Thursday 17th April 2003

Caterhams banned from 'Ring

24 hour classic now won't accept Caterhams

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Caterham has been banned from contesting the Nurburgring 24 Hours race. Last year a Caterham won its class at the Nurburgring by a 10-lap margin and finished 11th overall, well ahead of many supercars.

There will be no repeat performance in 2003 though as race organisers are not accepting any Caterham entries.

"We were banned from production sports car racing in the UK in the mid-1980s because no-one could keep up," said Caterham managing director Simon Nearn, "and now history is repeating itself."

Link: www.caterham.co.uk

[NikB]

That is an excellent picture. Bet that came down with a thud!!!

[tuscanboy]

A marketing Manager's Dream

[Breadline Racing]

Banning racing cars because they are too fast! Surely the point of racing is to go round as fast as possible! So the others can't keep up? BUILD QUICKER CARS!!!!!



>> Edited by Breadline Racing on Thursday 17th April 12:23

[Podie]

Breadline Racing said: Banning racing cars because they are too fast! :Rage: Surely the point of racing is to go round as fast as possible! So the others can't keep up? BUILD QUICKER CARS!!!!!

>> Edited by Breadline Racing on Thursday 17th April 12:22

Didn't this happen to the SEAC...?

[Breadline Racing]

SEAC? sorry for being slow, can you explain please.

[Podie]

Breadline Racing said: SEAC? sorry for being slow, can you explain please.

Bonkers TVR Wedge - www.pistonheads.com/tvr/wedges/seac.htm

[AJLintern]

Is there some conspiracy theory behind this? Like maybe the large sports car manufacturers don't want to be shown up by a comparatively cheap car, and they probably pay the owners of the 'ring a lot of money to do testing there (allegedly)

[Breadline Racing]

AHA! Thanks for that. Am I correct in assuming that these cars were ruled out of competition due to there overwhelming sucsess along with cars such as the 6R4?

[Podie]

Breadline Racing said: AHA! Thanks for that. Am I correct in assuming that these cars were ruled out of competition due to there overwhelming sucsess along with cars such as the 6R4?

SEAC's destroyed everything on the track IIRC.

6R4's and Group B were canned on safety grounds...

[Breadline Racing]

I see, what was suposedly unsafe with the Group B cars? There are plenty still running in clubman motorsport today.

[peetbee]

IIRC there were a few accidents notably Ari Vatinen (205T16)(injured) and Henri Toivenen (Lancia)(killed) before an RS200 driven by a local driver hit the crowd on the Portugeuse rally killing and injuring several spectators. The FIA decided it was the car's fault and banned them from WRC at the end of the 86 season.

The incident in Portugal was actually caused by the spectators standing on the road just after a blind crest, so not the drivers or cars fault.

Apologies for all the spalling mistookes!

[Podie]

peetbee said: IIRC there were a few accidents notably Ari Vatinen (205T16)(injured) and Henri Toivenen (Lancia)(killed) before an RS200 driven by a local driver hit the crowd on the Portugeuse rally killing and injuring several spectators. The FIA decided it was the car's fault and banned them from WRC at the end of the 86 season.

The incident in Portugal was actually caused by the spectators standing on the road just after a blind crest, so not the drivers or cars fault.

Apologies for all the spalling mistookes!

Pretty much it really. Cars were VERY quick, and horsepower getting out of control. Due to the plastic bodies, they burned VERY quickly. Poor old Henri Toivonen left the road, and there was NOTHING left - just scorch marks. - sad loss, he was a very talented young man.

Group S was supposed to address some of these issues, but when Group B was canned, so was Group S. Then came group A rallying (production based, rather than limited run specials like Group B) and then the WRC came in recently (about 4 years ago.

Ironically, the current crop of WRC cars are as fast as the old Group B jobbies... but more controllable and the better technology and safety systems make it a safer sport.

[hansgerd]

Back to the topic... I can't believe that the speed of the Caterhams is the reason for their exclusion. Where is this information coming from ? Is it from Caterham or the ADAC (German RAC, the ADAC is managing the 24 hour race) ? Did they give any other reason ? I wrote them (ADAC) a mail, let's see what they have to say. It would be a real shame, really. Very nice photo, though.

Edited because I forgot a "T".

>> Edited by hansgerd on Thursday 17th April 13:47

[KATEM]

If a caterham can come 11th overall im entering in an tuned elise!

supercars...

[RichardR]

Have they come up with some sort of exclusion that 'just happens' to include Caterhams, or have they just come right out with it and specifically banned them?

Seems outrageous to me that they can discriminate against a car for being too fast (and, presumably, reliable).

[Roadrunner]

It's definately a conspiricy! The caterhams as a track tool make the expensive GT2's and F50's look plain daft. What's the point in a race where the fast cars are banned?! Absolutely none. They obviously want the podium reserved for the city boy marques, rather than real race cars. Absolute tossers!

[Roadrunner]

does this thread work...

[CraigAlsop]

Podie said:
Ironically, the current crop of WRC cars are as fast as the old Group B jobbies... but more controllable and the better technology and safety systems make it a safer sport.

This is almost entirely down to the advances made in tire technology IIRC - the cars are a lot slower in a straight line, but go round corners rather well.
Personally I'd rather see an RS200 or Audi Quattro on full chat...So what if it's dangerous - that's what they get paid for
(I have the same views on F1 BTW )

[LRdriver]

ze problem is zat it iz not german.
Ve hate ze fact zat it iz TOOO schnell...
Had zis invention been german, ve vould haf permitted it, ja?
dumkopf

[LRdriver]

testing..