ETCC cars to be allowed next year...

[cos]

Alan Gow has announced that cars built to ETCC specs will be allowed to race in the BTCC next year... with any performance advantage/disadvantage levelled by changes to the sporting regs (presumably ballast handicaps or something similar).

Good idea? I think so - the more cars the better...

[touringlegend]

I'm extremely glad to see this happening!! :) Full credit to TOCA and everyone else in the series for agreeing to this, and it is good that the change has been decided fairly early to give teams enough time to negotiate and sort out plans for bringing more cars over here.

[mark]

Does anyone know if this rule will apply for BTCC cars in the ETCC? Should it be adopted by them, or is it an advantage for us to only be open to both? > I would hae thought so!?

Hope it does work well though.

[touring fan]

I'd like to know how they're gonna be able to compete on an equal footing. I hope it isn't some odd points scoring system or something confusing like that.

[Ed- the MG fan]

Could benefit the MG's the most. Didn't they change the rules to allow for more reves for different tpye og engiene. I remember clearly that MG siad that ETCC rules would benfit there engine.


Any would be great to see. I see it is also a money saving scheme. As if Alfa wanted to join that could simply build and extra few 156 GTA instead of pouring loads of money itno developing a new car.

Apparently the STCC is booming at they mommemnt under the new rules, although I don't think that made any changes between the different spec cars, which the BTCC is doing. Even though Rustad still manage to get his old Tom Chiltons asrta to fouth place- Not bad at all

[thommo_fan]

i think this is a really good idea, a very positive move forward for the championship.

i think i'm right in saying that btcc cars have approx 270 bhp and etcc cars have 260 bhp.
so i'm assuming that BTCC cars would be made to carry extra ballast to wipe out the 10 bhp extra advantage, but i've just compared the ETCC and BTCC qualifying times from donington last year and Thompson was on pole wiith a 1:41.3 and in the ETCC dirk muller was on pole with a 1:41.4 so actually there's nothing between them.
but would the likes of Alfa and BMW be happy that Vauxhall, Honda, MG etc had a 10bhp advantage???

another thing that might cause confusion is the body styles of btcc and etcc. BTCC cars have wide wheel arches which perssonally i love and a high rear wing, where as ETCC cars like the alfa 156 and SEAT and volvo look more standard and basically liike production cars.

i think that any ETCC cars should be made to have wide arches and the higher rear wing.

[thommo_fan]

another good thing by allowing ETCC cars to race in the BTCC is hopefully it will attract some more forgein drivers, the likes of Rydell, Targuni, maybe even Giovanardi, this would really help raise the profile of the championship.

[Alan]

Originally posted by thommo_fan


another thing that might cause confusion is the body styles of btcc and etcc. BTCC cars have wide wheel arches which perssonally i love and a high rear wing, where as ETCC cars like the alfa 156 and SEAT and volvo look more standard and basically liike production cars.

i think that any ETCC cars should be made to have wide arches and the higher rear wing.

Reading the info available so far, including Mr Gow's response to a question on his forum, there will, sensibly I think, be no changes to the technical regs of either the BTCC or ETCC.
Adjustment will be by ballast.
Should be good all round this. Maybe the production teams will be able to pick up ETCC cars cheaper than BTCC cars are currently going for and run them?

[MGmad]

I know virtually nothing of the ETCC rules. But my feeling is that regardless of the difference in standard specs for the 2, BTCC competing against the ETCC could benefit the championship and it's appeal, ultimately, the most, in this way.

If the Production class were to be put into a seperate sister championship to be raced on race-day, alongside the other championships those of us, like me with Croft, who are lucky to attend a meeting see, leaving the crowd to see a much closer, much more competitive championship.

Prouduction are what are slowing the whole championship down with regard to appeal and close, tough, excitement. But at the same time they will have their own championship in which they will not feel like minnows.

[MSport-UK]

Originally posted by thommo_fan
another good thing by allowing ETCC cars to race in the BTCC is hopefully it will attract some more forgein drivers, the likes of Rydell, Targuni...

Well the ETCC is where all the old legends of the Supertourer age have ended up so we may get them back!

As for the look of the cars, the BTCC machines look pretty flash, but they're all hat and no trousers compared to the likes of DTM. The ETCC have the look of the old Supertourers, which must surely be preferable to the manufacturers trying to promote their models, than the flared and winged look.

I'm all for the wide arches, but if you're going to have them, you should go the whole hog and stick a 400bhp V8 in the back. Probably not the best choice if you're after more manufacturers though - even after DTM's cheaper, lower-tech rebirth, they still only have Merc, Audi and Opel. Great to watch at the one UK round, but gets a bit boring after a while.

Hopefully, the ETCC entries in the ToCA tour will bring back some of the excitement that the series used to have.

[Peter]

This is fantastic news. Long live the blues of the 90's!

Just one question- Will it be possible for teams and drivers in the ETCC to run the same cars and drivers and both series or will we see different drivers? Hopefully we will see the return of the likes of Priaulx, Tarquini and Rydell.

[MSport-UK]

It would be great if they could run both, tho perhaps a bit tiring for both drivers and teams.

There may be some scope for a cross-over event like they did when they started the ill-fated European Le Mans Series, with the first round at Donington also being part of the American Le Mans Series and so getting all the entrants on track. There is after all a Donington round of the ETCC.

If they can get the series back to how it was in the 90's, all the old guys might come back anyway.

[Stuart]

Some of you may have read a thread I started a while back questioning where touring car racing on a global scale was going as things were so fragmented across the world.

As he has done so before, Mr Gow has stepped forward with a brilliant and obvious answer. Second hand ETCC cars for privateers and current production class teams. Genius! I wonder what Mr Briggs at Edenbridge is thinking at the moment...
Don't forget that Sweden also run pretty much to ETCC rules.
This must surely be the first step towards a common set of rules across Europe ie. the current ETCC rules.

The halcyon days of the 90's are about to return!

Please please please someone bring us a 156 with Gabrielle at the wheel...and a BMW driven by Andy Priaulx....and...and...and....

[R5CPD]

Yep, this is great news for the Championship. :)

I can't wait to see the size, and quality of the grids next year!

Well done Alan, you've only been in the job a week and things are already on the move upwards!!! :D

[MGmad]

Yes, perhaps I didn't explain myself well enough. Well, listen to this.

The reason why atendance figures and their publicity ain't what it should be is because of Production. Their funding is nowhere near on the scale of the Tourers. So their is virtually no chance for them to develop their cars and so attract good drivers and assure what little sponsorship they CAN get that they are good to back.
But if they were put into a sister championship to be raced on race day as part of the support races at a meeting, then they will be, as I said in my last message, kings of their own castle. They could set up their own governing body which sees to sponsorship both for teams and for publicity, and they could even set their own rules to work within their technical boundaries.

They then in turn gallantly step aside for almost what are two Touring classes. Good cars, good drivers and strong manufacturing and sponsorship support. Ultimately though the ETCC Vs BTCC championship will result in allot closer, more exciting, more competitive races between the classes.

[mark]

As for the look of the cars, the BTCC machines look pretty flash, but they're all hat and no trousers compared to the likes of DTM. The ETCC have the look of the old Supertourers, which must surely be preferable to the manufacturers trying to promote their models, than the flared and winged look.
I totally agree. The BTCC machines look nice standing still but on the move, the fabricated sides do look a bit pointless. I think the ETCC's idea of lowered cars with big wheels is a much better idea. The ETCC Alfa looks no different to the previous Super Tourer, which lets face it, all super Tourers looked fantastic!


But if they were put into a sister championship to be raced on race day as part of the support races at a meeting, then they will be, as I said in my last message, kings of their own castle. They could set up their own governing body which sees to sponsorship both for teams and for publicity, and they could even set their own rules to work within their technical boundaries.
Again, I think this is an inevitable idea. There needs to be a Production and touring class, no questions about it. It makes sense for both, although a downside would be that Prod wouldn't be featured on ITV but could be incorporated into the MotorsportUK package coverage.

I do think this will eventually lead to a common set of rules, which I don't think is a bad thing. So long as the BTCC remains a sepearte series and ISN'T incorporated under the ETCC banner! However, could we be experiencing a situation of deja vu, i.e common set of rules and possibly bigger budgets/more hi tech cars? :confused:

[Ed- the MG fan]

Wonder if BMW will enter now. I think it said in Autosport that they would not race in Britain as long as there is a team BMW Great Britian entry in the ETCC