Monday 3rd October 2016

BTCC 2016: Brands Hatch GP

And breathe. Eight become one in a genuinely gripping showdown at Brands [updated with video]

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It was the day 45,000 people spent all afternoon becoming uncommonly familiar with the BTCC's top-15 points-scoring system, as one by one the eight drivers in the running for the 2016 championship fell by the wayside. The first surprise was a pacy Colin Turkington sticking the big Subaru Levorg on pole, then taking victory in race one, ahead of a great second place for Rob Austin. Championship leader Tordoff, heavy with ballast, was back in 10th and Jason Plato, passed for the final podium spot on the last corner, was out of the title running. So too, effectively, was Andrew Jordan, caught up in an incident when Matt Neal hit Hunter Abbott. Out came the champagne for Turkington, and the calculators.

Big crash put Matt Neal out of race three

Race two was much more dramatic, largely because of the massive crash suffered by an ailing Matt Neal that left him winded, concussed and ultimately out of both race three and the title showdown. It was caused by a throttle potentiometer issue that left him without drive. He tried to make it back to the pits, but was tagged by MG's Ash Sutton on the run to Graham Hill bend, sending him forcefully into the wall at enormous speed. A visibly shaken Neal was taken to the medical centre and thus taken out of the title hunt.

Colin Turkington remained firmly in mathematical contention though, thanks to another victory in the Subaru Levorg, making it five from a season that started off with so little promise. Plato was second and, significantly, Gordon Shedden was third: this left Tordoff's advantage at just two points. To take the title, all Shedden had to do was finish ahead of the BMW.

On the grid, all three contenders - Turkington, Shedden and Tordoff - seemed relaxed. Turkington seemed to know it was a long shot and Shedden had the air of a man quietly confident he had it all under control. Tordoff was a little more puzzling, seeming somehow to lack the intensity of Shedden. It was the Scot who seemed to want it more.

Turkington was back in contention with two wins

And it was Shedden who put in a true champion's drive during the race. Mat Jackson won the reverse-grid lottery, starting on pole ahead of a richly-rewarded Aiden Moffat, who lined up a popular and deserved second in the A Class. Tordoff was third, Turkington was seventh and Shedden lined up ahead of Plato - who, by the end of the first lap, had actually sneaked ahead of him, leaving the Scot fifth. He soon sorted that, though, then set about Josh Cook's MG: he took him on lap four. And who was next up? Why, Tordoff...

Warren Scott beached his Subaru after being tagged by Dan Welch, which led to the safety car being called out, pausing the title showdown. However, Shedden was quickly back on it when the green flag fell. Talk of the BMW losing tyre temperatures more quickly in such circumstances seemed to bear out, as the Honda was clearly the faster car and the decisive move came at Clearways. For a title decider, it was oddly undramatic: Shedden simply swept past, giving him level points with Tordoff - but, with more wins, getting the nod for the title.

Jackson and Moffat were up ahead and Shedden seemed to think about having a go, but ultimately didn't. The threat from Tordoff was further neutralized when Adam Morgan's Mercedes-Benz got past on lap 13. The Team Dynamics driver now had the points advantage he needed, so could sit back and let the race run through - further aided by Welch beaching his Proton in the same place as Scott's Subaru. Indeed, it was stuck so firmly, the struggle to get it out left just one racing lap. For Tordoff, it really was game over: for Shedden, it was back-to-back championships and a delighted team quickly cracking open the cans of John Smiths in the pitlane. From an 11-point deficit at the start of the event, to a two-point winning advantage: no wonder he was delighted.

Tordoff went into the last race ahead...

"It's unbelievable - an incredible feeling," said Shedden. "All year, I've really stuck my neck on the line and made some bold, heart-in-the-mouth moves that were on the edge more often than not. After Croft back in June, it looked like we were down-and-out, but we stuck to our guns, kept plugging away and gave it absolutely everything to claw our way back. It just goes to show that every single point really does count in this championship." Proving that even the miserable points you get for 13th in a hobbled car on a rain-lashed Rockingham can be significant...

Shedden also paid tribute to Tordoff. "Sam has driven well all year. I've enjoyed clean racing all season, and even in that last race he was very fair. His time will come - and it won't be far away." Saying he gave it his all, Tordoff said "I don't think we had a bad day today at all - we scored three strong results, but Gordon had a better one and ultimately the best man won. It was obviously a shame not to win the title after leading for so long, but we gave it our all and didn't do anything wrong. I couldn't have asked for much more." But will he be back in BTCC in 2017 to have another shot at the title? Time will tell what this enigmatic driver decides to do.

There were other winners on the day: Andrew Jordan scooped the independent driver's championship, just squeezing ahead of race three winner Jackson (who actually ended up an impressive third in the drivers' championship, ahead of Turkington and Collard. Neal was down in sixth). So although he didn't get the overall title he was in the running for, he still left Brands with a trophy. "I'm very proud to have given Motorbase its first title in my first year with the team - but next year, we'll definitely be aiming for the big one!" he said.

... but it was Shedden who got ahead for the title

The talented Ash Sutton also confirmed the huge advantage he'd built up in the Jack Sears Trophy by claiming the prize. "My goal back at the start of the year was to win the Jack Sears Trophy, and with Jack's sad passing, it now means even more. It's just a shame he couldn't be here today to present it to me - I'm actually feeling a bit emotional about it all." He's loved his first season of BTCC racing, he said, and is game-on for more in 2017.

So that's it for BTCC 2016, a season in which we've seen 12 different race-winners and a title run genuinely go down to the wire. Can you beat that, Alan Gow? "We never rest on our laurels," he said. "The plan is always to come back bigger and better next season." But this season, with all its thrills, spills, controversy, toys-out-of-pram verbals and controversial overtakes, really will take some beating.

Let's help Alan, then: share your highlights, lowlights, star drives and incendiary incidents of 2016 here. Did the right man win? Did the wrong people lose? What should he focus on for 2017? Over to you...

Watch the video here

 

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Results:

Brands Hatch Race 1:
1st: Colin Turkington (Silverline Subaru BMR Racing)
2nd: Rob Austin (Handy Motorsport)
3rd: Josh Cook (MG Racing RCIB Insurance)

Brands Hatch Race 2:
1st: Colin Turkington (Silverline Subaru BMR Racing)
2nd: Jason Plato (Silverline Subaru BMR Racing)
3rd: Gordon Shedden (Halfords Yuasa Racing)

Brands Hatch Race 3:
1st: Mat Jackson (Motorbase Performance)
2nd: Aiden Moffat (Laser Tools Racing)
3rd: Gordon Shedden (Halfords Yuasa Racing)

Drivers' championship
1: Gordon Shedden (308 points)
2: Sam Tordoff (306 points)
3: Mat Jackson (292 points)
4: Colin Turkington (289 points)
5: Rob Collard (278 points)
6: Matt Neal (275 points)
7: Jason Plato (256 points)
8: Andrew Jordan (255 points)

Independent drivers' championship
1: Andrew Jordan (415 points)
2: Mat Jackson (412 points)
3: Adam Morgan (361 points)
4: Tom Ingram (338 points)
5: Aiden Moffat (278 points)

Jack Sears Trophy for rookies
1: Ash Sutton (442 points)
2: Michael Epps (424 points)
3: Matt Simpson (345 points)
4: Mark Howard (269 points)
5: Kelvin Fletcher (212 points)

Previous rounds:
BTCC Brands Hatch Indy (rounds 1, 2, 3)
BTCC Donington (rounds 4, 5, 6)
BTCC Thruxton (rounds 7, 8, 9)
BTCC Oulton Park (rounds 10, 11, 12)
BTCC Croft (rounds 13, 14, 15)
BTCC Snetterton (rounds 16, 17 18)
BTCC Knockhill (rounds 19, 20, 21)
BTCC Rockingham (rounds 22, 23, 24)
BTCC Silverstone (rounds 25, 26, 27)

[Images: LAT]

 

 

[Robmarriott]

Massive crash my arse!

[acer12]

And yet again the pistonheads staff ignore the core btcc pistonhead fans who have a thread running already so we can now look forward to a parallel thread

This feedback was given several times before and a commitment was given to merge but looks like in one ear out the other

[richardaucock]

acer12 said:

And yet again the pistonheads staff ignore the core btcc pistonhead fans who have a thread running already so we can now look forward to a parallel thread

This feedback was given several times before and a commitment was given to merge but looks like in one ear out the other

I have been following and enjoying the thread - so much expertise, so many well-informed views... here's the link for all those keen to do the same: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Sebring440]

acer12 said:

And yet again the pistonheads staff ignore the core btcc pistonhead fans who have a thread running already so we can now look forward to a parallel thread

And if someone else had posted a parallel thread it would have jumped upon with great delight by the mods, who would have made the OP look like an idiot and then immediately lock the thread.

[Janesy B]

I don't think they have the ability to merge them.

[Northern_Monkey]

Robmarriott said:

Massive crash my arse!

It's not always those that look spectacular that are massive crashes. Jordan for example said his accident in race one was one of the biggest hits of his career because of how abruptly the car stopped.

[The Wookie]

Northern_Monkey said:

Robmarriott said:

Massive crash my arse!

It's not always those that look spectacular that are massive crashes. Jordan for example said his accident in race one was one of the biggest hits of his career because of how abruptly the car stopped.

I had front row seats for Matt Neal's crash, the speed at which it spun was vicious. Also, if I end up stranded across the track with most of the field coming past at full tilt then I'm usually sitting there stting myself! It's the highest chance you have of getting killed or seriously injured in a modern racing car IMO.

Jordan's impact didn't look as bad on the TV as it did in real life either, I watched both back wheels lift a foot off the floor with the force of the shunt! I was surprised he wasn't hurt and stunned that the car was fixable for the next race.

[Northern_Monkey]

The Wookie said:

I had front row seats for Matt Neal's crash, the speed at which it spun was vicious. Also, if I end up stranded across the track with most of the field coming past at full tilt then I'm usually sitting there stting myself! It's the highest chance you have of getting killed or seriously injured in a modern racing car IMO.

Jordan's impact didn't look as bad on the TV as it did in real life either, I watched both back wheels lift a foot off the floor with the force of the shunt! I was surprised he wasn't hurt and stunned that the car was fixable for the next race.

Not sure if he's still walking funny...