More TMSR Plans....

[Vatanen]

Originally posted by TheLeader
There are very good reasons why the cars did not grace the BTCC this year. Behind the scenes there are alot of polotics, and this year is no exeption. I srtongly believe thet they have made the correct choice in their future. All this acusation is shallow and perhaps people should find out a bit more about the whole siuation before passing judgment. This year has been one of the toughest years for teams and drivers.
Lexus would not commit to anything that may not seem correct. That my friends is why you only have 2 manufacturers running factory cars.

Erm.....there are 4 manufacturers in the BTCC this year.

They won't tell us anything about the situation though! Just broken promises and rumours that never come true.

[touringlegend]

They could've competed in the BTCC but TOCA didn't want them to be a repeat of JSM so refused TMSR entry. I do see why they're moving(maybe within this century??) to the ETCC as it offers more financial security. But Toyota Altezza's?? I thought Europe was covered by the Lexus brand, not the Toyotas?? (in Japan only I think)

[TheLeader]

4 manufacturers?? Honda is a GB entry and therfore not a full works entry. Proton is only supplying finance and is capped. That leaves only 2 as mentioned previously. I hope this clarifies the situation.
The move is not for finacial security, it is for the sanity and dignity of the people involved. When Dumb and Dumber realise what is happening maybe things will change.

[cos]

You could say that Vaxhall and MG are only 'supplying finance' to 888 and WSR, does that make them non-works entries as well?

[Vatanen]

Originally posted by TheLeader
4 manufacturers?? Honda is a GB entry and therfore not a full works entry. Proton is only supplying finance and is capped. That leaves only 2 as mentioned previously. I hope this clarifies the situation.
The move is not for finacial security, it is for the sanity and dignity of the people involved. When Dumb and Dumber realise what is happening maybe things will change.

So going by your reckoning then. The Williams Renaults were never works BTCC cars because it was only a GB entry funded in part by the British Renault dealers. The Peugeot from last year wasn't a works entry, because it was only a Peugeot GB project. :confused:

[touringlegend]

The way I look at it is that they wouldn't be eligible for manufacturer points if they weren't works teams, although the only really true "works" teams are those that operate out of the factory that builds the road cars, so you could say Synchro Motorsport are a works team.

[Jimeth]

Just announced!
TMSR are to challenge for the world land speed record on the Pits Straight at Snetterton with a Montego Estate! Watch this space!

[Maisie]

Hey, if it's the same Montego Estate that came second in the Cape to Cape challenge, and that Jim Edwards was flinging round Bruntingthorpe recently, they might just have a chance!

http://www.montegoweb.co.uk/cape1.htm

[Super Tourer]

Originally posted by TheLeader
There are very good reasons why the cars did not grace the BTCC this year. Behind the scenes there are alot of polotics, and this year is no exeption. I srtongly believe thet they have made the correct choice in their future. All this acusation is shallow and perhaps people should find out a bit more about the whole siuation before passing judgment. This year has been one of the toughest years for teams and drivers.

Hmmmmm...the BTCC is actually stronger than anytime since 1999. Proton and Honda are quite clearly works entry's funded by the manufacturer. It doesn't matter whether the funding comes from Honda GB or Honda Japan.....for example.

Surely the reason TMSR fell flat on their face, was that they built a Lexus off their own back, without sufficient funding or technical depth, then went cap in hand to Lexus for a works deal and it backfired...simple as that.

As discussed many times on this board - a sure fire way NOT to get a works deal is to build a car first and then tap on the car makers door for support. TMSR, GA Racing and JSM hace all found this route simply does not work.

I would imagine the 'very good reason's' the car's didn't grace the BTCC this year, was that they don't have the funds to do it. But that didn't stop TMSR saying only a few months ago that they would be out at Oulton Park. Now we hear out of the blue that they will appear in the ETCC, with no mention at all of their supposed BTCC campaign.

This 'my friend', is why statements from TMSR are greeted with a certain amount of cynisism. Many of us on the board have followed motorsport for a long time, and seen many team's come and go with eyes bigger than their pockets, and others that weight themselves down with completely unrealistic plans. JSM's proposed 6 car BTCC team being one example.

After all, the second TMSR Lexus never did appear despite their bold claims, and they haven't appeared this year despite more bold claims of a 2 car team and imminent 'major sponsorship deal'

I have worked for a team in the BTCC at a fairly high level, so I have a good idea of what it takes to put together a 2 car BTCC entry, which is why I wince when I hear another 'pipe-dream' being wheeled out.

All IMHO as usual.

[Alfa Fan]

When did GA Racing built a BTCT car? Never.

[OVERSTEER]

By my reckoning TMSR and GR are talking a load of Bullsh*t about the plans that they're making.

[Super Tourer]

I don't think I said that GA had ever built a BTCT car, but GA tried to get Alfa support on the back of running those production 156's.

GA courted Alfa when they were still in National Saloons and when they entered class B BTCC.

[Alfa Fan]

And wasn't there annoucemnet of huge sponsorship when they were with VLR. If so it was true- Halfords.

[touringlegend]

Yeh but some cases you have to take with a pinch of salt, a lot of teams will try to talk up their campaign to get more potential sponsors on board.

There was definitely a 2nd Lexus almost ready to run, for I have seen it.

[Vatanen]

Shame the 1st Lexus was in VLR's workshop under a tarpaulin then.......