Motorsport and the Coronavirus

[Gerard C]

Yes, indeed. I should add "our" Dijon, its a national meeting but of course you all are welcome some grids are not too well supported… The more international oriented Dijon race is the Motors Cup! 2/4 October. Hope this one won't be cancelled.

[Moneyseeker]

Some of this may be determined by event organisers policy in the event of postponement or cancellation, but I think that next year organisers may struggle with advance tickets, which has been the business model to transfer risk from the organiser to the ticket purchaser. Economic uncertainty and the possiblity that some may not be able to attend postponed events or ultimately cancelled events that do not offer a refund will hit sentiment towards advance ticket sales next year.

Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

[Alan Morgan]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Yes, indeed. I should add "our" Dijon, its a national meeting but of course you all are welcome some grids are not too well supported… The more international oriented Dijon race is the Motors Cup! 2/4 October. Hope this one won't be cancelled.

I've emailed the UK Historic FF2000 drivers about the date change and I'm pleased to say that there is still plenty of support for the August date - I'm hoping we'll get 12-15 cars joining the German FF2000 series (assuming we're allowed to travel, of course).

I hope Laurent and his team are able to ride this crisis out, it's always a pleasure to race with them.

[Gerard C]

Good news, Alan. Laurent is working hard together with two major english clubs as posted by Andy. It's always a pleasure to have you and your friends in France. Please dont forget there are other grids like Asavé or Salooncars (kind of Modsports) there's no reason why they couldn't accept foreign competitors.
TBH the 15 August date is not my first choice but I'll try to be there just to support our sport, if only my health condition is acceptable at this moment…

[Gerard C]

A selection here, knowing that ATM, Asavé has mainly two grids, 65 and 75 plus several trophies.
http://www.challenge-gt-tourisme.eu
http://www.salooncar.eu
https://www.hvmracing.fr/plateaux/hv...au-gt-classic/
https://www.hvmracing.fr/plateaux/hv...f3-fr-classic/
http://www.maxi1300series.fr
https://www.hvmracing.fr/plateaux/hv...imers-gti-cup/

[John Elwin]

Peter Auto has issued a revised calendar, as follows:

Spa Classic - cancelled
GP de l'Age d'Or - cancelled
Dix Mille Tours - 24-26 July 2020
Tour Auto Optic 2000 - 31 Aug-5 Sept 2020
LM Classic - 1-4 July 2021
Monza Historic - 18-20 Sept 2020
La Rallye des Legends - 22-26 Sept 2020
Estoril Classics - 9-11 Oct 2020

[Gerard C]

Just hope les Dix Mille Tours will be maintained at this date.

[Rudernst]

After Le Mans Classic has been rescheduled to 2021, which in my opinion is the best possible solution, the next domino to fall would be the Silverstone Classic as some of the infrastructure is dependent on the F1 GP which usually takes place a week or two before.

Also, I cant see the UK, or any sensibly governed country, going from lockdown to 50.000 speccies plus in one location in the matter of a few weeks

sad but sort of inevitable

RuE

[Peter Mallett]

Sad yes. But I hope we can all accept the need for these measures. I was hoping to do some classic motoring this year but my car is in the garage on a battery manager.

At least we are all keeping safe and will all be around to enjoy the re opening of motorsport as soon as possible.

[Gerard C]

Looking forward to seing the moment when racing will become our priority again. May be in September this year.

[S griffin]

Obviously it’s going to be a struggle to get some racing in, but the great thing about historics is they can be raced anytime. No need for updates, just make sure they are race worthy and looking pristine. Stay safe for now folks, everyone is in the same boat

[Paul D]

Just took the dog for a walk, and noticed that the main roads around here are beginning to look like just a normal day! I've noticed a gradual increase in traffic over the last few days. Do these idiots not realise that by slowly drifting back to their normal lives, they increase the risk of the lockdown lasting even longer than it needs to?

And if those in power are made aware of people ignoring the rules, then they're simply going to make the rules even stricter and we'll end up with a total curfew if it proves to be the only way to make people sit up and take notice.

If everybody sticks to it and does their bit, then maybe the lockdown could be lifted sooner rather than later, and maybe there's a chance of at least some racing later in the year.

However, I'm not optimistic: based on what I'm seeing, and with Easter upon us, I have a feeling - especially if the weather is nice - that lots of these morons are going to adopt the usual Easter attitude of 'come on, it's Easter, let's go and sit in some traffic queues for a few hours'.

Seriously... I can see it happening. And if it does, we could be in lockdown for the foreseeable!

And I stumped up for a higher grade licence this year for the first time, with plans of racing abroad for the first time...

[S griffin]

One other thing I and others have noticed is that with the roads being quieter, people seem to be taking less notice to the speed limit. Even if no one else is on the road, speed limits need to be adhered to, not least because there are people still walking on the pavements and the like. Surely with less traffic you’ll get there quicker than normal to your destination even without breaking the speed limit

[Gerard C]

Very few things to add to what has been said by Paul D. Almost the same situation, same fear for me. In addition instances say people can go out for jogging only before 10 AM and after 6 Pm in Paris area…*If they dont want people to meet each other this decision is not very productive imo…
Police forces are really nervous now they have no or too few face masks people are asked to display the special derogation sheet behind the wind-shield and not to wind down their windows…

[Moneyseeker]

Agreed on the traffic - Thursday last week we had our once a week trip for supplies and there was little or no traffic on the way to town, yesterday at the same time of day there was more traffic and also more people out and about.

Sadly, there will always be some people who believe that rules don't apply to them and those are the ones that get authorities to clamp down harder on everyone.

Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

[john ruston]

Be surprised if any thing much happens before end August.
Looking at European situation can’t see anyone opening for any mass meetings before then.
The mainstream events led by Eff one will be the first in line for any dates so what’s the betting on Goodwood Revival being first off blocks with all surrounding hoopla.

[Mike Crow]

Seems to me that the smaller clubs and circuits may be able to get going sooner. We may get a real "Step Back in Time" with small libre grids of disparate performance over one day meetings. Just like the 50s. I have high hopes of being at Camp Corner in July.

[Moneyseeker]

Derek Warwick saying it is 'highly likley' that the BGP will be postponed to 'hopefully later in the year', if that is the case it will be interesting to see the knock on effect on events like the S Classic. He also says that unlike Wimbledon, Silverstone does not have any insurance against the virus, in the event they did have to cancel.

Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

[Gerard C]

Officially no event bringing crowds allowed before mid July at best. I think the season will start mid August if the situation is still improving.

[John Elwin]

Officially where, Gerard? At the moment Techno Classica Essen has a date in late June & that normally attracts close to 300,000 over five days.

I hear Emanuel Moron now wants to keep us locked-up until 11 May. Shall I book a restaurant for my birthday on the 12th???

[Gerard C]

Nobody knows for sure what's going on… May 11 is a target and not everybody will be allowed to go out from home. Restaurants, hôtels, bistrots will remain closed. In addition, you and me are too old to go out, must stay at home, un bol de soupe, un suppositoire, une claque sur les fesses et au dodo biloute! Nuuuuuurse!

[Gerard C]

From my understanding any meeting or so called bringing a lot of people same day same place won't run. This makes sense knowing that they still have no reliable test and no medicine to cure this plague …

[S griffin]

As I've said before it will be a gradual process before everything is properly back to normal. It's sensible not to run before you can walk as they say

[Moneyseeker]

You have to wonder how many advance tickets events like the Donington Festival and SC have actually sold this year as the virus has developed right through what must be their peak selling period of Feb to pre-event (I know the SC went on sale pre-Christmas). In the case of Donington Masters how do you sell tickets for a postponed event with no new date and you face the potential that current ticket holders then can't make the new date (when you have one) or no longer want to attend?

Could get messy.

[Alfaholic]

Originally Posted by Moneyseeker

You have to wonder how many advance tickets events like the Donington Festival and SC have actually sold this year as the virus has developed right through what must be their peak selling period of Feb to pre-event (I know the SC went on sale pre-Christmas). In the case of Donington Masters how do you sell tickets for a postponed event with no new date and you face the potential that current ticket holders then can't make the new date (when you have one) or no longer want to attend?

Could get messy.

Not just the advance tickets for individual events - I paid out £200 for the MSV 2020 season ticket back in November or December and I'm waiting to see whether it will be rolled over to include next year as well, or if they will offer a partial refund based on if/when the season starts.