Lewis is out, didn’t make the short list
#grateful
2 Likes
I’m not really a Hamilton fan but not a hater either. Is he really so much worse than the others?
They all seem like petulant kids these days, possibly with the exception of Ricciardo.
I thought Lando Norris was from Glastonbury? Jenson Button was from Frome. It’s uncanny how they both have the exactly the same accent as me. 
2 Likes
Different school? 
That must be it. I went to my school via Portway and Lover’s (that’s LUVEEERRZZZ) walk, stopping at the SPAR shop.
They went via Monaco
1 Like
I think Hamilton is a bit unusual in the modern era in that he at least started from humble beginnings. It obviously helped when he got spotted by McLaren at a young age.
Someone I know’s son had aspirations to be a racing driver and he spent something crazy like £100k on a season of karting before he was even a teenager 
It’s definitely a rich person’s game
2 Likes
Isn’t nepotism highly prevalent in motorsports, due to the costs, access to teams etc? That said, Jenson Button wasn’t born with a carbon spoon in his mouth either; his father was a lower tier driver iirc.
The mean streets of Hertfordshire…
2 Likes
Vettel’s dad was a carpenter iirc
1 Like
sprint Tri team for team of the year…although the F1 stewards probably deserve the Red Bull award…
3 Likes
Odd thread to be discussing this all, but some of you will know/remember Graeme from 113 Events formerly of TT1.0. He’s clearly putting all his son’s eggs in the Moto GP basket; lots of time away at tracks in Spain during term time etc. Not sure if G now has a job linked to motorsport, which makes it a bit easier (maybe something linked to Silverstone?).
It’s all changed a bit as far as I can tell. Unless you’re lucky enough to go via BSB. (which is the world’s most prestigious domestic series) nearly everyone goes via the DORNA academy in Spain.
I read an interview with Bradley Smith years ago about how much bullying went on there from the Spanish riders. lots of stealing, intimidation and if you weren’t from the right Spanish or Italian wealthy families, that it was very challenging.
Hopefully things have changed now.
1 Like
I did wonder if Moto GP or WSB was the preeminent series. Looks like Moto still?
There were a couple of years where WSB (or SBK as it was then) had higher worldwide viewing than GP, especially when 125 and 250s moved to Moto 1 & 2 but it didn’t last last long.
I was generally more interested in SBK because that era was golden, with Foggy, Koscinski, Corser et al. The bikes were more relatable. (but still completely out of reach of course)
I think Moto GP is where people’s interest is, now that you have to pay to watch them all. I like BSB better than WSB these days but that’s only because I haven’t kept up with any of it.
3 Likes
Mick Doohan is the only name I remember; he is a leg-end right? …and Barry Sheene of course!
Similar here, whether it was the British interest with Foggy or just a golden era with many riders as you say but my interest waned after that. Part of the issue was the tinkering with the rules (allegedly in favour of Ducati) to equalise the twins/fours on track.
I think, as soon as you start artificially messing with the vehicles you lose something, ballast in touring cars, DRS in F1 - it’s not a pure race anymore.
1 Like
Quite literally, his one leg is as good as useless, after smashing it up in a crash. They had to cut his good leg open and sew them together to keep the bad one alive. That he came back at all was amazing, that he carried on winning without any movement in that ankle, and had to use a thumb brake was pretty much miraculous. Not a great period for watching mind, as he was too dominant.
3 Likes
Genius rider but I couldn’t take to him. There was a GP in Europe one year where there were serious concerns about the condition of the track and safety. (IIRC it was track surface and a potential tyre issue).
Race called a safety meeting, all riders including privateers for the lower classes. Doohan had them all thrown out of the meeting because they ‘didn’t matter’.
Another time he bullied Dunlop into ensuring that the team had all the tyres they needed during a shortage at the expense of lots of other teams. A few stories like that.
I liked Gardener and Beattie more but Doohan’s racing genius speaks for itself. It did get a bit boring with him and Creville out in front by big margins on the HRCs but yes, in Oz, he’s pretty much up there with the other legends.
When @pacha first connected this thread to SPOTY I thought he might be insinuating something about one of the nominees. Now I think we are well and truly OT!
2 Likes