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By EwanM
#190521
I for one cannot wait for the new season to get underway.

Although news is slowly starting to trickle, there are still a number of questions surrounding the 2010 season. Alot of this is due to drivers having problems finding adequate sponsorship. Triple 8 may not return, but they did test Dean Smith and Phil Glew last week and have hinted that they would run the vectra if a driver came with a sponsorship package.

So here is what we know so far:

Motorbase will again be sponsored by Airwaves and run a BMW, but has yet to announce its driver line-up after Rob Collard departed.

Where to you might ask? Well he is off to the rival-BMW team West Surrey Racing where he will team up with Andy Neate who returns after a good few years away. Sadly it is looking every unlikely that Colin Turkington may not get to defend his crown as there appears to be a lack of sponsorship and of course the team losing its RAC sponsorship deal. (it shows just how bad things are when the reigning champion can't seem to get back on the grid). However WSR still want to run him in a 3rd car. So lets see.

Team AON return with the Ford Focus as well as Chilton and Onslow-Cole. Technically are classified as one of only two constructors for this season.

The other has been announced today with Team Dynamics becoming Honda Racing, after the Japanese manufacturer decided to up the sponsorship.

Matt Neal is back racing for his dad (surprise surprise), and so is the Gordon Shedden who if you remember left Dynamics mid-way through last season.

Two confirmed Vauxhall Vectras will run with Dave Pinkney running his own team this season, and Andrew Jordan who will drive for his dad's refounded team under the banner of Pirtek.

There is also a new BMW team, Forster Racing, which will see newboys Martin Depper and Arthur Forster.

AMD will run a sole VW golf for Shaun Hollamby which should be interesting. There is also a gaggle of Honda Integras taking the grid with the old sunshine.co.uk has got support from Tech-Speed to run to run Paul O'Neill and John George.

John George's old team will run a Civic for Matt Hamilton.

There will also be a pair of Seat Leon's which will be operated by Special Tuning (UK). Tom Boardman wil drive one of the cars with the other seat still vacant.

Although Volvo looked likely to enter as a constructor for 2010, the Swiss company pulled out at the last second, which is quite a shame. However Jason Plato, who was tipped to lead Volvo's assault, will return to RML in the all-new Cruze. It appears that RML want to run the team under the Chevrolet banner and that would be an excellent move as it would create a third constructor in the series. Plato's team-mate has yet to be announced, but it doesn't look like it'll be Matt Jackson :S

So yeah... your thoughts?
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By RA Dunk
#190525
Cant wait for it either, proper bumper to bumper racing from start to finish! :yes:
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By scotty
#190538
Hmm, i would normally say the Chevy's are a shoe in based on last year but this new car might not be as good... i fancy team AON to move forward though, they were very quick at the end of last season and have a good driver in Chilton.

I'm also looking forward to seeing how the teams who run the new spec engines fare (can't remember who is running them), even though the power is supposedly equalised, there will probably be torque and fuel consumption differences which will definitely have an impact in some circumstances.

How big is the grid likely to be then? Is Johnny Herbert coming back too?
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By EwanM
#190540
Hmm, i would normally say the Chevy's are a shoe in based on last year but this new car might not be as good... i fancy team AON to move forward though, they were very quick at the end of last season and have a good driver in Chilton.

I'm also looking forward to seeing how the teams who run the new spec engines fare (can't remember who is running them), even though the power is supposedly equalised, there will probably be torque and fuel consumption differences which will definitely have an impact in some circumstances.

How big is the grid likely to be then? Is Johnny Herbert coming back too?


Well RML haven't ruled out using the Lacetti, but overall the Cruze is a far better car (i'm sure it is alot lighter for example). RML also have all the data from their WTCC conquest so they are in the prime seats to take the title really.

EDIT: Team Dynamics (Honda) said they'd like to run Herbert in a third car, again it is a question of budget. Johnny seems keen to come back but I think it'll be in a handful of races. Afterall he has a few series to run in this year.
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By Selcouth_Feline
#190550
When does this all kick off? I can't wait for the new season :) I haven't been following the off-track news at all though. What's the deal with Mat Jackson - why is he not being offered a place alongside Plato? I thought his last two seasons were excellent :confused: Any rumours on where he might end up?

Shame Volvo aren't competing, although given their abysmal WTCC efforts (did they even compete in the last few races??), I'm not surprised.

Really looking forward to this now!
User avatar
By EwanM
#190551
When does this all kick off? I can't wait for the new season :) I haven't been following the off-track news at all though. What's the deal with Mat Jackson - why is he not being offered a place alongside Plato? I thought his last two seasons were excellent :confused: Any rumours on where he might end up?

Shame Volvo aren't competing, although given their abysmal WTCC efforts (did they even compete in the last few races??), I'm not surprised.

Really looking forward to this now!


Mat Jackson's problems will be budget related I think, unless he has been offered a deal in another series. I've heard nothing on that one though.

Volvo's WTCC bow wasn't really a serious effort tbh so I wouldn't really say they did that badly. They turned up with the cars that they run in their native touring car series. I think it was an evaluation to see if they would enter in the WTCC full time. However that, like in the BTCC, fizzled out. Volvo are still evaluating entering the BTCC in 2011. I mean the 2010 deal looked to be in place... Plato etc appeared to be on board, it just seemed to fall through.

BTCC kicks off at Thruxton (imo its rightful starting place) on April the 4th.
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By 7UpJordan
#190577
Ahhh BTCC how I have missed it... :thumbup:

Any news on what's happening to the driver we all love to hate? (Matt Neal) :twisted:
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By EwanM
#190579
Ahhh BTCC how I have missed it... :thumbup:

Any news on what's happening to the driver we all love to hate? (Matt Neal) :twisted:

As i notied in my opening post, he is back at Dynamics (now Honda Racing)
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By 7UpJordan
#190582
Ahhh BTCC how I have missed it... :thumbup:

Any news on what's happening to the driver we all love to hate? (Matt Neal) :twisted:

As i notied in my opening post, he is back at Dynamics (now Honda Racing)

You can probably tell my brain has shut down for the weekend already. :hehe:
User avatar
By EwanM
#191265
So here is the entry list for anyone interested. I think Forumula1.com should form a btcc site :hehe:

No Driver Team Car
2 Jason Plato Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze
4 Matt Neal Team Honda Honda Civic
5 Mat Jackson Motorbase Performance BMW 320si
6 Rob Collard WSR BMW 320si
11 Steven Kane Motorbase Performance BMW 320si
20 Alex MacDowall Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze
21 Tom Onslow-Cole Arena Motorsport Ford Focus ST
22 Tom Boardman Special Tuning UK SEAT Leon TFSI
23 Tom Chilton Arena Motorsport Ford Focus ST
27 Martin Johnson Boulevard Team Racing Vauxhall Astra Coupe
28 John George Tech-Speed Motorsport Honda Integra-R
29 Paul O?Neill Tech-Speed Motorsport Honda Integra-R
30 Martin Depper Forster Motorsport BMW 320si
37 Arthur Forster Forster Motorsport BMW 320si
43 Lea Wood Team Wood Racing Honda Integra-R
44 Andy Neate WSR BMW 320si
52 Gordon Shedden Team Honda Hona Civic
55 David Pinkney Pinkney Motorsport Vauxhall Vectra
77 Andrew Jordan Eurotech Racing Vauxhall Vectra
88 TBA Triple 8 Engineering Vauxhall Vectra
98 Matt Hamilton TH Motorsport Honda Civic-R
99 Shaun Hollamby AmD Technik Volkswagen Golf
888 TBA Triple 8 Engineering Vauxhall Vectra
User avatar
By scotty
#191273
No Turkington = complete fail. Argh.
User avatar
By EwanM
#191275
No Turkington = complete fail. Argh.

There is still time I think.
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By EwanM
#191284
It is the BTCC media day at Brands Hatch and http://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/ has been tweeting news all day.

They've uploaded some pics. Here are the best:
Paul O'Neill's Honda Integra
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Andrew Jordan's Vectra
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Selcouth will like this - Mat Jackson signs for Motorbase:
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New look Honda Civic as Team Dynamics becomes Honda Racing
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Plato's Chevvy Cruze. RML-Ran works team. Has to be favourite
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By What's Burning?
#191298
SPEEDtv ran the 2009 season a couple of months back, every race. I was able to record it and watch a whole bunch of hours or racing. I enjoyed it quite a bit because it felt a lot more ruff and tumble than the Gran Am Continental tire series which is the closest thing we get televised in the states. Definitely racing with a capital R. I'm sure it will be 10 months before they show the 2010 season.
User avatar
By texasmr2
#191330
Yah I watched a few of those '09 BTCC races and the US Grand Am series does not hold a candle to the BTCC, BTCC rocks!!!!! :clap::thumbup:

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