BTCC 2015

Doesn't seem to be much incentive to do that, given the championship's total prize fund is about £150k. It isn't like the Super Touring days where you could earn a 7-figure salary either, so aspiring professionals should be looking elsewhere.
 
It's not a profit making enterprise. In the Super Touring heydey money poured out of the manufacturers motorsport and marketing budgets, not from the championship itself. Then at some point manufacturers leave and the series declines from it's peak. It always happens be it the 80s ETCC & WTCC, Super Touring, S2000 even the Aussie V8s.

TOCA have been pretty smart with the new regs to allow the privateer teams to compete with (potential) manufacturer entrants on a relatively level playing field. OK, so the cars worked out more expensive than anticipated but the grids are full and the racing is excellent.
 
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Indy500 said:
Doesn't seem to be much incentive to do that, given the championship's total prize fund is about £150k. It isn't like the Super Touring days where you could earn a 7-figure salary either, so aspiring professionals should be looking elsewhere.
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Where else should they be looking? No other comparable series offers the exposure the BTCC package does. The volume of people at Brands at the weekend shows the series is incredibly popular.

There isn't a heavily manufacturer backed Touring Car series in the northern hemisphere any more (discounting DTM as that's a different league all together). Its a different world out there now a days, and BTCC seems to be doing it well.
 
Skeeter said:
Where else should they be looking? No other comparable series offers the exposure the BTCC package does.
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I don't think it's an unreasonable expectation to be paid if you're a talented driver in a professional series (which is probably why Daniel Cammish and Paul Rivett don't have seats, they aren't walking chequebooks). I believe it's one of the key factors that separates professional series from club series.

Skeeter said:
The volume of people at Brands at the weekend shows the series is incredibly popular.
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There's a large support series card (with the inevitable action/carnage), but as we've been discussing 3 major sponsors left the BTCC. Where is the financial backing if there are lots of viewers to reach? I watched the Nascar Cup race and I immediately recognised that the winning car was backed by FedEx. The 2nd and 3rd place cars carried Miller Lite and Shell. That's sponsorship.

Skeeter said:
There isn't a heavily manufacturer backed Touring Car series in the northern hemisphere any more (discounting DTM as that's a different league all together).
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DTM has its problems (too much aero leading to crap racing, for example) but you can actually make a career there. Probably why so many F1 hopefuls end up taking that option. Don't people want to watch talent as opposed to the driver had the most money to fund a team?

Skeeter said:
Its a different world out there now a days, and BTCC seems to be doing it well.
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Even with the whopping 57kg of mandated ballast, wasn't Plato dominating the second race before a puncture sent him spinning off? As far as competitiveness is concerned, I don't mind BoP in GT racing to an extent, but the BTCC risks making the results random if they overdo it.
 
The bottom line is most teams cant afford to pay drivers alongside running a team.

Why pay for a driver when there are others waiting with big thick wedges of cash....drivers like these keep teams running.
 
Indy500 said:
Gonzo0, have you talked to these guys yet? www.wh-sportsgroup.com

They seem to have a strong track record, based on their recent clients.
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No but I wish I knew about them sooner!

It's hard work sourcing your won sponsorship and dealing with prospective partners, it can be stressful and time consuming.

I will send them over my proposal and hopefully we can then engage in further discussions.

Many Thanks!
 
Indy500 said:
Even with the whopping 57kg of mandated ballast, wasn't Plato dominating the second race before a puncture sent him spinning off? As far as competitiveness is concerned, I don't mind BoP in GT racing to an extent, but the BTCC risks making the results random if they overdo it.
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Yup, he pulled out quite a lead (approx 4 seconds) even after the Safety Car period. If memory serves me correctly he also got the fastest lap...

Shame he had the puncture. He didn't gain many places from the back of the field in the 3rd race.
 
Indy500 said:
There's a large support series card (with the inevitable action/carnage), but as we've been discussing 3 major sponsors left the BTCC. Where is the financial backing if there are lots of viewers to reach? I watched the Nascar Cup race and I immediately recognised that the winning car was backed by FedEx. The 2nd and 3rd place cars carried Miller Lite and Shell. That's sponsorship.
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After a while the sponsors need to cycle. Airwaves for example would have been getting fewer returns in potential new customers after being a major sponsor for six years. It's just numbers on a spreadsheet to a chewing gum company.


Indy500 said:
DTM has its problems (too much aero leading to crap racing, for example) but you can actually make a career there. Probably why so many F1 hopefuls end up taking that option. Don't people want to watch talent as opposed to the driver had the most money to fund a team?
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DTM is financed by the german car makers for the domestic market. As soon as one of the manufacturers leaves the series will fold, just like it the old DTM/ITC did in 1996.

If Honda leaves the BTCC will carry on nearly as strong as before. MG - well I've only ever seen one road car and it's running the TOCA engine so they don't really count as a manufacturer in my book.

Indy500 said:
Even with the whopping 57kg of mandated ballast, wasn't Plato dominating the second race before a puncture sent him spinning off?
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The guys behind him were fighting hard and slowing each other up. Plato managed to make an escape by not losing time. It wasn't car domination.
 
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Might head over this weekend, about time I broke my leg again, been 4 years.....and about 8 before that....both at Donington. Place doesn't like me.
 
Last time I saw BTCC I think was at Silverstone, managed to watch from the BRDC centre as a guess which was fun. Before that was Oulton but that was as a mate was in Porsche Cup and that was ace as I watched that race from the pit wall :D
 
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