Motorsports Thread

[aferris2]

I've still got to wait till May for the touring cars.

For me, the best racing is V8 Supercars which have already kicked off this year. Second round this weekend. Compulsory pit stops, tyre changes and refueling make for many different strategies, so you can be almost down to the last few laps before knowing who is going to come out on top.
F1 still holds an interest but with highlights only it's lost some of its appeal.
BTCC and the support races are good and a good excuse to just sit in front of the TV for nearly a whole day.
Not sure about Formula E. Great tech, but I'm not a fan of the barriers all round the circuits.

 

[Reynard]

F1 still holds an interest but with highlights only it's lost some of its appeal.

I only got a telly for my 13th birthday, so grew up listening to motor racing on the radio. Which is what I now do for F1, plus use a live timing service. I refuse to pay into Bernie's retirement fund.

BTCC and the support races are good and a good excuse to just sit in front of the TV for nearly a whole day.

Definitely. Although it's also an excuse to hit the snacks, which is maybe not quite so good LOL

Not sure about Formula E. Great tech, but I'm not a fan of the barriers all round the circuits.

It's effectively a World Street Circuit Championship, which is what makes it totally unique in motor racing. And I think for me, that's part of the appeal, because it's far less forgiving when a driver makes a mistake.

 

[matticus]

It's effectively a World Street Circuit Championship, which is what makes it totally unique in motor racing. And I think for me, that's part of the appeal, because it's far less forgiving when a driver makes a mistake.

Hmmm. I love the Monaco GP - because it's so different. I don't think I'd enjoy a whole season of races like that.

 

[Reynard]

Hmmm. I love the Monaco GP - because it's so different. I don't think I'd enjoy a whole season of races like that.

Actually, it's surprising how varied street circuits can be.

I remember the F3000 race they used to hold around the streets of Birmingham.

 

[matticus]

Actually, it's surprising how varied street circuits can be.

I remember the F3000 race they used to hold around the streets of Birmingham.

Tough choice: Monaco vs The Venice of the North!

 

[gbb]

One of the greatest spectacles of F1 cars is the noise... unless you've heard that scream first hand, you cannot possibly imagine , its mind blowing.

 

[figbat]

One of the greatest spectacles of F1 cars is was the noise... unless you've heard that scream first hand, you cannot possibly imagine , its mind blowing.

The last race I went to the GP2 cars were louder than the F1. I did get to ’hear’ some F1 cars BITD, which was, as you say, something to experience. I say ‘hear’ but you pretty much felt it all over.

 

[BrumJim]

Tough choice: Monaco vs The Venice of the North!

Which of course is where the Birmingham Superprix went so very wrong. They used the concrete outer ring road for the main part of the route, when they should have zipped past the canal boats in Gas Street Basin, Casino Square replaced by The Grosvenor Casino near the seedy exit of New Street Station, Grand Hotel tunnel and hairpin by the Britannia Hotel on New Street itself preceeded by the Stephenson Street chicane, and the Swimming Pool complex by a trip round the Sealife Centre.

OK, overtaking would be even more difficult than Monaco on the canal towpaths, and the Superprix finished long before the redevelopment of most of these areas, but it would be iconic!

 

[matticus]

it would be iconic!

Yes.

Yes it would.

 

[icowden]

Maybe in Brum they could make a circuit that's suitable for modern F1 cars. Monaco can be a bit of a procession these days.

 

[BrumJim]

Maybe in Brum they could make a circuit that's suitable for modern F1 cars. Monaco can be a bit of a procession these days.

Why would they want to?

 

[matticus]

Why would they want to?

Brighten the place up a bit?

 

[BrumJim]

Brighten the place up a bit?

You need to pop by again some time. We've brightened the place up a lot since the late '80s.

 

[matticus]

You need to pop by again some time. We've brightened the place up a lot since the late '80s.

Fair point. Sadly all I ever see is the basement of New Street station. Probably not a great advert for the city ...

 

[BrumJim]

Fair point. Sadly all I ever see is the basement of New Street station. Probably not a great advert for the city ...

I don't see that much of New Street Station basement level these days. It used to be the location of the secret underground link between platforms for those that couldn't use the stairs or escalators. It had that dark, dingy air of somewhere where either something bad had happened, or something bad was about to happen, and you half expected some sort of semi-benevolent ogre to inhabit this world of wheelchairs and pushchairs. Nowadays there are two lifts on each platform that take you up to the bright, airy concourse rather than downwards, one of which is big enough to hold a party inside.