Brands Hatch thread

[Tyrrell]

I'm going to Brands to see some first class drivers RACE cars. It doesn't matter to me who ultimately wins the race. Some of the posts on here are unbelieveable. All Brits should want to see Dan do well and why can't he?

It is too simple to say Dan Clarke is paying. I think it is more of a case that his backer Chas Cole is buying into Team GBR. Hasn't motor racing always run like this? Benefactor and a good young driver.

Richard Renes post on here about zandvoort is bang on. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but when Jos Verstappen withdrew on the eve of the first-ever A1GP race at Zandvoort nobody knew just how good (or how bad) Jeroen Bleekemolen would be. That the Dutch fans supported A1 in their droves is to their immense credit (they were offered refunds if their sole reason for going was to see Jos)...and so too is their support in the cold wind rain at the start of this season.

Some of the posters on here (they know who they are) should feel ashamed.

[Suze]

For me, it's not just about Dan Clarke - it's cost, support races, etc - as I said before, other factors. I wouldn't not go "just" because of Dan Clarke, that's harsh, but having spent most weekends recently watching / competing and having a car to build, sometimes thing have to give, and if the lack of competitiveness is one of the reasons I'm put off going along with others mentioned above, so be it.

[strider]

Originally Posted by Tyrrell

I'm going to Brands to see some first class drivers RACE cars. It doesn't matter to me who ultimately wins the race. Some of the posts on here are unbelievable. All Brits should want to see Dan do well and why can't he?

Some of the posters on here (they know who they are) should feel ashamed.

There is another meeting next weekend that is probably more interesting to me than Brands, so if I go anywhere it will be there, if that's quite okay with you...

[rychard]

Adrian Zaugg will be racing WSR Renault V6 for Interwetten at Spa so who is driving for team South Africa ??

[Kiwi3]

Originally Posted by rychard

Adrian Zaugg will be racing WSR Renault V6 for Interwetten at Spa so who is driving for team South Africa ??

Has anyone told A1GP Team South Africa? According to the A1GP website it's...Adrian Zaugg driving.

Fortunately this round does not seem to have been very affected by driver unavailability. The only countries that do not seem to have the first choice driver are Malaysia, USA (who don't select the best available driver anyway IMO), with South Africa looking confused and GBR due to team issues rather than driver availability.

Still a very strong field and the only reason to stay away is if you are a patriotic GBR fan.

[kerrmanningjarv]

Well I am a reasonably patriotic fan and I will be there anyway regardless of whether Dan Clarke pays or not, he's still driving our car so he needs all the support he can get!

Plus I can't wait to see all the title contenders battle it out as well.

[kerrmanningjarv]

By the way, van der Merwe has been called up by South Africa - he has been driving the F1 medical car .

[Kiwi3]

A1GP must have been reading ten-tenths, they've now updated the driver list with van der Merwe. Interesting choice, seemed to have a lot of potential about five years ago but then dropped off the radar. Will be interesting to see whether he can shake off the cobwebs.

[Monkey Head]

sound like Earl Bamber has not confirmed with New Zeland,any commitments on other race series?

[Thundersports]

Originally Posted by Tyrrell

I'm going to Brands to see some first class drivers RACE cars. It doesn't matter to me who ultimately wins the race. Some of the posts on here are unbelieveable. All Brits should want to see Dan do well and why can't he?

It is too simple to say Dan Clarke is paying. I think it is more of a case that his backer Chas Cole is buying into Team GBR. Hasn't motor racing always run like this? Benefactor and a good young driver.

Richard Renes post on here about zandvoort is bang on. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but when Jos Verstappen withdrew on the eve of the first-ever A1GP race at Zandvoort nobody knew just how good (or how bad) Jeroen Bleekemolen would be. That the Dutch fans supported A1 in their droves is to their immense credit (they were offered refunds if their sole reason for going was to see Jos)...and so too is their support in the cold wind rain at the start of this season.

Some of the posters on here (they know who they are) should feel ashamed.

Why ashamed? The spectators pay their money they have the right to voice an opinion when attending an A1 race. I thought the point was to support your country but if the driver isn't the best one avaliable then the fans have a right to be disgruntled?

[rychard]

IK though the rookie seesion drivers were the reserves or does S Africa look at the rookie drive as a cash cow.... is the rookie seat for sale?

[bella]

Originally Posted by rychard

is the rookie seat for sale?

is the pope a catholic?

[littleman]

No way am I ashamed of my posts Tyrrell !

Team GBR owe several decent previous drivers money - fact.

They have deliberately side stepped the issue and have no intention of paying them - fact.

They now recruit anybody with a helmet as long as they bring money along - fact.

A1GP, with it's substantial, live Sky TV coverage, should be above putting paying punters in cars which carry the colours of their Nation - fact

If you want to support this unsavory and ethically bankrupt series then go ahead.

[strider]

Originally Posted by kerrmanningjarv

By the way, van der Merwe has been called up by South Africa - he has been driving the F1 medical car .

And he's a former British F3 champion, so he knows the circuit, and he's a top bloke. For me it's another incentive to go along and say hi!

[Kiwi3]

Originally Posted by littleman

No way am I ashamed of my posts Tyrrell !

Team GBR owe several decent previous drivers money - fact.

They have deliberately side stepped the issue and have no intention of paying them - fact.

They now recruit anybody with a helmet as long as they bring money along - fact.

A1GP, with it's substantial, live Sky TV coverage, should be above putting paying punters in cars which carry the colours of their Nation - fact

If you want to support this unsavory and ethically bankrupt series then go ahead.

I understand your points, but what is your view on other racing series then (including F1, which has a long history of paying drivers and contracts being ignored)? Do you still watch any motorsport at all?

[Kiwi3]

Only FRA and INA still to announce drivers.

Sky Sport viewing info has just been posted in the Mexico cancelled thread. If anyone does not have it on TV and if series website streaming does not work then all you need to do is download TVU player and watch it from Star Sports coverage. Qualifying is delayed (0100 GMT on Sun morning from memory) but races on Sunday are live.

As this is now the last round and IRL, SUI and POR are so close on points it is going to go down to the last race of the season!

[Mak]

I think the fresh concept which A1 had originally bought to us was the fact that the best up and coming drivers from countries around the world would race. On the face of it, it seemed a commercially viable series which did not rely on rich kids bringing funds and thus you got the best drivers. It was a good platform for countries to promote themselves(tourism),there products and there talent(drivers and if inclined there technical staff).
The current problems has meant that A1 will become just another race series for rich kids on an ego trip. It also makes it a less attractive proposition for the general public to support.
I have had a long and extensive career in motor-racing and have been pretty disenchanted with the 'SPORT' and treat it as just a business these days, rarely being enthused. A1 and its original concept had great potential to bring the sport elemnet back into motor racing.

[kerrmanningjarv]

But in these poor economic times, it depends if you want an A1GP with only fully funded teams who can pick any driver they want - say 10? - or a series with 20 (or a few more) with some pay drivers in there.

I would rather the series had more teams and maybe a few pay drivers if it helps it survive. Then in a few years, if a) the economics get better and b) the series doesn't die, more teams can start choosing their best drivers.

[kerrmanningjarv]

I don't know if it's money related or not (probably is), but there is no rookie for New Zealand and none yet for South Africa, Italy and a few others this weekend - all those teams could probably do with a rich kid to drive their cars on Friday morning but couldn't find one so would rather miss out.

Last season and even earlier this season nearly every team had a rookie out there. This weekend maybe we will only have about half the teams running on Friday morning.

Now if all the teams took that policy with their main drivers too, we probably would lose half the teams.

[Kiwi3]

New Zealand have frequently run without a rookie since the series began, they don't really see the benefit and there are not really any young drivers in NZL with budgets for rookie drivers (or budgets for anything really).

Regarding drivers overall, Dan Clarke (and perhaps France) aside I don't see the standard of drivers having decreased at all.

[Mak]

Originally Posted by kerrmanningjarv

But in these poor economic times, it depends if you want an A1GP with only fully funded teams who can pick any driver they want - say 10? - or a series with 20 (or a few more) with some pay drivers in there.

I would rather the series had more teams and maybe a few pay drivers if it helps it survive. Then in a few years, if a) the economics get better and b) the series doesn't die, more teams can start choosing their best drivers.

In the first 3 seasons they had a loss of £500 mil.. These were before the credit crunch and most of this money was through RAD capital who invest money for pension funds ect.. I accept in the first couple of season the losses but they did not push hard enought for the teams to become finacially independant. They then went on a spending spree regardless of these losses prior to season 4..

[kerrmanningjarv]

Yes, going to Ferrari on the back of big losses was a poor decision... they could have waited a few years more, S3 was the most stable season yet.

Let's see what happens in the future... but let's get this weekend over with first.

[jondownunder]

Satrio Hermanto back for Indonesia.

[Gilles lives!]

Well I'll be out at Hawthorn's, Westfield and Sheene on Friday afternoon eagerly awaiting seeing these 'new' cars come through compared to last years bucking bronco's.

I was out there stood next to Derek Warwick, Danny Watts (on Team GBR duties complete with headphones and stop watch !) and a few Autosport scribes , all with big smiles on their faces !!

Having been brought up with F1 through the 70's & 80's at Brands I wouldn't miss this for anything,it makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.........now that's what racing's all about

[bella]

agreed, we can say whatever we want about the management, but the previous evolution of cars was pretty spectacular. i remember standing out there the first year gobsmacked at nelsinho piquet's car control at westfield. hopefully it'll be worth the trek again this year!