The Real Italian Job: James Martin's Mille Miglia

[Dangermouse]

Ok, so I'm going to disagree......Caught the repeat, thought the programme was ok.
It depends what you wanted out of it, but I enjoyed seeing his perspective on things.

The sense of achievement in getting a car to the finish of a rally is cracking, especially when you dont think the car should/would/could make it.....I did a banger rally in 2007 (bear with me here) and let me tell you it is the most fun you can have with your clothes on.
And like the Brits on the MM, it's all about next pub/cafe/restaurant.
We did it with a load of £100 cars and £100 people (IYKWIM).......it'll be (nearly) the same for the £4m cars and upper class twits......you really DO want to finish, and you talk and bully and cajole your car to get there and pray every 10 minutes that it wont be your last.
Take the grille off going up Stelvio just to let that 'little bit extra cooling in'....
..... if you've never done a rally....prepared the car, broken down, been drunk, exceeded all expectations, had friends break down 40 mile out of Calais and hire a car to the finish in Prague, get lost, be late....and sound your airhorns in EVERY tunnel you go through.....have the German rozzers pull you for undertaking on the hard shoulder then take a picture of your car on their camera for the 'top trumps' back at the station later (and he did...one guy on the bike, pulled three of us check documents and then took photos!!) ...then I think you miss the point of it all.

I found the MM money spent obscene, but then I don't have any so  I would, but I shared his passion even if he was about £849,500 adrift of reality......but he can do it, and did, and it meant so much to him it hurt....and I saw the same thing on the banger rally...it's about getting to the end...no matter what you drive or how you do it. You want to do it....to the end.

I sympathise with some of the sentiments on here, but for the sheer enjoyment, to see a fellow petrolhead do what he wanted, what he dreamed of.......Hats Off!   

I see there is talk of doing the same route/ following the rally/race.......how many would follow it in a Ferrari if funds permitted?...........a £4m Ferrari if a lottery win permitted?......take part?

Come on, is there NO jealousy in these responses?

If I won the lottery I wouldn't do the race, but that's a personal choice...I don't think the night-times would be my sort of nights.....but I'd do the route in a classic of 'my' choice......maybe one that didn't qualify for the race.....but I have the passion to do it.
And James Martin, love him/loathe him, is no different to a lot of us on here.....just as much passion, love for motorsport/cars...but with a few more quid. 

Maybe I'll take the Capri (280) and do it!.......   


(Rant mode off)

[AndyR]

Couldn't agree more with Dangermouse.

I thought that, as has been said, there were massive missed opportunities in following the event as it progressed without the chef, but then the blurb accompanying the program did say it was about James Martin's adventure - not specifically the race/rally - so we can't argue that it was 'mis-sold'
As for a waste of airtime - there are plenty of other channels available to you if that particular program isn't your cup of tea - do you feel compelled to write about all the drivel that is on the majority of those channels?

He had a desire to take part in a motorsport event, and followed that desire to the start of the rally. He also took us with him via the TV cameras - and I thank him for that - I had very little knowledge of the event before the program - and will now do research, beyond sitting in front of the goggle box hoping it will show me the complete Encyclopedia M/M in a mainstream program, to find out more. 

You could see the excitment in the eyes of the lad as he thought about buying his car, and subsequently whenever the event and driving was mentioned.
So he has/had the ability to spend well beyond my means, but I have felt the same excitment when I have been in the presence of great vehicles, let alone thinking about purchasing and racing one. 

I make, and plan to continue taking, the journey down to Le Mans every year (so far for the relatively short period of 4 years when compared to some on here) for the very same reasons that he took part and spent his  money.  I love motorsport, love the sounds, sights and smells of motorsports and for one I was pleased that at least and at last there was SOME coverage of such a truly amazing race/rally for us to watch. 

I hope that the fella makes the cash 'working his a*** off' to fix the car, and makes the journey and the finish line in the future- as it appeared he wished to complete the rally for personal and very emotional reasons, rather than the financial gains that some commentator/narrator mentioned he was making the journey for.

(again - Rant off)

[Christopher]

No jealousy on my part......the reason I thought he was a c0ck was the way his character and attitude towards others came across in the programme. Now that might be down to the producers and editing, but at the end of the day he put his name to it.

At times he was demeaning to his co-driver, regardless if she was the right choice or not, he could have learnt a lot from her, especially with regard to vehicle / event preparation.

The engine failed with something like 200 miles since the rebuild......he only completed 120 stage miles.......so 80 miles run-in on an un-known engine. If the event was such a dream and passion of his, he would have known the amount of preparation that his peers and great drivers / teams have committed to in the past.

The comments about loosing money on the whole event, because he wanted to sell the car on at the end and make a profit. Again, if it was such a dream for him he could have done the event in a 'lesser' vehicle and not had the additional worry of money issues.

Yes, fair play he had the enthusiasm to spend his own money chasing his dream......but the way he came across on screen and his apparent tactic that spending money will see him through made him look a prat.

(my rant over  )

[Leftie]

I agree with AndyR here, as I have competed in UK championships. But I can also agree to a certain extent with Christopher as well.

The record of one mans journey to a dream was made. I wish they would make more of them. Anything is better than the consistant crap that is televised these days - BB, Get me out of here etc, etc. Utter crap.

Trouble is, there is limited 'viewer' recommendations to promote this type of genre.

Then next will undoubtably be the race to the South Pole with Ben Fogel. Haven't seen much of the Vandee Globe except on the 'net'. Also not much televised of the Paris-Dakar.

[Steve Pyro]

 Also not much televised of the Paris-Dakar.

It's the Dakar (Argentina / Chile) this year.

I suggest you take a look at Eurosport.  It's on daily at 18:00, 22:00 and 0:15 for about 2 hours a day.

I've been following it avidly (as I have for the past 10 years) since start day on 3rd Jan.

[Jules G]

Also not much televised of the Paris-Dakar.

Jerry of course theres not much coverage of the Paris-Dakar as it's not running It's the "Dakar Rally" and it's Started in Argentina and running through the south of the country, heading over the Andes into Chile via the Atacarma dessert in the North before heading back over the Andes again and running back into Buenos Aires for the finish.

Plenty of coverage on Eurosport and also on Via the Dakar web site http://www.dakar.com/2009/DAK/LIVE/us/500/index.html