Goodwood Revival - win at all costs?
Discussion
It wasn’t just the rain over the weekend that dampened some of my enjoyment of this years’ Revival.
There is so much to love about the spectacle that Goodwood lays on; the sense of occasion, the detail in set pieces and the incredible cars and racing. Conditions made it tough for drivers, but then that had the upside of treating spectators to some superlative displays of car control. There was also some hard racing, and some particular stand out instances of give and take. In the contests that Oliver Bryant & Sam Hancock (Sussex Trophy) and Andy Middlehurst & Martin Stretton (in the Glover) had, both Bryant and Middlehurst gave the eventual winner just enough room when committed that contact was avoided.
The RAC TT though was different. There seemed to be at least five cars that finished battle scarred from overtaking manoeuvres. At one point the commentators joked that it was like watching a Touring Car race, but it wasn’t that funny as it was all too true. It was good to see a time penalty applied, but I for one would like to see the Stewards take a firmer line. I know this is racing and that these are racing machines which regularly took knocks in period, but they are now historic machines and to my mind deserve more respect. I’d like to see a policy of longer time penalties for contact in overtaking, applied harshly if there is any doubt, and if necessary for both cars. Closing the gap too aggressively, too late, can be just as avoidable as too much of a “shoulder barge” pass on the inside. If that were the case, drivers in historic races would understand that “win at all costs” is not something that will be rewarded.
I wonder too if owners are possibly guilty of turning a blind eye to their damaged cars as the pros bring them to collect garlands and cigars. Maybe the bragging right of a Goodwood win is enough, or perhaps the extra dollars it adds to value. The entry list for the RAC TT is already a shadow of its former self from ten years ago and I’m not sure it is even the Blue Riband event at the Revival anymore. That may be as much to do with the former stars being deemed too valuable for their owners to risk racing, as much as the racing getting quicker and quicker. It would just be such a shame if the trend continues and the pool of cars that race gets narrower still. If Goodwood is invitation only, then perhaps a “sin bin” policy for a year or two for a car that damages others might help too.
Anyway, I’d better retire to pipe & slippers as clearly I’m just too soft on this subject, but I wanted to share my thoughts.
There is so much to love about the spectacle that Goodwood lays on; the sense of occasion, the detail in set pieces and the incredible cars and racing. Conditions made it tough for drivers, but then that had the upside of treating spectators to some superlative displays of car control. There was also some hard racing, and some particular stand out instances of give and take. In the contests that Oliver Bryant & Sam Hancock (Sussex Trophy) and Andy Middlehurst & Martin Stretton (in the Glover) had, both Bryant and Middlehurst gave the eventual winner just enough room when committed that contact was avoided.
The RAC TT though was different. There seemed to be at least five cars that finished battle scarred from overtaking manoeuvres. At one point the commentators joked that it was like watching a Touring Car race, but it wasn’t that funny as it was all too true. It was good to see a time penalty applied, but I for one would like to see the Stewards take a firmer line. I know this is racing and that these are racing machines which regularly took knocks in period, but they are now historic machines and to my mind deserve more respect. I’d like to see a policy of longer time penalties for contact in overtaking, applied harshly if there is any doubt, and if necessary for both cars. Closing the gap too aggressively, too late, can be just as avoidable as too much of a “shoulder barge” pass on the inside. If that were the case, drivers in historic races would understand that “win at all costs” is not something that will be rewarded.
I wonder too if owners are possibly guilty of turning a blind eye to their damaged cars as the pros bring them to collect garlands and cigars. Maybe the bragging right of a Goodwood win is enough, or perhaps the extra dollars it adds to value. The entry list for the RAC TT is already a shadow of its former self from ten years ago and I’m not sure it is even the Blue Riband event at the Revival anymore. That may be as much to do with the former stars being deemed too valuable for their owners to risk racing, as much as the racing getting quicker and quicker. It would just be such a shame if the trend continues and the pool of cars that race gets narrower still. If Goodwood is invitation only, then perhaps a “sin bin” policy for a year or two for a car that damages others might help too.
Anyway, I’d better retire to pipe & slippers as clearly I’m just too soft on this subject, but I wanted to share my thoughts.
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