Need your opnion

thunderarabia · 20 Jun 2006, 22:54 (Ref:1638101)

we are running a Formula Ford Single make series in the Middle East, that runs a Winter Series and we are looking to get some of the European drivers to compete against our Middle East drivers to know the level of drivers we have, so i would appreciate the input of the drivers of what would be an attractive offer for them to come over and race for the full winter series or for a single race weekend. our races run on the format of Arrive and Drive, and includes 2 test session of 30 min each, and 2 qualifying session of 15 min each and 2 races, second race starts with a reverse order for the first 9 positions like GP2.
will appreciate the feed back in terms of affordable budgets for European drivers.

carsten.meurer · 22 Jun 2006, 08:51 (Ref:1638861)

in my opinion...

you will not be able to find any serious formula ford racer who even could
afford the air ticket to your place.
maybe sounds sarcastic, but i really fear its true !

some of the best tallent is struggeling to keep home seasons alive.

you might find a few well healed drivers who think they are good, or might
have enough funds to play in the winter tough. but i would not count on
them to give you a idea about where your drivers stand !

looking for others opinion on this !

Redracer77 · 22 Jun 2006, 09:12 (Ref:1638879)

If you want the best drivers to show your guys the ropes then offer free Winter Series deals to winners of the 3 regional FF1600 Championships (MS, NW & Combe). Will give you good publicity and not cost you much?

JohnMiller · 22 Jun 2006, 12:40 (Ref:1639071)

I think what you offered last year was very good value. Perhaps better promotion?

Market a single race weekend around a family holiday and you should get drivers to come in my opinion.

ianpearson · 22 Jun 2006, 14:42 (Ref:1639147)

I thought you had invitation drivers last year? I think the only way to get reasonable national level single seater drivers out there is to invite them, pay the flight, pay the hotel, pay for the lot. Most drivers would be reluctant to risk their hard earnt reputation on a trip to foriegn land that they've got to pay for. Why don't you invite the top ten national single seater drivers as listed in the motoring news season review at the end of the season

thunderarabia · 23 Jun 2006, 17:50 (Ref:1639908)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ianpearson

I thought you had invitation drivers last year? I think the only way to get reasonable national level single seater drivers out there is to invite them, pay the flight, pay the hotel, pay for the lot. Most drivers would be reluctant to risk their hard earnt reputation on a trip to foriegn land that they've got to pay for. Why don't you invite the top ten national single seater drivers as listed in the motoring news season review at the end of the season

i don't think we are that desperate to invite the drivers pay for their flight, accomodation, and drive, this should no be the case. and also regarding the drivers risking their well earned reputation, as they are suppose to be good. we will be offering a very reasonable budget for the good drivers ranked, they will be driving on a well renowned circuit, and they get the chance to compete against aspiring young drivers. and for the normal drivers, the budget involved in the Winter Series, is less then the budget they put for testing in the Off Season.

carsten.meurer · 25 Jun 2006, 15:21 (Ref:1640875)

while i agree that you had a pretty impressive f1 circuit build...

does it suit small cars ?

i have a couple of this circuits on my doorstep, and i rather not go and race
there !
as a driver i have no chance to make up for any lack in car preparation, as
these circuits are just motorways for small cars !
so surely nothing to learn for a top national ss driver !?

unless you look for some people to feel like important while just being
paydrivers to fill up your budget, why not just send your top bloke over here
and see where he ends up ?

i cannot see you get any seriously talented national racer over to you !
if he is talented, he will have used up all his limited budget to end the season
where he did.
if he still has enough funds to make the trip, he is rather to have achieved
his results with more budget than talent.
this is not meant to offend anyone, how could i as i do not know persons
this could fit to ! just general observation over years...

ianpearson · 26 Jun 2006, 08:06 (Ref:1641352)

Quote:

Originally Posted by thunderarabia

i don't think we are that desperate to invite the drivers pay for their flight, accomodation, and drive, this should no be the case. and also regarding the drivers risking their well earned reputation, as they are suppose to be good. we will be offering a very reasonable budget for the good drivers ranked, they will be driving on a well renowned circuit, and they get the chance to compete against aspiring young drivers. and for the normal drivers, the budget involved in the Winter Series, is less then the budget they put for testing in the Off Season.

Unfortunately I think you are stuck then, I admire what you are tryiny to achieve but why would a top level national Uk or european driver want to pay to come & find out if your lot are any good? whats in it for them? a bit of sun, a trip round bahrain? You may be better off trying to get lads out of karts who want signatures over the winter for their upcoming season in UK formula renault or similar. Want happened to the two drivers out of your series that were going to run with RSR in UK Formula Renault?

Best of luck anyway, oh yeah & I think you should be aloud to call it Thunderarabia Formula Ford

Ramon · 28 Jun 2006, 12:16 (Ref:1643371)

"driving on a well renowned circuit"

It may be a well renowned circuit in F1 terms (questionable), however it is not a track which is that suitable for drivers trying to hone their skills in single seaters. Circuits such as Oulton Park, Brands Hatch, Zandvoort to name a few are far harder to master with precision being the key. Having been to Bahrain for the GP2 and driven the circuit configuration for myself it is easy to make mistakes and get away with it. It may be helpful for the drivers of your championships who are novices to the sport, but drivers who are starting out in the UK would not really gain any advantage from going to Bahrain. In fact it may even give them a false sense of their progress, as your two drivers found out for themselves.

Also, would there not be a problem with licences, as your races would have to be on the FIA calander (international calander/very expensive) in order for UK/European drivers international licences to be valid. Unless your ASN will cover this which I think is very tricky under current FIA rules.

carsten.meurer · 1 Jul 2006, 16:40 (Ref:1645696)

what national single seaters are worth is being on display at the moment !

not being a fan of all the posh single make series on dull tilke tracks we
have in europe, and germany in special, i can't stop grinning on having
my long standing point prooven by mr foster in german f3 !

beat guys racing theire old tools round the same tracks for decades,
and you are able to go a long way !

maybe your drivers will look more capable if you compare them to BMW
junior drivers and the like ! the proper formula ford frontrunners might
again be in a different league !

thunderarabia · 6 Jul 2006, 21:18 (Ref:1649909)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ianpearson

Unfortunately I think you are stuck then, I admire what you are tryiny to achieve but why would a top level national Uk or european driver want to pay to come & find out if your lot are any good? whats in it for them? a bit of sun, a trip round bahrain? You may be better off trying to get lads out of karts who want signatures over the winter for their upcoming season in UK formula renault or similar. Want happened to the two drivers out of your series that were going to run with RSR in UK Formula Renault?

Best of luck anyway, oh yeah & I think you should be aloud to call it Thunderarabia Formula Ford

thank you for wishing us luck. the idea is not to get top european drivers in our series from Europe, i need to get young drivers graduating from Karting, as all my drivers are young drivers graduating from karting. we do not need to get top drivers to compete against our guys, i need to see the new talents in Europe with all teh experience they get in Karting there, against our drivers who graduated from karting but with little experience, just to see the talent level. and having a series during the winter series, that costs less then practice sessions in the UK, is a good ground for both our drivers and young drivers from Europe.

No 4 · 10 Jul 2006, 11:14 (Ref:1652144)

we do not need to get top drivers to compete against our guys, i need to see the new talents in Europe with all teh experience they get in Karting there, against our drivers who graduated from karting but with little experience, just to see the talent level. and having a series during the winter series, that costs less then practice sessions in the UK, is a good ground for both our drivers and young drivers from Europe.[/QUOTE]

I think this is a fair point. European drivers who have competed in the likes of national Formula Ford and Formula Renault will be much more experienced. Therefore, they are likely to win the Thunder Arabia races relatively easily, which proves nothing and doesn't help benchmark the local drivers.

However, European drivers graduating from karting would be another proposition. It would be more of a 'level playing field' and would offer a good way for them to get lots of time on track during the winter, so that they could get to grips with single seaters before driving in their first UK series the following spring. For the local drivers, racing against the best UK karters would enable them to take a realistic view on how they matched up.