USGP

[Dave H]

Anyone on the forum heading to the USGP?  I know there are several of us over here in the States - not sure if any of you guys in the UK are making the trip.  I live in Indy so it's obviously rather convenient - weather's looking a bit dodgy but this could be quite an interesting race given the points standings etc.  Even if you find F1 mindlessly boring etc., it can be quite a fun time at the Brickyard!

[Steve Pyro]

Even if you find F1 mindlessly boring

You got it in one  

[Dave H]

Yeah - I can see where you're coming from Steve - but I must say, one could challenge the spectacle of endurance racing on occasion i.e. watching Audi or Audleys running rings around everyone.

To me, it's all in the setting.  Le Mans is great - but I suspect for most, if the party wasn't there, they wouldn't hack sitting in a field for 2 days.  The race is a little less meaningful sometimes.  ALMS races tend to be a little more fan friendly and race interesting.

Sitting in a bonza suite over the pits at the USGP makes the event brilliant - even if it involved watching people running around the track pushing shopping trollies....  The Ferrari Challenge and Porsche cup support races are a great part of the event too....

[ChrisConsidine]

Yup, I'm in Indy.   Hope it stays dry for Sunday.

[Robbo SPS]

Yep , i'm not , but hope the racing on ITV is a little more inteeresting than its been . F1 has become terrible .Its not the Germans fault or Ferrari, its all of them . Yawn Yawn Yawn. The drivers have NO personallity these days . There are no drivers who would run around the pits after a crash / race to punch someone . The money is TOO big today .

Grand Prix Legends , who do lots of merchandise at GP's , MOTO GP's , Le Mans , BTCC etc send out a new catalogue and the MD was slateing F1 , and they make his business !!

The arena makes the event . If Le Mans wasnt such a brilliant weekend motor racing  / petrol heads party , would we be all spend small fortunes going away once or twice a year for one Non championship race, where is the past few years the winning car has been virtually guarenteed to win ?

Who knows , will F1 get better , yes , if they make it a DRIVERS sport again , get rid of all the gizmos , look at bTCC , it aint racing if you aint rubbin .

what would the late great Barry Sheene be laike now as a pro racing driver / rider - Probably have  been FIRED

[wishy]

For the problems withj both F1 and BTCC ......I balme the mann from Biggin Hill......the one and onlt BE!!!!

[Black Widow]

I agree with Robbo.  Get rid of the gizmo's!!  Bring back big fat rear slicks, small diameter front wheels & large dining table sized rear wings & dump all the CAD/CAM departments that keep churning out 20 identical cars. (OK, so they're different colours).  Once that's done, employ humans instead of robots to "drive" the cars.  Go watch a Hillclimb meeting and watch some proper driving, without the gizmos, by proper drivers!!

I feel much better for that!

[Ruptured Duck Motorsport]

Yup, I'm in Indy.   Hope it stays dry for Sunday.

No no no, It'll spice things up!

ITV are doing their usual job and showing qualifying late night recorded "live"...  Wassup?  You've Been Framed too important.!  PAH!!!

[Black Widow]

Yeah!  That Lisa Rielly is a real babe!!

[Steve Pyro]

There are no drivers who would run around the pits after a crash / race to punch someone .

Quite right. Bring back James Hunt (RIP) et al.
I would be a real shot in the arm for F1 if the drivers actually had some kind of personality rather than be the automatons that they are.
Also, it would be nice to see a bit of overtaking or exchanging of places.
It seems that, if you qualify in first place, you're 'guaranteed' to win (assuming you make it to the finish).

[Steve Pyro]

Sitting in a bonza suite over the pits at the USGP makes the event

Sorry Dave, I might as well watch it on my TV in the comfort of my own front room with my wife bringing me cold beer in the nude.

[Canada Phil]

Hi Dave , I will be there late Saturday and race day ofcourse. I will try phoning on my c r ap phone
We are staying around 38th street I think. As the best part of last year's trip was the piss up at the restuarant with the Mini on a pole I intend to talk the others into that again. hic for Saturday night.  This will be my last US GP for a while as they have moved to Le Mans month of June for future races. Kirk and I will be travelling in the "Redneck Limo"
Chris too late to set up a meet as  leave in a couple of hours unless you can contact Dave?
Canada Phil

[Dave H]

Phil - what happened?  Sorry we didn't connect.  I had nude women and all the booze you could drink waiting for you up in Suite 32!  Buy a new cell!!!

What a tits day - weather really made it a race.  Poor old Jenson - thought he was going to get to the podium before he scattered under us.

Finally Montoya got nicked for "just racing".  Of course when it's the other way round, he always feels he's been "attacked" by another driver.  The Columbian fans quietened down pretty quick which was surprising.

Why the f%$k have they gone and scheduled 04 for in the middle of June.  What tossers.

[mgmark]

Yup - F1 drivers, with one or two exceptions, are too tied to the corporate money/image to do anything remotely controversial (they could take a lesson for Yvan Muller - he was pretty controversial in parc ferme at the BTCC race at Brands...).   Yes - let's go back to the good old days of lots of variety in cars - errmmm let's see - put a Ford DFV in the back of everything and use Good year tyres - variety?   I don't think so.   The only way to make the racing more entertaining is in the handling department - more mechanical grip, so grip remains in corners when the downforce has long gone, then wait the rapid return of the last of the late-brakers.   Add in limited fuel, 3 pedals, a mechanical gear linkage and a boost button and lo, you're back to the good old turbo era with full driver control......

[Robbo SPS]

Am1 being Nieve , but Montoya was penalised for trying a racing move not seen often in F1 - OVERTAKING .

5 years ago , F1 was the most important racing for me ,now , i can only be bothered to watch the highlights ( or lowlights ) because its become terrible .
The BIG money is too much now , and teams must have drivers to finish. can you imagine if BOTH ferraris played on an even keel, and Rubens car didnt forever break ?

Or would the HUGE merchandising revenues be compramised .

I have gone off on a tangent again, but i am truley gutted . Why can pople let the top flight of Motorsport die , so quickly , so badly...
Watch the space . Companies will only take soo much negative publicity.