The future of motorsport in Britain

[coppice]

The Smarts are a hoot and the drivers I've spoken to love racing them. If 2CVs race , as they do , and Citroen C1s then why not? Flames on overrun and they sound like an infant Porsche 935 .

[ribbo]

BRSCC after dipping a toe this year have a 45m mandatory pitstop series for 2020 and Britcar are introducing 45m mandatory pitstop races for various clubman classes to run at their race weekends in 2020...

Looks like the market is adapting back to the many production cars that already exist rather than single make series to fluff the pockets of the tuner/garage/person who sells built cars and handles the regs.

[Lancsbreaker]

Sounds like they are all trying to cash in on the undoubted success of CSCC who have run effectively this format for the last 10 years or more.....

[Rob29]

Anyone know when the british race season starts? seems nothing scheduled for this weekend-season has started by second weekend in march since 1950s

[GCCheddaris]

According to the TSL website the first race meetings of the season are both at Silverstone, one on the National circuit and the other on the International circuit. The BARC are organising a meeting featuring the Caterham Graduates series, Kumho BMWs, Hyundais, MGOC, Minis of various types while the BRSCC meeting has Caterhams ( their new endurance series ? ), MX5s and Fiestas. So if you like Silverstone and Caterhams you'll be in heaven over the weekend of the 21st/22nd March !

[justracing]

Sillystone in March sounds like hell to me

[GCCheddaris]

I didn't say it was my idea of heaven ....

[Lancsbreaker]

More pertinent considerations just now would seem to be is there to be any motorsport in UK within the foreseeable future? If government bans "mass gatherings of over 500 people (planned to happen from next weekend, I believe) that would possibly rule out most of our CSCC events - with alow estimate of say 3 people per car, plus marshals and officials that level would easily be beaten.

[BertMk2]

Track days are about the only viable thing I think based on those criteria. At least some income for the circuits.

[andy97]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

Track days are about the only viable thing I think based on those criteria. At least some income for the circuits.

Doubt it, the Govt is trying to discourage “social contact and social travelling”, whilst also telling us that medical support won’t be used to cover mass gatherings.
I reckon track days come in to that category. Time will tell.

[abw]

Statement from Motorsport UK:https://www.motorsportuk.org/motorsp...vid-19-update/


Race meetings cancelled to the end of April. Test days and track days appear to still be going ahead.

[Alfaholic]

They'll need some form of income - ALL Motorsport UK sanctioned events have been cancelled until May.
https://www.autosport.com/national/n...ents-until-may

[flagwaver2]

Even if (big IF) we get some racing/rallying/ sprinting etc in this year. It will be interesting to see how it will pan out.
Everyone keeps saying they will run their events later in the year, but there are only so many officials and marshals to go round.
Then of course you have to look at how many people are going to be able to afford to go racing. Either because they simply won't have any money or they will be required to work extra to cover the time off.

This is of course without looking at all the companies that supply parts etc to competition cars.

So I can see several clubs folding, maybe even a couple of circuits going. I can also see championships folding or amalgamating.

So what some have seen as a longer term slowing of motorsport in the UK may happen a lot quicker.

[Lancsbreaker]

CSCC have advised that they will refund all entries for meetings already booked, and hold off issuing entry forms for other events except Spa which is end of June, so just possibly could be on, though I wouldn't hold my breath.


They have through prudent management (and of course strong race entries) built a reasonably strong balance sheet, and seem confident they can ride it out. I hope, though doubt, that the same can be said for every UK race organising Club......

[coppice]

I am more sanguine. This awful thing will have an impact on everything we know , but as we also know from the period immediately post WW 2, once it is over there will be an insatiable demand to get back to doing what we love.



It may be that some clubs will face the stark choice of combining with others or going under . That is going to be very tough , but perhaps the longer term gain will be a more joined up offering , rather than too many fishermen casting into the same small pool?

[medius]

If (and thats a huge IF) any racing were to take place in 2020, free calendar dates will be prioritised to Grade A championships, BTCC, BSB, British GT etc, there will be no room on the calendar for club motorsport.

Start ovwr next year for sure, but lets hope not too many non-MSV circuits will be affected by essentially writing off a year. I fear for the likes of Mallory, Croft,Lydden etc.

I cant see too many people being in the financial position to indulge in luxuries like going racing then mortgages ad families have to come first. 750MC, BARC etc should be healthy to carry on if they take measure to accept that working together might be necessary for a while to make a race card full enough to sell grids on. Maybe as much as a 50% drop in entrants.

Has MSA mentioned anything about 2020 race licences being valid for '21? A small gesture to help the racer out (but obvious resulting in a drop of income higher up).

[andy97]

Originally Posted by medius

If (and thats a huge IF) any racing were to take place in 2020, free calendar dates will be prioritised to Grade A championships, BTCC, BSB, British GT etc, there will be no room on the calendar for club motorsport.

Start ovwr next year for sure, but lets hope not too many non-MSV circuits will be affected by essentially writing off a year. I fear for the likes of Mallory, Croft,Lydden etc.

I cant see too many people being in the financial position to indulge in luxuries like going racing then mortgages ad families have to come first. 750MC, BARC etc should be healthy to carry on if they take measure to accept that working together might be necessary for a while to make a race card full enough to sell grids on. Maybe as much as a 50% drop in entrants.

Has MSA mentioned anything about 2020 race licences being valid for '21? A small gesture to help the racer out (but obvious resulting in a drop of income higher up).

BARC have been posting losses for last few years, i think. How big are their reserves? And the MUK have a very high proportion of their turn over as salaries that will still need paying. I am not holding my breath although i think they will need to make some gesture.

[midgetman]

There is another way of looking at it. All the big events need big infrastructure, which may be committed to other events come later in the year. Maybe it's the smaller, more nimble organisers that will get things going sooner?.

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[Greem]

CSCC have emailed today that their event at Silverstone at the end of August has been cancelled due to the rearrangement of the WEC meeting to the following weekend.

If, of course, that happens...

[Greem]

Originally Posted by Greem

CSCC have emailed today that their event at Silverstone at the end of August has been cancelled due to the rearrangement of the WEC meeting to the following weekend.

If, of course, that happens...

And now we know that it isn't, which makes the cancellation all the more confusing!

[medius]

https://www.motorsportuk.org/clubcon...N_mcZ4CL1htokc

Motorsport UK Announces £1m Club Continuity Funding Package.

David Richards, chairman of Motorsport UK, said, “These are unprecedented times for the nation and for motorsport. Our community looks to us to provide leadership and help protect motorsport from the financial fallout of this pandemic. We have taken measures to reduce the overheads of the core organisation, while continuing to provide the essential levels of service to the sport. Today we have launched a series of financial measures that member clubs can access, in order to try and mitigate some of the hardship they are inevitably suffering.

“During this time, there is a spirit that we are all in this together, and it is only right that Motorsport UK takes practical measures to reduce expenditure, while launching these funds to preserve those responsible for organising events, without whom there can be no motorsport. We are custodians of motorsport in the UK and have a responsibility to our clubs, to do all that we realistically can, to sustain their operations at this uniquely challenging time.”

[Mike Harte]

Today's announcement from the government on financial assistance for the sports industry has allocated £6 million for the owners/operators of England's race tracks. The final figure, and whether loans or grants, will be decided by the Sports Council.

[midgetman]

I don't know if it's all tracks according to the BBC

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[Alfaholic]

Not seen anything for Mallory Park, Castle Coombe or Knockhill mentioned anywhere

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Alfaholic

Not seen anything for Mallory Park, Castle Coombe or Knockhill mentioned anywhere

The announcement was only related to venues in England; other venues, such as Knockhill, would need to look to their devolved governments to seek assistance. Hopefully, when the final decisions are made by the Sports Council, that Mallory and Combe are included if they require assistance.