Setting the motorsport world to rights
Discussion
This spleen ventilation was brought on by yet more FIA / McLaren news in another forum...
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I'll tell you what's wrong with motorsport these days, everything is arse about tit. All the regs are about slowing it down with endless regulations and millions of chicanes. All in an attempt to make it more interesting... This is motor racing FFS, throw the rule book away and let's see what they can do. Make circuits with three mile straights on them and let them develop a car that can do 350mph down it. Let them run two foot wide slicks and quad turbo v16s if they want too. Can you truly defend F1 when the most interesting things that have happened all year are watching a corrupt governing body blatantly target one of the teams and the drivers bickering like petulant schoolboys? It's embarrasing.
It's not just F1. You've got bloody hatchback dodgem car 'racing' where you once had fire breathing Ford RS500s, you've got Peugeots and Citroens latest shopping trolly tooling around forests when you once had bespoke rally monsters from Audi, Lancia, Ford and the like. There was even a Metro that was cool, imagine that! They're squeezing the life out of F1 with smaller engines and road tyres when they used to turn up the engines to 1500bhp for qualifying then throw them away afterwards. People complain that there is no racing anymore, THIS IS WHY. It's boring. A diesel Audi won LeMans. If that doesn't scream that something is vastly wrong, I don't know what does.
Safety is another issues, but not for the reasons you think. They crash at 180mph, get out, get in another car and do it again. It simply shouldn't be like that on the cutting edge, you may as well just fire up the Playstation. There should be the very real fear of death in motor racing, otherwise you're just not pushing the envelope hard enough. I bet the guy who was driving Thrust II was shitting himself, and how cool was it when he did it. I bet that guy was absolutely stoked. Contrast that with F1 drivers who might have well have been doing my job, sat behind a computer screen all day given the lack of any sort of emotion they all show. Then look at Hunt, he gets out of the car, sparks up a fag, grabs a beer and a dolly. He's cool because he knows what he's just done is cool. He can now chill and poke, knowing full well that he rocks. This lot look like they go home and watch telly as if it's another day at the office. It's just not right. It's why the bikers, particularly the road racers are the last of the breed as far as I'm concerned. Sadly, I suspect that'll soon enough be stepped on by the safety brigade.
It all seems just so obvious to me. In a world where everything is safety obsessed, PC and environmentally friendly, motorsport should be raising a defiant two fingers for the petrolheads who've had enough of this hippy planet hugging shite. F**king Steve McQueen, that's what I'm talking about. Do you think he'd roll up to LeMans in a Prius to jump into a diesel Audi?! He'd take one look at what LeMans has become and say PAH! take your effeminate rule bending diesels and bring me a big turbo'd Porsche painted blue and orange.
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I'll tell you what's wrong with motorsport these days, everything is arse about tit. All the regs are about slowing it down with endless regulations and millions of chicanes. All in an attempt to make it more interesting... This is motor racing FFS, throw the rule book away and let's see what they can do. Make circuits with three mile straights on them and let them develop a car that can do 350mph down it. Let them run two foot wide slicks and quad turbo v16s if they want too. Can you truly defend F1 when the most interesting things that have happened all year are watching a corrupt governing body blatantly target one of the teams and the drivers bickering like petulant schoolboys? It's embarrasing.
It's not just F1. You've got bloody hatchback dodgem car 'racing' where you once had fire breathing Ford RS500s, you've got Peugeots and Citroens latest shopping trolly tooling around forests when you once had bespoke rally monsters from Audi, Lancia, Ford and the like. There was even a Metro that was cool, imagine that! They're squeezing the life out of F1 with smaller engines and road tyres when they used to turn up the engines to 1500bhp for qualifying then throw them away afterwards. People complain that there is no racing anymore, THIS IS WHY. It's boring. A diesel Audi won LeMans. If that doesn't scream that something is vastly wrong, I don't know what does.
Safety is another issues, but not for the reasons you think. They crash at 180mph, get out, get in another car and do it again. It simply shouldn't be like that on the cutting edge, you may as well just fire up the Playstation. There should be the very real fear of death in motor racing, otherwise you're just not pushing the envelope hard enough. I bet the guy who was driving Thrust II was shitting himself, and how cool was it when he did it. I bet that guy was absolutely stoked. Contrast that with F1 drivers who might have well have been doing my job, sat behind a computer screen all day given the lack of any sort of emotion they all show. Then look at Hunt, he gets out of the car, sparks up a fag, grabs a beer and a dolly. He's cool because he knows what he's just done is cool. He can now chill and poke, knowing full well that he rocks. This lot look like they go home and watch telly as if it's another day at the office. It's just not right. It's why the bikers, particularly the road racers are the last of the breed as far as I'm concerned. Sadly, I suspect that'll soon enough be stepped on by the safety brigade.
It all seems just so obvious to me. In a world where everything is safety obsessed, PC and environmentally friendly, motorsport should be raising a defiant two fingers for the petrolheads who've had enough of this hippy planet hugging shite. F**king Steve McQueen, that's what I'm talking about. Do you think he'd roll up to LeMans in a Prius to jump into a diesel Audi?! He'd take one look at what LeMans has become and say PAH! take your effeminate rule bending diesels and bring me a big turbo'd Porsche painted blue and orange.
There are plenty of things that are not good about modern motorsport, but I don't think there is a simple way to rectify them. Just look at the amount of debate there is on these forums about the way in which various types of motorsport ought to be changed.
Regarding the safety thing, whilst the reduction in danger may have removed some of the excitement, I can't see an increase in danger getting widespread acceptance. I don't think I'd want to see it, even if the racing was more exciting.
Regarding racing drivers being boring compared to those of the past, I'd think it's an inevitable consequence of increased competitiveness.
Regarding the safety thing, whilst the reduction in danger may have removed some of the excitement, I can't see an increase in danger getting widespread acceptance. I don't think I'd want to see it, even if the racing was more exciting.
Regarding racing drivers being boring compared to those of the past, I'd think it's an inevitable consequence of increased competitiveness.
juansolo said:
This spleen ventilation was brought on by yet more FIA / McLaren news in another forum...
--
I'll tell you what's wrong with motorsport these days, everything is arse about tit. All the regs are about slowing it down with endless regulations and millions of chicanes. All in an attempt to make it more interesting... This is motor racing FFS, throw the rule book away and let's see what they can do. Make circuits with three mile straights on them and let them develop a car that can do 350mph down it. Let them run two foot wide slicks and quad turbo v16s if they want too. Can you truly defend F1 when the most interesting things that have happened all year are watching a corrupt governing body blatantly target one of the teams and the drivers bickering like petulant schoolboys? It's embarrasing.
It's not just F1. You've got bloody hatchback dodgem car 'racing' where you once had fire breathing Ford RS500s, you've got Peugeots and Citroens latest shopping trolly tooling around forests when you once had bespoke rally monsters from Audi, Lancia, Ford and the like. There was even a Metro that was cool, imagine that! They're squeezing the life out of F1 with smaller engines and road tyres when they used to turn up the engines to 1500bhp for qualifying then throw them away afterwards. People complain that there is no racing anymore, THIS IS WHY. It's boring. A diesel Audi won LeMans. If that doesn't scream that something is vastly wrong, I don't know what does.
Safety is another issues, but not for the reasons you think. They crash at 180mph, get out, get in another car and do it again. It simply shouldn't be like that on the cutting edge, you may as well just fire up the Playstation. There should be the very real fear of death in motor racing, otherwise you're just not pushing the envelope hard enough. I bet the guy who was driving Thrust II was shitting himself, and how cool was it when he did it. I bet that guy was absolutely stoked. Contrast that with F1 drivers who might have well have been doing my job, sat behind a computer screen all day given the lack of any sort of emotion they all show. Then look at Hunt, he gets out of the car, sparks up a fag, grabs a beer and a dolly. He's cool because he knows what he's just done is cool. He can now chill and poke, knowing full well that he rocks. This lot look like they go home and watch telly as if it's another day at the office. It's just not right. It's why the bikers, particularly the road racers are the last of the breed as far as I'm concerned. Sadly, I suspect that'll soon enough be stepped on by the safety brigade.
It all seems just so obvious to me. In a world where everything is safety obsessed, PC and environmentally friendly, motorsport should be raising a defiant two fingers for the petrolheads who've had enough of this hippy planet hugging shite. F**king Steve McQueen, that's what I'm talking about. Do you think he'd roll up to LeMans in a Prius to jump into a diesel Audi?! He'd take one look at what LeMans has become and say PAH! take your effeminate rule bending diesels and bring me a big turbo'd Porsche painted blue and orange.
I`d find it hard to agree more. Modern motor racing is but a pale shadow of the sport it should be. It will be found out over the next 5/10 years and IMHO will start a terminal decline. Bikes still seem to have some of the "right stuff" and the sport at an amateur level remains interesting but it has all become so banal, over professional and downright dreary that I find myself falling out of love..(and I`m no old duffer)--
I'll tell you what's wrong with motorsport these days, everything is arse about tit. All the regs are about slowing it down with endless regulations and millions of chicanes. All in an attempt to make it more interesting... This is motor racing FFS, throw the rule book away and let's see what they can do. Make circuits with three mile straights on them and let them develop a car that can do 350mph down it. Let them run two foot wide slicks and quad turbo v16s if they want too. Can you truly defend F1 when the most interesting things that have happened all year are watching a corrupt governing body blatantly target one of the teams and the drivers bickering like petulant schoolboys? It's embarrasing.
It's not just F1. You've got bloody hatchback dodgem car 'racing' where you once had fire breathing Ford RS500s, you've got Peugeots and Citroens latest shopping trolly tooling around forests when you once had bespoke rally monsters from Audi, Lancia, Ford and the like. There was even a Metro that was cool, imagine that! They're squeezing the life out of F1 with smaller engines and road tyres when they used to turn up the engines to 1500bhp for qualifying then throw them away afterwards. People complain that there is no racing anymore, THIS IS WHY. It's boring. A diesel Audi won LeMans. If that doesn't scream that something is vastly wrong, I don't know what does.
Safety is another issues, but not for the reasons you think. They crash at 180mph, get out, get in another car and do it again. It simply shouldn't be like that on the cutting edge, you may as well just fire up the Playstation. There should be the very real fear of death in motor racing, otherwise you're just not pushing the envelope hard enough. I bet the guy who was driving Thrust II was shitting himself, and how cool was it when he did it. I bet that guy was absolutely stoked. Contrast that with F1 drivers who might have well have been doing my job, sat behind a computer screen all day given the lack of any sort of emotion they all show. Then look at Hunt, he gets out of the car, sparks up a fag, grabs a beer and a dolly. He's cool because he knows what he's just done is cool. He can now chill and poke, knowing full well that he rocks. This lot look like they go home and watch telly as if it's another day at the office. It's just not right. It's why the bikers, particularly the road racers are the last of the breed as far as I'm concerned. Sadly, I suspect that'll soon enough be stepped on by the safety brigade.
It all seems just so obvious to me. In a world where everything is safety obsessed, PC and environmentally friendly, motorsport should be raising a defiant two fingers for the petrolheads who've had enough of this hippy planet hugging shite. F**king Steve McQueen, that's what I'm talking about. Do you think he'd roll up to LeMans in a Prius to jump into a diesel Audi?! He'd take one look at what LeMans has become and say PAH! take your effeminate rule bending diesels and bring me a big turbo'd Porsche painted blue and orange.
Yes I agree with your rant in many ways. We are becoming dictated to in everything and motor racing is no differant. Cars are no longer allowd to be noisey, no one is allowed to try to find out what their opponents are doing. Circuit are becoming slower and almost too safe. When a driver goes off it should not be possible to simply drive into the run off areas and get back on the track, I don't want anyone killed but a punishment for going off.
Driver aids, I want drivers to be able to drive not be passengers to some computer kid pulling the strings.
Drag racing still has all the danger and the noise without the crap of back stabbing politics
Driver aids, I want drivers to be able to drive not be passengers to some computer kid pulling the strings.
Drag racing still has all the danger and the noise without the crap of back stabbing politics
k yeah I totally agree, and McQueen's salute is entirely appropriate. Exactly what the manufacturers should have done years ago.
but there were no tourbo'd Porsches painted blue and orange. 917's were 4.5 or more.
The turbo one was the 917/30 with 1100-1500 bhp!
[/pedant mode off]
1500 bhp in quali trim.... now THAT's what they need in F1 to sort the men from the boys!
juansolo said:
...a big turbo'd Porsche painted blue and orange.
[pedant mode on]but there were no tourbo'd Porsches painted blue and orange. 917's were 4.5 or more.
The turbo one was the 917/30 with 1100-1500 bhp!
[/pedant mode off]
1500 bhp in quali trim.... now THAT's what they need in F1 to sort the men from the boys!
Personally all the teams apart from Ferrari who are the FIA in disguise, should do a McQueen and stick two fingers up to Max and Bernie. Walk away and setup a new championship.
Sod all the shite about the Midget having commecial rights with tracks, sponsors and the like.
Trust me, if they all walked, all the real circuits in Europe would have a right to cancel all contracts with the Midget becuase there would be no race with just two Ferrari's.
Let Ferrari go the A1GP route so at least the little italians can say their chassis won every race and the title.
leave the real boys and girls to play with proper cars on proper circuits and f#ck the prick at the helm of the FIA, and the Midget who's got more money than sense.
Bring Grand Prix racing back to the real audience.
Sod all the shite about the Midget having commecial rights with tracks, sponsors and the like.
Trust me, if they all walked, all the real circuits in Europe would have a right to cancel all contracts with the Midget becuase there would be no race with just two Ferrari's.
Let Ferrari go the A1GP route so at least the little italians can say their chassis won every race and the title.
leave the real boys and girls to play with proper cars on proper circuits and f#ck the prick at the helm of the FIA, and the Midget who's got more money than sense.
Bring Grand Prix racing back to the real audience.
LexSport said:
Evo are doing a guest writer column each month called, appropriately enough, Soap Box. I suggest you flesh this rant out to meet the wordage requirements and get it sent in - I think it's a cracking rant and deserves more readers than the General Motorsport forum. 
I was far more colorful in the original rant, though I expect that's not what you mean. Sorry if you prefer the days when fiery crashes were the norm and safety didnt rule - many say Jackie Stewart ruined F1 with his crusading but if you read his book and count the number of drivers killed almost routinely maybe you'd take a different view.
I was at Brands near to where Siffert died - watching people burn to death is not a spectator sport!!
If chicanes slow cars down where technology moves faster than the landscape ever can then fine if more drivers live!
Same with rallying - no more 'Beef' Parks please.
Other of your views maybe have a point - but you always need to remember that Motorsport is a pretty minority pastime and however much crap comes from the health and safety and anti-noise brigade we still have to fit in with others who do not hold our views.
Less tunnel vision required here.
Motorsport has a better chance of survival as we know and or want it if we have more open minds surely?
I was at Brands near to where Siffert died - watching people burn to death is not a spectator sport!!
If chicanes slow cars down where technology moves faster than the landscape ever can then fine if more drivers live!
Same with rallying - no more 'Beef' Parks please.
Other of your views maybe have a point - but you always need to remember that Motorsport is a pretty minority pastime and however much crap comes from the health and safety and anti-noise brigade we still have to fit in with others who do not hold our views.
Less tunnel vision required here.
Motorsport has a better chance of survival as we know and or want it if we have more open minds surely?
Put kerbs on racing tracks that will destroy suspension, so drivers actually have to go round the corners rather than through them. F1 and BTCC, I'm looking at you.
Don't straighten corners because they're 'dangerous' - how about this for an idea? Go slower.
Ban ceramic brakes.
Ban pace notes in rallying. That would make things interesting. How big are your balls?
Don't straighten corners because they're 'dangerous' - how about this for an idea? Go slower.
Ban ceramic brakes.
Ban pace notes in rallying. That would make things interesting. How big are your balls?
kenthardy said:
Sorry if you prefer the days when fiery crashes were the norm and safety didnt rule - many say Jackie Stewart ruined F1 with his crusading but if you read his book and count the number of drivers killed almost routinely maybe you'd take a different view.
You make a fair point, I'm probably taking it to an extreme for effect as we certainly don't want to see people die. But I think everything has become far too safety focused at the expense of development and excitement. I've never watched motorsport for the crashes. But I do want to see cutting edge machines not hindered by stupid regulations and tracks not become chicane-fests by removing the ballsy overtaking corners. 2 ton road cars should not, for example, be able to give an F1 car a run for it's money in acceleration and top speed terms.Edited by juansolo on Tuesday 11th December 07:13
MrKipling43 said:
Ban pace notes in rallying. That would make things interesting. How big are your balls?
I disagree. Surely it's more daring to go around a corner faster than you otherwise would simply on the basis of what a co-driver says? Otherwise, if you had to rely on what you could see, you would just go a bit slower.SamHH said:
MrKipling43 said:
Ban pace notes in rallying. That would make things interesting. How big are your balls?
I disagree. Surely it's more daring to go around a corner faster than you otherwise would simply on the basis of what a co-driver says? Otherwise, if you had to rely on what you could see, you would just go a bit slower.
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