BTCC / WTCC: Analysis Donington and Valencia

The battle for the British Touring Car Championship is after the race at Donington as exciting as ever. As many as four riders can still get the title.

According to the non-conversion of the BTCC Donington started the first race on the track. The planned renovation is well known, fell into the water, because the old owners of the money has run out. However, it had already begun to make changes that Donington have changed a bit. For one, the famous Dunlop bridge is missing on the back straight, which looks a bit strange. The chicane before the start / finish was created, but obviously one has the right on paper. It is now quicker and easier to drive. Also good: On the right side of the "Old Hairpin" is missing the bank, which has passed into the discharge zone and are angry at the few smashed. This is now more room. Overall, the reconstruction of the track does not hurt, you could see the good race in the BTCC.

First Race
Conveniently, long after it has qualified as leader of the championship on the first five places. Chilton had won the pole, followed by the second Ford Focus with Onslow-Cole. Then followed in Shedden Honda and Plato with the Cruze. In 5th place was Matt Neal. Cole won the start then, because Chilton had all hands full trying to leave behind Gordon Shedden, who even tried to pass the Ford on the grass. Plato was tough and took off quickly in a fight package again, that it quickly aufschnupfte. Neal was the last to pass him on the back straight and pushed him back to seventh place. Cole flew off the front, but probably had to wait for the announcement, Chilton, who was still busy with Shedden. The result was that Shedden could catch up and, at Chilton on the back straight in violent infight. Right in the middle and then Andrew Jordan and Rob Collard, of Matt Neal and Jason Plato had in tow. Neal played a battering ram, pushing both Collard and Jordan to the side so that Plato had no traffic. After a brief safety car period (O'Neill was stupid at the edge), we went right to the point. Shedden got the restart is the only way out is the first middle-of, behind him are all jammed. Cole, Chilton, Jordan, Neal and Plato tried to somehow come together through the last chicane, which of course could not walk well. Plato touched Neal, Neal has been pushed around and shot it from Plato, while Cole's undulating front of the barriers. But Plato had bad luck and was the only candidate out of the title. The sequence after the restart looked like this: Shedden, Chilton, Jackson, McDowell, Neal, Cole, Boardman. But now it was quiet, only BMW-man Kane grabbed yet Boardman and Cole humpelden around the track.

Second Race
Plato had to start the second race of ganzz back, specifically to position 17 His only advantage was that the entire weight was placed out of his car and he could really get going. Matt Neal, who was actually the fifth in a good position, destroyed his chances at the start, because he lies a brilliant early start and incurred a drive-through penalty. The BMW with Jackson grabs 2nd place, while Shedden pulls forward. Jason Plato showed what goes with the Cruze, if he has no weight in the car. After only three rounds of the old masters had already worked his way to eighth place and so was his appetite for more far from finished. Coppice output could go much earlier on the gas and a much tighter line and then he grabbed one by one. Onslow-Cole was also on his parlous state of the first race on a mission and clawed MacDowell in a remarkable maneuver at the chicane, as he somehow squeezed through the inside. So then the close season ahead of Shedden was gone and he had to ward off violent attacks of the Focus. In the tenth round of the matter was then eaten and Cole took the lead. Plato had in the meantime had also caught Chilton and at the same stage Jackson also believed to number three turn. The speed of the Cruze was above ground. Matt Neal had his sentence to at least re-paved the ninth place, but could only make one more good place. Cole went forward calmly to the end of his race while in second place had suddenly Shedden Plato in the rearview mirror. The sequence in the target: Cole, Shedden, Plato Chilton. Jackson, Kane, Collard, Neal, Jordan Nash

Third Race
The draw was Andrew Jordan moved to the poles, behind Rob Collard and Matt Neal placed 3rd place. For the Honda drivers meant the good starting position, the last chance to bend the weekend still somewhat messed up. A win was needed, but Andrew Jordan, who already has next year's turbo engine under the hood, saw the inherently different. The start was like the first round very quietly, Neal could only go on past Collard. Apparently the driver had let off steam in the first two rounds, at least it was pretty tame to each other. Plato was only during his Aufholkampfes Arnold Böcklin in the Bredoullie. In Round 3, he has been involved with Chilton at BMW of Steven Kane to go over. The three went down to the Geschlängel Old Hairpin, which may not go well. Chilton was the first victim, he was pushed by Plato, which also ran the distance in the meadow, but lined up again. In the hairpin, Kane and Plato were not really agree on what brought the Chevy-man forward and opened the possibility of Chilton to go also to the BMW over.
On lap 5 it was then with the leadership of Jordan over, the input querstand Redgate and only Neal could still look after. Neal was also given to the leadership, but also Plato could not complain, as allowed Matt Jackson to 4th place on a little trip into the undergrowth. The race was for BTCC ratios, really quiet. The only Scandals delivered MacDowell, who was from Onslow-Cole just before the hairpin at top speed into a spin and sent it into the gravel.

Neal led from Rob Collard and Andrew Jordan, who slowly but came under pressure from Plato, who was once again in a hurry. From board of Plato could see that Jordan was traveling with his Vectra on the last groove. The car ran like a goat on drugs in the turns and it was only a matter of time, the gap was presented to Plato. Wiedermal it was the first law, we drove back to next to each other at the hairpin. Jordan fought doggedly remained even alongside the Cruze when it went into the hairpin, but let him down on the grass. The Jordan threw back a long way, in the end he was only seventh. In the race, but nothing dramatic happened after that, the end result looked like this: Neal, Collard, Plato, Kanse, Chilton, Shedden, Jordan, Jackson, Cole, Nash

For the championship, the race would go better not better. For the first time in the history of the BTCC four riders going into the last race weekend, which can still be champion. The stand in the league right now is the following:

1 Jason Plato 224
2 Matt Neal 207
3 Gordon Shedden 203
4 Tom Onslow-Cole 200

In the race, you can get a maximum of 17 points (win & fastest lap) in the three races are so 51 points. So there is still everything for it. Plato can not lean back, especially since the last race at Brands Hatch will also run on the Indy circuit. The close price is more likely to both Hondas, as the Cruze, but went to Knockhill yes even better than expected. This is probably a sensational season in early October.

WTCC
Why though the WTCC to the demanding driving skills, but leaves the viewer rather boring course in Valencia, I realize after two races still do not. The track does not really good races, mostly in the field pulls apart quickly. Although one can make with a little imagination, some overtaking Ellen, but really did not rock the track. In addition to that the 120,000 (!)-Seat track is mostly deserted when the WTCC comes. Maybe you should let me think, instead of Valencia to take an alternative. Even Barcelona in the short variant, however, appears interesting.

And so was the race where all the tension in the championship, not very good. My notes fit on a yellow Post-It, so little was going on. For most of the change provided the BMW, which had for a lousy quality is an urgent need to quickly come forward.

First Race
Pole-sitter Tarquini came off very well and sat down at the top. Lined up behind him one of the three Cruze, which Yvan Muller to the front and rear abschirmten. Priaulx was after the first lap in seventh place, Farfus was only ninth. The Briton was in the BMW but in the midst of the whole seat, which was not a good position. Above all, Freddy Barth, nibbling at his tail, and made his life difficult. Kindly Farfus came and tried on the Swiss to come by, but the end in tears, or for Farfus in the pits, because he had a front and rear tire failure. It did little, Priaulx slid still in 5th place, but this is because Chevrolet took again to ugly means. Man who was called Alan Menu back, who had let herself fall back in 8th place, so he was running for 2 at the poles. I like to repeat it for the MnAl WTCC: Just like the BTCC determine the order of the last race by lot. Somewhere between 4 and 10 is a square number is drawn, the car that has come to the position of the target is, then stop at the poles. Then listen to the stupid games on it.

Second Race
There was a nice experience after all conflict between Priaulx, Muller and Tarquini. But first was after the start Freddy Barth took the lead after menu was not really happening. Behind Barth Monteiro had arranged, followed by Menu and Priaulx. The British sent the Cruze drivers still in the early rounds and went into a spin over. But the chaos exploited mainly Yvan Muller, who immediately grabbed several competitors on the outdoor track and suddenly lie in third place. Priaulx had gone for the day but not yet, because of crowding behind Tarquini and Marc Gene, who also grabbed both the BMW drivers. Muller won yet another place because of the unfortunate Barth had a bad tire. After the race was fairly through. Monteiro was carried forward, Muller nobly restrained himself and kept his second place, Tarquini had to defend themselves against late again against Priaulx, who had caught and passed genes with a desperate maneuver to brake Tarquini wanted. But the Briton was a little late on the brakes, the seat and had to let happen again.

Two rather weak race, not really worth seeing, if you take the duel between Tarquini and Priaulx apart. In the championship, it is also quite narrow, this may still three drivers in the remaining two race champion.

Yvan Muller 265
Andy Priaulx 240
Tarquini 236

If you catch a really good weekend, you can get like 40 points or more times, which has achieved this season, no one more than 40 points. The World Cup will probably therefore decided in Macau.

Related posts:

1. BTCC, DTM, WTCC: Analysis Knockhill, Brands Hatch, Oschersleben and
2. DTM / WTCC / BTCC & Formula Series Oschersleben Preview / Valencia / Donington
3. BTCC, DTM, WTCC: Preview Knockhill, Brands Hatch, Oschersleben and
4. DTM & BTCC: Snetterton Analysis & Nurburgring
5. WTCC / BTCC: Analysis of Zolder / Croft 2010

The battle for the British Touring Car Championship is after the race at Donington as exciting as ever. As many as four riders can still get the title. After the conversion of non-...