behind the scenes with team management, which is why they ended up falling out with the team. When Goff was announced at WSR, they were taking the piss out of 888 on Twitter.

As for 888, they'll probably end up with Aron Smith in one car and some monied-up scrub in the second car. There's no indication that MG are building new cars, so it's probably going to be the current shells (which date back to at least January 2012) fitted with the new RML kit. Probably good for the lower points, and maybe the odd reverse grid pole, but nothing more.

In other news, Power Maxed have stated they have been talking to a "multiple BTCC champion" about a seat. Which can only mean two men, Fabrizio Giovanardi or...JAMES THOMPSON. God I'd love to see Thommo back. He's only like 41, he's got plenty of years on his side.

(Alain Menu's still working behind the scenes with BMR iirc)

Seems like only yesterday I was watching James Thompson in a Peugeot 405 when he'd barely cracked 20. He's one of those drivers I just can't imagine as a 41-year-old.

I'm having enough trouble wrestling with the fact that Sebastian Vettel will be 30 next year.

Unsurprisingly, Paras Racing are withdrawing from the BTCC.

Feel sorry for the Paras themselves, but good riddance to the Palmers. Biggest jackasses in the BTCC paddock since the days of Chris James. What a scummy team.

East Londoner wrote:Unsurprisingly, Paras Racing are withdrawing from the BTCC.

Feel sorry for the Paras themselves, but good riddance to the Palmers. Biggest jackasses in the BTCC paddock since the days of Chris James. What a scummy team.

I'm sad in a way as unless someone picks up the TBL it means we have to wait another year for a full 32 car grid and I liked the Infiniti car itself and Derek Jr. didn't seem to be a bad driver. Hope someone picks it up in either BTCC or BTEC.

Bet the Paras wish they had hooked up with a different team now.

Samster wrote:
I'm sad in a way as unless someone picks up the TBL it means we have to wait another year for a full 32 car grid and I liked the Infiniti car itself and Derek Jr. didn't seem to be a bad driver. Hope someone picks it up in either BTCC or BTEC.

Bet the Paras wish they had hooked up with a different team now.

Well thats 3 TBL that are unaccounted for. Handy Motorsport, Rob Austin and the SOPR one who do we think could get them. The SOPR was loaned by Alan Gow so i could see them keeping that one back maybe.

peteroli34 wrote:

Samster wrote:
I'm sad in a way as unless someone picks up the TBL it means we have to wait another year for a full 32 car grid and I liked the Infiniti car itself and Derek Jr. didn't seem to be a bad driver. Hope someone picks it up in either BTCC or BTEC.

Bet the Paras wish they had hooked up with a different team now.

Well thats 3 TBL that are unaccounted for. Handy Motorsport, Rob Austin and the SOPR one who do we think could get them. The SOPR was loaned by Alan Gow so i could see them keeping that one back maybe.

I only count the Paras and 2nd Austin TBLs as unaccounted for. Handy will be running two cars.