Motor sport-what is that all about?

[EmetEdadsBeard]

Here we go, my latest attempt to disassociate myself from loads of people, but I ask the question 'MotorSport, what the F*** is that all about?

I just dont get it. What is the attraction of seeing rich people race around in souped up cars/bikes? Its not like I can go along to my local motorSport club, join and have a go is it? You need £100000s of disposable income to even think about taking part. I can (or could when i was a bit younger) do that at my local Football, Cricket, Rugby (both codes), Tennis, Hockey, Bowls, Swimming/Diving, Athletics, Darts, Snooker, Boxing, Pool, Golf, Cycling etc, etc clubs. And I never did it at school either, so surely the word 'Sport' cant be used when referring to these rich peoples pastimes?

Motor Sports depend entirely on who has the best machine, and to back this statement up I have two scenarios. :rules:

Damon Hill was a test driver. He got a season drive in the best car for one season and became F1 champion carrying the title 'Best driver in the world'. Then fell back into relative obscurity.

Using similar parameters, i'm going to fight Wladimir Klitchko and we are both going to use a machine. He's getting a Kenwood food mixer and I'm getting a Stihl Petrol Chainsaw. I fancy my chances.
Would it make me World heavyweight Champion? Yes, but only because i have the best machine.

Conclusion? MotorSports are for mouthbreathers.

[usagullmichigan]

Here we go, my latest attempt to disassociate myself from loads of people, but I ask the question 'MotorSport, what the F*** is that all about?

I just dont get it. What is the attraction of seeing rich people race around in souped up cars/bikes? Its not like I can go along to my local motorSport club, join and have a go is it? You need £100000s of disposable income to even think about taking part. I can (or could when i was a bit younger) do that at my local Football, Cricket, Rugby (both codes), Tennis, Hockey, Bowls, Swimming/Diving, Athletics, Darts, Snooker, Boxing, Pool, Golf, Cycling etc, etc clubs. And I never did it at school either, so surely the word 'Sport' cant be used when referring to these rich peoples pastimes?

Motor Sports depend entirely on who has the best machine, and to back this statement up I have two scenarios. :rules:

Damon Hill was a test driver. He got a season drive in the best car for one season and became F1 champion carrying the title 'Best driver in the world'. Then fell back into relative obscurity.

Using similar parameters, i'm going to fight Wladimir Klitchko and we are both going to use a machine. He's getting a Kenwood food mixer and I'm getting a Stihl Petrol Chainsaw. I fancy my chances.
Would it make me World heavyweight Champion? Yes, but only because i have the best machine.

Conclusion? MotorSports are for mouthbreathers.

Sorry but you are talking out of your butthole. Motorsport can be done on any budget, I played for Torquay U11's, U12's and U13's but I wanted to race cars. I had a paper round that I did on my bike. I swapped my bike (which wasn't that great) for a Ministox rolling chassis. It was old but ok. I found an engine. I knew nothing about cars and nor did my parents. My parents also never had money. Because I was trying people in motorsport helped me. Motor is affordable and if you are good enough you will get sponsored. I worked in Formula 1 and various other Motorsport formulas so you could say I am biasd but I appreciate what a great sport it is. As for Damon Hill. He was a very underated driver robbed by a cheating crout. Hill was smooth and fast which he proved racing in not so good cars like a Arrows which he nearly won in and at Jordan.

[Aussie]

Sorry but you are talking out of your butthole. Motorsport can be done on any budget, I played for Torquay U11's, U12's and U13's but I wanted to race cars. I had a paper round that I did on my bike. I swapped my bike (which wasn't that great) for a Ministox rolling chassis. It was old but ok. I found an engine. I knew nothing about cars and nor did my parents. My parents also never had money. Because I was trying people in motorsport helped me. Motor is affordable and if you are good enough you will get sponsored. I worked in Formula 1 and various other Motorsport formulas so you could say I am biasd but I appreciate what a great sport it is. As for Damon Hill. He was a very underated driver robbed by a cheating crout. Hill was smooth and fast which he proved racing in not so good cars like a Arrows which he nearly won in and at Jordan.

Well said Seppo!

[ferrarilover]

I too enjoy motor sport. If you want to whinge about rich people prancing about, shall we pick a sport at random... Football!
This seems more a rant about the middle classes to me, coming from a strictly working class chap. You seem to dislike the fact that solicitor daddy and head teacher mummy earn a quarter deck a year and choose to blow a wa of it on little Tarquin's racing car. So what? Doesn't affect you. Yes, they could donate it all to northerners to get them vaccination for consumption and save you having to do down t'pit whn you're 6 months old, but they don't, they got lucky, life's a lottery and you happened to lose.

I'll grant you, F1 is VERY technical and it does take an appreciation of and passion for minutia to really appreciate what makes a guy fast these days. Gone is the golden era of Moss and G. Hill and Stewart et al who were real gentleman racers. Proper scallywags. Real life James Bond types. These days, its down to the infinite skill of those who design and build the cars, rather than those who pilot them (although these guys are bloody quick) which hold ye real fascination.

Have a look at WRC for some really, really skilful drivers. I've Ben out of the game for a few years, but Seb Loeb is still the fastest man I've ever seen, pound for pound.
Head to YouTube and search Ken Block gymkhana, that'll show you what car control is about. Then keep in mind that he is just about the worse rally driver out there and you'll get an appreciation of the skill of these guys.

Matt.

[AustrianAndyGull]

The thing that pisses me off about motorsport (F1 in general) is that nobody knows who the best drivers are until they've all got identical cars that go the same speed etc. Jarno Trulli could have been better than Schumacher if he'd had the right car for years and years! It's a joke and a nonsense and it's so funny seeing the car that gets around the first bend in front - finish in front 70 laps later because he's in the best car and nobody is quick enough to get past barring catastrophic pit stops. It's pathetic and i'd rather spend my sunday afternoon watching Little House on the Prairie or attempting to insert a catheter down my sniper. Unbelievable! I accept they allhave bravery and immense skill but it is just wasted due to the fact that they have the best machines. Utterly pointless. If i wanted to see the same thing going round and round incessantly then i'd just spend two hours in my **** kitchen watching the clocks hands tick round. By the way, FACT: Gerhard Berger was the best racing driver in history followed by Niki Lauder, then Alexander Wurz then Roland Ratzenberger (RIP). Don't try and tell me otherwise as it's true!

[usagullmichigan]

One word

SENNA!

[EmetEdadsBeard]

The thing that pisses me off about motorsport (F1 in general) is that nobody knows who the best drivers are until they've all got identical cars that go the same speed etc. Jarno Trulli could have been better than Schumacher if he'd had the right car for years and years! It's a joke and a nonsense and it's so funny seeing the car that gets around the first bend in front - finish in front 70 laps later because he's in the best car and nobody is quick enough to get past barring catastrophic pit stops. It's pathetic and i'd rather spend my sunday afternoon watching Little House on the Prairie or attempting to insert a catheter down my sniper. Unbelievable! I accept they allhave bravery and immense skill but it is just wasted due to the fact that they have the best machines. Utterly pointless. If i wanted to see the same thing going round and round incessantly then i'd just spend two hours in my **** kitchen watching the clocks hands tick round. By the way, FACT: Gerhard Berger was the best racing driver in history followed by Niki Lauder, then Alexander Wurz then Roland Ratzenberger (RIP). Don't try and tell me otherwise as it's true!

Thank God someone agrees with me. Petrol heads get very defensive with their 'sport', especially when it's restrictive cost is mentioned, (USAMICH sais he 'found' an engine ffs! Where, at the side of the road?)

And this quote from Ferrari
"This seems more a rant about the middle classes to me, coming from a strictly working class chap. You seem to dislike the fact that solicitor daddy and head teacher mummy earn a quarter deck a year and choose to blow a wa of it on little Tarquin's racing car. So what? Doesn't affect you. Yes, they could donate it all to northerners to get them vaccination for consumption and save you having to do down t'pit whn you're 6 months old, but they don't, they got lucky, life's a lottery and you happened to lose."
lost me completely, he seems to be backing up the exclusive to the rich nature of competing in these sports.
Silly lad. :na:

(PS I never worked down t'pit as you call it, I attended a Grammar school that I had to pass the 11 Plus for-the same one incidently that ToryBoy William Hague went to and did an Engineering apprenticeship. So how I can be classed as jealous of the middle classes is beyond me. Its stupid fookin Tories and their half wit supporters I cant stand)

[usagullmichigan]

yes actually it was at the side of the road. I picked up a mini 850 for 25 quid. and took the engine out.