24 hour GT Bahrain

Moayyed · 12 Oct 2006, 19:09 (Ref:1736503)

The marshals of Bahrain will be hosting their first 24 hour race. Our club has been brain storming for suggestions to organise the marshals for such an event. Anyone here with any unique ideas or comments to share in this regard please speak up.

pauwilson · 12 Oct 2006, 20:16 (Ref:1736561)

A good starting point would be to look at how we got treated at the Silverstone 24hr , getting looked after goes a long way in getting people out on the bank. Some of the older threads on it will give you more details but often it was the simple little things made all the difference - ie gazebo's on all posts, we may not have got any rain but without these all our gear would have been soaked with the dew during the night.
I may be speaking out of turn but I am sure some of the BRSCC guys would happily pass on some learnings from both the Silverstone events if you asked them.

Now if Sleasyjet flew to Bahrain then I am sure a few us could be tempted to come and help. Anyone got Stellios's number!!!.

Hope it all goes well.

Paul

Mark Mitchell · 12 Oct 2006, 20:42 (Ref:1736580)

Aren't the BARC supplying a number of British marshals to assist with the running of this event?

Boo Boo · 13 Oct 2006, 05:47 (Ref:1736794)

Don't think the BARC is doing Bahrain, I know there doing Dubai 24hr in January.

Mark Mitchell · 13 Oct 2006, 06:42 (Ref:1736819)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boo Boo

Don't think the BARC is doing Bahrain, I know there doing Dubai 24hr in January.

I knew it was somewhere warm!

**Stephen Green** · 13 Oct 2006, 06:51 (Ref:1736825)

Hi Moayyed,

First of all a very warm welcome to ten-tenths!

I was one of the marshals who helped at this years Dubai 24 hour race and hopefully can offer some help. One of the main considerations is the manning of the posts for the whole period. It sounds basic I know, but getting a rota ready so your marshals can have some down time and get some sleep is a high priority. In Dubai we worked between 6-8 hour shifts which was about right and meant that after sleep breaks, we came back refreshed and ready for action. The other main point is to organise the catering so that there is food available for the whole 24 hours. I think it's important that marshals are able to leave their post, eat their dinner and then have somewhere away from the track to sleep. I imagine that like Dubai, you will also need to arrange somewhere for your marshals to pray!

I hope this has been helpful, please let me know if you need any further help.

Once again a very big welcome to all Bahrain marshals, and to ten-tenths.

AndyCox · 13 Oct 2006, 11:06 (Ref:1737077)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boo Boo

Don't think the BARC is doing Bahrain, I know there doing Dubai 24hr in January.

I got a letter asking if I wanted to volunteer for GT's (Nov), A1GP (Dec) and 24hr (Jan) from BARC. I think the A1GP is now off but haven't heard that the GT's have changed so assuming BARC are still doing this. All this is Dubai, not heard anything from BARC about Bahrain.

AndyCox · 13 Oct 2006, 11:18 (Ref:1737086)

Just checked the FIA GT website, no mention of any meeting at Bahrain, definitely says Dubai.

**Stephen Green** · 13 Oct 2006, 11:25 (Ref:1737090)

He doesn't say it's the FIA GT race, just a GT race which indicates it could be a local series.

Bodysnatcher · 13 Oct 2006, 13:33 (Ref:1737180)

welcome Moayyed, hope we can be of help.

Stephen's points are good. Food/shelter/rest (preferably somewhere quiet).

The worst times to cover are roughly 1am to 5am. The human body is at it's lowest during this time of the day. Try not to have one team covering the whole of this period. (aim for a shift change at 3am)
6 hour shifts probably work best if you can only manage 2 teams, however I think 4 hour shifts (especially during the hours of darkness) are enough, but it really requires 3 teams to make 4 hour shifts work best.

If you're not using (yellow or blue) lights at the individual marshal's posts during the night for communicating to the drivers, have light stands set up at each posts so that the marshals (and the flags) are illuminated. Or set up lights that shine upward onto flags.

Communication, let marshals know how the race is going - the old Willhire 24hr race hourly bulletins that were brought round were classics.

And folks, why doubt the man?, he's obviously in Bahrain - Dec 15th to 16th, 24hr GT race, did'nt take long to idependently verify. http://www.bahraingp.com.bh/content/race-events/

Andy Johns · 13 Oct 2006, 19:45 (Ref:1737426)

What Stephen writes is valid, but the problem we had in Dubai was a shortage of marshals. I had two guys on my post who stayed there for the whole race (plus the morning practice sessions before the race started). I felt it was unfair (and unsafe given their lack of experience) to leave them for long, so spent 23 of the 24 hours on post. Also, with the greatest of respect to the Bahrain guys, we find that alot of the the Dubai marshals just don't have the discipline you will find in the UK (we found that in Qatar as well - I couldn't persuade the guys on my posts to keep their shoes on during races!!!).
If sufficient marshals are available for a shift system to work, then consideration must be given to how the off duty ones get back to the paddock, or to wherever they are to feed and rest. Some posts on the inside of the circuit in Dubai are difficult to reach while a race is on.
One very useful 'tool' the Dutch organisers introduced was the sixty kilometre flag. If a car needed to be recovered to the pits, all posts are instructed to display a large (nearly twice the size of a normal one) purple flag with a number 60 on it in white. As soon as this is shown all cars have to slow to 60 kilometres per hour (checked by the timekeepers), to enable safe recovery of a stranded car. It works better than a safety car or the black & yellow flag (RIP), as the gaps between cars are maintained, and the leader does not lose their advantage.

Mark Mitchell · 13 Oct 2006, 19:50 (Ref:1737434)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy Johns

One very useful 'tool' the Dutch organisers introduced was the sixty kilometre flag........ purple flag with a number 60 on it in white.

I think one of our Flaggies at Oulton has one of these and we were all wondering (Including himself) what it was for?

I think he won the set of flags in a competition a couple of years ago!

Aardvaark · 16 Oct 2006, 18:40 (Ref:1739555)

Yes, t'were me what won the wondrous flag (and a whole lot more of them - thanks MSA for organising a competition I had a chance to win - name and address on a postcard ..!!). I have spoken to a couple of Dutch marshals and the manufacturers - they say it really works and, as one says "it saves the cost of a Mercedes"!! I know the black and yellow had its problems - mainly back markers not catching the train and then still doing 50ish when the rest were at full chat, but the logic of everyone doing 60k and maintaining position must be worth looking at - powers that be, how about it? By the way, I've got my own flag all ready for it! Think this somewhat got off the subject!

Moayyed · 26 Oct 2006, 18:33 (Ref:1750311)

Thanks for the response guys. I'll forward the info to the MMC. I'll post the minutes back here.

Dutch chap · 26 Oct 2006, 18:55 (Ref:1750338)

The flag in action:

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