Motorsport Off Topic Thread
- Thread starter Shimmy
- Start date
Couple of BTCC bits, firstly sad to hear the passing of Jack Sears earlier in the week the first BTCC champ! RIP.
Secondly some rule changes, although can't see them following through too much with them!
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/125647/btcc-adds-race-bans-to-rules-after-crashes
Secondly some rule changes, although can't see them following through too much with them!
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/125647/btcc-adds-race-bans-to-rules-after-crashes
Soldato
Haryato replaced with Oron at Marussia F1, as expected from recent gossip.
Clickbait "How F1 could join the Olympics" article title at Autosport!
Clickbait "How F1 could join the Olympics" article title at Autosport!
Soldato
Can't say I'm disappointed, I don't think Haryanto has done too badly I wasn't expecting much from him but he's been alright.
Ocon is a good future prospect though, will be interesting to see how he stacks up against Werhlein.
Soldato
Haryanto acquitted himself very well against the highly rated Wehrlein. I'd say he was even ahead around Russia/Spain time. It's a shame for him to be out so soon.
It was called A1GP wasn't it?
Soldato
Given the Olympics basically advertised themselves as barely above amateur status a few years back and are only now starting to stretch that limitation, it will be a long, long time before the likes of F1's hundreds of millions (and I'd not be surprised if it soon became billions) dollar industry start to appear on the Olympic radar, even in a Nations Cup A1GP style competition.
Genuine single-class racing at the top end would be awesome, but the likelihood of a team releasing their drivers to compete against others in a single-tier championship with no insurance (because who would pay for it?) is below zero.
The closest we've got is the Race of Champions, and that's a glorified fun run with half world the not bothering (or scared), with talent not counting for an awful lot and entertainment at the forefront, and that's likely what we'd have if top-tier racing ever made it to the Olympics. Unless there's a massive genuine push with reputations at stake (never going to happen with any commercial rights holder or the FIA) it wouldn't be taken seriously. That's not what the Olympics are about.
Frankly the old Top Gear board has about as much credibility as the RoC, and that was held throughout the year, weather regardless, in a car which probably had it's tyres tested and that was about it.
Other than that, there's the charity kart race in Brazil near the end each year which most drivers take part in, though some miserable ********* have always refused to take part in it in fear of a good beating, even for a good cause.
We've come a long way from the 60s and 70s when drivers used to compete, seriously, in multiple series, sometimes even on the same weekend. If the Olympics didn't happen then or at any time before, it's certainly not going to happen now. Bernie and the FIA even put the blinkers on Hulkenberg (and probably others, including Alonso) racing at Le Mans again, arranging to have it coinciding with a GP for this and next year.
Anyway, if it didn't happen in Great Britain and it didn't happen in Brazil, two temples of motorsport, it's not going to happen now we're going to Asia and probably Africa for at least the next decade.
I've got more chance of competing in F1 at the age of 36 than F1 drivers have of competing in the Olympics (aside from potential oddities such as the likes of a supremely talented equivalent of a Button from a normally secluded nation in the triathlon).
The closest motorsport is getting to the Olympics is the derny or the radio-controlled cars fetching the javelins.
Genuine single-class racing at the top end would be awesome, but the likelihood of a team releasing their drivers to compete against others in a single-tier championship with no insurance (because who would pay for it?) is below zero.
The closest we've got is the Race of Champions, and that's a glorified fun run with half world the not bothering (or scared), with talent not counting for an awful lot and entertainment at the forefront, and that's likely what we'd have if top-tier racing ever made it to the Olympics. Unless there's a massive genuine push with reputations at stake (never going to happen with any commercial rights holder or the FIA) it wouldn't be taken seriously. That's not what the Olympics are about.
Frankly the old Top Gear board has about as much credibility as the RoC, and that was held throughout the year, weather regardless, in a car which probably had it's tyres tested and that was about it.
Other than that, there's the charity kart race in Brazil near the end each year which most drivers take part in, though some miserable ********* have always refused to take part in it in fear of a good beating, even for a good cause.
We've come a long way from the 60s and 70s when drivers used to compete, seriously, in multiple series, sometimes even on the same weekend. If the Olympics didn't happen then or at any time before, it's certainly not going to happen now. Bernie and the FIA even put the blinkers on Hulkenberg (and probably others, including Alonso) racing at Le Mans again, arranging to have it coinciding with a GP for this and next year.
Anyway, if it didn't happen in Great Britain and it didn't happen in Brazil, two temples of motorsport, it's not going to happen now we're going to Asia and probably Africa for at least the next decade.
I've got more chance of competing in F1 at the age of 36 than F1 drivers have of competing in the Olympics (aside from potential oddities such as the likes of a supremely talented equivalent of a Button from a normally secluded nation in the triathlon).
The closest motorsport is getting to the Olympics is the derny or the radio-controlled cars fetching the javelins.
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And Zanardi! (legend)
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2 days since they all came back. I would like to retract my previous statement about being bored. It was better when it was quiet!
Soldato
Haha, the rematch.
Never going to happen. I've not even seen any rumours of Perez leaving Force India let alone him replacing Bottas.
F1 Racing went down hill at least a decade back. I'd be surprised if they're any better now, but it doesn't sound like it... watch this as they're both confirmed this weekend...
Soldato
Perez has been dropping some big hints that he's looking at other teams.
Soldato
But there's no open spaces, assuming Button does move to Williams as has been widely rumoured. Williams aren't going to drop Bottas, and Bottas has no places open to him at a bigger team (unless someone wants to take a chance on Renault being a better long-term prospect, which I guess is likely).
If Williams want future stability then it would make sense to grab Perez rather than Button. Button was the stronger and more consistent driver when they were together at McLaren, but that was Perez's worst season in my opinion, he's been really strong at Force India over the past year and obviously he should have more years in him than Button does.
Hulkenberg's really paying the price for his relatively weak past couple of seasons. He seems to have gone slightly backwards (mistakes as much as pace) just as Perez has improved.
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Soldato
Bottas would be crazy to leave Williams right now. There's no where better available. Williams would also be crazy to let him go. Perez, while getting some good results lately, seems a little mercurial. Williams would be good for Button to bookend his career though.
Soldato
While I like Button and Perez I think it is a waste having them as teammates, both of them seem to work best when on a different strategy to the norm, either through tyre management or strategy... Though not quite in the exact same way.
Both of them make great alternatives to a more 'traditional' racer as a second driver.
Both of them make great alternatives to a more 'traditional' racer as a second driver.
Soldato
There was a good show on 5 Live last night talking about Schumacher, the build up to his debut, the weekend itself and a little talk of his immediate departure for Benetton.
We all know the story of course but it was interesting hearing it from members of the team, getting the inside track as it were and what the media perception at the time was.
If anyone wants something to listen to on the train/in the background you can download the podcast from here: Schumacher: Seven Days That Changed F1
We all know the story of course but it was interesting hearing it from members of the team, getting the inside track as it were and what the media perception at the time was.
If anyone wants something to listen to on the train/in the background you can download the podcast from here: Schumacher: Seven Days That Changed F1
Soldato
Felipe Massa has just announced his retirement at the end of the season.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/37245221
Wonder who will get his seat for 2017?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/37245221
Wonder who will get his seat for 2017?
Its a good thing he goes, opens up another seat, and allows the circus to shuffle a bit more for 2017 
Its a shame, hes a nice guy, but this time comes to every driver, and he has been mixing it at the top for a long time, and leaving now with his record is nothing to be ashamed of.
Its a shame, hes a nice guy, but this time comes to every driver, and he has been mixing it at the top for a long time, and leaving now with his record is nothing to be ashamed of.