Be a Grand Prix Driver

[high contrast]

Who are you 'racingdick' Richard a contempory Cadet karter to Sexton? You should know better than anyone the advantage he must have! Sexton was only 2 tenths off the guy who set the Formula Renault up! on a waterlogged Pembrey. No mean feat that!

If the next 'episode' due tomorrow (Monday) is on the same soaked Pembrey, it doesn't need a genius to guess who'll walk it!

[Bostik]

The idea of the event was to provide a unique and genuine opportunity to anyone who has the guts and determination to enter. By definition, none of the entrants are therefore armchair enthusiasts. The majority of people who race regularly, typically do so because they had a mentor around them, and they have access to the money to do so ( e.g. Jenson). This doesnt mean to say that those without, might have any less natural talent. Jenson realises this, as do the organisers and sponsors, and so are prepared to put their time and effort behind it.
I think you will find that, apart from the usual very small group of whingers, most of the entrants have had a very interesting and stimulating experience.
The eventual winner will indeed have the pleasure of driving the ex-Martin Brundle Tyrrell Cosworth 012 in the FiA's Thoroughbred Grand Prix Championship in two weeks time alongside about 20 other DFV powered pre '86 F1 cars at Monza. What a fantastic prize for an entry fee of £5.50.
The evaluation criteria are designed to assess people who do not have a car racing background. Yes - there were a few well known racers who snuck in - without 'current' licences - but of course the judges were not evaluating racing experience - so they were not in any better position than the complete novices - and probably found it harder to impress. The judges are looking to see who can listen, learn fast, improve, and, has the necessary natural talent/speed accuracy, etc. Having racing experience doesnt automatically guarantee any of these attributes.

[Muz]

I believe jamie morrow set the pace in the renaults -

http://www.exchangeandmart.co.uk/mot...rs/morrow.shtm

[Spudgun]

I've only seen one episode which was shown today (repeat I think).

It was the Formula Renault episode. The one bit I didn't like was the drivers being judged on the way they conducted interviews. I mean, the sport does do a lot of PR, but shouldn't it be just be on the driving talent? Is this just to up the 'entertainment' of the program?

Raikonnen would have been straight out of the competition if he had entered. But he lets his driving do the talking and he's done okay for himself!

[Adam43]

Spot on Spudgun. Kimi is one of F1 assets, one of (if not the) most committed drivers out there and a joy to watch. But, hey, doing an interview well has got ot be worth 10 points in any championship

Having said all this I type from the perspective of someone who has managed to miss every episode (so perhaps I don't know what I'm on about )! It was a close call today, I was flicking up through the channels and saw a couple of seconds. They seemed to be making someone's voice sound wierd. Anyway, I soon got to Motors TV and watched some Motor Racing!

[frostblade]

You sound like you've eaten a press release there Bostik. Trust me, there were loads of armchair enthusiasts in the competition, and I was one of them. It was reasonably interested, but I'm still doubting whether a fitness test is the best measure of what makes a good F1 driver. As I've said before though, I do think it's a good way of getting rid of a lot of people, as the organisers probably couldn't afford to get that many people evaluated on a race track.

The whole things a farce anyway - it was sold as plucking the average joes off the street and finding a good racer amongst them, not a competition to find someone who has raced but ran out of money. I certainly won't be entering next year, and I'll make my own way thanks.

[racingdick]

the last two that are going to attemp to qualify at monza have no previous experiance of racing. there int c licences were gained from attending the Zacspeed driver school in germany.
The photos i had of lars in the f3 were as it happens the ones i happened to take on the flying visit to pembrey, that week i was there three times!
I only relised they were of lars when i saw the program.

[racingdick]

final round of the competition this weekend at monza..