Proton & MG to Run 3 Cars?

[Radisich Fan]

Will MG & Proton run 3 cars now as they will be at a disadvantage to vauxhall & Honda as both will run three?

If so who?

MG - Blundell's name could pop up again...
Proton - Yoong would be good for BTCC & Proton in a 3rd Impian...

[Tim.Lad]

Hmmm wasnÃ*t there also a hint that they would change to a 4 cylinder engine this year..

If MG want any chance of getting the title then they need a 3rd car..

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

Westie said all we can expect is 15 cars unfortunatly and we've just reached that with Honda. Would be nice to see 3 but MG wanted to cut the motorsport projects didn't they?

[thommo_fan]

we've got 14 comfirmed in the touring class next year, so if westie has said there will be 15 cars then another of the teams will be running 3 cars, my moneys on MG.

[Peter]

At Autosport International, David Leslie said Proton would only run 2 cars. Therefore, my money is on MG.

[Alfa Fan]

I was surprised that the entry list is looking likely to be smaller than in 2002, it's not really progress is it?

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

Im afraid its a tough time for motorsport. Teams just can afford to enter. However the BTC-P is bigger because of this. Can't have it both ways. The BTCC will grow.

[Claw]

I thought Proton were gonna run a 3rd Proton for a Malaysian driver at selected meetings.

But I hope MG sign Blundell!

[Godalmighty83]

MG have been nothing but silent on the 3rd driver issue.

I would put good odds on their being 3 MG's by mid season (or 5 if you count TAK)

[Radisich Fan]

He EXPECTS there to be 15, there could be more or less!

[thommo_fan]

there won't be less. i think that at least one more indie team will join the series.

[Claw]

There is still 3 months to go! I won't start worrying untill the start of April!

[MG-ZS EX260]

in my opinion it will be NO MG's (switch to ETCC maybe) or 3 Works MG's and TAK, and if you look at TAK website it shows news about 2003 tyre supplier 'Dunlop' and the 203 calender, so if they werent continuing why would they post that?

[Godalmighty83]

I really dont think the ETCC is an option for MG, the rules are just against any car they produce.

You may see an SV in lemans though....

[Alfa Fan]

MG have said they will concentrate on the BTCC. To my knowledge all MG ETCC plans were droped.

[thommo_fan]

thats good news if MG have dropped their ETCC plans.
its makes sense because MG's main market is the uk.

[Radisich Fan]

Originally posted by Alfa Fan
MG have said they will concentrate on the BTCC. To my knowledge all MG ETCC plans were droped.

:D :D Good good!

[johnny grownup]

Still early doors, wait until mid or late March for deffo team confirmations. Teams need a huge commitment for third driver plus sponsorship and engineering support.

[cos]

MG aren't in the J-WRC this year, and I think they're not going to enter Le Mans in an official capacity, so that either means more concentration on the BTCC project or a pullout of motorsport altogether - I hope its the former!

[King Cleland]

They won't have gone tyre testing and built a brand new car if they weren't gonna be in the BTCC this year! :D

[MG-ZS EX260]

Originally posted by King Cleland
They won't have gone tyre testing and built a brand new car if they weren't gonna be in the BTCC this year! :D

****** hell! forogt about that, seriously i thought MG may not enter this year, it hadnt seem to have clicked that they must as they have been tyre testing and developing the new ZS, god i should be blonde! (no offence 2 bondes! ;) ) but great, so hopefully MG can really concerntrate on the BTCC, i think they can win.

[King Cleland]

:D No problem....

[Fiona]

I was speaking to Gareth Howell at the Autosport show and he said that Atomic Kitten might not be part of the BTC this year, but he said MG might run a third car !!!

[bramble]

Originally posted by Sim_Da_BTCC_Man
Westie said all we can expect is 15 cars unfortunatly and we've just reached that with Honda. Would be nice to see 3 but MG wanted to cut the motorsport projects didn't they?

Are you saying the field is restricted to 15 cars, or that only 15 cars have entered?



Originally posted by Fiona
I was speaking to Gareth Howell at the Autosport show and he said that Atomic Kitten might not be part of the BTC this year


they probably got bored.

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

Originally posted by bramble
Are you saying the field is restricted to 15 cars, or that only 15 cars have entered?

No Westie predicts 15 BTC-T cars in the championship, but theres no restriction.

[King Cleland]

3 Vauxhall
3 Honda
2 MG
2 Proton
2 GA

That is 12 cars......... :confused:

[thommo_fan]

beacon have confirmed they will be in btc-touring but no one knows what cars they are running or who their drivers are.

14 cars..;)

[King Cleland]

Beacon is a load of bull, they would have announced summat by now!

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

Calm down will ya! They have confirmed mate they are not reveiling cars tho. Wait and see.

[King Cleland]

I am Calm! :rolleyes:

it is my opinion..... don't shout at me for it!

I just don't think it will materialise....

Lexus confirmed last year :p

[thommo_fan]

what do the toca forum rules say about bickering.:rolleyes:

anyways, lexus were never officially confirmed last year, where as beacon are.
its like a btcc tradition for at least one team to leave it til the last minute to announce their plans.

[King Cleland]

:rolleyes:

Lexus were confirmed last year...

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

Originally posted by King Cleland
:rolleyes:

Lexus were confirmed last year...

Actualy they never said anything. It was just rummored. They tried to gain entry to the championship but TOCA forbid it due to their financial situation.:rolleyes:

[tvgod]

Beacon have also said absolutely nothing official about entering touring or production this season.

That doesn't mean they won't but it certainly doesn't mean that they will.

So where will Richard West's 15 or more cars come from?

Well there are rumours that Vauxhall may run a fourth car, and nobody has yet mentioned the two or three VLR Peugeots...

[cos]

Don't expect to see Mark Blundell in a 3rd MG, he's a 'Bentley Boy' now.

[John]

What about the stig for the third car - no not the one off here (sorry mate!) Unless u are the one off Top Gear?!? ;)

There are so many people who should be driving - but whats the betting any choice made isnt any of them! :(

[tvgod]

I think if MG do run a third works car, it will be for a driver who is already under contract to them... Kevin McGarrity perhaps...

[Alfa Fan]

Originally posted by thommo_fan
what do the toca forum rules say about bickering.:rolleyes:

anyways, lexus were never officially confirmed last year, where as beacon are.
its like a btcc tradition for at least one team to leave it til the last minute to announce their plans.

Yes it is, ie

2001 it was JSM who announced there final plans in March
2002 it was Beacon Motorsport and Team Atomic Kitten in March
2003 it will be ???

[Alfa Fan]

And according to Autosport Synchro are trying to run JK @ Honda in '03

[King Cleland]

Yes I read that!

[thommo_fan]

i think there could be 2 or maybe 3 indie teams that leave it to the last minute to announce their plans for this year.

[cav1995]

Will there be any vauxhalls in the BTC-P class this year? How comes nobody picked up the Astra Coupe there?

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

the rules dont realy favor any vauxhall in the BTC-P. Astra to big, Vectra to big, Corsa to small all those other silly cars just wont work. A Zaffira on the BTC-P grid :D;)

[cav1995]

but how can the vectra and astra be too big when theres BMW 3 series, Honda accords and Alfa 156's?

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

Originally posted by cav1995
but how can the vectra and astra be too big when theres BMW 3 series, Honda accords and Alfa 156's?

Something Engine wise? I'll PM you a good link you could investigate this.

[John]

Is the Corsa too small? I would have thought it wasnt that different to a Clio?

[King Cleland]

Vauxhall's are too big unfortunatley!

[King Cleland]

The Corsa might work though!

[thommo_fan]

a car i would love to see on the production grid is the new mini.

[cav1995]

Ah it must be the engines. 2.2 too big, 1.8 too small. Maybe they could use the Astra GSi 2.0 Turbo and paint the turbo to look like a spare wheel or something :). Bye bye 306.

Oooo thats a point. Will anyone be using that clumsey looking 307 this year?

[John]

Arent VLR and B&Q running 307s this year? Or has that not been confirmed yet?

[King Cleland]

not confirmed yet :p

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

but looks likely. Vic doesn't want to use the 406 anymore for ovious reasons.

[Craig Antill]

Yes - it is kinda obvious he'd not want to use a car that doesn't actually exist...!

[King Cleland]

:D:D:D

It was a mistake i'm sure!

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

Sorry momentary ginger moment :rolleyes: ;)

[John]

Just looking forward eh? Sure that post will be correct for the 2009 season!! ;)

[King Cleland]

Ginger moment?

You mean blonde? :confused:

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

Im not blonde :rolleyes: Im the other minority colour ;)

[Ann]

Originally posted by cav1995
Oooo thats a point. Will anyone be using that clumsey looking 307 this year?

Clumsy looking? I'll put my hands over my car's ears while you say that - he'd be wounded! :p Didn't seem to hinder them much in the Danish Touring Car Champ did it? We will see about the BTCC. They are actually not that dissimilar to the Civic shape & they ain't doing that bad I'm sure you'll agree!

[AussieV8]

The Civic isn't as sporty lookin as the previous model but what a mover.:D

[cav1995]

I don't know what the 307's been like in competition so far but I would have said it looked more like a mini MPV than a race car. :)

[AussieV8]

Got to agree with you cav.

Thats what the media call it here as well as the new Civic. We will have (2) new supercharged Mini's in our Production car class(better known as the Showroom class) this year and they will be something else.

A Mazda6 would look good in race trim.

[cav1995]

Thats cool, but how do they get away with keeping the superchargers?

[inforacing]

u may get a big surprise and find another astra or something.

[AussieV8]

Cav,
The Mini's are in the same class as Honda S2000 Mazda MX5sp (local turbo) and the V8 taxi's so the hairdryers stay.