Rockingham & BMW

[DaveW]

I know that the future of racing at Rockingham has been debated before, but I see this weeks Autosport states that BMW are moving their Performance Centre from the circuit.

Without getting into usual why I like/hate the venue, how is this going to impact on the future of the venue as a race circuit?

[Cynic]

Well they'll have to get some new course cars.......

It's difficult to say how it will affect it. I think BMW mainly used the circuit for testing / race school activities. I don't think it had much influence with regards to the actual racing side of things.

[DaveW]

What about the loss of revenue to the circuit? Will that not affect its viability?

[Alan Green]

The contract for BMW Sponsorship expired at the end of last season and BMW haven't renewed, and according to reports all trace of BMW has been removed from the circuit (grandstands, drapes off the main grandstand, X5 off road course, etc)

Shouldn't affect anything at all, Rockingham are looking at making their money from track days, exhibition hosting and developing a major showground area. The SCSA championship is nothing to do with the circuit now, other than being a host.

No news here, move along...

Al.

[PapaJuliet]

Originally Posted by Alan Green

X5 off road course, etc)

!!!!!!!



Do the phrases "X5" and "Off-Road" actually go together? !!!!



PJ

[Maranello Man]

Think they would have made more money recreating a High Street with shops and a School for all the "Chelsea Tractors" to practice parking on!

[Alan Green]

According to the development plans for the land around Rockingham you aint too far from the truth MM

[Suze]

as Cynic said I believe BMW did use it more for race school / testing so it shouldn't impact too much.

Alan - what plans? Haven't seen / looked

[Maingz]

Originally Posted by Alan Green

According to the development plans for the land around Rockingham you aint too far from the truth MM

I have heard that land is to be developed for housing at the back of the circuit. Now correct me if i'm wrong but won't that provide a number of different problems rather than solve them? Financially, a part time solution, but then you have to consider db limits and the knock on effect of restricted track, race time and availability.

I was there on a launch in late November last year and BMW were still very much around, albeit in name only.

And what of the Johnny Herbert Experience?

Alan, can you offer us any further info?

[Suze]

Re building - there's currently a discussion in the F1 forum under "Save Silverstone" and planned development for there for housing.

I'll make the same point here as I did there - I'm a Combe local (ten mins) and what's just happened to Combe? Local residents have been complaining re the noise, the db level has decreased, F3/GTs now aren't there (in the past a good meeting for Combe drawing in a good crowd as it normally does). Who are the people that are complaining? Well some of them are from Yatton Keynell (village very close by) where a housing estate and primary school (By Brook) was built within the past few years.

You buy a house near a circuit, you have to be pretty thick not to expect noise. There are more meetings nowadays but you buy the house there, you know it'sthere. It's not too hard to find a current calendar or similar to see the current level of activity. But these people have an ulterior motive (or some of them do at least).