Wakefield gets new drive

[Lyris]

Can't find the Sandown thread on the front page so this will do.

Just got the information that apparently Wayne Wakefield will be driving for team Dynamic at this weekends Sandown 500 replacing international Jan M (who didn't want to make with the surrendering of his international license, just to play in a supercar ).

Now that's all I know, so don't ask me for anymore details, please.

[ford boy]

Hope this is true.

[sevi]

It is only a maybe at this stage.
He is on his way to Melbourne right now, in case the license issue can not be sorted out. Nothing will be known until the morning.

[Crash Test]

Nope, I think the PR means that it is confirmed.

[GTRMagic]

Its not a maybe at all, the car is stickered with WW's name on the side. Here's hoping the WakeMafia is happy for a few minutes

[sevi]

Well at 11 am this morning it was a stand by. The licence issue was not going to be finalised until tomorrow morning.

[GTRMagic]

The team had until 5pm today to nominate drivers, as described in the Supp Regs. Had they waited till tomorrow, and CAMS decided Jan couldnt rock up, then a replacement in WW would require authorisation from the CAMS officials, and presumably the rest of the entries... which may not be guaranteed

It seems it got too hard...

[Gudgeon]

Good on you Paul Morris for getting this drive for Wayne most other team owners would not have bothered Now all you have to do is beat him home

[GTRMagic]

It seems the Morrises contribute more to the sport than some people realise

[Argus Tuft]

MMMMMMM the publicity machine rides again.
Lets see who's fault it is when the car doesn't finish.
Certainly not the Most talented Mazda 808 wagon driver in Aust!!!!!!!!!

[Tony C]

The Morris group of companies have donated/invested a lot in Australian motorsport over the years. Nearly all of it anon. Good on them.

They have done a top job of supporting Queensland talent.

[DAVID PATERSON]

They even gave Crash Test a free helicopter flight, well at least his tent got a free flight.

[mjt57]

I just read a short report in today's Herald-Sun over Magnusson's licence issue. Is it just me or do others think that this is such an unnecessary bureaucratic rule?

How do Aussie drivers who have international licences get away with having international AND national licences?

[sevi]

political bull$hit.

[marcus]

GRRRRRRRRR , I wanna see Magnussen in the car.

while its good for Wakefield to get a decent drive I'd still prefer Magnussen.

now im just depressed

[DAVID PATERSON]

MJT, they don't have international and national licences. An international licence can be used in a club or National event in the country of issue. ie. If you have an international licence issued by CAMS, then you can use it for any meeting in Australia.

Magnussen's problem is that his International licence is issued by another country and for reasons that have never been fully explained to me, he can't use that in Australia, unless it is an international event.

[marcus]

then how is it that guys like Minassian and Cleland and even David Brabham have had no problems ???

did they surrender their Licences at Customs on arrival ??

[sevi]

No to Cams on arrival, much bigger department and more important then Customs.

[Onlooker]

Well there goes Thecko's plans to slot Webber in for the long distance races

[DAVID PATERSON]

What's the difference between Customs and CAMS?





One likes to don rubber gloves and make you bend over and offer up all your valuables. The other provides border security at airports.

[RaceTime]

Originally posted by Onlooker
Well there goes Thecko's plans to slot Webber in for the long distance races

Yeah sure - and I am certain Webber would prefer to race a dinosaur at Bathurst instead of an F1 in Japan

[Crash Test]

Hey, Thecko seems to be well on the pace, there is hope yet!!

[DAVID PATERSON]

Minassian & Wakefield have done well, within 2 positions and two-tenths of the regular drivers.

[mjt57]

Originally posted by DAVID PATERSON
What's the difference between Customs and CAMS?

One likes to don rubber gloves and make you bend over and offer up all your valuables. The other provides border security at airports.

Um, you forgot to insert a legal disclaimer in there (allegedly). ie: "the other allegedly provides bordeer security at airports."

[mjt57]

Originally posted by DAVID PATERSON
Magnussen's problem is that his International licence is issued by another country and for reasons that have never been fully explained to me, he can't use that in Australia, unless it is an international event.

Now I've heard it all.

And CAMS wonders why it's becoming increasingly irrelevant. From an outsider's perspective, it sounds like an organisation that seems to want to make life difficult for people to compete in motorsport.

I mean to say, what possible logical reason could there be to force an ex-F1 driver, who's currently a front runner in two world class racing series, to hand in a valid licence that should be good anywhere? If Australia, and other countries, allow foreign visitors to drive on local roads without first obtaining a local licence, then the same should apply to racing licences, especially when they're at the level they're on. CAMS supposedly runs to FIA rules/regs, doesn't it? So too should other countries that are affiliated, right?

And if so, where's the problem? What we now see is a top level driver returning overseas after wasting a lot of time and money over some petty, bureaucratic fiefdom protecting rubbish. And no doubt, with him will go stories of scorn and ridicule of Australian motor sporting officialdom.

As they say, motor racing is successfully run in spite of CAMS, not because of it.