RE: 2004 British GT Championship
Discussion
Surprised that there is no event at Rockingham. I made the trip to the circuit last year for the first time and was impressed by the venue from a spectator's point of view. I believe the drivers are not too keen - the left hand bend played havoc with Mr Wheeler's back - but the GT race pulled in the biggest number of spectators for Rockingham that year.
must have missed that bit The circuit is a touch 'Mickey Mouse', but I think the reason we're not going back is because the F3 drivers didn't like it and, as we're a package, we won't be going without them.
It is a bit of a disappointment, because SEAT brought in a huge crowd this year - our sponsors loved it, too. Friends of mine that had been to Silverstone in May were gobsmacked when they drove in to Rockingham, while others couldn't believe how popular this 'car racing stuff' can be.
Rockingham, to its great credit, has worked out that you need to employ new methods to get bums on seats these days and gets big crowds for all its events (even the roundy-roundy oval stuff). Other promoters could learn a huge amount.
So no Spa-Francorchamps, R'ham or Knockhill - a place I like, but a drive up that I loathe - but we go to Ireland instead. The Saturdays of each race are going to be very, very busy - over three hours of running by the end of the first race! Just hope we don't have any mechanical problems...
M. Ratel is undoubtedly good for the Championship - strong leadership is what's needed - but I think that next year we might have to grin and bear it a little at times. The grids, though, will start well and become great: it's just a great shame we won't be battling for overall wins any more - I don't think any GTO (N-GT) teams wanted to see the return of the 'big' GTS cars. From a selfish point of view it means less coverage on TV for us, but from a racing standpoint I don't want to be bored by a Lister and a Saleen 'racing' half a minute apart and two laps up on the rest of the field... We ditched GTS for a very good reason and the racing improved: now they have to prove to us that it can work.
Right, stopping now, before I go on forever. Jeez, I was only going to reply about Rockingham...
Steve @ Eclipse.
It is a bit of a disappointment, because SEAT brought in a huge crowd this year - our sponsors loved it, too. Friends of mine that had been to Silverstone in May were gobsmacked when they drove in to Rockingham, while others couldn't believe how popular this 'car racing stuff' can be.
Rockingham, to its great credit, has worked out that you need to employ new methods to get bums on seats these days and gets big crowds for all its events (even the roundy-roundy oval stuff). Other promoters could learn a huge amount.
So no Spa-Francorchamps, R'ham or Knockhill - a place I like, but a drive up that I loathe - but we go to Ireland instead. The Saturdays of each race are going to be very, very busy - over three hours of running by the end of the first race! Just hope we don't have any mechanical problems...
M. Ratel is undoubtedly good for the Championship - strong leadership is what's needed - but I think that next year we might have to grin and bear it a little at times. The grids, though, will start well and become great: it's just a great shame we won't be battling for overall wins any more - I don't think any GTO (N-GT) teams wanted to see the return of the 'big' GTS cars. From a selfish point of view it means less coverage on TV for us, but from a racing standpoint I don't want to be bored by a Lister and a Saleen 'racing' half a minute apart and two laps up on the rest of the field... We ditched GTS for a very good reason and the racing improved: now they have to prove to us that it can work.
Right, stopping now, before I go on forever. Jeez, I was only going to reply about Rockingham...
Steve @ Eclipse.
Ahonen said:
The circuit is a touch 'Mickey Mouse', but I think the reason we're not going back is because the F3 drivers didn't like it and, as we're a package, we won't be going without them.
It is a bit of a disappointment, because SEAT brought in a huge crowd this year - our sponsors loved it, too. Friends of mine that had been to Silverstone in May were gobsmacked when they drove in to Rockingham, while others couldn't believe how popular this 'car racing stuff' can be.
Rockingham, to its great credit, has worked out that you need to employ new methods to get bums on seats these days and gets big crowds for all its events (even the roundy-roundy oval stuff). Other promoters could learn a huge amount.
I agree - whilst the circuit itself isn't great, the whole package was fantastic - a great atmosphere and a very impressive (as in wow factor) facility.
The F3 guys didn't like the kerbs on the chichane at the end of the start/finish straight - I suppose if I was getting airborne enough to flip the car, I wouldn't like them either
I'd have thought that enough of the F3 boys would have realised by now that those were kerbs to be avoided.
If the large gaggle of spectators watching at turn one wasn't enough of a wake-up call then watching the car in front do a wheelie through the chicane might have given one or two of them a bit of a clue!
If the large gaggle of spectators watching at turn one wasn't enough of a wake-up call then watching the car in front do a wheelie through the chicane might have given one or two of them a bit of a clue!
Well dont drive over the kerbs then... Simple...
although the taz had no problem, maybe they should get a better car...
I dont see the problem with Rockingham, I thought it was ace... although we ran on the "Historic" circuit maybe thats the difference.. It had the right mix of high speed, hairpin and difficult corners..
G
although the taz had no problem, maybe they should get a better car...
I dont see the problem with Rockingham, I thought it was ace... although we ran on the "Historic" circuit maybe thats the difference.. It had the right mix of high speed, hairpin and difficult corners..
G
I thought the Rockingham circuit was really good.
Excellent from a spectator point of view as you can see the whole circuit....a definate advantage in the Tuscan Challenge series where the cars are swapping places every five minutes!!!....
As Graham says....the F3 cars wouldn't have had such a problem with the chicane if they had slowed down a little to avoid running the kerbs......
It will be a great shame not to have Rockinham on the calendar.
...//P//
Excellent from a spectator point of view as you can see the whole circuit....a definate advantage in the Tuscan Challenge series where the cars are swapping places every five minutes!!!....
As Graham says....the F3 cars wouldn't have had such a problem with the chicane if they had slowed down a little to avoid running the kerbs......
It will be a great shame not to have Rockinham on the calendar.
...//P// Of course the TVR T400R won't be in the top class, -unless TVR bring back the Speed 12, -the Speed 6 runs in the N-GT class at Le Mans, and it has run in the N-GT class (as GTO) in the British championship, since it started racing, -I don't think it was ever ignored or looked over.
I can't wait to see the big cars come back, AND see the T400R's back in N-GT (does anyone know if Eclipse will be back?).
Machin
I can't wait to see the big cars come back, AND see the T400R's back in N-GT (does anyone know if Eclipse will be back?).
Machin
Ahonen said:
Machin said:
(does anyone know if Eclipse will be back?).
Machin
Absolutely.
Steve @ Eclipse.
Apparently they're running two cars aswell in '04 but If not possibly in '05, wonder how it will all go with the Moslers this time
Since my dad's cousin sponsors them, or...did last year
I asked them a few things about this year and said they're concentrating on re-bodying the car to the Le Mans specification to the DeWalt TVRs and are continuing to talk with drivers and sponsors. They said they will have solid news later in Jan >> Edited by murcielago on Sunday 25th January 09:21
It Sounds like the Monaro WILL be out to play this season (found the press release from Emotional Engineering on another website, dated 26-1-04), And that it will have 650BHP, -therefore putting it up with the big boys in the GT class!!! Don't know how it'll fair against the Listers and Saleens, but I think it'll be a welcome addition to the grid to bolster that class 'cos it could be a bit low on the ground.
Should be interesting to see how it goes.
Machin
Should be interesting to see how it goes.
Machin
mutley said:
Not wanting to start an is it/isnit it debate, but surely the Monaro is a Touring car not a pure GT, no matter how much power goes through a set of wheels.
I know what you mean, but I've no problem with the Monaro. Rear wheel drive/front engine/large cc/four seats/two doors - it's the same layout as our TVR T400R, which makes it a GT in my book. It's also the same layout as the M3 GTR BMW, which was perfectly acceptable as a GT in six-cylinder form.
Quite how the Holden performs against the rest of us remains to be seen, of course. The Austraaaaalian version - seen at Bathurst - is totally illegal for European GT racing, so I hope they've not brought one of those over. 650PS? It'll be in GTS then, against the Listers et al...
I don't see the problem either.... just because its a 'Vauxhall'/Australian etc shouldn't rule it out... If you agree the Jaguar XK8 is a GT car (fingers crossed that the one from last year makes a come back) then you've got to let the Monaro come and play..... they're exactly the same concept; front engined rear drive, 2+2 coupe, and with 650BHP hopefully should provide some entertainment....
Machin
Machin
The DJ 27 said:
It's a GT car, no question. The only cars in last year's championship that weren't GT cars were the Golf and the Alfa GTV that appeared in the last round. Should be nice to see the Monaro trying to put all that power and torque down out of slow corners
....perhaps, but it was still fun seeing the Golf overtake the Ferrari 360
griff2be said:
....perhaps, but it was still fun seeing the Golf overtake the Ferrari 360
I must admit this annoyed me a bit actually (I didn't want to see a Hot Hatch beating a GT car!), without wanting to prompt a load of "Ferrari's are rubbish/VW's are great" debate, -how was this possible? At the time I assumed the "equalisation" rules had overcompensated for the Golf and it was much more powerful than the Ferrari.... but now I've learnt that cup cars are governed by a strict power to weight ruling(?), -I can't imagine that it would be quicker in the corners (surely it has a higher CG etc), so was it simply down to better drivers in the car???? Anyone with some technical insight care to hazard a guess???
Machin
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