Watching Formula Ford at Oulton Park - only 9 cars are in the race I remember when FFord used to have 30+ entries from all over the world. The design of the cars has hardly changed in 20 years, a 120bhp Ford Zetec engine shouldn't be expensive...but it's pricing itself into the grave. I remember 10 years ago, a season was £65000 for someone crawling around at the back. This isn't the only British series that has gone this way.
there's just too many series which makes it unclear where one should start and move 'up'. For example, now it seems like Formula Renault is in fact the feeder series to F1, no longer GP2.
It's not just about there being too many series, it's about it costing too much money. My Sparton might not be as quick as a modern FFord, but it's just as light and just as powerful and it's the fraction of the cost of a brand new Van Diemen or Mygale.
I would assume the improved safety standards have pushed the costs up, as it's now harder to design and develop a Formula Ford car. I assume those are still spaceframe cars, not carbon fibre monocoques (as opposed to Formula Renault)?
Sadly the teams that should be lured by the history and prestige (not to mention the live TV coverage) of FFord have instead been lured to suckle at the teat of Johnathon Palmer's latest power grab series in Formula 4.
Looks like FFord is losing this particular civil war, as goes the way of all motorsport civil wars, the purist favourite series with the history and racier cars is bulldozed in favour of lowest common denominator crap.
Oh well. There'll always be plenty of series out there to rinse rich daddy's money for the 3 or 4 years he believes his sprog has what it takes to become the next F1 world champion, this latest spat is nothing new in that regard.
Hey good looking with your helmet on,
Driving real fast down the Autobahn,
Looking at yourself on the jumbotron
PTRACER wrote:Watching Formula Ford at Oulton Park - only 9 cars are in the race I remember when FFord used to have 30+ entries from all over the world. The design of the cars has hardly changed in 20 years, a 120bhp Ford Zetec engine shouldn't be expensive...but it's pricing itself into the grave. I remember 10 years ago, a season was £65000 for someone crawling around at the back. This isn't the only British series that has gone this way.
Is it too late to go back to basics?
If you'd paid attention you would know that Ford just recently build a new car (the Ecoboost) which is considerably quicker (and expensiver) than the old car. I know they did use it last year but not sure about this year.
PTRACER wrote:It's a shame people can't go racing to just go racing, why does it have to be all about getting the next youngster into F1?
Is Formula 4 looking popular?
F4 is terrible, it'll last a few years before it is axed, to be followed up by another Palmer series.
Dave wrote:NASCAR's dieing even faster.
The coverage is a joke,
The Development seires is a joke
The talent pool is a joke.
If there is one thing NASCAR has nothing to worry about it is talent pools.
There is not one sport which changes so much and so often as motor racing does. A huge financial crisis does not help much either. Can you ever look positively at something Paul?
PTRACER wrote:Watching Formula Ford at Oulton Park - only 9 cars are in the race I remember when FFord used to have 30+ entries from all over the world. The design of the cars has hardly changed in 20 years, a 120bhp Ford Zetec engine shouldn't be expensive...but it's pricing itself into the grave. I remember 10 years ago, a season was £65000 for someone crawling around at the back. This isn't the only British series that has gone this way.
Is it too late to go back to basics?
If you'd paid attention you would know that Ford just recently build a new car (the Ecoboost) which is considerably quicker (and expensiver) than the old car. I know they did use it last year but not sure about this year.
I saw they've become a slicks and wings Formula. I suppose it bridges the gap between karting and F3 now Formula Renault UK is gone. Although even British F3 is on its last legs - four events this year, only two in the UK! I'm totally proving my point here.
Alonsomania wrote:There is not one sport which changes so much and so often as motor racing does. A huge financial crisis does not help much either. Can you ever look positively at something Paul?
No
Motor racing is constantly evolving, but it is not evolving for the better. This is the problem. Formula Ford is a perfect example. "Oh hey, there's a financial crisis, so rather than make our formula more accessible, we're going to double the cost by introducing new cars and new technology". The result: 9 cars on the grid halfway through the season. Formula Renault, dead. British F3, nearly dead. Formula 2 isn't even running this year. 65%+ of Formula 1's drivers wouldn't be on the grid if they weren't paying to be there. I am not wrong.
You're focussing on national series which have been average at most for the past 10 years and use that for letting us know that racing is commiting suicide. You are aware of the fact that on the other side of the pond they might be racing cars too? And focussing on series which are well past their expiration date does in no way at all say that racing in general is closing in on death.
Alonsomania wrote:You're focussing on national series which have been average at most for the past 10 years and use that for letting us know that racing is commiting suicide. You are aware of the fact that on the other side of the pond they might be racing cars too? And focussing on series which are well past their expiration date does in no way at all say that racing in general is closing in on death.
National series have been the heart and soul of motorsports for years. Many, many of the world's best international drivers were honed in Britain. It was the place to be 10 years ago. Not that I'm being UK-centric on purpose, I just don't know how the European series are doing. Although Formula 2 is certainly not a national series.
American motorsport is entirely separate to the rest of the world as well. I personally believe Indycars to be one of the best single seater motorsport series in the world and in some ways I wish it was international, like Formula 1.
The coverage is a joke,
The Development seires is a joke
The talent pool is a joke.
The coverage: yes, it is a bit of a product of 3 different brands who cover a part of the season.
The developement is in my opinion ok. Good looking cars, much more STOCKcar than those late models. At least they look like the cars they are derived from.
I think there is enough talent, but a lot of drivers are there with a lot of sponsorship. Or they have "the looks".
Brian Redman: "Mr. Fangio, how do you come so fast?" "More throttle, less brakes...."
I remember when FFord used to have 30+ entries from all over the world. The design of the cars has hardly changed in 20 years, a 120bhp Ford Zetec engine shouldn't be expensive...but it's pricing itself into the grave. I remember 10 years ago, a season was £65000 for someone crawling around at the back. This isn't the only British series that has gone this way.
