Motorsport and the Coronavirus

[hoffman66]

Have to be honest here, my Dad was plod, they always made a special effort when the big meetings were at Cadwell, made a bloody fortune!

It is usually and very rarely competitors that ruin race tracks for the locals, obviously the noise can be a complaint, it is often things like traffic, rubbish, fans making a racket that is the problem.

Can you imagine living anywhere near Silverstone before the dual was built, imagine needing to get a flight to East Midlands when something like the MotoGP or the RAC was on and you had no idea, you would be cursing and at Donington that is STILL the case.

[NaBUru38]

The Uruguayan Karting Championship will return this weekend at El Pinar with no spectators.


http://www.federacionuruguayadekarti...-agosto-pinar/

[justracing]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

The Uruguayan Karting Championship will return this weekend at El Pinar with no spectators.


http://www.federacionuruguayadekarti...-agosto-pinar/

Damn, I'll have to cancel my flight

[Gerard C]

What's happening now and what will happening Sept?

[Lancsbreaker]

Most circuits are allowing limited numbers of spectators, on a pre-booked basis, but with no public allowed in paddock or pit areas......

[Gerard C]

I see Richard. Albi and Dijon went fine but in many towns wearing a face mask in the street is mandatory and the police is very strict. We saw in telly that many Brits had to go back home in a hurry because of quarantaine.

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by Lancsbreaker

Most circuits are allowing limited numbers of spectators, on a pre-booked basis, but with no public allowed in paddock or pit areas......

That sounds like a sensible idea to me, very well thought out

[midgetman]

Sensible. Unlike most of the MSUK rules, which were drawn up in the height of the panic and bear no relation to life today.

For instance. At a kart race we are NOT allowed to do a track walk to learn the lines (MSUK Covid 19 rules update refers). At a hill climb walking the course is STRONGLY ADVISED (their capitals), socially distanced of course. Baffled? So am I.

There's other instances that are frankly pathetic.

Let's just get a bit of consistency shall we? Some of the stuff MSUK mandates are out of kilter with UK Government rules. I've been to a lot of kart race venues since the end of May, and the variation is unbelievable. It's only MSUK events where we're treated like children. Personally I think "be careful" is the best maxim, and I resent be counted in and out of the toilet for example.

<Rant over>

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

[Woolley]

Originally Posted by midgetman

I resent be counted in and out of the toilet for example.

<Rant over>

Still preferable to being weighed in and out of the toilet...

[The Fat Clerk]

[QUOTE=midgetman;3995710].

For instance. At a kart race we are NOT allowed to do a track walk to learn the lines (MSUK Covid 19 rules update refers).

Unless you were @ GYG today!

[Paul D]

And yet, no one had any problem with us doing a track walk at Snett on Saturday?

And there were quite a lot of spectators around in the afternoon, but they did seem to be keeping them out of the paddock, as far as I could tell.

But it's amazing how many competitors either, A), don't read the SRs and/or final instructions, or, B), do read them but simply choose to ignore them! It was made quite clear that all garage doors pit-side were to remain closed throughout the meeting and that all cars, even those in the garages (which was our series, coincidentally), were to join & exit the circuit via the assembly area and the track exit back into the paddock from the circuit infield loop. Yet the guy in the very next garage to us decided he was coming back into the garage via the pit lane! And various other garage doors were being opened throughout the day, with marshals getting increasingly frustrated having to repeatedly close the offending doors - which is understandable when everyone has been told in no uncertain terms to keep them closed.

We also heard at least one competitor sounding aghast at the prospect of only getting one wristband for pitlane access (plus one for the drivers, obviously), and making comments along the lines of "Oh, it's OK, I'll go and ask for some more", despite the final instructions making it quite clear that this was all we were getting, and specifically instructing everyone NOT TO ASK FOR MORE!

There's always a minority that think the rules don't apply to them isn't there? Of course, none of us likes all these new rules, but that's just the way it has to be for the time being, so we either race under those conditions and accept it, or if you don't like it, then don't enter any events until the rules are relaxed further. If a minority simply think it's OK for them to do as they please and ignore rules which, rightly or wrongly, have been put in place in an effort to protect people, then they run the risk of causing the whole thing to be shut down again and none of us will be allowed to compete.

I'll be honest and say that I'm not generally a stickler for rules myself, especially ones that don't make any sense, or those that are in place because some jobsworth was paid to dream them up to justify his ludicrous salary - but the ones being flouted at Snett this weekend I'd say did make sense generally under the current circumstances. I mean - is it really that hard to manage with only one helper on the pit-lane, bearing in mind that any pit-stops are fixed at two minutes, so no need to rush and no need for lots of helpers? This is club racing, FFS! And is it also such a hardship for the one said helper to wear a mask? Is it such a hardship to keep the pit-side garage doors closed so that access to the pit lane can be controlled easier, or is the temptation to be seen swanning into your garage via the pit lane simply too much for some?

People can be idiots at times!

[275 GTB-4]

Originally Posted by Woolley

Still preferable to being weighed in and out of the toilet...

To check your balanced diet?...

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by Paul D

And yet, no one had any problem with us doing a track walk at Snett on Saturday?

And there were quite a lot of spectators around in the afternoon, but they did seem to be keeping them out of the paddock, as far as I could tell.

But it's amazing how many competitors either, A), don't read the SRs and/or final instructions, or, B), do read them but simply choose to ignore them! It was made quite clear that all garage doors pit-side were to remain closed throughout the meeting and that all cars, even those in the garages (which was our series, coincidentally), were to join & exit the circuit via the assembly area and the track exit back into the paddock from the circuit infield loop. Yet the guy in the very next garage to us decided he was coming back into the garage via the pit lane! And various other garage doors were being opened throughout the day, with marshals getting increasingly frustrated having to repeatedly close the offending doors - which is understandable when everyone has been told in no uncertain terms to keep them closed.

We also heard at least one competitor sounding aghast at the prospect of only getting one wristband for pitlane access (plus one for the drivers, obviously), and making comments along the lines of "Oh, it's OK, I'll go and ask for some more", despite the final instructions making it quite clear that this was all we were getting, and specifically instructing everyone NOT TO ASK FOR MORE!

There's always a minority that think the rules don't apply to them isn't there? Of course, none of us likes all these new rules, but that's just the way it has to be for the time being, so we either race under those conditions and accept it, or if you don't like it, then don't enter any events until the rules are relaxed further. If a minority simply think it's OK for them to do as they please and ignore rules which, rightly or wrongly, have been put in place in an effort to protect people, then they run the risk of causing the whole thing to be shut down again and none of us will be allowed to compete.

I'll be honest and say that I'm not generally a stickler for rules myself, especially ones that don't make any sense, or those that are in place because some jobsworth was paid to dream them up to justify his ludicrous salary - but the ones being flouted at Snett this weekend I'd say did make sense generally under the current circumstances. I mean - is it really that hard to manage with only one helper on the pit-lane, bearing in mind that any pit-stops are fixed at two minutes, so no need to rush and no need for lots of helpers? This is club racing, FFS! And is it also such a hardship for the one said helper to wear a mask? Is it such a hardship to keep the pit-side garage doors closed so that access to the pit lane can be controlled easier, or is the temptation to be seen swanning into your garage via the pit lane simply too much for some?

People can be idiots at times!

Nicely put Paul and in my opinion would say it unfortunately sums up my view of how the general public are treating the whole Covid thing here in the UK. Working in Leicester (which is has been under some sort of extra lockdown for a while), I'm astounded to see how some people behave...

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by 275 GTB-4

To check your balanced diet?...

Its a reference to Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy.

[hoffman66]

I do find it slightly odd that the MSV tracks seem to be happy holing meetings with restrictions in place yet Silverstone are still operating totally behind closed doors.

[dwh43scale]

Originally Posted by hoffman66

I do find it slightly odd that the MSV tracks seem to be happy holing meetings with restrictions in place yet Silverstone are still operating totally behind closed doors.

I'd note that Silverstone has only just had it's first potential open meeting last weekend with all resources previously thrown at running the GPx2. Add in that last weekend was GT Open and thus likely to be a modest crowd at best, it was probably a little early.

It will be interesting to see how they manage it though - as visits to all MSV sites plus Mallory and Thruxton since relaxation have shown, it's not just a case of putting up a couple of fences ...

On a side note, I have really appreciated not having excessive gravel runoffs and fencing in the back of my photos (except perhaps to a degree Donington) and I am not sure I am that desperate to return to Silverfence !

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by hoffman66

I do find it slightly odd that the MSV tracks seem to be happy holing meetings with restrictions in place yet Silverstone are still operating totally behind closed doors.

MSV has much higher overheads and needs to get bums on seats and of course Silverstone has had the 'benefit' of FOM allegedly paying them to hold 2 x GP's behind closed doors - when they would normally lose money on holding one with spectators...

[Peter Mallett]

Just received a mail from MRL and one from Masters. Essentially if you are going.to race at Zandvoort or Spa, you need to tell them who will be driving and who will attend as your team. Upon return within 48hrs you must take a covid test. If negative you don't have to quarantine. If positive, well quarantine it is. Not sure if it helps those with jobs who won't get paid if they are quarantined but it is a step forward.

[delta]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Just received a mail from MRL and one from Masters. Essentially if you are going.to race at Zandvoort or Spa, you need to tell them who will be driving and who will attend as your team. Upon return within 48hrs you must take a covid test. If negative you don't have to quarantine. If positive, well quarantine it is. Not sure if it helps those with jobs who won't get paid if they are quarantined but it is a step forward.

Yep step forward so happy days ahead.

[midgetman]

Makes a huge amount of sense. Wonder if they could roll it out to the real world?

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[Lancsbreaker]

Is this some specific dispensation from UK government for "sporting teams"? Just wondering because CSCC have a race planned at Le Mans and I was presuming that would be hit by the new restrictions......

[Peter Mallett]

MS UK, provided the info to MRL & Masters.

[john ruston]

All those going to Spa will look like well honed sportsmen even if average age is about 50 ish
The gang intend going with one of my cars but think I’ll stay here!

[coppice]

Just been to my favourite cafe for breakfast, and I will be going to renew the wine stocks later , after having an afternoon's fishing in the grounds of a country house where the public can also roam . I have been to four different circuits and a drag strip since mid July , but I cannot go to the hillclimb 40 minutes down the road , nor pop in to the circuit 30minutes up the road to see some friends at a track day...


' Consistency , thou art a jewel' , but what a pity either MSUK and /or circuit owners seem strangers to the expression . I've been told it's the former's rules which are keeping places closed (in which case how come MSV are open ?) but it seems to be the interpretation of the latter that is the issue .



But will somebody,anybody just get a bloody grip or are we closing places for good ?

[John Elwin]

We've got a European Drifting (there's a joke there somewhere!) event at Croix this weekend, which I think is their first public event

I've never been to drifting other than a demo at Essen Motor Show, but having been starved of motor sport for too long, I might just go & have a look.