Motorsports Thread

[rustybolts]

Anyone who isn't aligned with Ben Sulayem seems to suffer a careerorectomy.

Indeed, he is a pretty obnoxious douchebag , plenty of money and Trumplike in many respects

 

[Reynard]

Indeed, he is a pretty obnoxious douchebag , plenty of money and Trumplike in many respects

He makes Jean-Marie Balestre seem like a paragon of virtue... Having said that, I strongly suspect that Ben Sulayem has other people pulling his strings, because while he was a decent enough in a rally car BITD, he was fairly anonymous in the grand scheme of things.

 

[gbb]

Damon Hill is most definitely *not* holier than though. That's the façade he likes to project - and protect. The reality isn't quite so shiny, though he vehemently denies any wrongdoing. The problem with motor racing is that the wrong people get put on a pedestal for all the wrong reasons.

I won't say more than that, because I could get into trouble for saying the truth.

I like to think of 'incidents' on the track in percentage terms. Every single driver will have them, mostly forgettable but the most important, race changing ones will and are always remembered. They're racing wheel to wheel, millisecond decisions at immense speed, I rarely find myself jumping up and down at indiscretions. But they add up..it tells you a story about some drivers habits.

 

[Reynard]

I like to think of 'incidents' on the track in percentage terms. Every single driver will have them, mostly forgettable but the most important, race changing ones will and are always remembered. They're racing wheel to wheel, millisecond decisions at immense speed, I rarely find myself jumping up and down at indiscretions. But they add up..it tells you a story about some drivers habits.

In Damon's case, I wasn't talking about his actions on track. It were his actions in the garage.

 

[Drago]

Although he's not blameless on track either.

A wronged driver having a bleat is all well and good if their own record is impeccable, otherwise it's just hot air and they look like tools.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Although he's not blameless on track either.

A wronged driver having a bleat is all well and good if their own record is impeccable, otherwise it's just hot air and they look like tools.

You don;t get to that sort of level without having been somewhat ruthless on the track at time

So no driver will ever be lilly white and angelic

but some are better than others
and certain action are just wrong and clearly so

and even if someone has done that exact same thing themselves - they can still say it is wrong
OK - they would then have to accept they were wrong in doing it themselves but they can still judge it

 

[Drago]

So no driver will ever be lilly white and angelic

No indeed, but criticising a driver for doing something and then doing exactly the same yourself the following season isn't merely a case of shades of grey - its outright hypocrisy.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

No indeed, but criticising a driver for doing something and then doing exactly the same yourself the following season isn't merely a case of shades of grey - its outright hypocrisy.

True - I was more thinking of retired drivers as commentators and "experts"

but at the end of the day any F1 driver is ruthless and will do things they would criticise another driver for off track

 

[Kevberlin]

Let’s not forget that drivers want to win for themselves, but also that they are employees of racing teams and, as such, have an obligation to do their utmost for the employer.

 

[Drago]

Let’s not forget that drivers want to win for themselves, but also that they are employees of racing teams and, as such, have an obligation to do their utmost for the employer.

Like Lewis, who is an employee who refused a team order to let Nico past.

But when it's the other way round he's happy to benefit from his team mates largesse.

The wife of a bobby I know worked for Mercedes at Brackley and there was a lot of grumbling when Lewis refused to let Nico past. The prize money from points gets shared out among the employees and Ramilton's selfishness meant that everyone below senior management level took a hit in the pocket because of his ego.

I understand the culture at Williams is different. There the drivers are very much employee's and are expected to do as theyre effing well told, politely, and they don't tolerate primadonna levels of egotism from them.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Let’s not forget that drivers want to win for themselves, but also that they are employees of racing teams and, as such, have an obligation to do their utmost for the employer.

Yes - absolutely

but they wouldn;t be where they are unless they had an instinct to pass the guy ahead

they might over-ride it with logic at time - but never always

(anyone else hear the phrase Multi 24 being muttered in the background in an Aussie accent)

 

[classic33]

Yes - absolutely

but they wouldn;t be where they are unless they had an instinct to pass the guy ahead

they might over-ride it with logic at time - but never always

(anyone else hear the phrase Multi 24 being muttered in the background in an Aussie accent)

I can remember "Multi 21" being mentioned after the race.

 

[Beebo]

Like Lewis, who is an employee who refused a team order to let Nico past.

But when it's the other way round he's happy to benefit from his team mates largesse.

The wife of a bobby I know worked for Mercedes at Brackley and there was a lot of grumbling when Lewis refused to let Nico past. The prize money from points gets shared out among the employees and Ramilton's selfishness meant that everyone below senior management level took a hit in the pocket because of his ego.

I understand the culture at Williams is different. There the drivers are very much employee's and are expected to do as theyre effing well told, politely, and they don't tolerate primadonna levels of egotism from them.

That’s a poor excuse.
How many times did he deliver points that he wasn’t expected to. Did they refuse the bonus money then?

 

[Drago]

That’s a poor excuse.
How many times did he deliver points that he wasn’t expected to. Did they refuse the bonus money then?

Thats irrelevant. Its his job to deliver points whether it was expected or not.

Its also his job to do as he's told and maximise points for the team.

But it shows the level of his character that he's happy to benefit from team orders when it's in his personal favour, but wont comply when it isn't. Selfish behaviour in a team sport is not an attractive trait.