Does Ecclestone have a brain ?

[fatbloke]

OK, I think we all know what this **** is up to, moving the GP to April, but does he really have to punish the fans and the majority of the GP teams (who are based in the UK and need to impress sponsors, etc...) for his inability to reach an agreement with Brands/Silverstone/Donington/whoever ?

Looks like the qually session is a washout not - the car parks have been closed for Saturday so, unless you're prepared to walk from Northampton, you're stuck with watching it from the comfort of your local What the hell happens if it continues to rain through the rest of the weekend ? Do the police block the A43 and try to turn away 130,000 people because the fields where the car parking is to be have turned into swamps ?

For gods sake, you sniveliing little prick, get a brain - you're from the UK yourself, you should know what the weather is like in April - and how unprepared British circuits are for hosting an event of this type at this time of year.

[TimD]

I think probably the reasoning for preventing use of the car parks on Saturday is so that they are serviceable at all on Sunday.

After all, no one is going to care, come Sunday morning, that they may have difficulty getting out. It may not even cross their minds. They just want to see a motor race.

Until afterwards.

Afterwards.... Hey, do you suppose there's mileage in hiring a large tractor and charging Silverstone car owners £5.00 per pull out of the swamp?

Or maybe Bernie's got that one taped, and he's had the fire hoses turned on the car parks for the last week specially...

[fatbloke]

To be honest, Tim, if it wasn't so bloody pathetic and petty minded, it'd be funny. However, when you are paying £160 to watch a sporting event, you don't expect to be messed around at the whim of some ponce in a suit who wishes to teach someone a lesson. (and that £160 doesn't even include a roof over my head...)

[TimD]

And that, my old friend, is why I went to 19 separate race meetings last summer, and 5 already this year...

... and it's 11 years since I last set foot at a Grand Prix.

As far as the GP goes, I gave up on being overcharged, herded into crowded enclosures, straining to see over the tops of heads, and getting poisoned by the perennial overpriced Silverstone salmonellaburger.

[RussianFriend]

Ladies and gentlemen!

I'd like to have such a problem! Really a great problem! In what month do you prefer to see your home Grand-Prix?!

Reading your discussion I feel like hungry looking at fat boy, who eats his roastbeef and cries it's not enouth bloody.

Remember about millions fans who NEVER have seen a live Grand-Prix. It maybe not interessing for you but here in Russia we never know if we'll see the next on TV. For example, only 100 luckies, who could afford (I could) tickets to Sputnik-TV-broadcust, have seen Adelaida.

If Mr. Ecclestone lets us have a Grand-Prix of Russia (We're welcome tobacco-advertising), I'll be happy even I'll have to return home through Vladivostok.

[fatbloke]

The overpricing/overcrowding thing is the very reason I have never been to a GP in person before - this year I thought i'd make an exception. Splashing out around a weeks wages is no small investment for me, so I expect to be treated with some respect for doing so. Ecclestone's messing with things in order to further his own agenda is the tip of the iceberg - this lack of interest in the fans goes back further than that - prime example was when I tried to book the tickets in the first place, but I won't go into that again...

Russianperson,
OK, so other people don't get to see a GP live ? OK, that's a great reason to **** about those who do then! The British Gp has always (in recent years anyway) been in July - Ecclestone moved it simply to antagonise the circuit owners - and it should still be there.

[Unknown Soldier]

Does Ecclestone have a brain?

I have a better question:

Does he have a soul?

[Super Tourer]

Who wants to go to a GP anyway ?

I've got the best seat in the house (my armchair). I don't need to turn up until 5 mins before the start. I can see the whole track and I know what's going on. I have a fridge full of beer and assorted snacks and I don't have to queue up for a pee .... in an excuse for a toilet.

Plus on top of all that my car is nicely tucked up in the garage and I've saved myself about £200.

Yep I'm going to enjoy the GP this weekend!!

[Minardi fan]

Ecclestone has no brain, no soul, no compassion, and absolutely no concern for the people he needs - the BRITISH FANS who have paid through the nose to go and see some of this weekend's waterworks fiasco.

As a Saturday ticket holder I was dismayed and infuriated to learn what had happened - it is only by the the good virtue of Vicky's dad that he has offered to drop us off should he not find anywhere to park and come and pick us up at the end of the day.

We all knew - EVEN BERNIE - that moving the race to April was going to be a big mess up. Ok, so the race is going to be a good one I reckon, but so many fans will have been let down this weekend I don't think they'll care.

AN EXTREMELy DISPLEASED MINARDI FAN.

[fatbloke]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Super Tourer:
Who wants to go to a GP anyway ?

I've got the best seat in the house (my armchair). I don't need to turn up until 5 mins before the start. I can see the whole track and I know what's going on. I have a fridge full of beer and assorted snacks and I don't have to queue up for a pee .... in an excuse for a toilet.

Plus on top of all that my car is nicely tucked up in the garage and I've saved myself about £200.

Yep I'm going to enjoy the GP this weekend!!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

That's pretty much what i've always said (though it was probably an excuse for the fact that I couldn't afford a ticket before now... ) but I decided to give it a shot - something new and different. I sincerley hope that I eat humble pie when (if ?) I get home on Sunday (i'll wait til I get home - can't afford Silverstone's prices...) but, if organisation over the past few days is anything to go by...

[TimD]

Fatbloke, if you do give in to temptation and feel a little peckish, beware the burgers on the infield by the bridge.

Bad, bad experience last month which I shall not go into.

Russian Friend, I take your point, sometimes we are fussier than we should be, given what we've got. Indeed, I would be fascinated to see what a Russian GP would be like. After all, the Hungaroring demonstrated that a former Eastern Bloc circuit can put on a good show.

But Fatbloke's protest is about the whim of a powerful man affecting the humble supporter who has spent a week's pay on the event.

And I can remember the time when our TV coverage was as patchy as you say. Indeed, for American racing it still is. Shout loud, and it will change.

And once again, I will be raising my favourite beer on Sunday afternoon, whilst in the warmth of my own home, and celebrating the experience of having dry feet.

[fatbloke]

Have one for me, Tim! I think i'll be taking a little liquid refreshment with me - purely medicinal, you understand...

[fatbloke]

The guy's crazy....

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>

Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has said he is not to blame for the
British Grand Prix date change that has resulted in the race being hit by
bad weather.

Today’s practice session was disrupted by heavy rain and race organisers
have taken the decision to shut car parks for tomorrow’s qualifying
session after they became flooded, locking out thousands of ticket
holders in the process.

Ecclestone said: "People are probably pointing the finger at me. I get the blame for most things but I
don’t deserve the blame for this but I can’t go into why we are in April. It wasn’t anything to do with
me, I don’t want to be in this weather any more than anyone else."

"Silverstone have done what they normally do and not taken the weather into consideration. They
didn’t know it was going to rain. They should have prayed."

Ecclestone has been the focus of criticism because he influences the Formula 1 calendar. It’s never
been properly explained why Britain has had the date of its grand prix moved, although some believe
that Ecclestone’s dispute with Silverstone is to blame.

Team boss Ron Dennis defended Ecclestone saying he did not believe the timing of the race was
"malicious" "A legacy of choosing to host the Grand Prix at this time of the year is that it increases
the odds of bad weather," he said. "But it is completely unfair to criticise Silverstone for the
conditions. These are not tremendously adverse conditions for the English spring."

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Source www.itv-f1.com

No Bernie, it's not your fault - Jesus H Christ! Who's fault do you think it is ?!

[Liz]

Bernie has already said he cares naught if there are on fans at all, that life is only about Buying Things, and the only people he cares about are the people who can afford to Buy Things - for him.

I wonder that anyone could possibly be surprised at anything the man does. This is a lot like Jimmy Carter being shocked that The Russians (meaning only the leadership at the time) would lie to him. HELLO?

The only consolation we have is that Herr Ecclestone is 70 years old and cannot possibly live forever...and no matter who or what comes after him, things are bound to improve. Either that or he will succeed in putting a Grand Prix in Lebanon and will be there in person when the rocket attacks begin.

[slicktoast]

Remember last year when one of the most exciting GP's happened in the rain? For the fans at the track it was no doubt miserable but that is only a fraction of the audience. Which race could be moved to a new date and guarantee a wet race? Bingo! And it would'nt cost $$$bags a cent! The SHOW must go on.

[fatbloke]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
The only consolation we have is that Herr Ecclestone is 70 years old and cannot possibly live
forever...and no matter who or what comes after him, things are bound to improve
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

What a load of horse****! We said that when Balestre was in charge of FISA - look what we got then - Max bloody Moseley!!! hahaha!!

[Gerard]

I dislike Balestre as much as I do Ecclestone, but some days I start longing for the times Jean-Marie was in charge.
Like Ecclestone, Balestre was a dictator but at least he listened when people were speaking to him.

As for a wet British Grand Prix, there's something I don't understand.
Call it ignorance if you will, but since when is a wet race not an exciting event.
Don't we remember last year's French GP?
Was that an exciting race? Yes it was!
Why? Because most of us were watching it sitting in the comfort of our home.
But now that we have to watch a race and get wet at the same time, it's complaints all over the place.
I remember when Zandvoort (dunes = sand) still had a Grand Prix and it started raining, after the race they did not only had to pull the cars out of the mud, they had to pull me out of the mud.

So stop bickering you little weenies.
Put on some boots, take an umbrella, cover yourself in a raincoat and enjoy the race.

[Ed-f1]

We've had wet races before, yes and they've usually been the most exciting races but this is just turning into a total farce. Have spectators being told to stay away before because of waterlogged carparks? Have rescue vehicles got bogged down in the mud before? How have other circuits in the world managed to cope with wet conditions but not Silverstone? You would have thought being in England even with a normal July date that Silverstone would be one of the best prepared. When you consider the lengthy process ciircuits have to go to before the are allowed to host a GP it is quite astounding that this can happen. Obviously without the date change Silverstone would probably not have had this problem but so far they aren't doing a very good job of hosting a wet GP.

[Liz]

Well how about all the people who had Saturday tickets and now they can't go because the car parks are dished - and Bernie will refund their money "someday"?

We race in the rain at Mosport because we are hobby racers and therefore a little bit nutz. But I will be dipped in STP before I pay $300 to catch pneumonia and see two cars finish the race, one of which is going to be TGF. Politics, it's all politics. Feh.

P.S. do they still race at Zandvoort? What kinds of races are they if they do?

[RIKB]

I believe they do still race at Zandvoort. F3 and suchlike. They either just have or are still trying to get an F1 testing licence.

[Liz]

Considering the outcome of the qualifying today, I can't wait for the announcement by Ron Dennis that the weather is a plot by Ferrari to make him and his pilotes look bad. Between them, apparently, Bernie and Todt have bought the weatherman!

Thanks RikB for the info on Zandvoort. I have been reading about that track and would like to see a race there even if it's not F1. The ambience is remarkable.

[Super Tourer]

I agree with all the comments about a 'wet race' not being a bad thing.

But at £200 a ticket I still don't think that race fans should have to take part in their own wet race, getting in and out of the car parks.

Bearing in mind that Britain is the most ill prepared country for any type of adverse weather, (wrong type of snow, leaves, etc) and with F1 being a multi million pound industry, what are we doing parking 100,000 people in fields.....

This is the one reason why Brands will never get the Grand Prix again. The Silverstone heli-park is bigger than the entire BH site yet even they were made to look like Lydden Hill on a wet Sunday in front of the eyes of the world.

Whatever the debacle over the date change - we cocked it up again....I agree with anybody who sayes whats the point of upgrading the track to GP standards if the other facilties can't cope - ask anybody trying to go about their ordinary business on the A43 !!!

In the US, NASCAR races attract 100,000 crowds every weekend - whats the word on spectator facilities over there ???

[Gerard]

Zandvoort already has a licence for Formula One testing.
But most of the racing over here is club racing.
This weekend we have the Easter Races which include DTCC, the Dutch Touring Car Championship, Renault Megane Trophy, Citroen Saxo Cup, Alfa 156 Challenge, Formula Ford and Formula Arcobaleno.
Later in the year there's Historic Racing, the German Touring Cars are visiting Zandvoort and ofcourse the world famous Marlboro Masters of Formula 3.

[Crash Test]

"what are we doing parking 100,000 people in fields....."
-Where else are you going to park them?

[Tom Fuller]

And he still has no brain...