The Parkinson Line ....on Televised Motorsport

I have been a fan of motor sport for many years. Initially, in the early sixties, my passion was bikes, mainly circuit racing. By the mid sixties I was also watching F1. A galaxy of heros from two and four wheels. TV coverage in those days was relatively sparse compared with today with all the SKY channels that are available. Thanks to Eurosport and Motors TV, mainly, I can now watch everything from German, British and World Touring cars, 750 Motor Club events, Caterhams, Minis, etc. On top of this I can also see World and British superbikes, Moto GP and countless other events including Indy cars, Le Man series FF from Knockhill, Oulton and Anglesey etc. A veritable wealth of Motor sport.

I prefer some more than others. I watched Formula Renault recently but as I didn’t know any of the drivers it was a wee bit boring. The same with F3.Touring cars are alright but not a must for watching though with drivers such as Matt Neal and Jason Plato there are names I’m aware of.
So, favourite viewing for cars remains F1 and then Formula Fords from Knockhill, Oulton and Anglesey. The latter because it’s always such good racing and when the guys are interviewed at the end of the race they’re not boys but mature men who just enjoy racing.

Bikes are slightly different. I am a big fan of all of the superbike series and MotoGP. The main attraction, I think, is that bike racing is so much more unpredictable and frequently anyone can win, on the last lap, from half a dozen riders. These half a dozen riders being of course the best in the world.

There is another attraction. Single seaters, which I prefer to tin tops, all seem to be driven by boys nowadays. All off-springs of rich fathers who have started them in karting at some ridiculous age. When they’re interviewed there like little clones who thank all their sponsors and are generous to their competitors. I am not jealous of them. Envious perhaps as if my father had had the money and was willing to spend it I would have been delighted. It’s a hard profession to take up though and many fall by the wayside. As do many with more talent and less backing. Perhaps I’m wrong but I think that many of today’s young racers are not in the game for the love of racing but are looking for a well paid career with a bit of fame thrown in. Particularly as the sport is much safer than it used to be. The cars in F1 are now almost bullet proof.

F1 cars have got much faster over the period though they have also got much safer, as have the circuits, so that injury in particularly F1 is thankfully very rare. Bikes have also got much faster and the circuits are safer but there the comparison ends. If you have a problem on a bike then you part company pretty quick at up to two hundred miles an hour and are sliding down the road.

I watched the Canadian Grand Prix earlier this year. Because of wet weather the race started under a safety car. Then the race was red flagged, because of the rain, and the restart was held for some hours. They started again under the safety car but by this time conditions were improved to such a degree that many cars pitted immediately for intermediates. Then, a little while later, pitted again for slicks. I also watched the MotoGP race from Silverstone on the same day. It was raining. The race went off on time and the start was a conventional one by the use of the lights. There was some standing water but the race continued, in spite of falls from Lorenzo and Simoncelli, and was won by Casey Stoner. Cal Cruthlow broke his collarbone in practice but he will be back for the next GP. Not unusual. Colin Edwards broke his two weeks ago but was racing at Silverstone. Pedrosa, Rossi, Stoner etc have all ridden in the past with damaged ribs and splinted bones. It’s their job.

British Superbikes was on the week before from Thruxton. It was raining hard. Shaky Byrne, Michael Rutter etc put on a real show. Are these the boys for me? Yes, but last week as I write was the Isle of Man TT. I agree that the top GP works riders do not now compete. Though there were a few guys out of British Superbikes. There are also many guys on home purchased and prepared bikes. The course is thirty seven miles long and they still run if it’s raining. Of course there is no warm up lap because the lap is so long so as you start an information board tells you where it’s raining or slippery. Because it’s a road course with all the inherent dangers, riders are killed at regular intervals. But still they go back for the ultimate in racing.

In conclusion, motor cycle racers, in particular, the TT boys, are now the real hero’s.

Disclaimer: The above represents only the unofficial view of the writer and not of the Monoposto Racing Club in any way whatsover.

Steve Plater, Honda

William Dunlop on the CD Racing Supersport Yamaha.

Lorenzo

Simoncelli

Ian Hutchinson on his way to victory in the Royal London 360 Superstock TT

Pics from IOMTT.com and Motogp.com. TT pictures are from their 2009 gallery. Note the course boundaries.