FIA Main Event 2022

[robc3303]

So 3 Top Fuel dragsters only at Santapod Main event. What are the reasons for a small field? Is it post Covid, the economy, Brexit, something else, all of these factors? I know Anita Makela announced her retirement but was hoping for a few more fuelers. Perhaps one or two more might be announced?

[robc3303]

Interesting and very sad to hear. I did see that clip and wondered what it was all about. Is this fall out from Brexit complications? To see the FIA Drag Racing affected so badly is sad after all the years of building it up and generally expecting an 8 car field in TF (or more) and big fields in other classes. I hope this isn't a long term decline.

[robc3303]

It's fixable... said:

On top of everything else, now that the UK is outside of the EU, the vehicles and equipment that the teams bring with them are no longer "in free circulation in the EU" so teams coming into the UK from the EU and out of the UK into the EU have to have all that stuff described on a document called a carnet whch allows the goods to be temporarily brought into another country, the goods on the carnet have to be checked inbound and outbound to make sure that nothing has been left behind as a permanent export. As you can imagine the documentation and process is not cheap and just adds another tier of complication and cost - it seems for many EU racers who would like to come to the UK that the carnet process has become the final straw that means they said bucket, I'll stay at home. And who could blame them.

That was one of my fears... teams operate on very tight budgets and with all that extra red tape and associated cost and effort, it looks like it is having a very bad effect. No Brexit benefit for FIA European Drag Racing then, quite the opposite. What a shame. Potentially destroying the European championship.