Motorsport and the Coronavirus

[delta]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Just to add to the complications, my mother in law passed away today (97) and now we have to visit registrars, funeral parlours etc.

97 is a good age but still hard to swallow. Love to Pat Peter. She is still my favorite pit lady.

[Peter Mallett]

Thanks Iain, I'll pass that on.

[S griffin]

My condolences to Peter too. It’s always sad when you lose a loved one, but must be extra hard for it to happen during this difficult time for everyone

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by Rudernst

I am starting to wonder what the impact of the virus on historic motorracing will be.

This will obviously be difficult for many motorsport professionals
preparers, clubs, event organisers, dealers in motorsport supplies even racetracks
as the planned income dries up

also, not all competitors might return afterwards, at least for some time, if they have been hit by the crisis themselves

the very affluent might return to business as usual mode afterwards
but to what ??

I very distant relative of mine has died this week from Corona Virus, from my age bracket
It does make a huge difference if that happens not somewhere distant in Italy, but to somebody one grew up with, makes one feel rattled

Beeing ahead in Germany in relation to UK (not a great place to be, but there You go) we see more and more news of businesses going belly up, 2 large chains of restaurants, obviously at this early point in time the one that were on the brink beforehand, buuuut.....

btw: the Maredo steak house chain, know to F1 fans as sponsors of Stefan Bellofs Tyrrell have just gone bust

RuE

Agree with all - after all historic racing is by and large a hobby funded by discretionary spend, not money they have to spend.

Shame about Maredo - remember it well on Bellof's Black Tyrrell.

[justracing]

Originally Posted by Rudernst

I am starting to wonder what the impact of the virus on historic motorracing will be.

This will obviously be difficult for many motorsport professionals
preparers, clubs, event organisers, dealers in motorsport supplies even racetracks
as the planned income dries upRuE

I must confess I've been thinking along the same lines in particular race circuits, without the bread and butter of day to day track activities some of the smaller circuits with already existing constraints will really suffer. Thruxton exists on the back of 3 major events per year non of which are likely to proceed.

[andy97]

Originally Posted by justracing

I must confess I've been thinking along the same lines in particular race circuits, without the bread and butter of day to day track activities some of the smaller circuits with already existing constraints will really suffer. Thruxton exists on the back of 3 major events per year non of which are likely to proceed.

Several quite well known and high profile race clubs have posted losses in the last 2-3 years. They probably still have offices, staff, insurances, utilities, web sites etc etc to pay for and this will be eating in to reserves. Some may not make it.

The majority of circuits will also have lease fees/ mortgages, staff and ongoing maintenance to pay for without the income from the clubs and track days. Will they all survive, will the costs to put meetings on when this is all over have to go up so much that they become unaffordable for many??

[justracing]

Originally Posted by andy97

Several quite well known and high profile race clubs have posted losses in the last 2-3 years. They probably still have offices, staff, insurances, utilities, web sites etc etc to pay for and this will be eating in to reserves. Some may not make it.

The majority of circuits will also have lease fees/ mortgages, staff and ongoing maintenance to pay for without the income from the clubs and track days. Will they all survive, will the costs to put meetings on when this is all over have to go up so much that they become unaffordable for many??

My point exactly.

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by andy97

Several quite well known and high profile race clubs have posted losses in the last 2-3 years. They probably still have offices, staff, insurances, utilities, web sites etc etc to pay for and this will be eating in to reserves. Some may not make it.

The majority of circuits will also have lease fees/ mortgages, staff and ongoing maintenance to pay for without the income from the clubs and track days. Will they all survive, will the costs to put meetings on when this is all over have to go up so much that they become unaffordable for many??

Bear in mind they will also lose track day/corporate events/driving experience income as well as their main events.

All MSV circuits (for example) are closed completely until the end of April.

[Moneyseeker]

You have to feel for the MG Car Club - they lost their event at Silverstone last year due to the track re-surface, their 2020 MG Live event at Silverstone this year is 14th June.......

[Rudernst]

several professional race mechanics are self employed
and some of them will soon run into problems

RuE

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Rudernst

several professional race mechanics are self employed
and some of them will soon run into problems

RuE

Hopefully, and I believe that it may well be announced in the UK in the next day or so, a financial support package will be outlined by the government for the self employed and those employees that may have been overlooked in the previous announcements.

Roughly 5 million people fall into this category, and the government would be, quite rightly in my mind, vilified if they ignored their plight. Don't forget, our PM Johnson as part of his psyche needs to be liked (even adored) and he knows that looking after the 5 million will earn him some kudos.

[John Elwin]

Originally Posted by Rudernst

several professional race mechanics are self employed
and some of them will soon run into problems

RuE

I don't know if the Grand Prix Mechanics Trust, founded by Jackie Stewart, has a wider remit than just F1, but might be worth looking-into for those in trouble.

[The Fat Clerk]

Originally Posted by justracing

I must confess I've been thinking along the same lines in particular race circuits, without the bread and butter of day to day track activities some of the smaller circuits with already existing constraints will really suffer. Thruxton exists on the back of 3 major events per year non of which are likely to proceed.

I'm sure Mr Palmer would help out!

[Rudernst]

Originally Posted by John Elwin

I don't know if the Grand Prix Mechanics Trust, founded by Jackie Stewart, has a wider remit than just F1, but might be worth looking-into for those in trouble.

here are their numbers
they have about 120 k pounds per year available

https://beta.charitycommission.gov.u...327454&subid=0

not that much...
and probably needed for those wrenchies who are pensioneers now and did not make much money in the 1960ies and 1970ies


RuE

[S griffin]

What JYS has done with that charity has been really good, but then he always loves to help out

[John Elwin]

Originally Posted by Rudernst

here are their numbers
they have about 120 k pounds per year available

https://beta.charitycommission.gov.u...327454&subid=0

not that much...
and probably needed for those wrenchies who are pensioneers now and did not make much money in the 1960ies and 1970ies


RuE

Oh well, any port in a storm, as they say.

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by Moneyseeker

You have to feel for the MG Car Club - they lost their event at Silverstone last year due to the track re-surface, their 2020 MG Live event at Silverstone this year is 14th June.......

Was; heard today it's postponed, negotiating with S'stone for a later date.
https://www.mgcc.co.uk/news-events/

[midgetman]

Very difficult thing to do when we have no idea when the current situation will improve. The government appears to be working on a three month timescale but that's a best guess. Then we will have a staged restart to normal life I'm sure as we keep an eye on re-infection rate. It may not be until the autumn that large gatherings are allowed again, by which time it's too late for 2020.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

[Gerard C]

They are talking about May at best, here. Not realistic imo. MGD and Max, may your first and single race of the year will be in France, in October? Why not?

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by midgetman

Very difficult thing to do when we have no idea when the current situation will improve. The government appears to be working on a three month timescale but that's a best guess. Then we will have a staged restart to normal life I'm sure as we keep an eye on re-infection rate. It may not be until the autumn that large gatherings are allowed again, by which time it's too late for 2020.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

I agree, if the current action does manage to slow the spread then see it gradually peter out, the last thing the government will want (after all the human and financial cost) is to risk any activity that see it start again, so proably all biggish sports that bring big numbers of people together from around the Country to one place will be the last to start up. The NHS will have their eye on the late Autumn into early Winter as the risk period for another outbreak and when they start to get into usual seasonal pressures.

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[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by MGDavid

Was; heard today it's postponed, negotiating with S'stone for a later date.

https://www.mgcc.co.uk/news-events/

I suspect there will be a long queue for this....!

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[Duddha]

https://www.motorsportuk.org/motorsp...-to-30th-june/

We're in for a long run.

As an insider to the larger International Calendar, it's gonna be a mess if motorsport resumes this year. There are only so many weekends that can be used and all promoters are trying to postpone rather than cancel as it appears and which I can understand fully. Only the true and logistically affected are prone to cancellation, hence Monaco as an example.

Trouble is that our historic world most probably will come second when it comes to choices, also and with the move of huge events such as Formula One and WEC rounds, this can have a logistic impact on the other events scheduled around and due to build-up, etc.

Implications, implications, here we are...

[Gerard C]

May be do may be dont… No doubt we're in for a while and nobody can say for sure how long its gonna last. In France it will be hard to re-schedule non permanent tracks, like Le Mans, Pau ville and Angoulême. Same situation at Monaco and probably other in-town events.
May be I'm too optimistic but the fact that historic racing is a real different and separated world could help. For once.
We dont need car manufacturers, our cars are already built, we dont need sponsors, being our owns largely, we dont really need paying spectators, other than our own families/relatives, we dont need official TV coverage, Youtube is enough and sometimes better.
We need healthy clubs to organise nice races, we need good mechanics, available spares, tires and pads, oil and gaz. Insurances too.
Yes this morning my glasses are rose tinted, I won't change them its so good!

[andy97]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

May be do may be dont… No doubt we're in for a while and nobody can say for sure how long its gonna last. In France it will be hard to re-schedule non permanent tracks, like Le Mans, Pau ville and Angoulême. Same situation at Monaco and probably other in-town events.
May be I'm too optimistic but the fact that historic racing is a real different and separated world could help. For once.
We dont need car manufacturers, our cars are already built, we dont need sponsors, being our owns largely, we dont really need paying spectators, other than our own families/relatives, we dont need official TV coverage, Youtube is enough and sometimes better.
We need healthy clubs to organise nice races, we need good mechanics, available spares, tires and pads, oil and gaz. Insurances too.
Yes this morning my glasses are rose tinted, I won't change them its so good!

We also need competitors with disposable income who are not playing catch up with mortgages, loans, pension contributions, business expenses etc.

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

They are talking about May at best, here. Not realistic imo. MGD and Max, may your first and single race of the year will be in France, in October? Why not?

my glasses are rose-tinted today as well. Just heard that my heart condition is minor not serious and I have the all-clear for an international licence. I'll settle for October if my current plans stay unchanged - new historic weekend at Spa with Le Mans Bugatti the following weekend, and I've tickets to a Deep Purple gig in Lille on the way home :-)
Race of Remembrance in November should be OK too.