Le Mans 24 is on 12/13 June and I understand there will be some coverage on ITV1 too.
I leave next Sunday for a week, hopefully in the sun, topped off by 24 hours of racing. However when I booked my crossing, I didn't think of it beng the 60th anniversary of D Day, so my journey through Normandy could be somewhat slow - all in a great casue though.
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It's just a shame that ITV have snaffled BTCC too, and tend to show it as an historical event, broken up by the inevitable commercials.
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It's just a shame that ITV have snaffled BTCC too,
Look on the bright side, they snaffled VBH as well.
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I prefer the DTM series on Motors TV, BTCC is OK but it's lacking something.
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I enjoy watching the ITV highlights programme, but I find the whole event on Motors TV a tad boring.
Anthony Reid seemed rather sedate at the ITV featured meeting today I thought, although that could be due to the fact that he's on his last life when it comes to his racing licence.
He's a bit of a modern day Mike Smith when it comes to punting others off to gain himself a place and generally driving straight through other competitors.
I had to agree with James Thompson's comment a couple of weeks ago when he said that Reid 'is a clown and should be juggling balls in a circus' the guy is a liability!
Another good reason for watching is the lovely Vicky Butler-Henderson, shame her brother who competes in the BTCC doesn't seem to be as good on the track as his sis is on the telly.
PP
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Yes after a few years in the doldrums (after the Clelands, Sytners, Harveys of this world) BTCC looks to be getting back to the wheel banging, doorhandle rubbing, pit lane handbags good old days. Great stuff.
100% do not agree RF.
Putting genuine racing incidents aside.
This should be NON CONTACT motorsport. There is very occasionally a flash of proper behaviour with close NO CONTACT side by side action. Nevertheless in every single race there are far too many deliberate "leanings on," "puntings off" and "using the car in front as an extra brake" which show BTCC up for what it is, motor racing for the Playstation generation. PAH!
If contact motorsport is what floats your boat then Banger, Stock cars and Grass Track are all available at a venue near you.
Maybe I have misunderstood the reason for naming of three previous touring drivers. Not quite sure whether they are being cited as responsible for said doldrums or shining examples of model racing drivers. At least two of these, Sytner and Harvey are absolute animals in a car, and I blame Frank Sytner personally for the decline in standards which started many years ago.
I don't expect you to agree, but that is what a forum is about, differing opinions being expressed.
FiF
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Yes FIF, you correctly noted that those mentioned were animals as intended. To be fair Cleland should not be included in that list. Can I replace him with someone else?
Yes ok I was being a tad extreme, to me BTCC was at its best when the major manufacturers, Audi, Volvo, Renault, Ford, Alfa, et all were involved. Drivers like Rydel, Menu, Beila, Cleland, Tarquini, etc.
Yes motor racing should be clean, and contact free, but people see racing (live or highlights) for incidents. To be frank, people want to see crashes. People like Harvey, Sytner, Reid deliver(ed) that in spades.
Some of the best and skillfull driving I have seen is someone recovering what should be a scenery journey after being "diverted"
Question for you FIF, do you turn it off because its "dirty" I suspect not.
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Question for you FIF, do you turn it off because its "dirty" I suspect not.
Good question. Don't make a point of watching it, and have not done so for some time. If I come across BTCC while channel flicking then might give it a while, only to be disappointed yet again. Can't remember when last watched a whole set of races.
Re question "do you turn it off" not sure if my answer qualifies as an uncompromising yes, but more yes than no I suggest.
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I started this thread because I enjoyed what I saw. I liked some of the coverage of the Monaco Grand Prix because the director had the good sense to shoot the cars from angles that gave an exciting sense of speed. I don\'t want to watch a procession of rich guys driving very fast but very boringly. I want to be entertained. It\'s the total lack of entertainment that makes the people in charge of choosing what gets broadcast to turn off cars and motor racing. So thanks to Top Gear, to Monster Garage and to this years BTCC for putting a bit of entertainment into motors on TV.
HJ
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I think what made BTCC so exciting a few years back (I'm thinking of the year Volvo first entered their estate, up to the year they, and several other marques, pulled out) was how competitive it was. For every race there were 6 or more cars with a good chance of winning, and the action was just so close. Close in F1 is less than a second back, close in BTCC is nose-to-tail, or even side-by-side, and yes this did sometimes lead to certain drivers taking it too far (and for what it's worth, personally I WOULD include Cleland in that, and the current embodiment of the over physical bully - Yvan Muller) but wow it was exciting too.
Unfortunately with all those pull-outs it died a death. They're just starting to bring it around again. Last season was the best for five years, and this season is better. The only problem now is that Vauxhall got on board way earlier than any other manufacturer so have a huge advantage, but it's getting more even, closer and better as other makes get more time.
All we need now is a proper Alfa team, and those fantastic Volvo estates back :D
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The most exciting racing I've seen in years was a mini race a couple of years back at Silverstone.
Because their aeordynamics are so poor the cars behind get a tow and can overtake at the end of each straight.
It makes for fabulous watching. The more effort that is put into a cars aerodynamics, the worse the spectating is, and whilst F1 continues to spend millions on areodynamics, the racign will remain boring.
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I read often, only post occasionally
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