can Thommo win the BTCC & BRC?

[thommo_fan]

can jimmy do a superb double and defend his BTCC title and win the british rally championship crown?

he's got as good a chance as anyone of winning the BTCC and now he has got a mitsubishi lancer evo 6.5 for the BRC he'll be right up there.
i reckon he could win on tarmac rallies and after his performance on the rally GB last year who's to say he won't be challenging on gravel too.

[Reynard]

Jimmy T is a good all-round driver who can turn his hand to anything, but I don't think it is a realistic prospect to be honest with you. As nice as it sounds and as much as I'd like JT to win both, I genuinely don't think it will happen.

I don't know what the exact calendar is for the BRC, but there's likely to be clashes with BTCC meetings and/or testing. Even if there weren't any clashes, it would still be hard to do events without the amount of recce and the time and effort that the top line rally drivers put in for major events.

It is not like circuit racing in that sense - each single rally would need about a week to recce and compile pace notes together with the co-driver, and that's before any testing and fine-tuning is done to the rally car itself.

Although James is free to do whatever he likes in his spare time, (and that does include competing in the BRC) his first priority will be the BTCC and all the commitments that entails, because that's what he is under contract to be doing as an official Vauxhall driver.

I doubt he'd have been retained as a driver by Vauxhall had his commitment to the BTCC not been 100%, irrespective of him being reigning champion.

[lauz]

i think that james could do the double but it depends how many brc races clash with the btcc. im sure that james will put the btcc first so if only one or two clash then he will have a good chance of the double.

[John]

Think there is just one clash - but that might not be right because I haven't checked that fact yet!

[Amanda]

John ~ I think you are right I seem to remember reading somewhere that there is only one BTCC/BRC clash.

I think that Jimmy T can do the double he is a good all round driver and if anyone can do it he can!

[John]

Think it was in Autosport - couldnt remember if it was James Thompson or not though - but sounds like it isif you tink so as well!!

[Les]

he had got to be careful in that for going after two titles he ends up with none

[Ann]

Well it would be great if he could! I share Les' concern though that splitting his attentions could be his downfall.

[John]

People said that last season though as well and I'm pleased to say he proved us wrong! :)

I know its not during the BTCC season but Muller has/had his ice racing and Vauxhall never said anything about that.

[Kelvin]

I thought there used to be a rule that meant BTCC drivers could not compete in another series?
Has this rule been relaxed?

Kelvin

[thommo_fan]

i don't think there was ever a btcc rule, it was just the manufactures didn't want their drivers driving for other manufacturers.
but vauxhall are very good about that sort of thing because the btcc only takes up about 50 days a year.

there is only one btcc/brc clash, i think its the jim clark rally.

i agree with john, jimmy did both championships last year and if anything it improved him as a overall driver, plus because he was driving in between btcc meetings he reckoned it kept him sharper.

[Les]

also there is the fact he could get injured - he wasn't nicknamed ditchmeister for nothing.

Yvan raced in the winter when there was no problem with clashes etc but even he does other 'dangerous' pursuits with his long distance jet skiing.

It makes you wonder whether the BTCC is that important to either of them.

[Kelvin]

I'm seem to remember Jim Edwards Jnr. telling me he could not do 'club racing' once BTCC season had started, as it was not allowed! or rather the BTCC hold the drivers licence for the season!

Any drivers on the foum that can clarify??


Kelvin

[Alan]

Didn't seem to stop Messrs Reid and Hughes doing Le Mans last year. Can't think of any other specific examples but I do think it is down to the teams and individual contracts not TOCA.
It happens frequently in other series (ie F1 test drivers in ASCAR) so I don't see that BTCC should be any different.

As Les points out there is a risk of injury and I expect that is what the teams take into account most.

Good luck to James.

Oh yes - another example - Matt Neal did ASCAR last year!

[Kelvin]

Yes Alan lots of examples of drivers 'playing' elsewhere, maybe I misunderstood Jim Jnr.!

Kelvin

[neilthenut]

no.

[John]

The MG situation is simple because Reid and Hughes are MG contracted drivers, that might have been an incentive to them to sign for MG - ie you get to do Le Mans aswell - and its easier for MG to run drivers they already know / have contracts with than to find new drivers for the Le Mans projects.

Other situations are obviously less clear, especially when they drive for a rival manufacturer somewhere (even if it is a different catagory). Don't think there would be any rules preventing it though because there are so many examples as has been shown.

PS another example I thought of is Norman Simon and Le Mans - he actually missed a BTCC qualifying session to be involved in the Le Mans project!

[Les]

It's probably just the hassle of getting Toca to fax your licence through to the relevent club meeting - just not worth the effort.
This year Phil will be racing in the EERC.

Also as a mate found out last year - the clubby people don't want you there as you are a 'professional' driver now.

[lauz]

Originally posted by John
Think there is just one clash - but that might not be right because I haven't checked that fact yet!


does anyone know which rally round clashes with the btcc?