BTCC news.

[Rob]

Wish they would move it to ITV2 or ITV3 lol, ITV4 is the only one that don't work for me

really? gutted mate,that not fair

[Rob]

George to partner O'Neill at sunshine/Tech-Speed
John George will partner Paul O’Neill in the sunshine.co.uk with Tech-Speed team in 2010’s Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

The Guernsey-domiciled Cornishman has driven his own Honda Integra – sponsored by his chain of mobile phone shops JAG – for the past three seasons but will now switch to one of the Tech-Speed outfit’s cars.

He’s clearly taking the forthcoming season with great seriousness – at the weekend he was honing his left-foot braking skills on the same snowy Arctic Rally stages in Finland as Citroen World Rally team drivers Dani Sordo and Kimi Raikkonen!

And the 48-year-old told btcc.net: “My target for this season is to score ten championship points made up of a minimum of one tenth-place finish at each of the ten rounds. My best race result to date is an eighth and if I can better that then great – plus of course you never know what might happen with a reversed grid.”

For George, it will be the first time he has had a team-mate in the BTCC but he believes the move to Marvin Humphries’ Tech-Speed outfit can only be of benefit to his performances.

He added: “This will be my fifth season in the BTCC and while my car from 2009 was a trusty old stead she was 2005-spec so getting quite old. The Tech-Speed Integras are the ex-Eurotech cars from 2008 which have been upgraded again this winter. The difference will be colossal.

“Having a team-mate, particularly one of Paul’s calibre, will be a great experience for me. He’s always going to make for a very good benchmark and to be able to compare data with someone of his ability can only do me good.”

Meanwhile, George’s trip to Finland saw him fly his own plane to Manchester airport from where he boarded a commercial flight to Helsinki.

He said: “I saw Kimi had put it into a tree! Sure, I’ve a few bumps in the BTCC but this weekend I was simply there to do the stages in a pretty basic hire car and work on my left-foot braking. It’s a bit of a dark art but if you can do it well then there is definitely time to be gained. I guess we’ll find out when the season starts…”

[Rob]

Chilton completes Spanish test


Tom Chilton has raved about his Team Aon Ford Focus’s handling following an intensive two-day test at the Guadix circuit in Spain.

While Formula 1 teams were testing at Valencia on Monday and Tuesday, Chilton was 250 miles away at the central Spanish venue where he clocked up more than 500 kilometres.

He and Mike Earle’s Arena squad that runs the cars are clearly determined to start the 2010 season as they ended 2009 – challenging for race wins. The Ford name is the most successful of any manufacturer in the BTCC but not since 2000 has a car bearing the Blue Oval’s badge won a race in the series.

Meanwhile, Arena becomes the first team in 2010 to begin testing ahead of the start of the new Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season at Thruxton on Easter Sunday 4 April.

Chilton, who has seven BTCC race wins to his name, told btcc.net: “Conditions at Guadix were just about perfect with a low-ish track temperature which was quite similar to a UK track.

“Every time we made a tweak to the chassis it just seemed to get better and better. The cornering is just out of this world and the Focus is the best handling touring car I’ve ever driven. Thruxton is going to be great fun and I’m really looking forward to corners like Noble, Goodwood and Church.

“What was also pleasing at Guadix was we had 100 per cent reliability. It was a really great job by all the team.”

Chilton said that driving the Guadix circuit was an enjoyable experience. He added: “There are some great left-right twists where we could really push the car and then when you get on the straight all you see ahead of you are the mountains with snow on the top. It was a bit like being in a Playstation game.”

[Greig]

Thought he would be too busy dating, after seeing him on take me out LOL

I got a aerial booster and can get ITV4 now cant wait for Knockhill

[Rob]

Thought he would be too busy dating, after seeing him on take me out LOL

I got a aerial booster and can get ITV4 now cant wait for Knockhill

whoop!! nice one mate. Now you can watch BTCC, you going to any races??

[Greig]

Yeah will be at Knockhill again, and thinking maybe Croft Need to find someone new to support tho since Giovanardi looks gone

[Rob]

yeah same here. Shame, the series is going to miss Gio, still got dirty Plato Be supporting any Vectra's, i got a Vectra Super Touring. Im off to Snett again, be at end of Revett straight at esse's, that best action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1YeTGV7sMg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsOAZxi1S_E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkoYo-ATLCE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSjI_jThtQU

[Julie B]

Yeah will be at Knockhill again, and thinking maybe Croft Need to find someone new to support tho since Giovanardi looks gone

Turkers you've already got the hat

[Greig]

Hmmmm think I lost it

[Rob]

Be Andrew Jordan in the Vectra!!

[Rob]

Bamboo targets Turkington for WTCC

Thursday, February 4th 2010, 11:39 GMT


Bamboo Engineering has entered the race to sign Colin Turkington for its new World Touring Car Championship team, today's AUTOSPORT reveals.

The Silverstone-based squad announced today that it has left the British Touring Car Championship to step up to the WTCC with a pair of Chevrolet Lacettis for Harry Vaulkhard and two-time Porsche Carrera Cup Champion Darryl O'Young.

But team principal Richard Coleman is keen to add the BTCC champion to his roster of drivers and could expand the team to three cars to accommodate Turkington.

"We'd love to get him in the car," Coleman told AUTOSPORT. "He's a top-line driver and we've both got ambitions on an international scale.

"The drivers we have signed are very promising. Harry had the measure of Michel Nykjaer, Franz Engstler, and others at the ETCC so I see no reason why he cannot build on that.

"Darryl is a huge talent and has been very highly recommended from big names in sportscars, once adapted to front-wheel drive I expect he will be a regular podium contender in the independents."

Bamboo was formed last July by Coleman following his split from Tempus Sport. It ran Vaulkhard during the second half of the BTCC season and scored a best result of ninth place at Snetterton.

[Greig]

Hope he stays so I can boo him some more

[Rob]

Snow go at Brands Hatch!



This was the incredible scene yesterday at the Brands Hatch circuit in Kent that will stage two rounds of this year’s Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

Within ten minutes, on-track testing was brought to a halt as a sudden deluge of snow covered the world-famous track in a blanket of white (the above pic was taken from the venue's MotorSport Vision Centre overlooking Clearways and Clark Curve that lead onto the pitlane entry and start-finish straight).

However, BTCC fans fear not. There are still nearly six weeks to go before Brands hosts the BTCC’s annual pre-season Media Day launch on Tuesday 23 March – giving the snow plenty of time to thaw.

Brands will then host round three of the 2010 BTCC season – around its full-length Grand Prix circuit – on Sunday 2 May. It will also be at Brands where the BTCC title is later decided with Finals Day being held on its shorter Indy circuit on Sunday 10 October.

Tickets to both race events – featuring three headline BTCC races plus plenty of action from the five supporting series (Ginetta, Porsche and Renault) – can be bought for just £24.00 in advance on the www.brandshatch.co.uk website or by calling 0870 950 9000. That’s a saving of £5.00 compared to on-the-gate prices of £29.00 per adult.

Admission for children aged 12 and under will be free.

Public admission to BTCC Media Day will also be free for both adults and children.

[Rob]

12/Feb/2010 Neal tests Civic at Rockingham


Team Dynamics began its pre-season testing programme today, with Matt Neal putting the Midlands squad’s heavily-revised Honda Civic through its paces at the Rockingham circuit.

Dynamics has yet to officially confirm its driver line-up for 2010’s Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, although of course most of Neal’s BTCC career dating back to 1991 has been with the Pershore team run by his father and former Mini BTCC ace Steve.

It was with Dynamics that Neal won his two BTCC titles, in 2005 in 2006, and gave the Civic a memorable first race win on its debut appearance at Brands Hatch in 2007. It has since gone on to win a further nine times.

But for the past two years, 43-year-old Neal from Shenstone has raced for Vauxhall’s official factory outfit but with it having withdrawn from the series he is tipped by many to return to Dynamics for the forthcoming season.

Neal told btcc.net: “Conditions today were a bit tricky as we had lots of drizzly rain, but even so there was a very good balance in the car.

“The car is very different to how it was when it was tucked away at the end of the 2009 season. There’s new front and rear suspension and subframes, plus revised aerodynamics that we’ve developed in conjunction with MIRA. On top of that we’ve today run with some new engine developments from Neil Brown which were all very positive.”

Rockingham will host round two of this year's BTCC on Sunday 25 April. Race day tickets can be purchased for just £23.00 per adult in advance from the www.rockingham.co.uk website or by calling 01536 500500. Admission for children aged 15 and under is FREE.

All prices include access to Rockingham's vast grandstands that overlook the circuit, the BTCC paddock and Pit Lane Walkabout autograph session.

[Rob]

Boardman in BTCC return
Tom Boardman has announced he will return to the Dunlop MSA British Touring
Championship in 2010 after a seven-year absence.

Boardman will race a SEAT Leon TSI run by new team Special Tuning (UK). He spent last year racing a Leon in the World Touring Car Championship and prior to that won both the UK and Spanish series for SEAT's Cupra model.

Boardman will continue his relationship with SEAT UK through Club SEAT (and its www.club-seat.co.uk website). This tie up should see the car and driver appear in a number of less familiar surroundings during the year as part of some new marketing activities. The car will continue to run with the same SEAT TSI S2000 petrol engine he used during his 2009 WTCC campaign.

Boardman, from Preston, Lancashire said: “Although the decision to contest the BTCC came quite late, I’m really looking forward to 2010, as I have missed racing in the UK for a few years now.

“It’s going to be difficult with the number of experienced drivers that will continue in the BTCC this year, but we have set our targets high.”

The Special Tuning (UK) team is hoping to secure a driver for its second Leon TSI and hopes to conclude an agreement in the next couple of weeks.

Boardman, aged 26, previously raced in the BTCC from 2001-03 and was a front-runner in the series' now-defunct Production class in Peugeots and BMWs.

[Rob]

16/Feb/2010 First NGTC engine delivered


The first of TOCA’s turbocharged ‘Next Generation’ engines – to be used in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship for the first time this year – has been delivered to the Pirtek Racing team which will use the eagerly-anticipated new powerplant.

Pirtek driver Andrew Jordan is due to begin testing the engine in his Vauxhall Vectra next week. Pinkney Motorsport has also confirmed the engine will power David Pinkney’s Vectra this season.

Built by the Swindon Racing Engines company under contract to TOCA, the two-litre, turbocharged, four-cylinder engine will deliver equivalent performance to the normally-aspirated S2000-spec unit used in most cars on the BTCC grid this year.

Notably, though, the Next Generation engine – available for hire or purchase from BTCC organiser TOCA – is expected to more than halve teams’ engine budgets.

The fact it will offer front-running performance has clearly been a major factor in Jordan and Pinkney’s decisions to switch to it a year before it is seen in the BTCC’s Next Generation Touring Cars which will start to appear next year. Others could also still move to the turbocharged engine for 2010.

From 2011 through to 2013, teams will have the option of continuing with their current S2000 cars and engines, running an S2000 car with an NGTC engine or going fully NGTC (car and engine). Teams will have the choice to either undertake their own engine development programmes or to hire or purchase the TOCA-spec version photographed above.

The opening round of 2010’s Dunlop MSA BTCC season is now little more than six weeks away – at the high-speed Thruxton circuit in Hampshire on Easter Sunday 4 April. Tickets priced just £23.00 per adult can be purchased in advance via the www.barc.net website or by calling 01264 882200. Admission for children aged 15 and under is FREE.

Thruxton marks the first of the BTCC’s ten race events at circuits around the UK culminating with the title-deciding final round at Brands Hatch, Kent on Sunday 10 October. All ten events will receive comprehensive (11.30am-6.00pm) live national TV coverage on ITV4 (also being live-streamed on the www.itv.com website), plus additional 90-minute highlights on ITV4, ITV1 and Men & Motors.

[Tifosi]

Thanks for the updates Rob, I for one appreciate them and can't wait for the new season. I just hope "the boys" all get drives

[Rob]

Thanks for the updates Rob, I for one appreciate them and can't wait for the new season. I just hope "the boys" all get drives

thats ok mate, Who you backing this year??

[Rob]

18/Feb/2010 Eurotech test for Junior champ


Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship team Eurotech will offer a test drive in its Vauxhall Vectra to the winner of this year’s supporting Ginetta Junior title.

A chance to sample a full-blown BTCC race car, plus receive a day’s one-on-one tuition from driver Andrew Jordan, will be an added incentive for the 14 to 17-year-olds who contest the Junior series.

Jordan will race the Pirtek-sponsored car using one of BTCC organiser TOCA's new turbocharged NGTC engines. His father and Eurotech team principal Mike said: “I have been a long time supporter of Ginetta’s championships – Andrew had a G20 when he was 15, before the days of the Ginetta Junior series and has gone on to major success with the BTCC.

“I feel confident that with the right ingredients we can help another young driving star achieve their racing ambitions. Andrew is incredibly excited about mentoring the new champion in the Vauxhall Vectra which was unveiled at Autosport International last month and I’m delighted to be cementing our incredibly strong relationship with Lawrence and the Ginetta team.”

Ginetta Chairman Lawrence Tomlinson added: “The chance to test a BTCC car is a phenomenal prize and we’re proud to be able to offer this in association with Andrew, Mike and Eurotech. The combination of the Jordans sheer racing experience, coupled with their new high-powered Vectra, means that this is a huge incentive for all Ginetta Junior competitors to go all out for the championship.”

[Tifosi]

thats ok mate, Who you backing this year??

Well i'll be gutted if Plato and Gio aren't in it cos they both want to be. I'm a Plato fan (sue me ) but I think Turkers is off to WTCC by the look of it!

Just love BTCC

[Rob]

Well i'll be gutted if Plato and Gio aren't in it cos they both want to be. I'm a Plato fan (sue me ) but I think Turkers is off to WTCC by the look of it!

Just love BTCC

Yeah i think he may be off to WTCC, shame cos i think he BTCC needs him as Gio isnt in it. Plato?? oh no mate I havent been fan of him, i respect him as driver, he guttsy driver, but as soon as another driver ( Matt Neal) rubbs him or bumps him he moans. But fine for him to smash his way thro grid If there isnt much in way of top drivers ths year, Plato will win BTCC. Of cos the Vectra would do well, but im not sure about the drivers.

[Rob]

BTCC is fantastic racing, it cheap day out love it.

[Rob]

19/Feb/2010 Teams in test action at Thruxton


Reigning British Touring Car Champion team WSR, rivals Team Dynamics and Motorbase plus newcomers Special Tuning and Forster Motorsport all tested at Thruxton today as series title sponsor and tyre supplier Dunlop gathered vital data ahead of the 2010 season.

The test marked the first appearance of 2010 by Colin Turkington – back in the WSR BMW with which he so dramatically won his first Drivers’ title in last October’s 2009 season finale at Brands Hatch.

Turkington shared a white BMW with 2009 Renault Clio Cup runner-up Alex MacDowall while in an unmarked orange car (pictured above) was Andy Neate – now recovered from serious injuries he suffered in a sportscar race 18 months ago and who, like MacDowall, has ambitions of joining the BTCC grid in 2010.

WSR team principal Bennetts told btcc.net: “Alex was pretty impressive and we’re in good dialogue with him. Andy’s obviously itching to race again and has been associated with the team for some time now. Both coped very well considering there was a huge mixture of weather and track conditions. For Colin it was a chance to shake off some of the rust. Clearly he’s not lost any of his touch and was stunning.”

Meanwhile, just as at Rockingham last week, Dynamics ran a lone Honda Civic for its 2005 and 2006 champion Matt Neal. Local favourite Robert Collard, in the Motorbase team’s BMW in which he finished sixth overall in 2009’s standings with two race wins, was on track as well.

So too was Tom Boardman in his Special Tuning (UK) team’s SEAT Leon – the Lancastrian has just announced plans to return to the BTCC in 2010 – and newcomer Forster Motorsport with one of its two ex-Mat Jackson BMWs. Martin Depper and Arthur Forster both completed laps in the car.

During the test Dunlop gathered valuable information about the behaviour of its tyres around Thruxton’s high-speed curves.

Thruxton, near Andover in hampshire, will host the first round of this year’s Dunlop MSA BTCC on Easter Sunday 4 April. Headlining the bill will be the opening three races of the 2010 BTCC season plus plenty more action from five supporting series (Porsche Carrera Cup, Ginetta G50, Ginetta Junior, Renault Clio Cup and Formula Renault UK).

Tickets are priced £23.00 per adult if booked in advance via the www.barc.net website or the hotline 01264 882200. Admission for children aged 15 and under is free.

Images from today's testing can be viewed in the Fans section of btcc.net.

[Rob]

[Tifosi]

Don't get me started on Matt Neal dude! He really is the antichrist for me. Doesn't understand what racing is about, has a massive chip on his shoulder about Plato and blatantly cheats whilst maintaining this "holier than thou" persona. Rant rant rant!

It all makes for good fun at the end of the day I guess.

[Rob]

Don't get me started on Matt Neal dude! He really is the antichrist for me. Doesn't understand what racing is about, has a massive chip on his shoulder about Plato and blatantly cheats whilst maintaining this "holier than thou" persona. Rant rant rant!

It all makes for good fun at the end of the day I guess.

yeah i know what you mean, he is bit like that. Gets on my nerves aswell, had to liked him cos he drive VXR. Havent heard what Gio is doing for sure, have you? Got this pic just for you Stu

[ali355]

Not strictly news as such but an interesting thread for you BTCC fans on another forum I frequent:

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/foru...d.php?t=151628

Someone is entering a Golf into the BTCC as a privateer and you can follow the progress they are making with the car on the thread above

[Rob]

Thanks for that looks good

[Rob]

BTCC trio in Race for Heroes
Paul O’Neill, Tom Onslow-Cole and Stephen Jelley will line-up against presenters of comedy TV stunt show Dirty Sanchez in a kart race in aid of Armed Forces charity Help for Heroes this Saturday (27 Feb).

The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship trio will come up against the show's hosts including Matthew Pritchard and very likely his sidekick Pancho in the 'Race for Heroes' event at the Daytona karting circuit in Milton Keynes. The mad-cap duo are also well-known as outrageous double act 'The Pain Men’ on Channel 4 show Balls of Steel.

Many other top racing names have signed up to take part in the event as well, including former BTCC racers Harry Vaulkhard and Steven Kane, plus Tim Bridgman, Philip Glew, Dean Smith and Sarah Moore – winners of last year’s BTCC-supporting Porsche Carrera Cup, Renault Clio Cup, Formula Renault UK and Ginetta Junior titles respectively.

In addition, other celebrities such as Tom Clarke, outspoken front man of pop band The Enemy, and Shane Lynch of boy band Boyzone fame will also be participating.

In total, 17 teams are set to line up on the grid with the Armed Forces also showing what they can do. Among their entry is Matt Croucher, the remarkable Royal Marine who two years ago won the George Cross medal – one of the highest decorations for gallantry – for throwing himself on an exploding grenade in Afghanistan to save his comrades’ lives.

And there is still an opportunity for race fans to buy one of the limited 300 tickets to watch the action. Tickets are priced £30.00 per person but check availability beforehand by calling Jenny Hurford on 01722 329226.

Otherwise, donations to Help for Heroes, which helps to fund the recuperation of injured servicemen and women on their return to the UK, can be made via: Lloyds Bank; Sort code: 30-97-41; Acc no. 30305160.

[Rob]

Aon tests LPG Focus
Tom Chilton has tested an LPG-powered Ford Focus ST as his Team Aon squad continues to evaluate a possible switch to the greener fuel ahead of the forthcoming Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season.

The Arena International Motorsport-led outfit tried the liquid petroleum gas technology for the first time at the picturesque Guadix circuit in Spain (pictured above).

Chilton spent two days testing it, while Tom Onslow-Cole also drove the team’s other petrol-powered Focus, concentrating on developing modifications to the car’s rear suspension.

Team Aon has already confirmed it is seriously evaluating a move to LPG with engine development partner Mountune Racing. Team Principal Mike Earle said: “Obviously we’re always looking for anything which could provide us with a competitive edge. Also in these economically difficult times we have to consider any commercial benefits as well.

“In both of these areas LPG may be an option for us, but it’s early days in our evaluation process. An engine has been running on the dyno, but this is the first time we’ve tried it in the car. After running it for two days the results have been encouraging, but not conclusive.”

The team will run the LPG-powered Focus alongside its regular petrol-engined car again in its next test back in the UK in two weeks.

Meanwhile, Onslow-Cole was very upbeat with his car – this being his first outing since last season’s finale at Brands Hatch and he was surprised at the amount of development since then.

The 22-year-old from new Malden, Surrey added: “The car was good at the end of last season, but now it’s incredible. I can’t believe how much work the team has done over the winter. All the development has not only made the Focus quicker, the way it handles now is a race driver’s dream and that makes it great fun.”