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21 Jun 2012, 11:56 (Ref:3095911) | #26 | |
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In my opinion it is no different to a test match cricketer playing for his local club in the county premier league. It actually allows the others taking part to see how they compare against someone at the top of his game.
I don't know where he finished or his lap times, but if he was miles faster he wouldn't have affected the regulars race anyway. It might actually encouraged some of the regulars to raise their game, that's what usually happens in cricket anyway. |
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21 Jun 2012, 12:17 (Ref:3095920) | #27 | ||
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 2,748
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Don't see the problem myself. Should every person with a racing license be specifically graded and told where they can and can't compete?
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21 Jun 2012, 13:14 (Ref:3095939) | #28 | ||
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Join Date: Nov 2005
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@Easton. You might not feel so happy if you were the cricketer who got dropped to allow the pro to get some practice.
@Mike. Yes that's exactly what a licensing system should do. To both prevent inexperienced but rich children racing 500bhp single seaters just because Dad can afford it and to prevent experienced "pros" going on "learning" expeditions in amateur championships. |
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21 Jun 2012, 14:04 (Ref:3095968) | #29 | |
Racer
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 170
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I get the feeling that the MSV F3 competitors wish to keep this series as a genuine clubbie event which is great. I think that what Alex did was to show the standard of driving in many series as he although an excellent driver at 18 years old he is still learning and will improve as he gains more experience.
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21 Jun 2012, 14:19 (Ref:3095974) | #30 | |
Race Official
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at risk of interrupting the frantic pearl-clutching... this is something that needs to be taken up by the competitors with the organisers really. don't get me wrong, it's valid to discuss but i feel like i've stumbled into the comments section of the daily mail here.
perhaps if guest drivers already competing in a big expensive series were excluded from all but the basic classifications and not allowed to get a trophy then the existing competitors might not feel like their toes were being trodden on? i think the cricket analogy is a fair one rather than the football one. |
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21 Jun 2012, 15:21 (Ref:3096005) | #31 | |
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@Flavio, maybe, I was never good enough to play at that level. However in many countries first class and test players still play for their local clubs when they are available. Even Geoff Boycott played for his local club when he could. In Alex's case, he didn't stop anyone from driving, nobody was left off the grid so he could race and he was a good benchmark to the others to show what the car could do.
Also, by taking part in the race he injected money not only into the team he drove for but also the local economy around Spa. I'm sure they were more than happy to accept his money. Other f3 drivers have taken part in historic or sports at races to learn circuits, eg Tincknell & Foresti at Paul Ricard last year. Should that have been prevented too? |
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21 Jun 2012, 16:12 (Ref:3096028) | #32 | ||
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Join Date: Aug 2010
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Yeah, I don't see any problem in it at all. Personally I'd have relished the chance to race against a British F3 driver to see how I stacked up. All the regulars would have had a slight initial advantage anyway as Alex would've been in an unfamiliar car (and some of the MSV F3 guys raced at Spa last year too, giving them extra circuit experience).
I'd imagine that the experience was valuable for him to. Although the F312 is different to the F307 he drove, I'd imagine they aren't a million miles away from one another and any half reasonable driver would be able to transfer the experience learnt. As many will have seen, Joey Foster raced at Thruxton last weekend. In Race One I finished second. If he hadn't have been there I would've won. But I don't car. It was great to see how I stacked up against Joey. I'd certainly relish the opportunity to race anyone from higher categories. |
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21 Jun 2012, 16:57 (Ref:3096041) | #33 | ||
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Well you are all far more generous of spirit than a grumpy old man like me that's all I can say.
Now that I seem to have reminded Bella of the dreaded Daily Wail correspondence columns I know when I'm beaten so I'm off back into my box....with a copy of the New Statesman of course. |
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21 Jun 2012, 17:38 (Ref:3096051) | #34 | ||
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21 Jun 2012, 18:11 (Ref:3096061) | #35 | ||
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Posts: 311
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Seeing as the Rockingham thread seems to have gone a little off track (onto the green stuff) and Brands Hatch F3 is this weekend...time for a new thread me thinks.
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"Williams will find a replacement driver, Formula 1 won't" Richard B May 1994 |
21 Jun 2012, 20:07 (Ref:3096102) | #36 | |
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Posts: 1,137
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Martin Brundle once raced FPA against his son at Spa pretty successfully and I bet the youngsters had a huge wake up call :P
I like Alex' thinking because Spa is special always changing track and he wisely chose to spend his budget on actually racing rather than testing with white helmet or simulator running. If you get beaten by a 18 y.o. pro, hey it's no shame! If he was your teammate, now you have some proper data to compare! But I do agree that for those battling for this particular championship, it's probably fair guys like Alex to be excluded from the points. |
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