SEAT pulls out of BTCC at end of year! Not a joke!

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Not good news for the championship. It seems odd for them to withdraw when they become the fastest and everyone had them as favorites next season.

On the other hand at least it solves the diesel advantage problem.

[VXRDartford]

can't believe it.

I hope we get another manufacturer in as cant see Vauxhall wanting to be the only manufacturer at least there are a lot of indepentants around.

Not as bad as 2000/01 but could be if more people leave the series and I thought the BTCC was getting back to its best!

[LiamM]

NorthernSouth independent team anyone?

[VkmSpouge]

Bad news for the BTCC to see half the manufacturers pull out and a strange decision by SEAT when they would have been in an extremely strong position for 2009. I really hope Jason Plato can find a drive to remain in the BTCC.
I would hope Northern South could continue on an independent basis but they'd have to find a sponsor to plug that financial gap where SEAT's money used to be.
Thankfully the BTCC while lacking works teams does have a strong set of independent squads so we won't see the racing get any worse.

[thetrooper_uk]

I to am surprised as Seat would have won next year fairly easy as they have sorted the car out to race well at most curcuits. It is very bad for the BTCC as it needs more manufacturers in it.

[FIA]

That's awful news, hopefully BMW will enter as a full time manufacturer, but seriously why?

[speedy king]

Very bad news, Why would Vauxhall now want to continue to pump full works budgets in to their campaign if they become the only manufacturer team next year against a load of independents....a few years back someone commented on here how the BTCC would become and independents championhip and they were shot down in flames....well the Gow team needs to pull something out the bag now...

[mattie007]

Perhaps with SEAT pulling out, it could allow a comeback for a works Audi team, or possibly a VW team.

Just what I was thinking. Could even be the new manufacturer that is being talked about.

Didn't someone mention Skoda the other day................

[VkmSpouge]

Very bad news, Why would Vauxhall now want to continue to pump full works budgets in to their campaign if they become the only manufacturer team next year against a load of independents

To be frank why would they have wanted to pump full works budgets into their campaign to just beat SEAT these past four years? They clearly do the BTCC for more than just beating other manufacturers.

....a few years back someone commented on here how the BTCC would become and independents championhip and they were shot down in flames....well the Gow team needs to pull something out the bag now...

I'm not sure what you would expect Alan Gow and co. to do? He can't make manufacturers enter, all he can do is promote the championship to manufacturers as a good way of marketing and advertising. I do hope we get more works teams entering for 2009 but the BTCC has essentially been an independents championship since 2001.

[peewhee]

Very bad news, Why would Vauxhall now want to continue to pump full works budgets in to their campaign if they become the only manufacturer team next year against a load of independents....

Vauxhall have been beaten by some of those independent teams this year!