Motorsports Thread

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JPBoothy

Veteran
Location
Cheshire
Oulton Park for the Wales Rally GB tomorrow !
I remember my teenage years of following the 'proper' RAC Rally around the country sleeping in our cars in the middle a forrest with loads of like minded people who would stand around sharing hot drinks and having a good old laugh despite the cold. I'm sure there was no (or a very cheap) entry fee and, if you got a move on you could fit a few stages in on the same day. Proper cars (Group B), proper drivers (Sainz/Vatanen/McRae/Kankkunen) and no limit on racing conditions (Ice/Snow/Fog) as is often the case now by the Health + Safety busy bodies. It no longer feels like a working mans/womens sport, and the commercial knobbers seem to have sucked some of the fun from it. My cousins husband attends a lot of 'old school' classic Rally's up North and the Mk2 Escorts etc are still hoping strong 👍
 
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Deleted member 26715

Guest
We used to do the same with motorcycles trials, you would turn up at the start & they would give you a sheet of paper with an address (well a description of an address) of where the stages were & roughly what time they expected riders to be there. You then got out the map & plotted a route, you could then follow a few riders all the way around, or sit & watch them all come through a stage then jump ahead a few to catch them all again. No fees at all as I remember, or might have been 20p for the map.
 
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Deleted member 26715

Guest
Just watching Speedway on Eurosport, isn't this the perfect sport for electric bikes?
 
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Reynard

Reynard

Guru
One of the reasons that Formula E uses street circuits or heavily shortened versions of normal tracks is that the cars are just slow compared to 'normal' race cars and the tighter confines gives the impression of speed.

I've only watched a couple of the races as the noise (or lack of) produced by the electric motor puts me off. The early diesel powered Audis and Peugeots in sportscar racing were near silent but went like excrement of a digging device - you never forgot watching them enter Maggots/Becketts at Silverstone 🏎

They're not *that* slow... Top speed of 174, 0-60 in around 2.5 seconds...

OK, granted, they're not as fast as F1 or sports prototypes. But they're somewhat faster than F3 and just shy of F2 in terms of outright performance, so not that shabby... :tongue:
 
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Reynard

Reynard

Guru
I remember my teenage years of following the 'proper' RAC Rally around the country sleeping in our cars in the middle a forrest with loads of like minded people who would stand around sharing hot drinks and having a good old laugh despite the cold. I'm sure there was no (or a very cheap) entry fee and, if you got a move on you could fit a few stages in on the same day. Proper cars (Group B), proper drivers (Sainz/Vatanen/McRae/Kankkunen) and no limit on racing conditions (Ice/Snow/Fog) as is often the case now by the Health + Safety busy bodies. It no longer feels like a working mans/womens sport, and the commercial knobbers seem to have sucked some of the fun from it. My cousins husband attends a lot of 'old school' classic Rally's up North and the Mk2 Escorts etc are still hoping strong 👍

I do miss the old style rallies too - I grew up watching the last of the Group B era and into the beginning of Group A, but I can see why the tech regs and the format *had* to change in order to keep the sport going.
 
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Reynard

Reynard

Guru
Moto GP from Thailand this weekend, big crash for Marquez in first practice, Marquez just needs two points more than Dovizioso to be crowned champion this year.

I've totally lost my interest in MotoGP... :sad:

Sick and tired of Honda doing to Marquez's team mates what Ferrari used to do to Schuey's. Plus Marquez isn't above deliberately punting his own team mate off.

Still can't forgive him for his antics costing Dani Pedrosa the WC a few years ago.
 

derrick

The Glue that binds us together.
I remember my teenage years of following the 'proper' RAC Rally around the country sleeping in our cars in the middle a forrest with loads of like minded people who would stand around sharing hot drinks and having a good old laugh despite the cold. I'm sure there was no (or a very cheap) entry fee and, if you got a move on you could fit a few stages in on the same day. Proper cars (Group B), proper drivers (Sainz/Vatanen/McRae/Kankkunen) and no limit on racing conditions (Ice/Snow/Fog) as is often the case now by the Health + Safety busy bodies. It no longer feels like a working mans/womens sport, and the commercial knobbers seem to have sucked some of the fun from it. My cousins husband attends a lot of 'old school' classic Rally's up North and the Mk2 Escorts etc are still hoping strong 👍
We had the same when i was racing Karts, we wouold all turn up with the Kart on the roof rack i set of tyres a few odd sprockets, Then after a few year guys started turning up with two or thee chassi's thee or four different engines, and a assortment of different tyres. All in the back of great big vans, We just could not compete with them, if i blew an engine i had to strip and rebuild on site, usually missing one of the heats, The money guys would just swop engines.
 

JPBoothy

Veteran
Location
Cheshire
I've totally lost my interest in MotoGP... :sad:

Sick and tired of Honda doing to Marquez's team mates what Ferrari used to do to Schuey's. Plus Marquez isn't above deliberately punting his own team mate off.

Still can't forgive him for his antics costing Dani Pedrosa the WC a few years ago.
The WSB have been my sport of choice of tv viewing over the past few seasons. I like the constant excitement as they push to challenge on virtually every corner, as opposed to only having a few opportunities per lap like in F1. Team orders don't seem to count either, and it's every man (and occasional women) for themselves.. Although, I am still a bit suspicious as to how Bautista could storm to victory in the first 11 races and then suddenly start falling off and crashing ever since! All credit to Johnny Rae though for never backing off with the pressure and biding his time :notworthy:
 
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Reynard

Reynard

Guru
The WSB have been my sport of choice of tv viewing over the past few seasons. I like the constant excitement as they push to challenge on virtually every corner, as opposed to only having a few opportunities per lap like in F1. Team orders don't seem to count either, and it's every man (and occasional women) for themselves.. Although, I am still a bit suspicious as to how Bautista could storm to victory in the first 11 races and then suddenly start falling off and crashing ever since! All credit to Johnny Rae though for never backing off with the pressure and biding his time :notworthy:

Think it just shows it's as much in the head as it is in the skill and in the machinery.

Part of the problem I have is that bike racing has pretty well much all disappeared behind a paywall, and I can't afford / justify paying for it. Same is true of F1.
 

JPBoothy

Veteran
Location
Cheshire
Think it just shows it's as much in the head as it is in the skill and in the machinery.

Part of the problem I have is that bike racing has pretty well much all disappeared behind a paywall, and I can't afford / justify paying for it. Same is true of F1.
I am an armchair fan of most sports these days as the coverage and shots of the action is so good. No atmosphere I know but, you can't have it all.. I know F1 is a ridiculous price to see, but what are the BSB/WSB prices like in comparison? A lady that I work with has relatives in the IOM so she gets to see the TT for next to nothing.. Now that is an adrenalin rush to watch even on tv.
 
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Reynard

Reynard

Guru
I am an armchair fan of most sports these days as the coverage and shots of the action is so good. No atmosphere I know but, you can't have it all.. I know F1 is a ridiculous price to see, but what are the BSB/WSB prices like in comparison? A lady that I work with has relatives in the IOM so she gets to see the TT for next to nothing.. Now that is an adrenalin rush to watch even on tv.

Mmmm, around £30 to get in race day, or something of that ilk. BTCC is similar in price.

I have a friend who is TT mad. Though she prefers to go over for the Southern 100 as it's far less crowded. :smile:
 
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Deleted member 1258

Guest
Halo. No one wants to see a race car with a toilet seat bolted to it. I. Sure some of the smaller teams hall's even have 'Armitage Shanks' moulded into them.

Yes, the halo is fugly, but it does the job of providing a bit more head protection, the aeroscreen does the same job but looks a bit more elegant.
 
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Deleted member 26715

Guest
But the Merkins Indycars melt if they try to race in the rain, but F1 will race in the rain, won't they need wipers, or are they expecting the speed to keep them clear
 
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