F1 Alternatives

[Edge]

Hi Guys,

 

I'm starting this topic as a sort of offshoot to the F1 2016 thread, where I was about to post a big reply saying about how many other forms of motor sport were better value than F1, but decided it was not the proper place.

 

So, new thread. What motorsport do you guys watch / attend instead of Formula 1 races?

 

For my part, last year my ambitions to go to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone were 'downgraded' somewhat to supposedly inferior events. However, I found that this was most definitely not the case in practice.

 

I attended the BTCC round at Donington,a dn although the weather was not co-operating very well I had an extremely enjoyable day. Matt Neal forced Andrew Jordan off right inf ront of me, and I had a chance to have a quick chat with Rob Austin after he spun out of Race 3. Three races combined with some truly wonderful support races and a trip around the museum equalled a quite brilliant day out.

 

My other choice would be Formula E. Once again at the Donington Venue, I have always turned up for at least one of the test days for both seasons and was amzed that they let you get so close to such important cars for free. Whilst I don't approve of the idea of drivers getting a boost in the race via social media, I do like the fact that the drivers have to get involved with the fans because of it. very pleasant little chats with Nick Heidfeld, Simona de Silvestro, Katherine Legge, Stephane Sarrizan and Jaques Villeneuve means a lot to a new series and a new fan. I was so enamoured by it that I attended the first race of the London Round in 2015, which I found to be a wonderful spectacle and exceptionally well priced at less than £25 for admittance - Formula E holds all practice sessions, qualifying and the race on the same day so I got to see a lot of on track action for my entrance fee - and a nice touch was a complementary radio which allowed you to hear the TV commentary whilst watching the action out on track. Suffice to say I will be going back.

 

So, where do you guys go for your motorsport kicks?

[Horsetan]

I used to watch the BTCC and also truck / lorry racing in the days when such things were televised by the Beeb. Much more interesting than F1.

[peter220950]

I still prefer Hill Climbs, being close to both Shelsley Walsh and Prescott, as you can still walk around the Paddocks and get close to the machines. It's much cheaper and you get a mix of high tech and vintage, along with the smell of Castrol R. We also had a revival of the Chateau Impney event last year, right on my doorstep, but they organised it when I was on holiday!

 

I think any small Club type event is better as it involves 'real' people, without all the cr*p of celebrity, so would always go for trials, offroad stuff, and local rallies. F1 has become too expensive and you cant get close enough to get the atmosphere.

 

Not tried bikes, but I assume the same thing applies, local events and the TT are probably better than Superbikes?

 

Peter

[PatB]

Any sort of club level racing is always great fun and is usually dirt cheap to get in to spectate compared to "professional" type events.

 

I haven't been to much four wheeled motorsport for a very long time but I have extremely fond memories of VSCC race meetings at Silverstone and Donington. The competition was always fierce but, as you might expect, gentlemanly, the machinery was fascinating and varied and, if you want spectacle, it was very hard to beat the Napier-Bentley (Google it ) coming out of Woodcote completely sideways and negotiating the following straight, still with substantial lock on, with smoke boiling off the rear tyres. 

[Kylestrome]

My particular motor sport preference is for endurance sports car racing, which began with a fascination for the Le Mans 24 Hour race.

 

I went to Le Mans in 1971, to see the Porche 917s and Ferrari 512s, and again in '72 and '83, when Group C was at its best.

I also remember a couple of Group C races at Brands Hatch, which was my favourite circuit.

 

These days I try to watch the WEC rounds when they are on Eurosport, but this series could really do with a bit more TV coverage.

 

 

The 1983 Le Mans winning Porsche 956 of Derek Bell & Jacky Ickx, at Mulsanne

 

 

[edcayton]

Well worth going to the MCC Land's End Trial. I'd recommend Bluehills near Perranporth. An eclectic mix of vehicles with approachable owners.  For roundy I'd agree with the others, look at MG, Triumph and Jaguar amongst others.

 

Ed

[mezzoman253]

I tend to watch this in spare moments. http://www.freeview.co.uk/whats-on/channels/categories/motors-tv

 

Rob

[PaulRhB]

BTCC and the World Rally Championship for me, on ITV4 mostly it seems.

BTCC has improved again after the doldrum years and is great entertainment.

[Steadfast]

Another vote for the BTCC here, close racing and the title usually goes down to wire. Maybe 2016 Jason Plato will have luck on his side?

BT sport (watched free online because we have BT broadband) has better WRC coverage than ITV4 and also shows some other international events, I know I've seen some endurance racing on there in the past.

 

Jo

[Horsetan]

Another vote for the BTCC here, close racing and the title usually goes down to wire. ...

...and the cars actually look like the ones everybody drives.

[New Haven Neil]

The TT.

 

I admit to bias. 

[backofanenvelope]

Another vote for BTCC with my yearly trip to Croft and occasional trips to other circuits over the years. Got to meet one of my heroes last year when I met John Clelland and as Paul says it has improved no end but I have always like the TV coverage.

[Wherry Lines]

I've gradually gone off F1. My interest has moved to the WEC and other endurance series.

[Will J]

In terms of enjoying motorsport 'live' I'd recommend the Goodwood Revival over the Grand Prix any day if you are looking to attend a 'big ticket' kind of event. It is all a bit 'staged' but the theatre works well..... their RAC TT is an incredible spectacle, I recall Jean Alesi clinging on to the lead (sideways) in a priceless Ferrari 250 GTO... he didn't last long at all but it was fun while it lasted.

 

I'd certainly agree with Peter on Shelsley Walsh for atmosphere and proximity to the action. To be honest, my enthusiasm is only really for historic events. I used to love the British GT Championship with its variety and esoteric cars but it has become very artificial with tight holmlogation of GT3 spec cars, which is good for racing but means it has much less appeal for the discerning anorak.... hopefully one of these days there will be a proper historic GT event, after several faltering starts. 

 

I had wanted to go and see the WEC at Silverstone this year but I fear the field hasn't the strength in depth, nor enough numbers, to keep things interesting over such a long race?

 

To revel in the 'good old days' of F1 I might be going to the Grand Prix Collection at Donington this weekend, I thought they deserved a plug as I won the tickets in the raffle at the Weston on Trent model railway show!

[Old Tearaway]

I watch classic 50cc road racing from Eastern Europe on U-Tube.

 

Compared to the boring F1 like procession that Moto GP has become since the powerful and exciting 2 strokes were replaced with the boring and safer 4 strokes of lower torque, accelleration and horsepower, a lot of people have stopped watching Moto GP.

 

Computerised traction control, etc. has removed most of the rider skill requirements so it won't be long before they just have robots riding the bikes instead.

 

By comparison, 50cc racing is exciting, skillful, fast and close run. Riders slingshot to overtake using slipstreaming or slipstream another rider that has just overtaken them to prevent them gaining a good lead on them.

 

The racing is more like it was in the 1950's, 1960's 1970's and 1980's before things were messed with.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3azxsC_LgAA

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fxs9ooc2FaQ

 

These 1970's and 1980's 50cc bikes actually do the speeds that today's sc**ter riding youth can only bulls**t about doing.....

 

And a lot of the riders are middleaged too.....

[Horsetan]

[ianwales]

Hi

 

Another vote for the BTCC, but I also wnjoy the British Truch Racing series, faster to 100MPH than a porsche 911! Mention of Croft circuit, the only time I went there as a marshal is a few yearsago it rained so heavily we spent most of the morning sweeping the water off the tarmac.

 

Ian

[HeeleyBridge]

I remember the 50cc class here well and rode clubmans 125s myself (hundreds of) years ago .. Being about 8 1/2 stone wet through made up for being over 6 ft tall (ish).

 

I lost a lot of interest in the World Championship (Moto Wot?) when they did away with the angry wasps.

 

So it's real road racing for me, not much opportunity to see it though, Oliver's Mount in April is my next hope.

[backofanenvelope]

Mention of Croft circuit, the only time I went there as a marshal is a few yearsago it rained so heavily we spent most of the morning sweeping the water off the tarmac.

 

Yes my experience is either torrential rain or scolding sun! But the rain does make the racing fun and we go adequately equipped to enjoy.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

 Following a rally is fun, if a little time consuming; great crowd atmosphere during the event and at the social veues for the sleeping and eating. The IoM TT is similarly fantastic, but the casualties have led me at least to sadly conclude that it really is too dangerous.

...fond memories of VSCC race meetings at Silverstone and Donington. The competition was always fierce but, as you might expect, gentlemanly, the machinery was fascinating and varied and, if you want spectacle, it was very hard to beat the Napier-Bentley (Google it ) coming out of Woodcote completely sideways and negotiating the following straight, still with substantial lock on, with smoke boiling off the rear tyres. 

 Especially in the regular 5 lap club circuit race with an early JAP engined Morgan trike. Exchange of positions on every straight and every complex of corners.

[steve1]

I used to go to Spedeworth short oval racing at Wimbledon years ago, also drag racing at Santa Pod and Blackbushe. Have attended grasstrack racing which is great fun too.

 

There's York Dragway about 10 miles from my house and I still haven't been yet! Must try and rectify that this year...

 

www.yorkraceway.org.uk

 

steve

[newbryford]

BriSCA F1 did it for me back in the day.

Rarely missed a meeting in the days of Willie Harrison, Doug Cronshaw and Stu Smith. One year, my brothers and myself attended every one we could - mostly two per weekend, sometimes three and four at Easter.

Then my brother took up racing and I usually helped out preparing the car. I even painted it!

Although it took more than a hammer/grinder/welder to fix this crash. after attacking the infamous Rochdale kerb at high speed. Three of the four roll cage posts had snapped and he was lucky to walk away with nothing more than a stiff neck

 

Nowadays, it's not the same with all cars virtually looking the same (albeit mostly driven by safety considerations) and noise restrictions mean that they are far quieter than they used to be.

 

However, my nephew still races them.

 

 

Cheers,

Mick

Edited January 9, 2016 by newbryford

[Blue Max]

Brisca F1 Stock Car racing takes some beating for action. 15 to 20 cars per race each with 7 litre plus engines trying to bash the hell out of each other. Its on a small (typically Speedway track) oval so you can see all of the action.

I have regularly seen cars on their roof's in multiple pile ups, cars with axles ripped out only to re-appear in further heats later in the meeting. You can get in the pits at most tracks and stand next to the cars to get a real sense of the power of these cars.

 

And a dam sight less cost to watch than F1 BTCC or some of the other types of car racing

 

SteveT

[great central]

Brisca F1 Stock Car racing takes some beating for action. 15 to 20 cars per race each with 7 litre plus engines trying to bash the hell out of each other. Its on a small (typically Speedway track) oval so you can see all of the action.

I have regularly seen cars on their roof's in multiple pile ups, cars with axles ripped out only to re-appear in further heats later in the meeting. You can get in the pits at most tracks and stand next to the cars to get a real sense of the power of these cars.

 

And a dam sight less cost to watch than F1 BTCC or some of the other types of car racing

 

SteveT

 

Another vote here for Brisca F1s, like Mick (Newbryford), I went to many meetings, often two in a weekend. Most mileage was probably Harringay (London) on Saturday night with Aycliffe (Co. Durham) on Sunday afternoon, in a Morris 1100!.

Couldn't afford to race but spent quite a lot as a spectator over the years. Marriage, mortgage and such put paid to it, although I still wander into the Spedeworth stadium when I'm in Great Yarmouth over the summer. Really tame by comparison, some meetings have a total of 30 or so cars, rarely more than a dozen cars in each race, which are heavily biased towards the banger end of the spectrum,  I've seen Brisca with over 30 in one race!

Home' track was Long Eaton where in the early 70s they had their own version of bangers called 'Bomber Cars', any type of car mostly well armoured some lasted several seasons.

I stopped watching even the highlights of F1 quite a few years ago, think it was in Schumachers day, found it totally boring.

Must try to get to a Brisca meeting this year.

 

Edit: Mick, I seem to remember 238 as Les Mitchell from the London area I think, if I recall correctly he used to run a 500cu. in Cadillac engine? Although I think he may have joined the breakaway SCOTA group? I suppose I should dig one of my old programmes out of the loft and check

Edited January 9, 2016 by great central

[newbryford]

Another vote here for Brisca F1s, like Mick (Newbryford), I went to many meetings, often two in a weekend. Most mileage was probably Harringay (London) on Saturday night with Aycliffe (Co. Durham) on Sunday afternoon, in a Morris 1100!.

Couldn't afford to race but spent quite a lot as a spectator over the years. Marriage, mortgage and such put paid to it, although I still wander into the Spedeworth stadium when I'm in Great Yarmouth over the summer. Really tame by comparison, some meetings have a total of 30 or so cars, rarely more than a dozen cars in each race, which are heavily biased towards the banger end of the spectrum,  I've seen Brisca with over 30 in one race!

Home' track was Long Eaton where in the early 70s they had their own version of bangers called 'Bomber Cars', any type of car mostly well armoured some lasted several seasons.

I stopped watching even the highlights of F1 quite a few years ago, think it was in Schumachers day, found it totally boring.

Must try to get to a Brisca meeting this year.

 

Nelson, then Blackburn was our nearest.

Blackburn was probably the smallest ever BriSCA track, with very short duration races.

For Blackburn, we could leave home at 6.30, race three times and be home for 9.30!

 

40 car consolation races at Belle Vue and Bradford could often be spectacular.

 

When I was learning to drive,  I would drive from East Lancs to the M1 near Barnsley (Wooley), one of my brothers would then drive down to Long Eaton (good for trainspottng between races), drive back to Wooley. Then I would drive home via Emley, Huddersfield, Elland, Todmorden etc, often with them fast asleep.........

 

Aycliffe was a 175 mile round trip and if we were running on time, I'd drive all the way going round via Darlington to avoid the last few miles on the A1(M).

 

Back on-topic:

One of the best "modified road car" formulae was the saloonstox in Scotland - total nutters. Newtongrange around the football ground was particularly brilliant.

 

Cheers,

Mick