No motorsport in the UK until July
Discussion
LucyP said:
As for marshals, you do realise that there are always more marshals volunteering to do it than they have spaces for.
Again not correct. Before allthis kicked off Silverstone were asking for extra volunteers to cover a weekend of racing when both National and International Circuits were in use. GP & BTCC are usually the exceptions because every man and his dog want to be on television LucyP said:
Drumroll - I can't answer how I know about officials, because then you will ask who I am, and I am not going to answer that, but confirmation of availability is already happening. There was an article in The Guardian recently about the GP, and the MD of Silverstone said that they need a minimum of 12 weeks to prepare for F1. The big question is whether they can start preparing in the next few weeks, so that they are ready for the original date. If it does not go ahead, it will not be because there is a lack of officials or medics, I assure you.
As to the cost of their hobby, it doesn't cost much. Just the fuel to get to the circuit. They can camp for free, and most do. They can take their own food, and the medics are paid - not a massive amount, but enough to cover the fuel. As for marshals, you do realise that there are always more marshals volunteering to do it than they have spaces for. Trackside viewing, free entry, free parking, centre access, pit walk, maybe paddock or pit lane access if that is where you are allocated. The type of thing that you cannot pay for or costs £thousands. Just look up who is allowed paddock access and a pit walk, and see what grade of ticket you need for that, and how much it costs. Look at the cost of general admission, parking, and a centre access pass.
As to other circuits and my points - thanks to the person who helpfully listed most of the licensed circuits in the UK. My point is this - most circuits have only club racing. Barc have a circuit that has only club racing. They have another circuit that only has 1 big meeting per year - BTCC. So 2/3rd's of Barc's circuits have exclusively, or almost exclusively club racing. One 2 circuits have any international meetings at all, and one of those only has one per year.
My points were - you cannot afford to treat clubs like dirt, because as I have said, for most circuits, most if not all of the time, the only racing is club level, and there are plenty of choices for clubs. If Oulton Park treat you poorly for example, then it's not too far to Anglesey.
You claim to be involved but you clearly don't really know club racing. Agreed the GP would get enough officials and the BTCC will get more marshals than it needs. Most other club events struggle to get enough marshals. You clearly are not aware that over the last couple of years there have been meeting cancelled and other have had the circuit configuration changed to allow racing, because of lack of marshals.As to the cost of their hobby, it doesn't cost much. Just the fuel to get to the circuit. They can camp for free, and most do. They can take their own food, and the medics are paid - not a massive amount, but enough to cover the fuel. As for marshals, you do realise that there are always more marshals volunteering to do it than they have spaces for. Trackside viewing, free entry, free parking, centre access, pit walk, maybe paddock or pit lane access if that is where you are allocated. The type of thing that you cannot pay for or costs £thousands. Just look up who is allowed paddock access and a pit walk, and see what grade of ticket you need for that, and how much it costs. Look at the cost of general admission, parking, and a centre access pass.
As to other circuits and my points - thanks to the person who helpfully listed most of the licensed circuits in the UK. My point is this - most circuits have only club racing. Barc have a circuit that has only club racing. They have another circuit that only has 1 big meeting per year - BTCC. So 2/3rd's of Barc's circuits have exclusively, or almost exclusively club racing. One 2 circuits have any international meetings at all, and one of those only has one per year.
My points were - you cannot afford to treat clubs like dirt, because as I have said, for most circuits, most if not all of the time, the only racing is club level, and there are plenty of choices for clubs. If Oulton Park treat you poorly for example, then it's not too far to Anglesey.
Most of us who are involved in club racing already feel we get a bit of a poor deal from the circuits, but can't really do much about it. Your comment about just going to Trac Mon instead of Oulton again demonstrates a lack of understanding. Whilst Trac Mon is a lovely circuit the logistics of holding meetings there mean for a lot of clubs it is not a feasible option. Your comments also fail to recognise the regional aspect of some club championships.
I am well aware the "advantages" of being a marshal, but you ignore the fact that whilst it can be relatively cheap it is still a cost, a cost that many may not be able to justify once this is over. I am already speaking to marshals who are saying this year will have to be written off as far as marshalling is concerned.
Again with the medics, if you get on less at a BTCC meeting then the meeting will still go ahead. Get one less medic at a sprint then you have no meeting (only one medic required)
I am happy to be proved wrong, but please do not pretend after this that it will all come back just like that.
LucyP said:
Drumroll -
. As for marshals, you do realise that there are always more marshals volunteering to do it than they have spaces for. to Anglesey.
Lucy - you seem to speak with apparent authority and experience , but I am mystified by comments like this one , which simply is not true . Many clubs struggle to attract marshals and those who succeed often need to offer incentives to attend . I can think of several meetings which have taken place on short circuit layouts , simply because there were insufficient marshals to staff the long circuit . . As for marshals, you do realise that there are always more marshals volunteering to do it than they have spaces for. to Anglesey.
Look around at the average of marshals and you can see why the problem will get worse . When I marshalled decades ago , most of my companions were 18- 35 . Not any more ...
You are presenting it as if there is no choice, when there is! As if say the North West Tin Top Time Trial have to for example accept being messed about my Oulton Park without complaint. In reality, the members can vote and say - let's go to Angelsey instead, it's isn't far, and it's a nice journey and a great track. That's how life works. I can point to several clubs who race less at their "home" track and more at an "away" track, for just that reason.
As for marshalling, medics etc, forget Silverstone. It's enormous, it has loads of marshal posts and an large medical centre. The rest of the circuits are not like that. They will run to the requirements of their track license and the numbers required are not large.
As to money, if that was all that motivated medics, as you say, they would just sign up to a locum agency and hoover up all the available shifts they wanted at premium rates, and make more in an hour than a weekend of covering F1. Fortunately front line work is hard work and they like to do something away from the front line, having been on it for the rest of the week. Hence why each circuit has a CMO, big series like BTCC and BSB have their own CMO and MSUK etc has medical committees. All of those people are front line NHS people in the rest of their life.
As for marshalling, medics etc, forget Silverstone. It's enormous, it has loads of marshal posts and an large medical centre. The rest of the circuits are not like that. They will run to the requirements of their track license and the numbers required are not large.
As to money, if that was all that motivated medics, as you say, they would just sign up to a locum agency and hoover up all the available shifts they wanted at premium rates, and make more in an hour than a weekend of covering F1. Fortunately front line work is hard work and they like to do something away from the front line, having been on it for the rest of the week. Hence why each circuit has a CMO, big series like BTCC and BSB have their own CMO and MSUK etc has medical committees. All of those people are front line NHS people in the rest of their life.
LucyP said:
You are presenting it as if there is no choice, when there is! As if say the North West Tin Top Time Trial have to for example accept being messed about my Oulton Park without complaint. In reality, the members can vote and say - let's go to Angelsey instead, it's isn't far, and it's a nice journey and a great track. That's how life works. I can point to several clubs who race less at their "home" track and more at an "away" track, for just that reason.
As for marshalling, medics etc, forget Silverstone. It's enormous, it has loads of marshal posts and an large medical centre. The rest of the circuits are not like that. They will run to the requirements of their track license and the numbers required are not large. care to point out to me where an actual track licence states the number of marshals
As to money, if that was all that motivated medics, as you say, they would just sign up to a locum agency and hoover up all the available shifts they wanted at premium rates, and make more in an hour than a weekend of covering F1. Fortunately front line work is hard work and they like to do something away from the front line, having been on it for the rest of the week. Hence why each circuit has a CMO, big series like BTCC and BSB have their own CMO and MSUK etc has medical committees. All of those people are front line NHS people in the rest of their life. Not all of them work in the NHS
As for marshalling, medics etc, forget Silverstone. It's enormous, it has loads of marshal posts and an large medical centre. The rest of the circuits are not like that. They will run to the requirements of their track license and the numbers required are not large. care to point out to me where an actual track licence states the number of marshals
As to money, if that was all that motivated medics, as you say, they would just sign up to a locum agency and hoover up all the available shifts they wanted at premium rates, and make more in an hour than a weekend of covering F1. Fortunately front line work is hard work and they like to do something away from the front line, having been on it for the rest of the week. Hence why each circuit has a CMO, big series like BTCC and BSB have their own CMO and MSUK etc has medical committees. All of those people are front line NHS people in the rest of their life. Not all of them work in the NHS
Please don't try and patronise me I know how race meetings work. (If you actually read my earlier post, I said "Most of us who are involved in club racing") You put stuff forward, like you are the only person who knows what is going on but you are not. As I have already said some of your comments lack understanding. Your comments about marshals as an example. As I and others have pointed out move away from F1 and BTCC there is already a shortage of marshals.
By the way I never mentioned Silverstone.
Edited by Drumroll on Tuesday 31st March 21:43
Drumroll said:
As I and others have pointed out move away from F1 and BTCC there is already a shortage of marshals.
This is especially true in rallying - Ryan on here will know all too well, getting rally marshals is becoming harder and harder; quite often clubs will appeal before an event desperate for marshals - otherwise stages/ events can't run.ArnageWRC said:
Drumroll said:
As I and others have pointed out move away from F1 and BTCC there is already a shortage of marshals.
This is especially true in rallying - Ryan on here will know all too well, getting rally marshals is becoming harder and harder; quite often clubs will appeal before an event desperate for marshals - otherwise stages/ events can't run.And many of the medics in rallying work for the NHS (for example Stubbsie and Chris who were on Top Gear in the ambulance race), they may not want to spend their free time working once all this is over.
Rallying has the additional burden of route approval, PR (for closed roads) etc. I'd be surprised if there are any events before September even if the permit ban is lifted at the end of July.
Just to demonstrate my point about club racing being behind the bigger events in the “batting order” despite having “contracts” in place, I have just received an e-mail from the CSCC which says,
“ Dear Member,
Regrettably, the Classic Sports Car Club has been informed by Silverstone Circuit that our meeting scheduled for the 22nd/23rd August is now cancelled, to allow Silverstone to accommodate the re-scheduled FIA World Endurance Championship round....”
“ Dear Member,
Regrettably, the Classic Sports Car Club has been informed by Silverstone Circuit that our meeting scheduled for the 22nd/23rd August is now cancelled, to allow Silverstone to accommodate the re-scheduled FIA World Endurance Championship round....”
aeropilot said:
I saw on the TV this morning that St.Johns Ambulance said they will be insolvent by beginning of August without Govt support.
How many club events rely on St.Johns?
To be honest not that many nowadays, it is mainly private ambulance services now. How many club events rely on St.Johns?
Red Cross are not covering any events (motorsport or otherwise)now. This was a decision made at the end of 2019 and has nothing to do with COVID 19
Edited by Drumroll on Thursday 2nd April 18:03
andy97 said:
Just to demonstrate my point about club racing being behind the bigger events in the “batting order” despite having “contracts” in place, I have just received an e-mail from the CSCC which says,
“ Dear Member,
Regrettably, the Classic Sports Car Club has been informed by Silverstone Circuit that our meeting scheduled for the 22nd/23rd August is now cancelled, to allow Silverstone to accommodate the re-scheduled FIA World Endurance Championship round....”
Even more weird wec announced its revised calander with no wec rd in Silverstone this year.“ Dear Member,
Regrettably, the Classic Sports Car Club has been informed by Silverstone Circuit that our meeting scheduled for the 22nd/23rd August is now cancelled, to allow Silverstone to accommodate the re-scheduled FIA World Endurance Championship round....”
MG CHRIS said:
Even more weird wec announced its revised calander with no wec rd in Silverstone this year.
Just heard that, how odd. Mind you, the British GP hasn’t yet been postponed/re-arranged and there is still potential for that.jurbie said:
Yep, the Silverstone website shows WEC as cancelled and the CSCC round going ahead.
I hope that CSCC have already booked Anglesey instead!!!!Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff