Renault and Knockhill

[ScotsBrutesFan]

What is it about Renaultsport UK that they have dropped Knockhill from their calendar again.

The last few years they used the excuse that it was too close to the WSR meeting being that it was the week before.
I will admit on the first season Renault did come to Scotland with their own race weekend which I though was well appreciated.

Now for 2008 both the Knockhill and WSR rounds have changed dates and still Renault aren't joining the TOCA round in Scotland.
To add insult to injury it seems that Renault are more than happy to attend Croft the Week before WSR in 2008.

Given that the Clio cup in particular has been well supported by Scottish Drivers over the years what possible excuse will renault come up with this time?

[Kidzer]

- Its too far to travel for a team based in middle/southern England

- Teams dont like it because of the high cost of the meeting with regards to damage etc (as I understand, the last BTCC round at Knockhill saw a lot of team awnings damaged aswell with high winds - but that could happen anywhere!)

I'm sure the organisers will give different reasons, but I'm sure thats closer to the truth.

[bella]

it is a really long way, driving time from northampton puts it alongside spa...!

[rcarr]

Its not far from Northampton! Its almost exactly 360 miles! Not far!

Knockhill is rural to say the least but it gains alot of its annual income from big national series.

[bella]

sorry, i only drove to knockhill once or twice from northampton, what would i know... it's 5-6 hours. including farting around slow time, it's 2 hours to folkestone and 3 hours at the most from calais to spa.

i remember the frenault race in 2002, where there were 7 or 8 laps and a couple of those were under the safety car? it's not had the best of luck history wise.

edit: being argumentative aside, as someone who rather likes knockhill, but prefers the circuits within equal driving distance in the other direction, i can see why they'd choose not to go to knockhill if say, they went to spa instead. but they haven't...

[ScotsBrutesFan]

Originally Posted by rcarr

Its not far from Northampton! Its almost exactly 360 miles! Not far!

Knockhill is rural to say the least but it gains alot of its annual income from big national series.

It always annoys me when people say that Knockhill is "rural" or worse remote, it's 17 miles in a straight line from the centre of Edinburgh.

Compare that to the
Snetterton 18.5 miles to Norwich
Donington 12 miles to Nottingham
Thruxton 23 miles to Southampton
Brands Hatch 19 miles to the centre of London.

For a full weekends racing is an extra 2-3 hours further than Croft REALLY that much of a burden on teams?

[touringlegend]

Yep, rural yet its about 4 miles from a Motorway..

[bella]

20 if you're blonde and get lost easily

[rcarr]

I used to be blonde! I've know the way since I was 2 or there abouts, 15 miles from home. About 2 of that 15 are motorway.

Snetterton is just off the A11 or is it the A14?

[kipper]

Originally Posted by rcarr

Snetterton is just off the A11 or is it the A14?

Its just off of the A11.

With regards to the Renault championships not returning to Knockhill, I'm guessing that as they tend to drop one of the TOCA rounds to accomodate the World Series meeting, Knockhill tends to be missed out as for whatever reason, it does seem to be unpopular with the teams.

[wheadon]

i remember the 2001 race! I've still got bits of robbie colemans car in my garage, My first ever race for dfr. ****ed own and loads of cars went off. It's always been a big one for crashes. Specialy duffus in the wet

[strider]

Originally Posted by Kidzer

- Its too far to travel for a team based in middle/southern England

- Teams dont like it because of the high cost of the meeting with regards to damage etc (as I understand, the last BTCC round at Knockhill saw a lot of team awnings damaged as well with high winds - but that could happen anywhere!)

I'm sure the organisers will give different reasons, but I'm sure thats closer to the truth.

That's a pretty fair summary of why the F3 teams don't like it either. They also had serious awning damage one year.

Getting back to Renault, are they going to Mondello next year? In the past I thought there was some political reason why they didn't.

[duke_toaster]

Is Mondello grade 2 licenced?

[kipper]

Originally Posted by strider

Getting back to Renault, are they going to Mondello next year? In the past I thought there was some political reason why they didn't.

The provisional dates that I have seen contain no reference to Mondello. I believe costs reasons on one cause of their absence.

[Alex K]

I live in Peterborough, that's about 6 hours from Knockhill but I really injoyed the trip itself, maybe because I was always admired by Scotland and Northern part of England, but furthermore, Knockhill is dodgy circuit but ir's part of history of British motorsport, and IMO British series' should races on British and Irish circuits.

But still costs of repairs to damaged equipment are really high. Remember when I attended one of the weekends they were bumping and shuntting like crazy. But, it's circuit specs I suppose.

If not Knockhill than, why not sign another weekend on say Silverstone (GP and short circuits are in use, do all of them have valid racing licence?)? Or, what is one of my dreams, why not organize street circuit?

Bella are U positive about 6-7 hours from Northampton to Spa?

[bella]

yeah, i am, it's 2 hours to dover from northampton (2 1/2 if you're not being illegal), and from calais to spa it's 3hrs (3 1/2 if you're not being illegal). so it's entirely within the realms of possibility to get to spa 6 hours after leaving home if you time it well with the tunnel.

[duke_toaster]

Originally Posted by Alex K

If not Knockhill than, why not sign another weekend on say Silverstone (GP and short circuits are in use, do all of them have valid racing licence?)? Or, what is one of my dreams, why not organize street circuit?

Because it's a legal nightmare to have a street circuit in England, Scotland or Wales. It would probably need an act of parliament. It's different in Northern Ireland, IoM and IIRC the Channel Islands.

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by kipper

The provisional dates that I have seen contain no reference to Mondello. I believe costs reasons on one cause of their absence.

Renault didn't go to Mondello because of a dispute between Renault UK and Renault Ireland.

[brakedisc]

I think that Knockhill is a great track and I have spent plenty time there since it opened. Derek Butcher and his team have done a grand job over the years. The changes since I first went on the day it opened are incredible. Series bucks are invested by all the teams that are involved in GT, F3, Touring cars and the Renault series. The Circuit is not doing enough to match the invesment of the teams. Until there is a proper Pit complex there will continue to be damage through bad weather as has happened in the past. Scottish crowds have traditionally supported these events and if they all were to come each year ( MSA should not grant National Championship status unless they race nationally) I am sure the circuit would use the revenue generated to improve further the facilities.

[glenquagmire]

Originally Posted by sceptic

Renault didn't go to Mondello because of a dispute between Renault UK and Renault Ireland.

I wouldn't have thought it's a dispute - they are two separate companies, but both under the overall Renault flag so they're both on the same side. I'd say UK championships race in the UK, it would be an Irish championship to race in Ireland.