Btcc 2017

[tomhlord]

Hello, one and all.

Let's set up a thread regarding the 2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, otherwise known as the BTCC.

For reference, the official BTCC website is http://www.btcc.net/

The 2017 calendar is as follows:

16th March - Season Launch, Media Day, Donington Park
1st - 2nd April - Brands Hatch Indy
15th - 16th April - Donington Park
6th - 7th May - Thruxton
20th - 21st May - Oulton Park
10th - 11th June - Croft
29th - 30th July - Snetterton
12th - 13th August - Knockhill
26 - 27th August - Rockingham
16th - 17th September - Silverstone
30th September - 1st October - Brands Hatch Grand Prix

As always, FP1, FP2 and 30-minute Qualifying on Saturday, 3 races on Sunday, with a reverse grid (between positions 6-10 of the race 2 results) for race 3.

The current ruleset, known as 'NGTC' or under the FIA, 'TCN-1', is locked in for the next 5 years, starting with 2017. Likewise, the live UK TV coverage is also a 5 year deal. Every race is LIVE on ITV4, ITV4HD through free-to-air TV or streamed live through the itv.com website. Qualifying is streamed live on the Saturday via itv.com/btcc.

Dunlop is the sole tyre supplier, also on a 5-year deal. New for 2017, however, are wider tyres. There were quite a few punctures in 2016, so hopefully this helps. In addtion, there are new compounds.

The support races are the Renault UK Clio Cup Championship, Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup Championship, Ginetta Junoir Championship, Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain and British Formula Ford Championship. Each of these series is also on Saturday and Sunday, and live on ITV4, ITV4HD and ITV.com.

Pro-tip is if you miss the races live, they will be here from the Monday afterwards to stream online for free. You can even watch (currently) every 2016 race here: http://www.itv.com/btcc/races

The driver and teams line-up is properly exciting this season. So far, (at the time of writing, just one seat remains), for definite, the series is at it's maximum capacity. A full 32 car grid. Each team has a TBL (a licence) which legally locks them in to competing at every race.

Vauxhall and BMW return as manufacturer backed entires, alongside Honda, Subaru and MG. The private teams also have some great primary backers, such as Laser Tools, WIX Filters and breakfast cereal Shredded Wheat. The trackside visitors and TV viewers are at a new high, with an average of 35,000+ visiting each round in 2016. Those are some really brilliant track-side figures for a national series.

Halfords Yuasa Racing (Team Dynamics) - Honda Civic Type R - Gordon Shedden
Halfords Yuasa Racing (Team Dynamics) - Honda Civic Type R - Matt Neal

Team BMW (WSR) - BMW 125i M Sport - Colin Turkington
Team BMW (WSR) - BMW 125i M Sport - Rob Collard
Team BMW Pirtek Racing (WSR) - BMW 125i M Sport - Andrew Jordan

Subaru BMR Racing - Subaru Levorg - Jason Plato
Subaru BMR Racing - Subaru Levorg - Ash Sutton
Subaru BMR Racing - Subaru Levorg - James Cole
Subaru BMR Racing - Subaru Levorg - TBC

MG Racing (Triple Eight) - Árón Taylor-Smith
MG Racing (Triple Eight) - Dan Lloyd

Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall - Vauxhall Astra - Tom Chilton
Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall - Vauxhall Astra - Senna Proctor

Nestlé Shredded Wheat Racing (Motorbase) - Ford Focus - Mat Jackson
Nestlé Shredded Wheat Racing (Motorbase) - Ford Focus - Martin Depper
Nestlé Shredded Wheat Racing (Motorbase) - Ford Focus - Luke Davenport

Eurotech - Honda Civic - Jeff Smith
Eurotech - Honda Civic - Jack Goff

Speedworks Motorsport - Toyota Avensis - Tom Ingram

Handy Motorsport - Toyota Avensis - Rob Austin

WIX Racing (Cicely) - Mercedes A-Class - Adam Morgan

Laser Tools Racing - Mercedes A-Class - Aidan Moffat

AMDTuning.com - Audi S3 - Ollie Jackson
AMDTuning.com - Audi S3 - Ant Whorton-Eales

BTC Norlin - Chevrolet Cruze - Dave Newsham
BTC Norlin - Chevrolet Cruze - Chris Smiley

Team HARD - VW CC - Jake Hill
Team HARD - VW CC - Mike Epps
Team HARD - VW CC - Will Burns

Maximum Motorsport (Team Parker Racing) - Ford Focus - Josh Cook

Team Parker Racing - Ford Focus - Stephen Jelley

Simpson Racing (Team Dynamics) - Honda Civic - Matt Simpson

[tomhlord]

The Team BMW launch was today, superb to see official BMW backing in the BTCC again.

A nice livery too - http://www.touringcartimes.com/2017/02/24/bmw-confirms-manufacturer-backing-for-west-surrey-racing/

Watch the live launch replay, here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1SgwfISb7c

[tomhlord]

Nice new title sponsor and livery for Adam Morgan - http://www.touringcartimes.com/2017/03/04/ciceley-motorsport-unveil-new-livery-for-2017-season/

[admissioninfo23]

The 2017 British Touring Car Championship comes to Oulton Park this May for saloon car racing's annual Cheshire pilgrimage - always one of the highlight rounds of the season, with the biggest crowd!

[Starter]

The 2017 British Touring Car Championship comes to Oulton Park this May for saloon car racing's annual Cheshire pilgrimage - always one of the highlight rounds of the season, with the biggest crowd!
Yes and too bad there is no coverage in the states.

[ATF]

Yes and too bad there is no coverage in the states.

There is coverage, details here:
http://www.btcc.net/2017/03/06/tv-times-announced-for-north-american-viewers/

[Rollo]

Can someone explain to me why Shedden was DQ'd in race 3 at Donnington? It just looked like he scooted away and that was it.
I haven't been able to find anything on the official BTCC website.

[inimitablestoo]

Ride height infringement. Sheds says it was down to the damage sustained on the first start and they were unable to check before the restart, but rules is rules.

I love the highly technical way they check ride height, incidentally, which is to stick a trolley-jack-style device under the car. On this occasion it didn't go, so he was out

[Starter]

There is coverage, details here:
http://www.btcc.net/2017/03/06/tv-times-announced-for-north-american-viewers/
Thanks

[BDunnell]

Some very exciting racing at Donington. Thought the driving at the original start of race three was less than impressive, though. On the face of it conditions were no worse than we've seen at a lot of BTCC races in the past — the 1993 European GP support at Donington springs to mind — yet people were throwing themselves at the scenery. To me, it looked eminently raceable.