BTCC 2022 - Snetterton

[Sebring440]

Snetterton this weekend, going to hot I think, wouldn't like to be in those cars on Sunday! Note the TV coverage is again split between ITV and ITV4. HD on ITV though!

On the "official" BTCC game thing, just received this:

Motorsport Games said:

Motorsport Games, a leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world, in conjunction with the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), announces today the BTCC rFactor 2 Hot Lap Challenge. The challenge will be available for fans to participate in at the final four race weekends of the 2022 BTCC season. Visitors who also register for the Motorsport Games/BTCC mailing list will be among the first to receive exclusive news and updates on the upcoming BTCC game, slated for full release in 2024.

Ticket holders at each event are welcome to stop by the Motorsport Games x BTCC booth in order to experience official BTCC content within rFactor 2, the realistic racing simulation platform. Fans will compete to post their hot lap time (Time2Beat), with the best posted result winning the signed gear grand prize. The booth will feature four racing simulators pre-loaded with a rFactor 2 tech demo, running official BTCC cars and tracks. Free giveaways will also be available while supplies last. The BTCC rFactor 2 Hot Lap Challenge will be available to play at the following race weekends:
• Snetterton (Norfolk, UK): August 13-14, 2022
• Thruxton (Hampshire, UK): August 27-28, 2022
• Silverstone National (Towcester, UK): September 24-25, 2022
Brands Hatch GP (Kent, UK): October 8-9, 2022

Edited by Sebring440 on Thursday 11th August 12:24

[AlexRS2782]

Qualy results courtesy of BTCC.net - https://www.btcc.net/2022/08/13/turkington-sets-sc...

1. Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW 1:55.805s
2. Jake HILL (GBR) ROKiT MB Motorsport +0.065s
3. Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team BMW +0.323s *
4. Tom INGRAM (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com +0.344s
5. Adam MORGAN (GBR) Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport +0.379s
6. Jason PLATO (GBR) Rich Energy BTC Racing +0.403s
7. Daniel ROWBOTTOM (GBR) Halfords Racing with Cataclean +0.476s
8. Dan CAMMISH (GBR) NAPA Racing UK +0.512s
9. Tom CHILTON (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com +0.615s
10. Ricky COLLARD (GBR) Toyota GAZOO Racing UK +0.667s
11. Ash SUTTON (GBR) NAPA Racing UK +0.797s
12. Daniel LLOYD (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com +0.890s
13. Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero +0.942s
14. Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Racing with Cataclean +0.962s
15. George GAMBLE (GBR) Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport +0.971s
16. Árón TAYLOR-SMITH (IRL) Yazoo with Safuu.com Racing +1.031s
17. Ash HAND (GBR) CarStore Power Maxed Racing +1.070s
18. Michael CREES (GBR) CarStore Power Maxed Racing +1.232s
19. Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +1.240s
20. Jack BUTEL (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com +1.385s
21. Dexter PATTERSON (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +1.444s
22. Josh COOK (GBR) Rich Energy BTC Racing +1.463s
23. Sam OSBORNE (GBR) Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan +1.552s
24. Jade EDWARDS (GBR) Rich Energy BTC Racing +2.023s
25. Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan +2.061s
26. Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Toyota GAZOO Racing UK +2.475s
27. Nic HAMILTON (GBR) Yazoo with Safuu.com Racing +2.498s
28. Will POWELL (GBR) Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero +3.198s
29. Rick PARFITT (GBR) Uptonsteel with Euro Car Parts Racing +3.534s

• Stephen Jelley received a post-session one place grid penalty having been adjudged to have inadvertently impeded car #9 at turn 12

[cuprabob]

Just bringing the thread to the top.

[Taita]

Plato seemed a bit peeved at the race 3 interview! Pointed face gestures to other driver etc.

[Cobracc]

Anyone else losing interest in the BTCC..?

I have no interest in all this hybrid rubbish. The success ballast always worked well to provide close racing and a close championship...why change? Literally have no idea who's using their hybrid boost as it makes little to zero difference in the spectacle.

Then there's the coverage. Constant switching between channels...again, why? How am i meant to record it? It's completely unwatchable live due the ridiculous amount of ad breaks. They had an ad break today...came back to do three interviews then more ads....rinse and repeat!

[Dinoboy]

Agree, the racing this year hasn't seemed nearly as much fun as usual.

[Drumroll]

Cobracc said:

Anyone else losing interest in the BTCC..?

I have no interest in all this hybrid rubbish. The success ballast always worked well to provide close racing and a close championship...why change? Literally have no idea who's using their hybrid boost as it makes little to zero difference in the spectacle.

Then there's the coverage. Constant switching between channels...again, why? How am i meant to record it? It's completely unwatchable live due the ridiculous amount of ad breaks. They had an ad break today...came back to do three interviews then more ads....rinse and repeat!

If the adverts are an issue for you why not do what we do and just watch it later (typing this whilst watching today's Ginetta junior race) as for changing channels is it really that hard to do?

[BMR]

I hope the powers that be are looking to increase the hybrid advantage next year, it’s just not making a difference this year.

[AlexRS2782]

Taita said:

Plato seemed a bit peeved at the race 3 interview! Pointed face gestures to other driver etc.

Fairly sure that was just Plato being himself with a bit of classic interview banter based on how the race finished for Ricky Collard to take 3rd, as those were the sort of things a few years back Plato was always great at - getting some form of quality defence in for a questionable move if he thought it might go to the stewards. The way he looked at Collard gave the impression he was suggesting it might be a good idea to deflect questions about the move or get a good reason / defence in Quite funny when Jason started asking Louise about when he gets his retirement carriage clock.

Edit - and checking the results on BTCC.net confirms that Collard / Ingram have since had their positions reversed by the stewards, so seems Jason was spot on

Edited by AlexRS2782 on Sunday 14th August 21:23

[Stuart Thompson]

If that’s the case for Collard, what does Butcher get for the assault on Jelley?

[vx220]

Stuart Thompson said:

If that’s the case for Collard, what does Butcher get for the assault on Jelley?

Only ever been a casual BTCC fan, but it seems to me that Butcher and Shedden often struggle to pass cleanly.

No stats to back that up, but certainly my impression.

Butcher was given a penalty, but no time or points lost, so it seemed to be worth it to destroy someone else's race...

[greeny12]

Yes, I took that Collard thing as just Plato having a bit of fun - it's not often he's had a post race interview to enjoy this season after all!

Totally agree with the other posters that the hybrid thing needs tweaking. The racing has lacked a bit of something this year.

Better results for The Wookie this meeting, too. Hopefully that might tempt him back on here for a few "insider" comments. We've missed him!

[JoelH]

Cobracc said:

Anyone else losing interest in the BTCC..?

I have no interest in all this hybrid rubbish. The success ballast always worked well to provide close racing and a close championship...why change? Literally have no idea who's using their hybrid boost as it makes little to zero difference in the spectacle.

Then there's the coverage. Constant switching between channels...again, why? How am i meant to record it? It's completely unwatchable live due the ridiculous amount of ad breaks. They had an ad break today...came back to do three interviews then more ads....rinse and repeat!

Ballast worked well did it? You don't remember a certain car setting fastest laps, getting pole and winning with full ballast while one of his main rivals fell to the back of the mid-pack every time he got full ballast?

Yes hybrid has some issues but the main problem is the new TOCA engine. The hybrid will improve over time once they get the reliability sorted out and will start to make a big difference. The hybrid aspect is a huge marketing boost for the series.

I have zero issues with the ads. After all there are none during the races so they have to put them in where they can. Far, far better than it being on Sky.

As for the channel switching that is so they can gauge the possibility of it moving to a prime channel permanently. The number of people I've talked to who have seen BTCC for the first time this year because of it being on ITV shows what a success it has been. Figures show they get 250,000 extra viewers on the main channel which is a massive boost for the series and motorsport in general.

It's not hard to record it unless you have some really strange setup. Took me 10 seconds to set my freeview box up to record it and it worked perfectly.

Stuart Thompson said:

If that’s the case for Collard, what does Butcher get for the assault on Jelley?

Butcher got a reprimand and 2 points on his license.

[ArnageWRC]

I really don't get the moaning at the coverage; a few hours for a National series on the main ITV channel is like gold dust. Plenty of international series would kill for that.

Another British championship gets 5-10 min highlights on You Tube.....

[oobster]

I always record the coverage on Sky and then FFWD through all the ads etc, quite easy to record both parts over the two channels.

The BTCC isn't really that exciting this year, I watch mainly for the support races, especially the Ginetta juniors and the Minis.

[Carlososos]

BMR said:

I hope the powers that be are looking to increase the hybrid advantage next year, it’s just not making a difference this year.

Agree it’s nowhere near as much fun to watch. It’s purer racing but they have missed the mark. I’m not sure how you would make hybrid more powerful to the same effect as ballast but fingers crossed they manage it.

Edit. I have a feeling ballast is a bit unique in how it slowed cars in the right places to spice up the racing. It just worked.

[Robmarriott]

I seem to be on my own here but I prefer the hybrid. Rowbottom had no hybrid in one race and managed to defend for several laps before finally being passed. The other cars were still faster in the end but it created a situation which may not have happened if he’d had 30/40/50kg on board.

[Sebring440]

JoelH said:

Yes hybrid has some issues but the main problem is the new TOCA engine. The hybrid will improve over time once they get the reliability sorted out.

The new TOCA engine is a joke. It's been unreliable since day 1 and now, with more miles on, they're even more unreliable.

The hybrid system has not been fully developed and is still giving major problems. Moffat's main hybrid battery nearly went on fire at Snet because the battery cooling system was not functioning — after checking and maintenance a (Cosworth) engineer forgot to set the software for the battery cooling system to be active. Only this sort of thing is too dangerous to be referred to as a "joke".

[cuprabob]

It's a pity "The Wookie" doesn't comment on these threads any more as it would be interesting to hear first hand his experience with the hybrid system and the comparison with the ballast system. Also, it would be good to know if this is contributing to his seemingly lack of competitiveness this year.

[mat205125]

BMR said:

I hope the powers that be are looking to increase the hybrid advantage next year, it’s just not making a difference this year.

Agreed

The "press to pass" effect is next to zero, especially if there is the availability for the car infront to use the same boost to defend.

How difficult would it be to have an F1 DRS detection and only have boost available to cars who are following closely to the car in front?