Soldato
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It's not linked but the premise is still the same; good drivers with random others to fill out a field.
Motorsport Off Topic Thread
- Thread starter Shimmy
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It's not linked but the premise is still the same; good drivers with random others to fill out a field.
Heikki Kovalainen. Won 2004 RoC, having won the World Series by Nissan series. Beat Coulthard, Alesi and Schumacher, then Seb Loeb in the final I think.
Yeah, but not anywhere near the upper flights in a recognised feeder series for F1. I'd never heard of him at the time. Other than Alonso, no-one of any note had come from the Datsun World series and the competition was weak in '04. I don't think anyone expected him to make it past the first round, let along beat Schuey in a Ferrari, or Loeb in a WRC car!
RoC was originally an event for rally and off-road drivers when it was hosted in Gran Canaria. Watching drivers like McRae, Alen and Auriol going head to head in equal equipment was a real eye opener.
My point stands with Kovalainen. He was in single seaters therefore the eventual goal was F1, which he raced in for years. He beat two very good drivers, and a multiple world champion head to head at the RoC.
As for Susie, what do you want me to say? She's there because she's a woman, and Michele Mouton runs the RoC. Other than Danica Patrick, she's about the most visible woman in motorsport. She got some podiums in Formula Renault I think if it makes you feel better.
My point stands with Kovalainen. He was in single seaters therefore the eventual goal was F1, which he raced in for years. He beat two very good drivers, and a multiple world champion head to head at the RoC.
As for Susie, what do you want me to say? She's there because she's a woman, and Michele Mouton runs the RoC. Other than Danica Patrick, she's about the most visible woman in motorsport. She got some podiums in Formula Renault I think if it makes you feel better.
The best advert for women in motorsport is already at ROC, she runs the thing! Putting Susie in there is just cementing the "she's only there because she's a woman" stereotype.
I think its a bad move on ROCs part. I do hope she does well because I like her, but I can't imagine the PR and social media response is going to be easy to take.
I think its a bad move on ROCs part. I do hope she does well because I like her, but I can't imagine the PR and social media response is going to be easy to take.
Soldato
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Just looking at the last RoC:
Ho-Pin Tung
Nattavude Charoensukawattana (no, me neither)
Benito Guerra
Tin Sritrai
Kazuya Oshima (won a few races which classify as club races in the UK)
Won a race in the '09 Superleague Formula season
Tin-top driver. Won a bunch of races in Asia touring car and Super Car series.
Won the '12 Production World Rally Championship (which has since morphed into WRC-3).
Think he won some races in Asian Formula Renault for ART Motorsports.
Also '05 Formula Toyota and '07 All-Japan F3 champion.
The Google-Fu is strong in this one... (unless you knew all that off the top of your head, in which case, I want to be on your pub quiz team!)
Most people in ROC are champions of some series, and if not they are at least winners.
Most people in ROC are champions of some series, and if not they are at least winners.
Soldato
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Point is, the RoC (existing or modern format) has always been a mockery of the title, and JRS's googling has cemented that, even if he was doing it to prove me wrong.
If Wolff gets comprehensively beaten, then perhaps your criticism of her entry is worthy, if she's beaten by a second or something against a half-decent driver, then her reputation isn't going to suffer at all and her entry was probably just as deserving as some others.
It's barely in the organisers interests to include her. They're unlikely to sell many more tickets because she's been entered and they're unlikely to renegotiate any extra TV deals because she's going to turn up.
If Wolff gets comprehensively beaten, then perhaps your criticism of her entry is worthy, if she's beaten by a second or something against a half-decent driver, then her reputation isn't going to suffer at all and her entry was probably just as deserving as some others.
It's barely in the organisers interests to include her. They're unlikely to sell many more tickets because she's been entered and they're unlikely to renegotiate any extra TV deals because she's going to turn up.
Had to look up Sritrai.
Soldato
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Like I say, the standard has been utterly **** through to utterly brilliant for eternity. Some have had a couple of wins in club races that you or I could have entered. If she is rubbish, she's just adding to a rather long list of rubbish that have already taken part.
There are literally no qualifications needed to participate other than an invitation and probably a racing license. The title means absolutely nothing. Why is that so difficult to get?
There are literally no qualifications needed to participate other than an invitation and probably a racing license. The title means absolutely nothing. Why is that so difficult to get?
He's still got time at least. If Ric can win several races, I'm sure Vettel can pull his ass up to the front at least once.
