2024 BTCC Round One - Donington

[Matt K]

Originally Posted by AJD

Cancel the race - FARCE
Run it in the wet earlier - FARCE
Run it how it just was - FARCE

Not sure what people genuinely wanted to happen there. I wouldn't like to have been in the position of making the decisions today.

The whole day has been farcical, what else did you expect? That's nobody's fault, an unfortunate series of events. Nevertheless from a perspective of someone watching it, it's anticlimactic farce, nothing else. Let's bring on the second one and move on

[AJD]

Originally Posted by Matt K

The whole day has been farcical, what else did you expect? That's nobody's fault, an unfortunate series of events. Nevertheless from a perspective of someone watching it, it's anticlimactic farce, nothing else. Let's bring on the second one and move on

Let's hope it's not a farce ey!!!

[CroftPilgrim]

Originally Posted by InYourMirrors45

Has Rowbottom ever driven a race without running into the back of someone?

Would you say that to Dan's face? He is a contributor to this forum and will probably read that comment

[Greem]

Inspired tyre choice in the Mini race there. Selby was 4 to 5 seconds a lap faster than Zelos. Felt sorry for Walmsley though.

[Evantra]

Scary moment in the Porsches… car stranded side-on in the middle of the track.

[AJD]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Wow that was scary…

Yeah that could have ended very very badly.

[Evantra]

All kicking off!

[Evantra]

Adam Morgan drops to 14th in R1 with a 10 second penalty for a false start.

Rowbottom gets a strike and 3 place grid drop for R2 (was starting penultimate anyway)

https://www.barc.net/wp-content/uplo...on-Round-1.pdf

[InYourMirrors45]

Be interesting to see the new hybrid rules and how much it affects race 2 in the dry.

[Evantra]

Nasty roll in the Legends. Could be further delays. Hope the driver is ok.

Edit - he’s out and walking, very lucky!

[Greem]

Pearson demonstrates that it's a tiny bit damp on the grass

[porsche962fan]

^ maybe they should have swamp buggy racing ?

[Robin Marriott]

Excellent second race, good to see 3 battling for 1st and 3 more battling for 4th

[InYourMirrors45]

Hybrid an improvement for sure but certainly not as big as everyone was making out before hand. I think the main problem being that everyone around you at the start has a similar amount of it so to clear that ‘initial’ traffic before you get to the actual leaders is probably going to be the key. Cammish was pretty quick by the time he got past ATS but by then the first bunch of cars were too far gone.

[AJD]

Enjoyed that race. 3 drivers clearly at the top of their game with good cars under them.

Cammish and Cook looking quick. Turkington as consistent as ever.

[Matt K]

Originally Posted by InYourMirrors45

Hybrid an improvement for sure but certainly not as big as everyone was making out before hand. I think the main problem being that everyone around you at the start has a similar amount of it so to clean that ‘initial’ traffic before you get to the actual leaders is the probably going to be the key.

Thanks God for that, I wouldn't like to see gimmicks deciding race results. We've got best three drivers (and teams) in the field on the podium and it's for others to up their game, not hope for gimmicks to help them win.
Good R2 and entertaining battle for the win!

[InYourMirrors45]

Originally Posted by Matt K

Thanks God for that, I wouldn't like to see gimmicks deciding race results. We've got best three drivers (and teams) in the field on the podium and it's for others to up their game, not hope for gimmicks to help them win.
Good R2 and entertaining battle for the win!

For sure, I certainly wouldn’t disagree with that. the way people were harping on about it I probably expected a little bit more but early days as of yet

[AJD]

Interesting R3 draw. Huff on pole, he has looked quick coming through the field. Cammish has looked quick all day and it wouldn't suprise me to see him hit the podium.

[Matt K]

Originally Posted by InYourMirrors45

For sure, I certainly wouldn’t disagree with that. the way people were harping on about it I probably expected a little bit more but early days as of yet

Yeah, probably we'll see more of it in R3 and the likes of Ingram and Sutton will be struggling in the midfield with little hybrid. Add option tyres to it in some other round and we'll have the lottery-ish merry-go-round all over again I fear. But we'll see. For me BTCC is entertaining and exciting as is and doesn't need too many gimmicks so I'd rather keep it pure and simple and see the best drivers finish on the podium but hey, it is what it is.

Will be nice to see Huffy start from the pole, not sure if Toyota is fast enough to win though. Really disappointed about Watson, his pace has been nowhere so far today.

[Jon411]

Key to race 3 could well be where Adam Morgan/ Dan Cammish are at the end of Lap 1 compared to the 2 Toyotas.

I'm interested to see what happens to the top 3 from Race 2 considering the amount of Hybrid the cars immediately behind them will have.

Think this could be a bit of a crazy Race 3.

[TinTopGrumpy]

Rose tinted glasses are out in force on the socials again with people demanding that ballast is brought back. I don't know what they're expecting but I don't remember the pre-hybrid races with these cars and drivers being so much better than what we've seen in race 2.

[JoeW04]

That was so bad having marshalls stood in the gravel traps down craners as Radicals where going past at full speed, very very poor from race control.

[v8supes]

Tractor is stuck in the mud.

Tractor is no longer stuck in the mud but they've left the car on the grass because the tractor got stuck...

[TinTopGrumpy]

Originally Posted by JoeW04

That was so bad having marshalls stood in the gravel traps down craners as Radicals where going past at full speed, very very poor from race control.

They shouldn't have been going at full speed under double waved yellows though. They are supposed to be going at a speed that means they can come to a complete halt quickly and safely.

I've done many a race with live snatch and marshalls in the gravel without issue because people obeyed the flags.

If I was the clerk of the course I would be calling a meeting and reading the riot act to them.

[SSmith]

Originally Posted by JoeW04

That was so bad having marshalls stood in the gravel traps down craners as Radicals where going past at full speed, very very poor from race control.

Very stupid indeed. Live snatch is something I understand the intention of as it does keep racing going, especially in club series or time-limited races BUT it should only ever be used when it is not putting marshals in danger.