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Motorsports |OT| of Endurance Racing, Nascar, Rally, Sportscars, MotoGP, etc
- Thread starter dubc35
- Start date
They're going with V6s and Ford is pulling out, right? Or is there something else? I wish I could watch it from here. I instantly fell in love with the series since I discovered it in Toca 2. S2
bobnowhere
Member
It's all a bit up in the air atm. Ford are going, Volvo are going, Merc(customer) went last year and Nissan are non-committal. They are moving to a more open formula, V8, V6, turbos etc... to attract new manufacturers but there is nothing on the horizon. They are keeping the 2 wheel RWD though. Crowds are also dropping, fields are dropping, ratings through the floor due to moving a lot of the races from free-to-air to pay TV and general interest falling to. Outside of Bathurst the series is struggling a bit.
Damn, it's worse than I thought. So, if I get it right, the problem started when they moved to pay TV. Then, the teams and sponsors started losing interest in the series and started pulling out?
bobnowhere
Member
The first problem came when Ford, Holden and Toyota all committed to stop making cars in Australia from 2017. The Ford Falcons and Holden Commodores that have been the backbone of the series since forever will not longer be made at all, not even overseas and imported here. Now Ford Australia were a terrible company and took the opportunity to immediately cut and run from the series but Holden should have been saved and even exported Commodores to many countries frequently as police vehicles. So in a few years the cars will be very different, I know ford teams were looking at the new Mustangs but Ford aren't interested.
The above was out of the control of the series but the decision to move all the lesser races to Pay TV has really hurt the series. I can't recall having a conversation with anyone about a race outside of Bathurst in the last two years, it's like the races barely exist. They may have increased revenue to the series but ratings are something like 20-30% of free-to-air and with the less eyes on, sponsors don't see the value and that critical mass of support is gone. The best teams/drivers have canabalised the best sponsors and those at the back are struggling.
There's a race on in Darwin this weekend, who knew?
The series is probably going to fall further before it rebuilds, I hope it does as it's fantastic racing most of the time. Maybe I'm making it sound worse than it is, but it has fallen hard in the last 2-3 years.
Man, this sucks, specially because it seems that the locals had a real interest in the series. Here nobody ever talk about Stock Car or any other local series. You're in luck if anyone brings F1 to the table.
But why are these companies pulling out? Too expensive to build in Australia and moving to another place looking for cheap labor?
bobnowhere
Member
Forgot about MotoGP this week, realised it was Assen and thought I'd missed it. Didn't like the change to racing on Sunday initially but OK with it now!
A couple of reasons. Firstly a new government came in and ended all subsidies to car makers basically telling them to survive on their own from now on. The fact that they can get subsidies from other countries make the choice easy. Though to be fair Ford was already on the way out.
Secondly, the car market here is over-saturated with choice. You can probably buy more different brands and models in Australia that any other country in the world. Something like twice the choices of the USA for example. With only 24 million people the economies of scale made it really hard to make models just for the Australian market.
GT3 is growing here. The Bathurst 12 hour grows every year and the local series has plenty of Audis, Ferraris, Porsches, Mercs and even the new BMWs. If the V8 drivers moved to GT3 it would probably take off. Never happen though, the V8 organisers have all the events and tracks tied up.
A couple of reasons. Firstly a new government came in and ended all subsidies to car makers basically telling them to survive on their own from now on. The fact that they can get subsidies from other countries make the choice easy. Though to be fair Ford was already on the way out.
Secondly, the car market here is over-saturated with choice. You can probably buy more different brands and models in Australia that any other country in the world. Something like twice the choices of the USA for example. With only 24 million people the economies of scale made it really hard to make models just for the Australian market.
GT3 is growing here. The Bathurst 12 hour grows every year and the local series has plenty of Audis, Ferraris, Porsches, Mercs and even the new BMWs. If the V8 drivers moved to GT3 it would probably take off. Never happen though, the V8 organisers have all the events and tracks tied up.
bobnowhere
Member
Go Yonny, Go, go, go!
bobnowhere
Member
Jeez, absolute crash fest since the restart.
Go Jack! Try not to fall off this time.
Edit: Sheet, Rossi down now too! Jorge's plan of staying at the back might pay off.
Go Jack! Try not to fall off this time.
Edit: Sheet, Rossi down now too! Jorge's plan of staying at the back might pay off.
Business
Member
So gutted for Rossi. Great weekend ruined and Lorenzo's abysmal performance will even allow him to extend points.
Fake edit: And here comes the sun now, thanks.
bobnowhere
Member
Strange, strange race from Lorenzo. Be interesting hear what was going on.
Fantastic from Miller, I was almost tearing up during his post-race interview! Poor old Gary McCoy though, not only did the race commentators forget about him, but even the Aussie commentators including Daryl Beattie forgot about Gary's wins when taking about previous Australian top class winners!
Fantastic from Miller, I was almost tearing up during his post-race interview! Poor old Gary McCoy though, not only did the race commentators forget about him, but even the Aussie commentators including Daryl Beattie forgot about Gary's wins when taking about previous Australian top class winners!
nature boy
Member
Damn, Romain Dumas wins Pikes Peak one week after winning the 24h of Le Mans.
Boss.
Boss.
Man, this sucks, specially because even if the big bosses there decide to go back to free TV, it seems like the damage is kind of irreversible. =/
I wish I could watch it, but Band TV always (ALWAYS!) find a f*ckin' football match to show instead of races. -.-
Elfforkusu
Member
I would care more if there was a stream I could watch.
Kyle Busch had a scary wreck today at Daytona in practice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51-eeb2FC_E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51-eeb2FC_E
So weird hearing an Australian accent for an American motorsport event.
super.modulaire
Neo Member
Lovely images from the Southern 100 (Isle of Man) this week.
Psychotext
Member
Nice
Silver Arrows
Banned
I still really wished he did Le Mans this year.
bobnowhere
Member
MIller full of confidence, 16th->6th on the first lap.
nature boy
Member
Lorenzo 14th.
Crazy race.
Crazy race.
bobnowhere
Member
Drying up now, Baz out on inters.
Wow, Iannone decides to go into the pits at the very last moment.
Wow, Iannone decides to go into the pits at the very last moment.
nature boy
Member
The top 4 is going to stay out? Wow.
bobnowhere
Member
Inters 2 seconds a lap faster now.
Shit Marques flying on slicks. Might be too late to come in, they'll have to hope to hang on till the end or they'll get swamped.
6 seconds a lap faster for Marquez now, he's got this.
Shit Marques flying on slicks. Might be too late to come in, they'll have to hope to hang on till the end or they'll get swamped.
6 seconds a lap faster for Marquez now, he's got this.
nature boy
Member
Rossi pit crew pissed he's not coming in.
Looking at Marquez's time, don't blame him.
Marquez 7 seconds faster.
Looking at Marquez's time, don't blame him.
Marquez 7 seconds faster.
nature boy
Member
nature boy
Member
Because there is no communication outside of the pit boards. So they don't know.
Rossi's pit crew were annoyed he didn't come in for like 5 laps at least, but there's no way to tell him the strategy. Rossi decided to stay out, it's his decision.
Rossi's pit crew were annoyed he didn't come in for like 5 laps at least, but there's no way to tell him the strategy. Rossi decided to stay out, it's his decision.
Business
Member
Obviously theres no radio coms so thats why I mention all the boards, you HAVE to see them all, not yours only but everyone's. I understand you miss it once, but that was astonishing.
nature boy
Member
Don't think anyone missed it, they just ignored it.
Business
Member
Well yes thats my point since my first post.
Guys in the group were too focused on each other and probably waited who will go into the pits first.
Marquez gambled and he nailed it. Plus his hop from bike to bike is amusing to watch
