BTCC 2017 : All Chat Here

[DEEJAY.B]

Colin Turkington has returned to the West Surrey Racing fold for the 2017 British Touring Car Championship as he hunts a third drivers' title

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  Colin Turkington has returned to the West Surrey Racing fold for the 2017 British Touring Car Championship as he hunts a third drivers' title with the BMW squad.
  
  The 34-year-old spent last year with Silverline Subaru BMR Racing and returns to a formidable line-up having spent nine seasons in three separate stints at **** Bennetts's team, having claimed 30 race wins, eight independents crowns, two drivers titles and one teams title as a partnership.
  
  Turkington, who joins alongside the already-announced Andrew Jordan, is relishing the chance to reignite a potent combination with both West Surrey Racing and the BMW brand.
  
  “It feels fantastic to re-join WSR for the 2017 season and I couldn't be more excited about my return,” Turkington said. “From my debut in touring cars in 2002 right through to winning my second BTCC title, it's been like a second home for me and my greatest achievements in motor racing have all come with them.
  
  
  
  “Combining our accumulated rear-wheel-drive expertise and strong work ethic is a recipe for success and I'm confident this gives me the perfect opportunity to fight for honours once again. I'm particularly looking forward to driving the BMW 125i M Sport and feel the developments that have come about since 2014.”
  
  Bennetts is thrilled to welcome back Turkington having clinched the 2009 and 2014 drivers' titles together and feels with a stronger base to build upon the duo can battle for titles once again in 2017.
  
  “It's great have Colin back for 2017. His performances with various WSR BMWs have been extremely strong and he's been a key part of our most successful seasons in the BTCC in 2009 and 2014,” Bennetts said.
  
  “There's definitely a sense of unfinished business as, despite our intentions, commercial reasons meant we weren't able to stay together to defend our championships. We now head into 2017 with a very strong driver line-up, and we're aiming for more titles.”
  
  West Surrey Racing also confirmed a third driver will be announced for the 2017 campaign in the coming weeks.
  
  
  

 

[timor]

Definitely great to see Colin back with WSR,i don't think there's another driver who can get the BMW to perform to the best of its' abilities!He was at Brands today for a quick test before heading to Spain for some intensive practice!

 

[Shaun]

WSR complete their team with Rob Collard. Probably the strongest team this year, hard to see anyone else winning it now.
Wonder will BMR pull something out of the bag, last driver being announced tonight at 7pm.

 

[DEEJAY.B]

Josh Cook earns BTCC reprieve with Maximum Motorsport

Josh Cook will take his place on the BTCC grid for the 2017 season after agreeing terms on a deal to join Maximum Motorsport.

The 25-year-old looked set to spend the upcoming campaign on the sidelines , with most of the seats on the grid having already been filled.

The former Jack Sears Trophy winner has been given an unexpected opportunity to return however after Maximum Motorsport team boss Stewart Lines elected to stand down from driving his Ford Focus to bring Cook onboard.

Questions had been raised about Lines’ fitness for the start of the season following a recent cycling accident, with the 53-year-old insisting that the chance to put Cook in the car was one that was too good to miss.

“After my accident, we started analysing our options forthcoming campaign to allow myself enough time for recovery,” he said. “When Josh announced he was without a drive, we grasped the opportunity to sign a very capable young talent.

“I’m disappointed that I won’t be lining up on the 2017 grid, as the car has undergone a significant programme of upgrades over the winter period and is now down to a much lighter weight.

“Despite this, I am delighted we’re running Josh this season and believe we’ve got the complete package to produce some strong finishes.”

Cook himself was understandably pleased to be given the opportunity to return to the grid for a third season, and said he felt the revised Focus – now being run on Maximum’s behalf by Team Parker Racing alongside the car of Stephen Jelley – would be capable of running at the sharp end of the grid.

“I’m elated to be back on the grid for 2017 – it all turned around in the space of 24 hours,” said Cook. “The support that I received when I announced my departure from MG was incredible. I’m immensely grateful to Stewart for enabling my return this coming season. It’s taken a lot of effort with multiple new sponsors but thank you to everyone involved. I can’t wait to get stuck into pre-season testing.

“I think we’ve got a great package with Maximum Motorsport, the Focus has been upgraded over the off-season and with Team Parker Racing looking after the operation of the car throughout the year, we should be pushing for strong finishes from the off.”

 

[Dan.86]

BTCC | TEAM BMW heralds new era for BMW UK in the BTCC

Best livery yet! .....and BMW back in the BTCC

 

[dub]

Spot on that livery

 

[DEEJAY.B]

 

[DEEJAY.B]

BTCC's new Vauxhall Astra turns first laps at Donington Park

The new Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall Astra for the British Touring Car Championship has run for the first time.

Senna Proctor, who will drive one of the two-litre turbocharged cars alongside Tom Chilton, was entrusted with the first laps in the factory-backed car at Donington Park on Thursday.

Team principal Adam Weaver said that the team had been working flat out to get the Vauxhall ready.

"It is a very proud moment for our car to take to the circuit for the first time," said Weaver.

"We started building the Astra just before Christmas and to see it turning a wheel is a special feeling for the team.

"There has been a lot of hard work put into this programme already and these are still our first steps.

"The initial mileage isn't really a test for us, it is an extended shakedown and a systems check.

"We have work to do, but there is no pressure with this first test."

The car has been put together by respected team manager Martin Broadhurst.

Weaver said his outfit would use the first car for the preliminary testing, with Proctor and Chilton running next week.

The second car is scheduled to be ready in time for the championship's media day at Donington Park on March 16.

 

[DEEJAY.B]

Adam Morgan's BTCC Mercedes gets livery overhaul for 2017

Race-winning British Touring Car Championship team Ciceley Motorsport will run with a new livery in its 2017 campaign.

Adam Morgan's Mercedes-Benz A-Class will run a red and black colour scheme in deference to backers Mac Tools, which has stepped up to take headline sponsorship of the car.

It marks a significant change for the Morgan-run Mercedes, which has run in yellow and black since it made its debut in 2014 with backing from Wix Filters.

Morgan, a four-time race winner in the BTCC, said: "We have worked really closely with the guys at Mac Tools over the last three years and are delighted to have them as our new title sponsor.

"It's incredible to have the company as title sponsor now having built a great relationship with them and a three-year deal illustrates the commitment the company has to the teams and the championship.

"I can't wait to stand on the top step of the podium in my Mac Tools overalls for the first time and repay the company's faith in us."

Ciceley also operate a team in the Renault UK Clio Cup and has so far signed three drivers for the 2017 season.

 

[K55]

 

[dub]

One of the best years imho @K55 great find!

 

[K55]

It's just the channel from Duke Video that make all those video's of rallying and touring cars etc. Have a look through their page.

 

[DEEJAY.B]

Tom Ingram fastest in official media day test session at Donington Park

Speedworks Motorsport’s Tom Ingram topped the official BTCC media day test at Donington Park, leading a Toyota Avensis one-two ahead of Handy Motorsport’s Rob Austin.

Ingram completed 55 laps on the way to a best time of 1.09.995 to pip Austin by 0.114, with the impressive Chris Smiley third fastest for BTC Racing in his Chevrolet Cruze.

Fourth fastest was Ciceley Racing’s Adam Morgan, who recovered from an earlier technical issue in his Mercedes A-Class to rack up 42 laps, with Eurotech Racing new boy Jack Goff in fifth in his Honda Civic Type-R.

Next up, Aiden Moffat made it two Mercedes in the top six ahead of the leading Team HARD Volkswagen CC of Mike Epps in seventh, with Tom Chilton an encouraging eighth in the new Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall Astra. Rounding out the top 10 were the second BTC Racing Chevrolet of Dave Newsham, and the AmD Tuning Audi S3 of Ollie Jackson.

Although testing times are notoriously unreliable when judging the real pace of front-running teams, a number were conspicuous by their absence from the sharp end of the times.

Team Dynamics pair Gordon Shedden and Matt Neal were 11th and 14th respectively, while Team BMR’s Jason Plato, James Cole and Ash Sutton wound up in 17th, 19th and 25th, the latter troubled by mechanical gremlins.

West Surrey Racing trio Rob Collard, Colin Turkington and Andrew Jordan set the 12th, 13th and 21st fastest times respectively, while the highest number of laps went to Team Parker Racing’s Stephen Jelley – a mammoth 75 tours, 13 more than next man Rob Austin.

The first of four red flag stoppages came after 48 minutes when Motorbase Performance’s Luke Davenport beached his Ford Focus ST in the gravel at the Old Hairpin. The second was caused by a slow-moving Morgan cruising back to the pits with a technical issue in his Mercedes A-Class, and the third when Davenport’s team-mate Martin Depper had a gravelly moment and the track needed cleaning.

The fourth and final red flag was caused by Team HARD’s Will Burns, who went off and lost the front left wheel from his Volkswagen CC. He was nevertheless the fastest of the rookie drivers, setting the 20th fastest time and completing 54 laps.

Of the 32-strong field, only two drivers were missing. Josh Price didn’t get to run with his new Team BMR squad as only three Levorgs were at the circuit, while Eurotech Racing’s Jeff Smith sat out the session with a wrist injury.

TOP 10 SCORECARD
01

Tom Ingram 1.09.995
02

Rob Austin +0.114
03

Chris Smiley +0.198
04

Adam Morgan +0.202
05

Jack Goff +0.251
06

Aiden Moffat +0.352
07

Michael Epps +0.612
08

Tom Chilton +0.663
09

Dave Newsham +0.682
10

Ollie Jackson +0.737

 

[timor]

Liking the new BMW race suit!

 

[Dan.86]

Fantasy drivers RMS league this year?


...or maybe not seeing as they have pulled the plug this year

 

[K55]

Some more...



Reminds me of playing TOCA on the PS1

 

[Wild Thing]

Very poorly advertised but 1st round of BTCC on ITV4 from 10:15 tomorrow morning

 

[dub]

Sky box set and all @Wild Thing can't wait!

 

[weeloaney]

Very poorly advertised but 1st round of BTCC on ITV4 from 10:15 tomorrow morning

Can't wait.

Will be setting it to record and start it about 1 hour later so the adverts can be skipped.

 

[weeloaney]

Matt Neal you ****

 

[Wild Thing]

Lol think to be fair was a racing accident

 

[weeloaney]

Lol think to be fair was a racing accident

Yeah I know but still. Lol

 

[weeloaney]

Now that's a race series, screw F1.

Brilliant 2 races for Turkington after going nowhere in the first race.

And Andrew Jordan done brilliant for his first weekend in the new team and first time in a rwd car.

Laughed at Plato.

 

[Shaun]

Not a great opener tbh, Neal must have no vision around the civic if he thinks Colin was in his blind spot. Joke he didn't even get penalised.

 

[surprising_skoda]

And he shoved cook (I think) out of the way in the third when everyone else was able to drive round the outside of him.

Neal isn't fit to hold a race licence.