Soldato
MotoGP race at Silverstone cancelled due to weather today. Guess that resurfacing at the start of the year didn't improve drainage at all.
MOTOGP 2018
- Thread starter ShakenNstirred
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Think they resurfaced the track to make it smoother for the bikes, but seems within a few months it's just as bumpy again.
And whoever resurfaced it appears to have to made it almost non-porous making it worse. Feel really sorry for all the fans that turned up, I know someone who went and was looking forward to this race all year
Was shaping up to be a fascinating race too, all the brits did well yesterday.
And whoever resurfaced it appears to have to made it almost non-porous making it worse. Feel really sorry for all the fans that turned up, I know someone who went and was looking forward to this race all year
Was shaping up to be a fascinating race too, all the brits did well yesterday.
Soldato
They need to find some different tracks to run their championship on. Or F1 needs to stop going to places where the track surface can't take the loads without deforming and creating bumps. Weren't the MotoGP brigade complaining earlier this year about the state of the Austin track and how bumpy it had gotten? Pretty sure I read complaints about Barcelona and Austria as well.
Soldato
I disagree. These guys love what they do. They want to go out racing. But the risk massively outweighed that want this weekend, look at what happened to Tito. He could easily have been killed.
Yes I know what happened to Tito was bad, avd obviously no one wishes harm to any of the riders.
However, to cancel the whole thing was just plain wromg
Keep it running and let individual riders decide if they will race or not.
Many there wanted to race and believed the conditions were fine for racing so let them race, and the scaredy cats can sit in their plush motor homes
Remember the F1 tyre issues in USA few years ago, the race went on and sone drove, some didn't as they thought it unsafe.
Very similar situation, the race should have continued.
However, to cancel the whole thing was just plain wromg
Keep it running and let individual riders decide if they will race or not.
Many there wanted to race and believed the conditions were fine for racing so let them race, and the scaredy cats can sit in their plush motor homes
Remember the F1 tyre issues in USA few years ago, the race went on and sone drove, some didn't as they thought it unsafe.
Very similar situation, the race should have continued.
Soldato
A two man race would have been pointless. It was only Zarco and Miller who were prepared to go out. It's a shame for fans but I'm pretty sure people would rather all the riders came through the weekend in one piece rather than watch some parade lap speed racing.
If the race had actually been run, and all riders given the choice, many more than just those two would have competed I guarantee it.
I bet only a very few were dead set against competing, and only a few really wanted to, the rest just sat on the fence and let others make the decision.
The final decision to run must be taken away from riders.
Obviously they still get an individual choice, but the race must carry on
They are the very best in the world, if they can't cope with a bit of drizzle and a few bumps (the weather as it was at 4pm) then thry cannot be the best
I bet only a very few were dead set against competing, and only a few really wanted to, the rest just sat on the fence and let others make the decision.
The final decision to run must be taken away from riders.
Obviously they still get an individual choice, but the race must carry on
They are the very best in the world, if they can't cope with a bit of drizzle and a few bumps (the weather as it was at 4pm) then thry cannot be the best
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Soldato
Then between them Dorna and the FIM need to figure something out, because they're contracted to run at Silverstone for the next two years. Either break the contract and run elsewhere/don't run the round, or take your bravery pills and go racing. Always got the option of riding slower.
There was some interesting questions in the press conference after the cancellation. Apparently Ducati and Dovi weren't told about the safety meeting at the end of the day which cancelled racing... Somehow Lorenzo was there but it's interesting how this could happen.
I'm sure all Honda riders wanted it called off to support Marquez. They should at least have sent out a few bikes to see what it was like at 4pm. I didn't even see a safety car out at this time which was strange as it was out all afternoon. I'd have been livid if I was there in the crowd all day for nothing.
I'm sure all Honda riders wanted it called off to support Marquez. They should at least have sent out a few bikes to see what it was like at 4pm. I didn't even see a safety car out at this time which was strange as it was out all afternoon. I'd have been livid if I was there in the crowd all day for nothing.
Soldato
What I didn't understand was why wait till 4pm? Waited till the rain stopped then cancel it anyway, what different outcome were they expecting? Bright sunshine to dry the track out or something?! If it was too wet and dangerous at 2-3pm then just call it off then save all the crowd wasting their afternoon getting wet.
Soldato
Why didn't they run it today instead? Seems crazy to waste all that money for the teams traveling down there and just call the whole thing off. There's 2 weeks until the next race too so it's not like they had to get packed up and off to Italy straight away.
Soldato
2 of the teams allegedly vetoed running on the Monday as it would mess up their testing schedule. Whole thing was a case of the tail wagging the dog.
Soldato
Surely if that's the case then it's tough ****. The race should take precedent over testing. Madness.
Soldato
4pm was the latest they could make on a decision to run. It actually started to dry out a bit around 3.30 and it was looking promising only for it to start raining again about 3.45. After the 11.30 non start there was not much info apart from start delayed. I think the best chance of running all day was about 1.00 when the track was at it driest (although still rather wet) however they decided to make a decision at 2.00 and it started raining again before that. I was there but in the dry and warmth, I felt sorry for all the people standing out in the rain and wind for nothing. After it was delayed indefinitely at 2.00 a lot of people went then, there weren't many around for the final call at 4.
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It chucked it down at about 4.30. It's a good job that they didn't go ahead with the race as that would have happened mid race.
I was surprised that they don't have machinery better suited to clearing water. They had a tractor with a roller thing on the front that looked like it did little more than throw the water around and council street cleaning wagons.
In hindsight, it's a shame that the race could not have been held at about 10-10.30 as that was the best conditions of the day.
Monday could have worked well as the weather was great but when you think of the amount of staff needed (catering, security, police, helpers, hundreds of marshals, etc) it would have been a massive job to try and organise overnight and make it safe.
Waiting to see whether there can be any kind of refund now.
I was surprised that they don't have machinery better suited to clearing water. They had a tractor with a roller thing on the front that looked like it did little more than throw the water around and council street cleaning wagons.
In hindsight, it's a shame that the race could not have been held at about 10-10.30 as that was the best conditions of the day.
Monday could have worked well as the weather was great but when you think of the amount of staff needed (catering, security, police, helpers, hundreds of marshals, etc) it would have been a massive job to try and organise overnight and make it safe.
Waiting to see whether there can be any kind of refund now.
Apparently all of that was secured within an hour, but the teams voted against it...
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Impressive. No idea how they could talk to the thousands of people needed and get it all sorted.
I read that it needed to be unanimous voting of all teams for a change of date. New rule might be needed saying that the race can be a day before or a day after the scheduled date with no option to overrule.
The circuit also needs some kind of contingency for entertaining the crowds. A couple of drift cars going around for example would have kept people entertained. People were loving the safety cars even though they weren't really doing anything.
I think morale in the crowd was a lot higher amongst those who had paid for grandstand passes. I'd never go and not have a grandstand pass for that reason.