No GP race at Brands
Discussion
I don't know the answer to this one, but there is confusion regarding which tracks etc.
Donnington's second visit this year is billed as National on some sites, and GP on others, so it is difficult to get any firm information.
I am entered to race at this meet, and at the time of entry, the Brands round was definitely billed as GP!
Donnington's second visit this year is billed as National on some sites, and GP on others, so it is difficult to get any firm information.
I am entered to race at this meet, and at the time of entry, the Brands round was definitely billed as GP!
Apparently Mr Palmer also wanted to run the World Superbikes on the Indy circuit, too. He didn't think it would get much of a crowd and was genuinely surprised to hear that the raceday crowd tops 120,000...
It's a cost issue. It costs £20k to open up the GP circuit (insurance?), so he'll run track days on it instead as they make a profit. Racing doesn't. I think the financial state of Brands is far worse than any of us imagine.
It is crap though. 32 GT cars on the Indy circuit is going to be chaos - it was bad enough in 2001 when grids were in the mid 20s. Brands is only worth racing on when it's the full circuit - as the Champ Cars found out last year. Our drivers were rather p'd off on hearing the news.
1.2 miles does not a proper race track make. People say it's good for spectators this way, but when I was a spectator I preferred to see the cars flying down through Westfield and leaping through Dingle Dell as the noises echoed through the trees - it was like stepping back 20 years.
It's a cost issue. It costs £20k to open up the GP circuit (insurance?), so he'll run track days on it instead as they make a profit. Racing doesn't. I think the financial state of Brands is far worse than any of us imagine.
It is crap though. 32 GT cars on the Indy circuit is going to be chaos - it was bad enough in 2001 when grids were in the mid 20s. Brands is only worth racing on when it's the full circuit - as the Champ Cars found out last year. Our drivers were rather p'd off on hearing the news.
1.2 miles does not a proper race track make. People say it's good for spectators this way, but when I was a spectator I preferred to see the cars flying down through Westfield and leaping through Dingle Dell as the noises echoed through the trees - it was like stepping back 20 years.
daydreamer said:
So is this official now then Steve?
Yes, unfortunately. Spectators will get dizzy watching. If they get confused at full-size circuits with all the lapping and pit stops, then I fear for their sanity in October!
The other thing is that with our fixed length pit stops we could lose 2 laps on the driver change, which will cause chaos if there's a (highly likely) safety car period during the window... Yes, it's the same for everyone, but it could settle the race (and Championship?) unfairly.
No point complaining though, is there?
Ahonen said:
It's a cost issue. It costs £20k to open up the GP circuit (insurance?), so he'll run track days on it instead as they make a profit. Racing doesn't. I think the financial state of Brands is far worse than any of us imagine.
Our drivers were rather p'd off on hearing the news.
We (Tuscans) were also p'd off. The Indy circuit doesn't give the cars a chance to stretch their legs.
I don't fully inderstand the cost issues. All the marshalls are unpaid volunteers....
Ahonen said:
1.2 miles does not a proper race track make. People say it's good for spectators this way, but when I was a spectator I preferred to see the cars flying down through Westfield and leaping through Dingle Dell as the noises echoed through the trees - it was like stepping back 20 years.
I second that!
griff2be said:
It's a cost issue. It costs £20k to open up the GP circuit (insurance?), so he'll run track days on it instead as they make a profit. Racing doesn't. I think the financial state of Brands is far worse than any of us imagine.
Our drivers were rather p'd off on hearing the news.
We (Tuscans) were also p'd off. The Indy circuit doesn't give the cars a chance to stretch their legs.
I don't fully inderstand the cost issues. All the marshalls are unpaid volunteers....
Griff, us marshal's love the full GP loop aswell.
The problem comes from getting enough people to man the circuit. You then need security, extra medical services and recovery on the loop. These all cost the circuit to ensure the minimum number are available.
)I think you will find this has more to do with the number of GP dates BH can run.
From memory, they are only alowed to use the GP cct some 21 days a year.
BTCC/GT require 3 days each (test/sat/sun) and 'promoted' serise do not pay for the cct as such, thus JP's view is that why should he 'waste' 6 of his limited GP dates on non-paying events?
now, I am not saying this is right or that I agree with it, but he has a point.
From memory, they are only alowed to use the GP cct some 21 days a year.
BTCC/GT require 3 days each (test/sat/sun) and 'promoted' serise do not pay for the cct as such, thus JP's view is that why should he 'waste' 6 of his limited GP dates on non-paying events?
now, I am not saying this is right or that I agree with it, but he has a point.
It's a combination of factors. Yes, the number of days is limited, but JP wants those used up by track days - which pay - rather than motor races - which apparently do not.
It does seem daft, though, that a club race at Brands will use the full circuit this weekend while Britain's three premier race series - BSB, BGT and BTCC - are forced onto the Indy circuit...
It does seem daft, though, that a club race at Brands will use the full circuit this weekend while Britain's three premier race series - BSB, BGT and BTCC - are forced onto the Indy circuit...
Don't think that it is that simple. The F3/GT meet was always supposed to be on the GP circuit - so I guess that commercial considerations had been sorted (save for a signed contract it would appear).
Something changed last week which appears to have buggered things up a bit.
Really helping motorsport this - our championship has more racers registered than are allowed on the indi grid - so we are turning people away.
Just what we should be doing in the current motorsport climate
Something changed last week which appears to have buggered things up a bit.
Really helping motorsport this - our championship has more racers registered than are allowed on the indi grid - so we are turning people away.
Just what we should be doing in the current motorsport climate
Didn't leave this bit out because it isn't for public forum - I don't know what happened.
All I know is that we all thought that we would be on the GP circuit until last Thursday, and were really looking foward to it.
Now I have to drive to the most inaccessible race of the year (for me) to play bumper cars
. No doubt this will make for close racing, but 30 cars in 1.2 miles can't be good for anyone.
All I know is that we all thought that we would be on the GP circuit until last Thursday, and were really looking foward to it.
Now I have to drive to the most inaccessible race of the year (for me) to play bumper cars
. No doubt this will make for close racing, but 30 cars in 1.2 miles can't be good for anyone.Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff