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Originally Posted by mac
Nothing irritates me more. It is embarassing at times - and remains the biggest blight on the series IMO.
That and safety car restarts with lapped cars between the safety car and the leader.  |
Well if you want safety cars done properly, you've only got to look at the States where they invented them. Aus GP did better than most, other than dealing with overtaking under flags in the in-between period, but European attempts are usually laughable, if not downright dangerous. V8s seem to deal with the 'getting the file under control' bit but the restarts are often shambolic due to lapped cars, and LMES does it just the same with much the same results.
The brand loyalty is an interesting one to me. It was stunning at Surfers to hear the cheers - the passion - when Ambrose went out. Europe generally doesn't get into it's motorsports in quite the same way, and it was part of the excitement that the crowd took it so seriously. The downside is that you get the European football syndrome, where your team is the greatest, despite being bottom of the league, and another is dire, even though they're winning and showing sublime skill. The reality is somewhere between, but at least the Aussies care. This is also the difference I find between European and Australian commentators. The Aussies do put over the event well, and there is some very good insight into the psychology of racing. The Europeans tend to stand back a bit, and talk about it much as you would discuss an oil painting, all subtlety and detail. An overtaking manouevre over here tends to be met with polite applause (unless Nigel Mansell is involved.) I suspect Haven and Diffey would get on very well together...
I loved the intensity, and you shouldn't be embarrassed about it, but hold a sense of reality too. Sometimes your hero does have a crap race, and sometimes the opposition is really on the ball, but there are a lot of seriously talented guys out there. Anyone who can hold a candle to Andy Priaulx is seriously good, and there are plenty of V8 drivers who would hold their own in any Touring Car or Sports Car series in the world. In fact, I think it's a great shame that they're not properly represented at Le Mans, where I think they could spring a few surprises.