2024: BTCC chat & discussion
Discussion
Dinoboy said:
For whatever reason, the racing in BTCC is boring currently. Still record and watch every race but its definitely lost something the last couple of years.
Couldn’t agree more. Not as bad as F1 but slowly getting there. Too much meddling from the powers that be seems to stifle actually racing. Smollet said:
Dinoboy said:
For whatever reason, the racing in BTCC is boring currently. Still record and watch every race but its definitely lost something the last couple of years.
Couldn’t agree more. Not as bad as F1 but slowly getting there. Too much meddling from the powers that be seems to stifle actually racing. I don't mind so much if I miss a BTCC now, compared to pre-hybrid era, although I will watch it if I'm around and I certainley don't miss F1 at all since I stopped following it back in 2018/9. I've already 'lost' my favourite motorsport because of idiotic meddling by the organisers/promoters.
Sadly, as the world plunges into the darkness of EV mass transportation, motorsport as we know it will die out, other than historic motorsport.
MotoGP was excellent at the weekend, and sense has prevailed with that, as the paddock has majority rejected moving that to hybrid for their new regs.
I was sceptical about this season, but it seemed to come together at the eleventh hour.
Three meetings... two severely knobbled by the weather.
A first time winner, a returnee winner & BT finally in a top team.
I like the new quali format... but hybrid still leaves me cold.
A new junior series is long overdue.
I think that the season will really begin at Thruxton... wheather permitting.
Three meetings... two severely knobbled by the weather.
A first time winner, a returnee winner & BT finally in a top team.
I like the new quali format... but hybrid still leaves me cold.
A new junior series is long overdue.
I think that the season will really begin at Thruxton... wheather permitting.
Edited by Milkyway on Tuesday 28th May 11:11
GlobalRacer said:
What do people want? I think there have been some great races so far. Not every race can be a classic. People think of previous seasons and all they remember are the high points rather than the boring processions.
Last race at Snetterton was a classic. Congratulation to Rob Huff and Ash Sutton on their outstanding drives.Speed Badger said:
RedAndy said:
It's early in the season, but i think new qualifying is great - adds a lot of tension.
I also think t's time to ditch the reverse grid nonsense. The random draw just puts good drivers lower than they have achieved - which is a kick in the nuts. I don't actually like penalising success at all, but at least the hybrid allowance rule seems to be adding enough jeopardy to make the championship interesting as it becomes part of the team strategy alongside tyre choice etc. It is tactical, proportionate disadvantage rather than random disadvantage of the lucky dip draw. I've never liked it and it dents the credibility of a professional championship, and now it looks like it's not even needed to mix up the grids.
They could also do with some lights on the front and rear as well as side of the cars too so we can tell from every angle when hybrid is in use. They could also have a 10-segment bar that counts down the leccy laps left so we don't have to wait for the TV graphics to cycle - also help spectators trackside.
good so far...
I've said the same thing about the hybrid indicators on the side, on TV you rarely see them and it's pretty much the same at the track. What we need is a number plate sized blue flashing panel at the front and rear. I disagree with the reverse grid, I think it's a laugh, in fact I'd like the whole grid reversed! I also think t's time to ditch the reverse grid nonsense. The random draw just puts good drivers lower than they have achieved - which is a kick in the nuts. I don't actually like penalising success at all, but at least the hybrid allowance rule seems to be adding enough jeopardy to make the championship interesting as it becomes part of the team strategy alongside tyre choice etc. It is tactical, proportionate disadvantage rather than random disadvantage of the lucky dip draw. I've never liked it and it dents the credibility of a professional championship, and now it looks like it's not even needed to mix up the grids.
They could also do with some lights on the front and rear as well as side of the cars too so we can tell from every angle when hybrid is in use. They could also have a 10-segment bar that counts down the leccy laps left so we don't have to wait for the TV graphics to cycle - also help spectators trackside.
good so far...
Much the same in Formula E after they have gone off line and lost places to get their boost, what is the point of all the blue LEDs if they're not going to show boost or charge status.
Dashnine said:
Speed Badger said:
RedAndy said:
They could also do with some lights on the front and rear as well as side of the cars too so we can tell from every angle when hybrid is in use. They could also have a 10-segment bar that counts down the leccy laps left so we don't have to wait for the TV graphics to cycle - also help spectators trackside.
Much the same in Formula E after they have gone off line and lost places to get their boost, what is the point of all the blue LEDs if they're not going to show boost or charge status.
I enjoyed the racing from Snetterton, though it would have been good to see more of a challenge to Hill in races 1 and 2. I think I would reset the hybrid allocation for race 1 based on qualifying result, so that the car starting on pole had the least hybrid in both race 1 and 2.
I think if the races had been dry and we'd seen the full disparity between the hard and soft tyre compounds, and the extra advantage of hybrid from the really long straights of Snetterton, then it could well have been too easy for cars to overtake.
clubracing said:
I guess the reason for not having the hybrid lights on the front/rear in BTCC is to stop drivers in the car ahead or behind from being able to see when it's being used, and then react by using Hybrid themselves. Otherwise a lot of the time the drivers would just wait and use hybrid boost to cancel each other out effectively, and you wouldn't see as much overtaking from it.
that did cross my mind, but the team can watch TV coverage and then radio the driver with that info anyway!RedAndy said:
clubracing said:
I guess the reason for not having the hybrid lights on the front/rear in BTCC is to stop drivers in the car ahead or behind from being able to see when it's being used, and then react by using Hybrid themselves. Otherwise a lot of the time the drivers would just wait and use hybrid boost to cancel each other out effectively, and you wouldn't see as much overtaking from it.
that did cross my mind, but the team can watch TV coverage and then radio the driver with that info anyway!Dinoboy said:
For whatever reason, the racing in BTCC is boring currently. Still record and watch every race but its definitely lost something the last couple of years.
I agree, I’m not a fan of hybrid, I think success ballast was far better. It affects the card handling in breaking, cornering and acceleration. Hybrid just affects acceleration only. Hate the new qualifying method. 10 minute sessions when the front wheel drive cars have to swap tires means they get one lap maybe two compared to rwd cars who seem to get more. Solution is tyres warmers. They can’t cost that much in the grand scheme of overall costs for the season.
I’m borderline ready to stop watching on TV and usually we do 3 or 4 tracks a season live and I won’t be doing that any more.
Such a shame. I loved it until about 3 years ago (coincides with hybrid in my opinion).
No doubting the skill of the drivers I’m just fed up with all the tinkering for ‘the show’. I want to watch racing not ‘the show like f1 has become.
One bit of "tinkering" I would like to see is a change to points to stop the safety approach of just racking up points rather than going for wins and/or podiums.
Gow has always said it's an entertainment series first and foremost so it seems at odds to that to have people settling for 5ths and 6ths to get points.
Gow has always said it's an entertainment series first and foremost so it seems at odds to that to have people settling for 5ths and 6ths to get points.
GlobalRacer said:
One bit of "tinkering" I would like to see is a change to points to stop the safety approach of just racking up points rather than going for wins and/or podiums.
Gow has always said it's an entertainment series first and foremost so it seems at odds to that to have people settling for 5ths and 6ths to get points.
But that seems now to be exactly a reaction to the changed rules for this year.Gow has always said it's an entertainment series first and foremost so it seems at odds to that to have people settling for 5ths and 6ths to get points.
Sutton has been saying often in interviews that this season will be very different, and its about podiums etc rather than outright wins.
Sounds like NAPA they have looked at the data, and the penalty for winning and the hybrid reduction for next race, is greater than doing just enough to be a consistent 3rd-5th in every race.
So far, it looks like they are being proved right.
GlobalRacer said:
aeropilot said:
But that seems now to be exactly a reaction to the changed rules for this year.
Been that way from before this season though. Turkington is the master at it and Ash changed his whole style to bag championships that way.Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff