What happened to Rollcentre?

[Fab]

More : I heard NOTHING about that on the french radio coverage... was the press ashamed of the local driver ? :confused:

[Fab]

HERE ! : I found something in Ouest-France... and they say that Martin went out... ALL ALONE (they don't say WHY he went out)!

Sorry for that Martin

[eddsc]

Bourdais seems to have had more fan appeal than anything (or anyone) else on the entry list. A shame the host nation hasn't got more going for it in its own race. I'm sure the crowds won't come back until a French factory team returns.
MC

[Graham Goodwin]

Originally posted by Fab
Thank you to let it public Graham.

No thanks required Fab (but thanks for the sentiment) - DSC covered the race for Rollcentre, Nasamax and PK Sport on our free-to view area. If you want to see more of their story go to our front page and click on team reports - All of the stuff you'll find on that page is free to view.

[Fab]

Originally posted by eddsc
I'm sure the crowds won't come back until a French factory team returns. MC

I think so.

But at least a real factories battle, if not with a french one... the attendance is decreasing now (-5% according to ACO), and will keep on going down if nothing is done to attract new factories...

Originally posted by Graham Goodwin
No thanks required Fab (but thanks for the sentiment)

[pirenzo]

eddsc. The Audis went through a gravel trap into a tyre wall, Martin just went more or less head on into a solid steel armco barrier. (Actually IIRC it was more of a "1 o'clock" impact)

EDIT - hence the greater damage to the tub for the Dallara

[bernard b]

Originally posted by FG1
Fab, Bernard et al

Has there been any mention of this incident in the French press or Fora?

FG

from today's Auto hebdo:

"... the Dallara, for a long time 5th or 6th, put off the track by Sébastien Bourdais, a little optimistic. If at the time, nothing seemed touched, the suspension brake that occured to Martin Short 20 minutes later is a direct consequence. ..."

and about the contact with the Belmondo Courage : " 'I was right behind him. He must had seen me and not brake that hard in the straight as he did when he saw the yellow flags for the Corvette.' says Sebastien Bourdais"

[jhansen]

Amazing words and comments by Martin Short.

http://www.dailysportscar.com/free/t...ntre_final.htm

[PascaLM]

In today's AUTOhebdo issue, J.-M. Teissèdre writes : "...the Dallara, for a very long time 5th or 6th and sent out of the track by a shade too optimistic Sébastien Bourdais".

[The Badger]

Well said ..... pity

[kdr]

i saw the actual incident at the time, although i was walking down the hill towards the esses when it happened, and it all went a little too fast for me to get a grasp of what actually occured. i did think however as they came down past my shoulder that that little group was heading for an accident...and sure enough 5 seconds later.

afterwards i saw sebastien bourdais in the press room explaining himself, and then talking quite quietly for a long time to a reporter just behind where we were sending pictures. sadly i speak no french...so didn't understand a word of it.

[Kicking-back]

Sebastian Bourdais has certainly lost a few fans with his actions - and his subsequent attemps to explain them.

[pirenzo]

Originally posted by pirenzo
eddsc. The Audis went through a gravel trap into a tyre wall, Martin just went more or less head on into a solid steel armco barrier. (Actually IIRC it was more of a "1 o'clock" impact)

EDIT - hence the greater damage to the tub for the Dallara

heh, my memory can't be that good. Just saw on planetlemans it was a rear end impact...

[Fogelhund]

from today's Auto hebdo:
and about the contact with the Belmondo Courage : " 'I was right behind him. He must had seen me and not brake that hard in the straight as he did when he saw the yellow flags for the Corvette.' says Sebastien Bourdais"

So, it was Belmondo's fault for braking at a time when Sebastien thought it was not appropriate. Nope, Yellow Flags, Smoke eliminating visibility, I can't think of why anyone would brake under such circumstances either.

[Kicking-back]

I think a month's ban for Sebastian to have a think about things may well be in order.

[Thumper]

A month? Surely you jest! If a ban was to have any effect he'd needs to miss something important, so a month's way too short.

[jhansen]

I don't see how a sanction could be brought against him seeing as the bulk of his racing is done with CART. A hefty fine that dented his wallet would be nice, but in reality nothing will be done. Le Mans is once per year and he probably wouldn't lose too much sleep if he were suspended for a few years from the 24 Hours.

[Jerry Flint]

First post on this Forum. In my opinion Bourdais should have his racing licence endorsed and banned from racing.

Was a joy to know that the Rollcentre was doing so well until this incident.

I also watched Martin's team at Sebring and looking fwd to see him again at Spa.

Picture from Sebring. Many more on the WWW link.

http://www.xpower-mg.com/gallery/dat...e_1501-med.jpg

edited for a bandwidth problem : the link is fine

[pirenzo]

The guy is a sin;ge seater driver...
In CART and F1 etc its not uncommon for such agressive tactics to be employed in those races. He usually races under the situation that there'll be a next time and also not with the possibility that an accident could spell the end of a team's season. That just doesn't happen in CART or F1. Obviously he's done wrong, undeniable, both in his on track conduct and his off track denials but you can't blame him for defending himself. In the heat of the moment not realising perhaps the severity of Martin's accident (I doubt he'd have seen the accident until well after the race) he could have tried to defend his actions. and once down that path, I think we all know how difficult it is then to relinqusih your original position and accept blame, especially for someone still not all that much older than me, a teenager...
People have a right to be angry, but in reality you can only punish him for the actual contact, that initial pretty idiotic move that put the Dallara in the kitty litter. Lets face it, he didn't make that move knowing full well that it would result in Martin's accident. As he himself said, the car was checked even before the suspension broke. Somebody at Rollcentre must have been at least fairly certain it was safe or surely the car would have been brought into the garage.
At the end of the day, racing is racing, and bad things will never cease to happen, so we might as well get over this and at least be thankful Martin and Rollcentre will more than likely be there for another go next year... (and best of luck to 'em)

[Fab]

Originally posted by pirenzo
The guy is a single seater driver...

He started in Le Mans in 2000, and with a reasonable success : best of the rest. But he was not so sure of himself at this moment...

[EliseGT1]

I was filming there with vandijk, but as always I didn't have my camera ready when the dallara incident happened. vandijk took some pictures but they are not very sharp. You can find them on plm. I do have filmed towing the dallara from the gravel back to the track...

[Sooty]

I'd like to see Martin knock him around for a few laps in a tin top!

[gsmith2424]

Originally posted by Thumper
A month? Surely you jest! If a ban was to have any effect he'd needs to miss something important, so a month's way too short.

If you really want to have an effect on him, make him pay to have the car replaced since he said he did it.

[klb]

Hit em in the ole pocketbook. Good idea!

[FIRE]

Originally posted by Thumper
A month? Surely you jest! If a ban was to have any effect he'd needs to miss something important, so a month's way too short.

Maybe June 2005?