Qinetic support Motorsport?

[ghinzani]

So when Qinetic kicked Forest Edge Kart Club out of the Barnsfield common complex their excuse, as they gave to all other motor sport bodies using ex-MOD land (paid for by us taxpayers originally) was that Motorsports was dangerous and they could be badly affected by adverse publicity resulting from crashes that led to death or injury.

Imagine my surprise/shock/indignation (delete as appropriate) when I saw they were sponsoring a prototype at Le Mans and other races in the ELMS.

http://www.qinetiq.com/home/newsroom...sportscar.html

Two faced lieing bandstands I reckon. Obviously the arguement about people being injured does'nt apply to any cars they sponsor then? Not that I'd wish any harm to the drivers of the Jota car, but Qinetic really have taken the weewee out of us the general public/taxpayers, and specifically us in the karting world. They also binned the various rally boys, sprinters etc who used their lands.

Perhaps we should ask Mr Blair to re-nationalise them along with the railways and get back what is rightfully ours?

And if you see anyone from Qinetic at an ELMS round thank them from me....

[ChironWSC]

Can someone delete this C**p please?
Qinetiq are getting more and more involved in motorsport and have been for several years now. They have some great technology to bring to motorsport. I for one would like to thank them for what they are doing and will do in future for motorsport.
I am sorry if they upset you but wake up they are in business and have to do what they think is best even if they do upset people in the process.
Ghinzani guess you are not in business yourself then.

[ss_collins]

Yes get rid of this Quinetiq also support club rallying quite a lot

[ghinzani]

I'm sorry why should this removed? Because you view it as cr*p? Whats to say it might interest someone else?

The basic facts are this. Myself and hundreds of other karters, sprinters and rally drivers have been dis-enfranchised by Qinetics decision to stop motorsport activities on their property.

The reason they gave for this is that if there are deaths or injuries it would reflect badly upon themselves. Not for any reasons of insurance claims etc because each individual organising club is responsible for that.

However they then do a complete about face by sponsoring a Le Mans car, and I gather now rallying. Can you tell me how any bad publicity resulting from any accidents their sponsored cars might be in would not count as the same sort of bad publicity??

They are saying one thing, and doing another. Why?

Qinetic was formed from Government owned assetts - therefore it was paid for by me and you (should your company earns enough to pay tax that is). And our Kart club in particular started out when it was MoD land, british crown property. Then along comes Qinetic and boots us off, with an excuse that proves not to be valid.

You seem to be missing the point that by stiffleing grass roots motorsport, as they have done all over the country, they are stopping the lifeblood for your potential sales in the future. Imagine someone in the Bournemouth (or any other where Q have shut down motorsport)area wants to go karting - but hold on theres no track because Qinetic shut it down. He may well have progressed up the ladder and wanted to buy one of your national series sportscars one day, but instead he decides sailing , or flying offer easier access and goes off and does those. This is not one or two people, but thousands of karters, rally drivers and sprinters across the country, not to mention mountain bikers, scramblers et al in the two wheeled community.

I understand that because you are sponsored by the Learning and skill council you feel you should stand up for another ex-quango, but really you are saying "no I am not interested in karters or whoever". Yes I am in business, I work for a International Bank. I also previously worked in the race car industry and ran the design office for a race car manufacture, so I know about the race car industry, and how little money there is to be made.

The end result is if people kill off grass roots motorsport thru their actions, esepcially if they are made up of the assetts that used to be owned by the people of this country then they should be accountable. When they add insult to injury by sponsoring the very activity they used as the excuse to stop public access to their property, well its just galling. I trust the mods will not remove this thread, as a taxpayer and subject of HM I think I have a right to express my opinion.

[Truckosaurus]

Originally posted by ghinzani
The reason they gave for this is that if there are deaths or injuries it would reflect badly upon themselves.

It seems a peculiar reason to give, especially from a company in the defence business....

[ChironWSC]

I think you said it all when you said "Their Property" why should they give public access to their property when most of what goes on at Qinetic facilities it top secret. I know i would not want people on my land or near it if i was developing/designing the sort of things they are which might one day be needed to protect us all.
We used to test our cars on there land and now we can't we have no problem with this knowing what they are doing and how important it is that they do it behind CLOSED DOORS.
I didnt know that they supported rallying seems like they do like there motorsport.

[FIRE]

Strange strategy from this company (especially for a company who's in the defence business like Guy Humpage already said).

Ghinzani, which year did they say they didn't wanted to be linked with motorsport?


BTW I think there's no reason to delete this topic.

[ghinzani]

Originally posted by FIRE
Strange strategy from this company (especially for a company who's in the defence business like Guy Humpage already said).

Ghinzani, which year did they say they didn't wanted to be linked with motorsport?


BTW I think there's no reason to delete this topic.

They gave FEKC notice in mid 03 IIRC, with their excuses about bad publicity resultin from motorsport. Didnt take them long to renage on that and sponsor a Le Mans car.

And as to Henrys assertion that its "their" property - well yes, but it used to be all of ours, and when our track/facilities (and many others up and down the country also) was built it most definately was ours - it belonged to the MoD. This means it was the actual Army testing their stuff there, and they did'nt see any security risks etc in us enjoying ourselves in our karts/rally cars/motorbikes and mountain bikes. So why the change now? They may well have had sites where they did top secret testing, but it couldnt be all of them, a fact borne out by all the previous use by thousands of tax-payers.

When the land was in the hands of the MoD they at least had some sense of public responsibility and let tax-payers use it. This is the case all over the country - sprints etc get held at many Military bases - St Eval, St Athan, RAF Portreath... the list is endless. Yet when it gets sold off to a public company it suddenly does not have to be accountable and the public are turfed out.

Anyway I've written to the chairman John Chisholm to express my disgust, and I've also written to the MoD. Dont expect any response though, after all they are not publicly accountable.

[ghinzani]

Just to add - the current FEKC track at Barton Stacey is kindly provided by the MoD. Need I say more?