Its Done! Drivers to stay in their own cars in the enduros! (Now with Poll!)

[GTRMagic]

Here

So we will see 29 genuinely competitive cars (at least at some point during the events....) with the regular pilots at the wheel

Sounds like something we have heard for some years now, and VESA seem to have finally done it!!

[STEALTHY]

Great news. Makes picking your 2nd driver all the more important.

[anthony81901]

Problem is there are only 6-10 genuinely competitive co-drivers, certainly not 29. So much for containing costs, the price of employing co-drivers will go through the roof.

Bathurst has always been about teams putting their best foot forward and going all out for the win rather than conserving points, thats why I would prefer it not be part of the championship.

Noonz summed it the reasons against here http://www.speedcafe.com.au/2009/10/...ldnt-be-split/

[Chris - Melb]

The best decision ever. It will double the amount of contenders for outright victory.

It will add costs to the team, but should lead to a healthier driver pool (more competitive co-drivers) and hopefully aid the development series and ultimately the main series.

I hope the talk of the main drivers still being able to team up if only one of them scores points is not on; otherwise it will be situation normal...

[NAC]

Like this.

Maybe now we will see better driver pairings based on best driver to support the regular and less 2 paid driver pairings to fluff around in the B car

[Micklegend]

So if this year is examined, who would not have such a good pairing?

HRT had capable co-pilots (however dumbell got a red suit but the guys in car 10 were not retards), 888 could split simonsen and thompson between CL and JW, FPR had youlden and canto, both great drivers, GRM had potential race winners, DJR had a solid pairing.

I welcome the splitting of drivers, should always be that way.

[GTRMagic]

If you take a positive from it, perhaps the main game teams shall support the Fujitsu series to groom codrivers...

[Chris - Melb]

Precisely!

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

If you take a positive from it, perhaps the main game teams shall support the Fujitsu series to groom codrivers...

[TOOTHFAIRY]

V8SC, Have finally opened the door for some very talented, non millionare young drivers to perhaps, live their dream and have a drive in the V8SC Series, Its certainly not a negative, their is quiet a few really good young blokes out there, who would gladly be aligned with teams all year, and tests etc, do all the P/R stuff, etc just to get an endurance drive. This is a major step foward in developing young drivers into V8SC, and forget about extra costs to teams, 90% of the youngin's will drive for free!. Look at whats happened in the past most of the so called 'GUN' Co Drivers from O/S , that cost a small fortune to bring out here ,DONT Perform in value for money stakes. It is almost impossible to break into any form of V8SC, Racing unless you have a minimum of 500-600K, FOR Fujitsu or 800K-1Million for the main game, NOT to many kids or their Familes have got that sort of Money, so GOOD ON YOU V8SC, it's a very positive move for all aspects of Motorsport both State Level and National.

[Trev Campbell]

Cam McConvilles stocks just went through the roof !!!!!!!!

[thunderbolt]

this may bring some top young drivers in to the sport but will it turn in to a sport where a contract is not worth the paper it is written on ?

[Trevor]

Great decision, plenty of overseas drivers in the 2010 enduro rounds though.

[ForumNick]

Originally Posted by thunderbolt

...turn in to a sport where a contract is not worth the paper it is written on ?

and that would differ from the current situation....... how?

[Axeman444]

think its good, instead of having 6 - 8 cars that can win, it virtually doubles that competitive field, and yes agree with more support for fujitsu may result, and a better future for the good drivers without $$, and less cars being mobile chicanes

[Alan52]

Bathurst has been about rewarding excellence at the peak of touring car racing.This "socialisation" of the entry while it will mean more potential winners does nothing but diminish the stature of the event.Can you imagine Le Mans allowing only one "pro" driver per car?As the driver quoted on Speed Cafe said this has to be the worst decision ever made by the board of V8 Supercars.Whats next?Handicap start for the race?Compulsory drive throughs if you get 20 seconds in front?There is more to the integrity of a sporting contest than maximising the numbers of potential winners.This will largely destroy the essence of what makes Bathurst "The Great Race".

[STEALTHY]

I hope the talk of the main drivers still being able to team up if only one of them scores points is not on; otherwise it will be situation normal...

If this is how it will be, i like the idea. Will give the kelly boys a shot at winning together (assuming both aren't in the fight for the championship)


Has anyone else remembered the fact that T8 were picked to do a '4peat', which wont be possible now (with the same drivers all 4 years) unless one sacrifices the championship to do it.

[david5]

This is rubbish, teams should be allowed to pair who they like. The current situation allowed teams to pick 4 good drivers if they wanted too ie GRM this year or put two steady as she goes drivers in so they could concentrate on having a red hot go at winning. All this does is make the haves better & the have nots further behind.

[F J Nedos]

I think it is absolute crap. I liken it to a restraint of trade on behalf of the teams. They cannot operate their business in their best interests due to a rule which is a bit draconian.

The simple bloody solution is to remove enduros from the championship. It is so simple, it is laughable. There are enough rounds in the championship without the driver-paired events counting towards it.

There are commercial gains for a team to win bathurst. This is a stupid rule which limits the teams abilities to do so.

The ONLY positive I could possibly see out of this? The development series becomes more relevant and more drivers are plucked from here for the co-drivers.

[anthony81901]

Originally Posted by Big_Trev

Great decision, plenty of overseas drivers in the 2010 enduro rounds though.

If anything it will reduce the number of overseas drivers. With the notable exceptions of John Cleland, Klaus Neidzweidz & Win Percy few have been anything but mid pack runners or in some cases mobile chicanes, eg Matt Neal, 2nd 888 car this year. They often have impressive CVs but with restricted testing, and the different characteristics of the cars and track they don't have enough time to get up to speed.

By pairing their lead drivers and putting all their eggs in one basket, teams have been able to blood talent without them being under as much pressure to perform in the 2nd car. Jim Richards being paired with Dean Canto, James Courtney & Ryan Briscoe and Paul Radisich with a young Cameron McConville come to mind.

If we look at who will be the drivers in demand Besnard, Luff, McConville, Ritter & Skaife, inevitably they will end up at the big teams so it will be business as usual. While there is a performance gap between the regular drivers, the gap between the part timers will be even more so.

This year there were teams with 2 regulars, 2 part timers and 1 of each in contention for the win. And the BJR, GRM, Kelly & Tasman teams up against HRT & 888, rather than the normal fight between the latter 2.

[Alan52]

Originally Posted by STEALTHY

If this is how it will be, i like the idea. Will give the kelly boys a shot at winning together (assuming both aren't in the fight for the championship)


Has anyone else remembered the fact that T8 were picked to do a '4peat', which wont be possible now (with the same drivers all 4 years) unless one sacrifices the championship to do it.

The rule says that any drivers registered and competing in the Championship cannot drive together.The only way Todd and Rick can drive together is if one of them does not race in the series for the rest of the year.

[ForumNick]

He's referring to this bit in the link:

"WHile the rule has been passed, there is talk in the V8 community that the new rule may allow regular championship drivers to pair up in the team’s lead car if only one driver is eligible to score points at the endurance events."

[Holly Wood]

Alan, Speedcafe are saying this...

"WHile the rule has been passed, there is talk in the V8 community that the new rule may allow regular championship drivers to pair up in the team’s lead car if only one driver is eligible to score points at the endurance events."

Now, if this rule was in place for the 2009 race... how many would choose not to pair their lead drivers in order to 'protect' their championship?

IMO, only HRT and maybe 888 would have split for this reason. Would FPR dilute their Bathurst campaign just so Richards could come 12th in points instead of 14th or whatever? Pffft.

If this part of the rule is in, it won't have much effect...

[Razor]

I have a netural stance on this ruling. While it gives it more focus on the co driver, it dilutes one of the greatest races even more. I think move the enduros to the end of the year and make them non championship rounds, make the enduros a celebration of V8's.

[Pro Racer]

i don't like it, when the rumour first got ciculated i liked it but over some deep thought i've done a backflip and hate it. one of the big reasons i hate it is cost containment, they harp on about it all the time now this rule will push co-driver stocks up 10 fold. McConky & MS will seemingly get a nice payday.

[bortall]

Out of curiosity has splitting pairings in the recent few years meant 2 cars from the one team doing any better. I’m thinking HRT & SBR from a few years ago for example.