Pre-race 1 min silence - minority of drivers shame

[Phoenix1]

http://www.planet-f1.com/news/story_20234.shtml

I was watching the pre-race and even though it may not effect you when you are in a country it does effect and the world it watching was it really good for Whatever it was that the likes of Montoya, Villeneuve, Massa, Monteiro, and even Max Mosley found so amusing, Planet-F1 would love to know."

There were a few others too. I hope that they feel ashamed when they look back. It seemed whilst Marshalls and fans bowed their heads and kept quiet some of the grid kept on moving and making an effort that was worse than not making one at all.

Utter shame and embarrassment.

[Kicking-back]

I think, to be fair, there was no announcement about when the silence was over, which led to a lot of awkwardness.

[Hip Priest]

It did make for uncomfortable viewing, but there did appear to be a lot of confusion on the grid around the time of the silence.

[forzaf1]

I think it was pretty obvious when the silence was as the crowds when quiet. However Monteiro and Coulthard were busy chatting away.

Alex

[Phoenix1]

I agree at the end it was hard for sure. That was an honest problem, but at the start even then it was not totally quiet from them. Just a shame really that was all. Not angry though just disappointed that's all. Needed more organisation really.

[JeremySmith]

I am sure that must have been due to poor organisation. If people on the grid were talking then they were not aware of what was taking place, plain and simple.

[Testure]

That's a pretty stupid article in my opinion. It seemed obvious that the timing of the silence wasn't communicated properly to either the people on the grid or anyone in the stands. The minute silence lasted about 2 minutes on ITV and people started blowing airhorns half way. Not their fault. Silly article.

[Menelaos]

yes, I doubt even if one didn't care about the whole that he would just chat, in front of all the cameras.

[+ its a Chevy]

I think the words in this post sum up alot of what F1 looks like from outside at the moment. I enjoy motor racing a great deal but have lost interest in f1 of late due to the childish arguing and the processional races of the past few years.

From the outside, all involved seem to think that they are above everyone else, a simple thing like a minutes silence cant be organised or followed and half of the drivers probably thought about 'pulling out as there was such a strong chance of terrorist activities' or some other silly excuse, stand there laughing and giggling away. you cant use an excuse that they didnt know there was a minutes silence. If thats the case, how comes i knew yesterday???
sad to see thats how they think at the moment.

[BootsOntheSide]

They knew there was a minute's silence, but who knew when it started or finished? I noticed Button silently shaking hands with a few other drivers during it (and JV refusing....), but I don't think anyone was actually talking during the first minute of silence, other than Jim Rosenthal who was seemingly thrown by the imrpecise timing.

[Testure]

Well, of course they knew there was a minutes silence - that's why they were all lined up together! The timing just wasn't communicated properly to anyone, including the crowd in the stands blowing airhorns thinking it was over (was it?).

[Logrence]

Is this even an issue? Is it relevant? You can't force everyone to take in part in a minute's silence anyhow.

[Hazard]

Well, if they can't organise a one minute zip lip...what chance did they ever have of sorting out the Indy tyre issue

[santori]

I didn't notice any of those drivers chatting (Villeneuve looked very grim to me). Jenson did smile at someone but that was after that person touched him on the shoulder. I'd have probably done the same, just automatically.

[JeremySmith]

Originally Posted by Hazard

Well, if they can't organise a one minute zip lip...what chance did they ever have of sorting out the Indy tyre issue

Very well said

[ascarmarshal]

I heard the track commentator annouce the start of the silence over Jim Rosenthal's comments. ITV should be ashamed of Rosenthal. He knew it was coming so why didn't he shut up.

[superfox2000]

Originally Posted by Phoenix1

http://www.planet-f1.com/news/story_20234.shtml

I was watching the pre-race and even though it may not effect you when you are in a country it does effect and the world it watching was it really good for Whatever it was that the likes of Montoya, Villeneuve, Massa, Monteiro, and even Max Mosley found so amusing, Planet-F1 would love to know."

There were a few others too. I hope that they feel ashamed when they look back. It seemed whilst Marshalls and fans bowed their heads and kept quiet some of the grid kept on moving and making an effort that was worse than not making one at all.

Utter shame and embarrassment.

I have just watched this on the re-run of the British GP. Jensen Button was chatting away, smiling and shaking hands during the National anthem and the minute of silence! It does not happen here in USA. About time we had the National Anthem at the beginging of all races so the drivers learn respect.

[ascarmarshal]

I forgot to add that at every race meeting that I have been where a silence has been observed to the commentator has said 'Thank You' or something similair to mark the end of the silence

[mark_l]

One problem most spectators do not realise is there are no speakers on the grid. When you stand on the grid you are standing behind all the PA speakers because they face the crowd so you cannot hear the PA when on the grid especially when you have ear plugs and headphones on.

I missed the snetterton silence for Senna and Ratzenberger at the end of the touring car race because the marshals at Riches could not hear any speakers and had not been instructed exactly when it would start and finish, all we were told is it will be at the after the BTCC race, but when after?

It may of looked disrespectful but not every driver had a small pocket radio listening to the circuit commentators.

You can frequently find startline marshals asking "what's the hold up?" when an incident is being dealt with somewhere else on the circuit but all the fans know because the commentator has told them.

[Kicking-back]

Originally Posted by superfox2000

I have just watched this on the re-run of the British GP. Jensen Button was chatting away, smiling and shaking hands during the National anthem and the minute of silence! It does not happen here in USA. About time we had the National Anthem at the beginging of all races so the drivers learn respect.

The national anthem IS played before all Grands Prix.

[Ralf's Girl]

The Planet-F1 article is just a little bit too high and mighty, because it was a poorly organised silence and nobody knew when it was over, but some of the drivers - who were all lined up and therefore knew that it was taking place - did seem happy to ignore it, Button especially; you'd think he could wait a minute before he started shaking hands with people.

[superfox2000]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

The national anthem IS played before all Grands Prix.

Not all races though! I think it should be sung at the start of all races.

[ascarmarshal]

Originally Posted by superfox2000

Not all races though! I think it should be sung at the start of all races.

The National Anthem is always played at Thunder Sunday meetings

[adstubbs]

I think part of the problem today was that they tried to go straight from national anthem to the request for silence - because the first part of the request was more or less drowned out by those accursed airhorns, they had to do it again, and even then there will still some crass individuals letting the damn things off, which would have had me making firm contact with anyone doing it in my vicinity. I have to say it's not the first time something like this hasn't worked - at the first champ car race at Rockingham in 2001, the american national anthem was all but drowned out by the sound of the jet driers, which did not stop runninng at all. That I found particularly insensitive, given that 9/11 was still very fresh in everyone's minds

[mark_l]

I thought the teams were going to run with black nose cones or similair today, after 9/11 the whole nosecone of the ferrari's were black and they ran without sponsorship.

What did the teams do today?