10 Predictions for 2013

[Alfa Fan]

1. 50% or less of Tony Gilham's proposed entries will turn up.
2. Andy Neate will not score a single point all season
3. The AmD Astra will be the best "non WSR, non Motorbase" privately built NGTC car
4. Gordon Shedden will be champions again
5. At least 5 entries won't see out the season
6. A Vauxhall Insignia won't be in the top 10.
7. Motorbase will win the Jack Sears Trophy
8. ITV4 won't renew the TV deal for 2014.
9. A new manufacturer will announce a faux-works entry to the series before the conclusion of the season.
10. No team that has extra drives to be filled as of the first race will actually fill them.

[BDunnell]

1. 50% or less of Tony Gilham's proposed entries will turn up.

Were it just the two Passats and two Insignias we were talking about, I'd have been positive about at least three appearing. Now he's supposedly running four Passats, two Insignias and perhaps the Civic, I'm inclined to agree. I have no wish to be over-critical, but six cars, four of them new-built, for what is still a new BTCC team? The word 'overstretch' springs to mind.



2. Andy Neate will not score a single point all season

If the Cruze is reliable, I think he will.



3. The AmD Astra will be the best "non WSR, non Motorbase" privately built NGTC car

Which would you define as the others, the Gilham Passats aside?



4. Gordon Shedden will be champions again

I agree.



5. At least 5 entries won't see out the season

Possibly.



6. A Vauxhall Insignia won't be in the top 10.

Of a race or the championship?



7. Motorbase will win the Jack Sears Trophy

Are they definitely going to enter an S2000 car?



8. ITV4 won't renew the TV deal for 2014.

Don't know about that.



9. A new manufacturer will announce a faux-works entry to the series before the conclusion of the season.

Any suggestions?



10. No team that has extra drives to be filled as of the first race will actually fill them.

Generally the way.

A few predictions from me:

Nick Foster will win a race. So will Rob Austin. Biggest grid of the year: 24 cars. Chris Stockton's NGTC Cruze to outperform Andy Neate's. Just one Passat to be ready for the first round, barely run beforehand. Mat Jackson to be a title contender.

[Alfa Fan]

Which would you define as the others, the Gilham Passats aside?

BTC Cruze, HARD Passat, Thorney Insignia




Of a race or the championship?

Any race

Are they definitely going to enter an S2000 car?

Not definite, no, but they want to run a pair of them.

Don't know about that.



Any suggestions?

Proton!

Generally the way.

A few predictions from me:

Nick Foster will win a race. So will Rob Austin. Biggest grid of the year: 24 cars. Chris Stockton's NGTC Cruze to outperform Andy Neate's. Just one Passat to be ready for the first round, barely run beforehand. Mat Jackson to be a title contender.

.

[Mp3 Astra]

8. ITV4 won't renew the TV deal for 2014.


BTCC :: Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (http://www.btcc.net/html/tv_media.php?marketingsection_id=2)

"Having broadcast the BTCC since 2002, Britain’s premier commercial television network, ITV, is committed to covering the championship until 2014 at least."

What makes you think that ITV will pull the plug relatively soon though?

[Mp3 Astra]

1. 50% or less of Tony Gilham's proposed entries will turn up.

I disagree - I think a number of the cars will arrive after the season begins, but I think they will be there at some point during the season.

2. Andy Neate will not score a single point all season
Assuming this one is more of a jokey one - it shouldn't be hard for Andy to make it into the top 15 in a few races.

3. The AmD Astra will be the best "non WSR, non Motorbase" privately built NGTC car
Perhaps

4. Gordon Shedden will be champions again
I disagree - I think if 888 have made sufficient progress, this season will be Plato's.

5. At least 5 entries won't see out the season
Perhaps

6. A Vauxhall Insignia won't be in the top 10.
Gilham says the Insignias have potential - the previous owners just didn't have enough resources to improve them.

7. Motorbase will win the Jack Sears Trophy
No S2000 car announced yet - but if they do, yes.

8. ITV4 won't renew the TV deal for 2014.
See above

9. A new manufacturer will announce a faux-works entry to the series before the conclusion of the season.
I'd like to see that happen.

10. No team that has extra drives to be filled as of the first race will actually fill them.
Unlikely. I think at least one will.

[BDunnell]

Surely, at some point, an Insignia will get into the top 15?

[Mp3 Astra]

Surely, at some point, an Insignia will get into the top 15?

I will film myself eating a hat if that does not happen.

[Alfa Fan]

Surely, at some point, an Insignia will get into the top 15?

Of course they will. Who said they wouldn't?

[BDunnell]

Of course they will. Who said they wouldn't?

Sorry, I didn't read your post again, and recalled wrongly that it said 'in the points'. I think an Insignia will get a top 10 finish as well, though.

[Eurotech]

Sorry, I didn't read your post again, and recalled wrongly that it said 'in the points'. I think an Insignia will get a top 10 finish as well, though.
Maybe only in the high attrition wet races though...

[Eurotech]

I'd also like to predict that there'll be a new balance of performance argument this season, we've had Diesel vs Petrol, LPG vs Petrol, Turbo vs non Turbo and Turbo boost b*tching

[VX Foxy]

My prediction is that none of Alfa fan's predictions will come true :D

[BDunnell]

A prediction I'd add: no Toyota Avensis will win a BTCC race in 2013.

[VX Foxy]

Another one to add: Neate will achieve at least one podium :o

[Eurotech]

How about this: An Audi will win more than one race this year

[Robinho]

A gillham/hard entered car will win a race

Sent from the moon using a shoe

[The Sanchize]

Here's another one - Jason Plato will get beaten by somebody he doesn't think should have beaten him, so he'll whine and moan until he gets his own way. He'll ram into the back of someone and claim that they broke far too early, he'll have a fairly serious accident at some point during the season and claim that it's because 'tagged' by someone. All the while he'll be helping to punt cheap, unsafe, substandard machinery into the UK. Looking forward to watching you again Jason, always good value. In all seriousness, if he keeps his mouth shut and lets his driving do the talking, I think Mr Plato will be the one setting the pace this year. Its a shame that there aren't any other manufacturers out there willing to give the BTCC a go and give good drivers like Jason Plato and Tom O-C etc a chance to help them promote in the UK. Where are you Volvo/Nissan/Alfa/Ford etc etc???

[BDunnell]

So, three meetings in; how are our predictions looking, I wondered?


1. 50% or less of Tony Gilham's proposed entries will turn up.

Proved wrong at the first meeting. I'm most impressed by how competitive the Team HARD cars are, especially the Passat.



2. Andy Neate will not score a single point all season

Still waiting to find out. With the sheer size of the field, however, I still reckon he'll struggle.



3. The AmD Astra will be the best "non WSR, non Motorbase" privately built NGTC car

Unlikely now to appear, it seems.



4. Gordon Shedden will be champions again

Too early to say.



5. At least 5 entries won't see out the season

Ditto.



6. A Vauxhall Insignia won't be in the top 10.

Jack Goff's race two finish at Thruxton has put paid to this prediction.



7. Motorbase will win the Jack Sears Trophy

Don't think anyone can be certain as to the destination of the Jack Sears Trophy at present. It's proved surprisingly competitive; every one of the drivers competing, except perhaps Warren Scott, has shown the ability and pace to win that class.



8. ITV4 won't renew the TV deal for 2014.

Already renewed, of course.



9. A new manufacturer will announce a faux-works entry to the series before the conclusion of the season.

Again, too soon to say.



10. No team that has extra drives to be filled as of the first race will actually fill them.

Another case of 'wait and see'.

[BDunnell]

Nick Foster will win a race. So will Rob Austin.

Both now look very unlikely to meet my expectation. The BMW doesn't seem good enough to get Foster near the sharp end, and the Audi has been nowhere since the Brands shunt. I'd now say Adam Morgan and Jeff Smith are far more likely first-time winners; both have been driving extremely well.



Biggest grid of the year: 24 cars.

Wrong as of the first race.



Chris Stockton's NGTC Cruze to outperform Andy Neate's.

Work is at least continuing on completion of the BTC Racing Cruze for Stockton, so let's see whether it appears.



Just one Passat to be ready for the first round, barely run beforehand.

This, at least, was right.



Mat Jackson to be a title contender.

Way off the mark! Motorbase have been very disappointing so far, obviously.

[Alfa Fan]

Proved wrong at the first meeting. I'm most impressed by how competitive the Team HARD cars are, especially the Passat.


Not yet. HARD said they were doing SIX cars, so need to field at least 4 simultaneously for me to be wrong on that one.

[BDunnell]

HARD said they were doing SIX cars

There are only four on the entry list, though.

[Alfa Fan]

There are only four on the entry list, though.

And?

[Robinho]

My tip of a team hard race win looks possible, The O-C is getting closer to the front and could well pick up a race win in the right circumstances.

Sent from North Korea using the dark network

[Alfa Fan]

Well there's one HARD drop-out!

[AndySpeed]

Well there's one HARD drop-out!

Congratulations.

Maybe you should watch WTCC instead, then you wouldn't have to be so cynical.

[Alfa Fan]

Congratulations.
Maybe you should watch WTCC instead, then you wouldn't have to be so cynical.


I have been to one race this year and remember finding that my Sunday newspaper was a lot more enjoyable than some of the racing.

.

[BDunnell]

Well there's one HARD drop-out!

And now another.

BTCC :: Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (http://btcc.net/html/generalnews_detail.php?id=3535)

The money has run out somewhere, I'd imagine. A sorry state of affairs.

[Alfa Fan]

And now another.

BTCC :: Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (http://btcc.net/html/generalnews_detail.php?id=3535)

The money has run out somewhere, I'd imagine. A sorry state of affairs.

Of the drivers listed on the original entry list, not one has done a full season.

[Alfa Fan]

1. 50% or less of Tony Gilham's proposed entries will turn up.

Possibly yes.

2. Andy Neate will not score a single point all season

Hasn't yet - 3 round to go, if he shows up.

3. The AmD Astra will be the best "non WSR, non Motorbase" privately built NGTC car

This is evidently wrong.

4. Gordon Shedden will be champions again

Looking very doubtful

5. At least 5 entries won't see out the season

Depending on your definitions, this is very close (Cole HARD, Onslow-Cole HARD, Caine Motorbase, Girling Techspeed)

6. A Vauxhall Insignia won't be in the top 10.

Wrong, but it was very much an outlier.

7. Motorbase will win the Jack Sears Trophy

Didn't forsee Wood still being in JST - but wrong nonetheless

8. ITV4 won't renew the TV deal for 2014.

Apparently already secure.

9. A new manufacturer will announce a faux-works entry to the series before the conclusion of the season.

We'll see what this Renault @ Rockingham thing entails

10. No team that has extra drives to be filled as of the first race will actually fill them.

With the second IP Cruze nowhere to be seen, and Michael Caine listed in Motorbase's 3rd Focus from the start - this is correct. Of course the pedant can argue Mike Bushell filled IP's TBA, but that was for a 2nd car.


As we stand

[BDunnell]

Was delighted yesterday that another prediction came true, with Rob Austin getting his first win. Hugely well-deserved, I thought, after some real struggles this season. Not all down to boost, either.