Club Arnage

Starting to get a little excited about this weekends inaugural meeting at Brands Hatch - it's been a long time coming, and I hope it lives up to it's expectations. Could this be a serious alternative to Bernie's Travelling Circus? Let's hope so...


Anyone else gonna be there?

I'm certainly looking forward to it, though no TV package has been announced for the U.S yet.  Good or bad, it beats wathing hockey and basketball all winter.

I'm anxious to see if Scott Speed can raise his game.

Well I'm gonna be attending on the Saturday (sadly I'm working on Sunday :( )

But the line up looks pretty interesting, The Caterhams & Ginetta's are always a hoot & I'm particularly looking forward to seeing the Thoroughbred GP & Classic Ferraris (first time seeing old school F1 cars in the flesh!!) ;D

Sky Sports have the license so I will be hunting for a local to watch it at!!

Bring back motorsport on BBC!!

Sounds like it could be fun!!  I will check out the website when i get home, the internet connection is soooo slow at work it drives me nuts  >:( .

Anyone planning to be camping there saturday night?

F

Camping? At this time of year? Are you mad???

Dont be such a softie Smokie.   ::)

Anyway - there is always the trusty hot water bottle....  ;)

Where's your sense of adventure Smokie?
 All those years in a caravan has turned you into a softie.

(http://www.abitofhome.ca/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/20316-02.jpg)

Given that the English weather did it's usual and hosed down with rain in July and August for the Moto GP and Silverstone 1000k respectively, I don't see why camping in September should be such a big deal.  Honestly Smokie, are you a man or a mouse?

Getting back to the main question though...I'll be there on Sunday... Kiwi flag in hand.   ;D

Won't be at Silverstone.....but will be camping at Longleat this weekend for the final meeting in the southern hill climb meeting.
Ian of the "Burgundy Beast" will be competeing over Saturday and Sunday.But alas due to his small mishap at Wiscombe Park earlier this year will not take any major honours.


Wishy

It seemed to work OK the weekend before last, till a caliper started to fall off.  The weight of gaffer tape doesn't help though.

Good job really....you'd be very lonely at Silverstone....

The A1 GP is at Brands....

I have a cashflow crisis so I wont be there, as much as it pains me - i will however wave a flag at home !

The 1000k-S'stone die-hards should be alright at Brands this weekend.

I left my life jacket at the gate of Silverstone, will pick it up next year to use it again;D

We'll be mostly drinking lager in the bar soaking up the sun in Lanzarote..... Just a copule of bags to load up and we're off.

Give Ian our best for the meeting.


Give Ian our best.

Just seen that Jan Lammers is running the Dutch team!!

Now who do I support ???

There's only one answer to that - Team GB of course, led by racing legend John Surtees MBE! I don't think it'll be much longer before Mr Rossi is sharing his 'all-rounder' crown, but until then, there is only one! And he's a Brit!  ;D

Steve, It is probably unknown to you but I am Half Dutch so it makes me only half English too.

That's even more reason to support GB - it'll take your mind off it for a while!

From the practice it doesn't seem too bad , except GB are 5th and the Dutch way back.  Still its good to see British cars are on the front row of the grid (with British engines and tyres too)

I see that the Avon slicks have been rebranded " Cooper" after the name of the parent company, who proudly boast to be the eighth largest tyre company in the world.  Most people have trouble naming another 7.

And was that the DFH banner I saw? (Sky wouldn't show a clear view)

i thought it was cracking personally - cars with enourmous rear tyres, sliding around, needing a someone to man handle them to make them quick.

Well done Nelson Piquet Junior - that powerslide was what motor racing SHOULD be about - pure commitment....

looking forward to seeing the race now - wish i could be there......

Too bad about the English Team, worst way to leave a race premature is still from leading position... (but at least you led the race for a -short- while!
Second race was pretty good to watch, with the orange car ending 7th from 25th! 8)

Nope, that was the Jos Verstappen Army. He still has an amazing amount of fans.
I was impressed by the amount of Dutchies at the track, some of them we even recognised from Le Mans!

(http://server2.uploadit.org/files/knetter-250905f7.jpg)

What is it with you guys, is it a crime in Holland to be photographed without a beer in your hands? ;D


I did enjoy the A1 race, real racing on proper tyres. Will be interesting to see if it is as well supported in other countries. Lets hope it is a kick up the arse for the little fella.

I liked the commentary, no schoolboy like excitement and inane chatter, just facts and figures. I always liked John Watson's style of commentary when he was Doing F1 for Eurosport.

And Georgie Thompson is a whole lot better to look at than Jim Rosenthal

Yes indeed Bob, that is a crime!  >:(

Didn't you know that?  :o

Really enjoyed the race yesterday, I missed the sprint because was on my way to my parents at that time, but managed to watch the main race overthere. Lot's of action, and it's very clear that you need some driving capability to keep the car on the track! Way more fun to watch then the F1 in the evening!

 ;D

Still got a huge grin on my face - it was absolutely bloody brilliant! Ok we didn't win anything (apart from a few thousand dollars in the sprint race) but what a fantastic day! Nelsiño was supreme, just so much quicker than those around him and the race had everything. I'm sure that all who were there will agree that this Sheikh Maktoum Hashish Maktoum Al Maktoum (who seems a really nice guy) has to be onto a winner with this, and before long I'm convinced he'll represent a HUGE rocket (Challenger size) up Bernie's self-important, over-pampered, midget arse!

Can't wait for next year... ;D ;D ;D

To be honest guys I serisously doubt that Bernie is shaking in his Gucci's over this series.  It may have provided some good entertainment but lets face it...Its spec car racing!  A single make, single engine, single tire formula is not Grand Prix racing.  And any race where Alex Yoong finishes in the top 5 has credibility issues.
I'm very surprised that know one has yet brought up the fact that Englishman Dan Wheldon clinched the IRL championship yesterday at Watkins Glen.  I'm no fan of the IRL (or anything else Tony George has anything to do with)
but the sight of big pro single seaters returning to the GP circut at the Glen made me smile.  Bernie killed F1 in the US the day he pulled the USGP away from the challenging upstate New York circut in 1981.

Agreed Fax, I am sure the racing was close and the support bill entertaining, but a 'world cup of drivers' it ain't, unless the football world cup is only going to draw its players from the 2nd or 3rd divison or the GB olympics team picks me for the 100m.

Piquet Junior aside (and his F3 races where not always the best) the rest do lack a bit of pedigee in order for it to be as billed.

Where it did score is the pre event publicity, radio ad's, newspapers, poster's etc. must have cost a packet, but it worked, 30000 paying punters. If only the LMES could do something along those lines.

As an aside, was Berine in charge in 81 when the Glen lost the F1, or was it that that fat french fool Balastre (?)

Nordic,
I think it was mostly Bernie's doing.  JMB was FIA president at the time but I think Bernie and FOCA were negotiating with the venues.  That dumb-ass left Watkins Glen for Las Vegas...That worked out well.  Most F1 fans over here have never forgiven him for that.  The Glen is the spiritual home of GP in the US, always has been, always will be.
Fax

Think the be-wigged dwarf was still running Brabham in 81, so must have been JMB behing moving form Watkins.

Anyhow, the A1 organisers have been at pains to point out that they are definitely not trying rival F1, and Bernie thinks its a great idea too. For a start, it kicks off just as F1 finishes it's season.

Yes, it's single spec racing, but IMO, what the paying public have been starved of recently is close and exiting single seater racing. They seem to have got it in spades. That there were 30k plus folk at Brands on a cold late Sept sunday, each paying £40 odd to get through the turnstiles, kinda proves my point. How many years ago did that last happen. Group C sports cars or the Glory Days of the ETC/BTTC, and certainly not in the last decade.

Yes ok ,some of the drivers are not exactly top flight, but it's early days yet. You gotta applaud them for recognising what the customers want and creating a product to meet the demand.

And I think Nelson Picquet Jr will be a future F1 World Champ. He looks sh*t hot to me, even if he does make a few mistakes like his old man. They said Damon Hill was rubbish too...

Fax,

Eh? Surely, most current US F1 fans either weren't born in 81 or were way to young to have an opinion? Or is it that such prejudices are handed down by grumpy fathers to their sons?

IIRC, was not the move from the Glen (on the surface at least) done on the basis of driver safety? There were some good blokes who bought the farm at The Glen over the years.

I think the 30000 is as a result of the massive PR run before the event, If, and I hope it happens, the LMES runs at Brands next year and someone stumps up a decent buget for publicity, then that may see a decent crowd.
The fact is most events get zero radio or anything else these days.

On the downside 2 hours getting out from a race meeting is not going to draw the family person back IMHO.

I am ashamed to admit that I was one of the very few that saw the GP at Vegas in 82. The only time I have been to the states and i had to go there! (but I did share a hotel pool with Jackie Stuart)

No, driver safety wasn't the issue (although Cevert & Koinigg bought it there in armco related shunts)  the Glen was always regarded as one of the safest on the calendar.  It was all about moving the race to a big market and Watkins Glen is out in the boonies on the tip of Lake Senneca (a long way from NYC).  Not many places to hotel the posers and marketing managers mistresses.  The autumn weather could be dodgy also but that was part of its character.
Fax

Bernie was both running Brabham and head of FOCA.
Fax

Was it Nigel Roebuck who bumped intp John Watson at Caesars Palace shopping arcade a couple of years ago. Talking of the old Las Vegas GP it was remarked that the shopping arcade had been built on the old circuit, and all the better for it!

Man that was one shitty little track, as was the one in Detroit, Dallas, Phoenix, etc.  The Glen drew massive crowds, but NOBODY gave a sh*t about those places.  The highlight being the time a local ostrich race out-drew the GP in Phoenix.
Fax

Well, I had a thoroughly enjoyable day yesterday.  The sun was shining, the racing was entertaining, and Team NZ did better than even I gave them credit for.  Oh how much did I enjoy the gloating I got out of it?  Doubt it will last though as Team GB did look strong until their untimely retirement. 

I have now broken my Brands Hatch cherry and what a great circuit it is.  I didn't even mind the hour and a half queue to get out of the car park.  Possibly because I was alseep.  ;D  Can't wait to go back next weekend for BTCC.

Will A1 be a real contender to win fans away from Bernie's contrived pile of sh*t?  Doubtful, but who really cares?  If it stays as entertaining as yesterday was then I'll keep watching.

You make a fair point Nordic if you're trying to be hypercritical, but I think it's a short sighted one (unless you've seen the future and A1 fails like a guppy fish out of water). For one thing, I'm sure each of the Teams would love to just 'pick' their best driver, but they can't.

Second, this was the first ever meeting of a totally new format in current World Motor Sport - the start of one man's dream coming to fruition. He probably hasn't got much else to do apart from count his barrels of oil, but it's still a hell of a lot of work. Generating enough sponsorship, talent and worldwide interest is no mean feat (and I have to say I never saw it advertised before the event) and credit where it's due, it was a good opening!

Admittedly A1 could still fade away after the briefest of appearances, but my feeling is that Sunday was just the beginning. Nelson Piquet Jr (IMO) took a bit of a gamble with his career by entering A1, and I hope for his sake that it pays off for him - he certainly seemed happy to be there. Maybe his performance, coupled with the overall success of the day, will convince other world class drivers to join in and challenge for what will one day be the 'World Cup of Drivers'.

I didn't buy my ticket expecting to see Michael Schumacher trying to hold off Jenson Button or Rossi or whoever going into Paddock - that was never going to happen. I went because I was excited by the prospect of it, and I still am. Given time, I'm sure it'll attract others, the prize money's gotta help (Fax, when is a Grand Prix not a Grand Prix? is $300,000 a race not enough? Should it be 'Petit Prix'?).

In short I loved it, even if the snoring Kiwi's gloating was unbearable.  ::)

 ;D F1 IS DEAD, LONG LIVE A1 ;D

Steve,
Sorry if I ruffled your feathers but as far as I'm concerned spec racing belongs at the club level.  Part of the attraction of road racing has always been technical diversity, thats one of the big gripes I have with contemporary F1, the tech regs strangle any attempt at innovation.  The diversity is what makes sportscar racing so appealing.  I've got no interest seeing a bunch of identical cars plod around around and I'm no xenophobe needing to wave my nations flag, I'll leave that for the stick & ball crowd.  If I want to see spec racing I can go to a SCCA regional and see plenty of good hard fought action.  Your going gaga over 30,000 people at a race meeting?  Big deal, thats the Friday crowd at a Rolex Grand-Am series weekend.
Fax

Hey Fax
Sorry, no feathers to ruffle - I'm as bald as they come - it's just a different perspective,
although I don't believe I even mentioned the size of the crowd, let alone went 'gaga' about it.
As you say, technical diversity is a big part of MotorSport in general, but as a driver, wouldn't you want to prove outright that you were the best? Without speculation about how much better your car was than the guy who finished in 2nd, three laps behind you? Schumacher'd get found out if he tried!!

Sorry about the crowd size thing, must have been someone else. (I was a bit heavy handed with that but I think they'll probably have to do really well at the gate right out of the shoot to survive, this will get expensive real quick)  As far as who's the best in equal equipment?  Good theory but rarely works in practice, invariably engineers and budgets will make the difference.  Its been tried over here with Indy Lights & Toyota Atlantic and you usually have the same teams at the head of the field regardless of who's driving.  Also some drivers just respond differently to cars and power.  Some guys look like world beaters in junior formulas but never cut it top levels.  We've been listening to Martin Brundle say he was as fast as Senna in F3 for twenty years now.
Fax

I think it will depend on how they continue to promote it. Will they go for family frendly track racing with drivers and teams open to the public, or try for the hospitality and tv market. As the teams run the same cars they won't have to hide their cars so option 1 looks good.
Must say i hope it works, but there have been other one make series where cheque books have been waved and special chassis and bodywork can be made making some more equal than others.

They do seem to go for the touchy feely thing where you can speak to people.  Bit like sports car racing.

The last time we got into the pits at Silverstone, (probably 20 years ago) Frank Williams welcomed us with "If you don't f*ck off out of here now, I'll call security"

Nice one Frank, I've supported your competitors (and gone to Le Mans) ever since.

 That's F1 for you, and that was 20 years ago. God only knows what would happen if you managed to get in there nowadays.

  So much different to the LMES team personel, last year at Silverstone I was in the pit garages taking photos and the mechanics didn,t mind at all, I was chatting to McNish for about 5 minutes before he was called away to do some sponsorship stuff.

 IMO the touchy feely approach is the way forward. What can be any better for a young lad being taken to a race for the first time by his Dad and actually being able to talk to the team and see the cars at close hand.
 F1 is just this distant untouchable stuff they can only see from a distance or on the TV.

For these guys to adopt F1's elitist attitude would be slashing their own throats.  Usually I don't like the whole "we have it better than you" thing but over here all of the sanctioning bodies (ALMS-IMSA, Grand-AM, CART, IRL, NASCAR, NHRA, AMA, etc.) allow paddock access to the paying public at their races.  They all understand that an intimate relationship between the fans and competitors is essential to the health of the sport.  This weekend at the Petit, at one of the most important sportscar races of the year, the public is allowed in the paddock, FREE, and allowed on the grid before the start.
Fax

I was only making the most of the opportunity that was presented to me on Sunday.  If the shoe had been on the other foot - so to speak - I'm sure you would have done the same.

Also, I do not snore.  It is not becoming of a 'laydee' to do such a thing and I am hurt and wounded that you would even imply it.   :o  Especially given what your snoring is like... ::)

Spent Saturday aty Brands and was fortunate to get in to watch the procedings from Race Control in the tower (my chum runs the recovery operations there) A totally different way to watch, particularly with access to the 14 cameras covering the whole circuit.

Everyoine there said how successful the A1 event was. I know it doesn't compare to the US (and neither does our population) but they ahd 85,000 at Brands last weekend for the A1 Grand Prix. (56,000 of which were advanced sales)

One thing that I do like about it was that people could still turn up and buiy a ticket at the gate, rather trhan the rip off overpriced advanced sales only setup for Ecclestones Grand Pricks.

the legend lives on... ;D

(http://www.verstappen.nl/picture/2005/Duitsland/454_5456.jpg)