Birmingham SUper Prix revived ?

[josvandeperre]

http://www.birmingham101.com/superprix/

You never know.....

PS I hope this is the bext location for this thread

[Burton]

great stuff, I'd go to one this time, was too young for the last lot!

[JustinDawkins]

I was there, but in a pushchair! My dad raced there in '87

[Rob29]

Great! some good news at last! Must be the only event I went to every one held -missed just one practice day.
Lets hope it gets off the ground-took 14 yrs last time first proposed in 1972-so we may have to be patient!

[Woolley]

Oooh, if only. Spectated at every one, and wish I'd started marshalling circuits earlier, so I just missed out.

[Snapper Baz]

One of the best places if you have a press pass as well-you needed nerves of steel though!

[JimW]

Marshalled every one (and the 'demo' event which preceded it). Remains up there with the Goodwood meetings as an all-time experience.

Can't quite see them reviving this at the moment but you never know.

Regards

Jim

[DALY]

Fantastic......
can we have an FF1600 race on the card

[Muppet]

Ahhh memories! ;-)

I was a Paddock Marshal there from 87-90. The paddock smelled of fish and rotting tomatoes... but I suppose it was the wholesale market!!!

They should contact the BRSCC because they have all the notes and experience of running the event.

If it does happen again, don't bother with F3000, get the DTM or something else with big rumbling V8s!!
...or FIA GT?

[Andrew Kitson]

A Superprix Revival would be great! I remember it being very wet though - 1986?
For those interested, here is a photo of a small 16 x 12in painting I did for Mark Blundell back in '89 of the F3000 Superprix that year. The scene is on the straight returning from the Halford's hairpin. Eddie Irvine and Apicella are following Mark's Middlebridge Cadbury's car.

[Muzza]

Wonderful - as always -, Andrew.

[Andrew Kitson]

Muzza, Cheers!

[Rob29]

Good to see that Motorsport News has this as its headline story today,above result of US GP!!

[Andy H]

this is gathering pace hear's an article from crash.net

Damon Hill has called on British race organisers to re-instate the Birmingham Superprix on the annual calendar, claiming that the street race would be a boost for both the sport and the city.

Birmingham staged a round of the FIA F3000 Championship for five years from 1986, running the powerful single-seaters on a tight and technical inner city circuit that both challenged the drivers and provided teams with hefty claims for new parts. However, the events proved to be a hit with the crowds, and hill believes that the public would turn out to support a rejuvenated Superprix.

"I feel it's a great idea to revive the race because it would be a cross between the Notting Hill Carnival and the Monaco Grand Prix - except it would be in Birmingham.," the 1996 F1 world champion, who raced in the final two events in Birmingham, told Britain's Sun newspaper, "The area has a strong motoring heritage and the locals loved the previous meetings. The crowds were fantastic - they were more curious and excited than at a normal race track."

Local businessman Robert Houghton initiated the idea of restarting the Superprix as an annual event, and has prompted Hill and others to react after posting his ideas on the birmingham101 website. He is now looking to form a limited company to organise the event should his idea receive sufficient support.

Houghton claims that, despite the major regeneration programme in the city centre, the original track layout could still follow much the same route as the original, although some minor alterations may have to be made to accommodate the redevelopment. The old layout had its problems, such as the location of the pit-lane, and, as a result, other locations within the city are also being considered.

"I put a proposal on the internet and was overwhelmed by the reaction," Houghton said, "I now intend to consult local residents and councillors before talking to the city council.
There are plenty of areas which could accommodate a race."

Hill's former F1 rival Mark Blundell has also spoken in favour of the event returning, but told the Sun that perhaps a round of the British Touring Car Championship would be a better bet than F3000 or another class unfamiliar with the public.

"The trouble with the original event was that people didn't know what the cars were, which meant they didn't really understand what was going on," the ITV grand prix analyst explained, "But touring cars would be a hit. Birmingham is being rejuvenated and this would take it even further."


If you support the idea of the Superprix being revived, or can offer advice or help, you are urged to contact Robert Houghton and his team on superprix@birmingham101.com

[Stinky]

I remember seeing it on TV when I was a kid, It was always a fantastice race to watch - I hope they can bring it back. Can we have a 2CV race there to warm up the crowd???

:-)

Christine

[PaulPerkins]

This *has* to go ahead!

In all seriousness though, is it very likely? Are there any similar events that did/didn't make it?

[bradenc]

Can I bring my Vee along please?

[Stephen Green]

I am told that all the holes for the armco are still in place and so the work would be less than some think to reinstate the safety bits and pieces.

[JustinDawkins]

Not so sure about that, although it probbaly is in some places, although some bits have changed a little.

There is still rumble strips (red and white!) on the island which I think has called Shell Hairpin?

[JimW]

Not just the armco postholes but the more major works to re-shape the two big roundabouts are still there.

On some of the lamposts there are still the boxes which controlled (by radio) the red lights for a race stop. And the crocuses in the grass bank by the A38 (opposite the start) still spell out "SuperPrix" in the spring (albeit a bit blurred now).

Jim

[theracegypsy]

Originally posted by Andrew Kitson
A Superprix Revival would be great! I remember it being very wet though - 1986?
For those interested, here is a photo of a small 16 x 12in painting I did for Mark Blundell back in '89 of the F3000 Superprix that year. The scene is on the straight returning from the Halford's hairpin. Eddie Irvine and Apicella are following Mark's Middlebridge Cadbury's car.

Thanks for the memories Andrew, I was marshalling just behind your view point.

[Logrence]

I think they should have the 2CV 24 hour race in Birmingham...

[Ian Sowman]

They wouldn't need to close the roads for that, normal traffic could just merge in...

[JimW]

Originally posted by Logrence
I think they should have the 2CV 24 hour race in Birmingham...

They have, its just normal Brummie driving standards.

Jim

[Hobson]

Aren't the roads too narrow for lorries to overtake 2CVs?