SPEC NATIONIAL MOTOR AL SP WEEK ORT ISSUE
THE
MAGAZINE FOR BRITISH MOTOR SPORT
SUMMER 2012
PLUS g force in iv r d ’s t r o p otor s Why we are m
R ALLYING FOR BEGINNERS M SA – DRIVING TALENT FORWARDS R ICHARD BURNS FOUNDATION
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this issue
Contents 05 Forum
35
This issue’s postbag
08 Action replay
The 2012 Radical UK Cup endurance series gets under way
11 Briefing
All the lastest motor sport news
21 Opinion
ON THE
COVER
Motor sport continues to thrive despite difficult economic times
23 Talking heads
Would stronger penalties improve driving standards?
MSA celebrates National Motorsport Week. Artwork by Matt Herring (mattherring.com); feature on p24
24 Cover story
51
48 Buyers’ guide
When it comes to motor sport, Britannia rules the waves. Andrew van de Burgt looks at why
SPECIAL NATIONAL MOTORSPORT WEEK
Clocks and stopwatches reviewed
51 Sitting tight
Ensuring your seat is safe as well as comfortable
ISSUE
THE
MAGAZINE FOR
BRITISH MOTOR
SPORT
32 NMW needs you
SUMMER 2012
Get your motor club involved in National Motorsport Week
55 Techno file
Choosing the right oil
34 Beginners’ rallying
Dan Prosser has a go at rallying
001 Cover.indd
Why does insurance cost so much?
40 MSA Academy
PLUS g force ’s drivin tor sport are mo Why we
59 Ask the experts
32
RALLYING FOR BEGINNERS MSA – DRIVING DS TALENT FORWAR RICHARD BURNS FOUNDATION 27/04/2012 10:36
British racing’s next generation gather at Silverstone
63 National court
44 Burns’ foundation
Simon Arron considers the influence of Britain in mortor sport
66 Simon says
1
National Motorsport Week aims to inform the British public about the success of our motor sport industry and inspire them to become a part of it.
Remembering Richard Burns 44
CONTRIBUTORS
Gemma Briggs reviews timing devices, p48
Dan Prosser As rally correspondent for The Daily Telegraph, Dan Prosser is used to writing about the sport from afar – but he’s put himself in the driving seat for us...
Matt Herring Matt’s roots in printmaking still influence his current digital practice and he thrives on a diverse range of projects from fashion to current affairs
Andrew van de Burgt As Autosport’s editor-in-chief, Andrew van de Burgt is perfectly placed to investigate why Britain is the major player in global motor sport
Summer 2012 www.msauk.org
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EDITOR’S LETTER Summer 2012 is set to be one big party, from the
✪ STAR LETTER wins a pair of tickets to the UK round of the WRC SAFE AT SNETT I worked at Snetterton circuit 1998-2002 at the height of motor sport safety changing in Britain. While I was there we moved Bombhole run-off back, and put armco in front of grass bank at the Esses. The next year we put up armco on the outside of the back straight, for 900 metres, and redid the outside of Coram and Russell up to the startline. The next year we put the armco on the inside of the back straight from two sheets to three sheets, etc. So is motor sport too safe? My answer is no! But having said that I found that if you move
run-off back a driver will push harder (it’s a psychological thing). So the corner after the car/bike is going faster and there are then more accidents at that corner than before, so you move that corner back. I found that at Snetterton we moved the Bombhole back, then they were going off at Coram more, then we moved Coram back and then cars were going into the Russell marshal post, so we changed that! I really enjoyed reading the article on safety first. We must keep making our sport safe! Gavin Howell
Queen’s Diamond Jubilee to the fanfare that will surround the 2012 London Olympics. And one branch of British life to receive just as much celebration will be the one that keeps us cheering all year round, whether from the grandstand or the cockpit – motor sport. This year’s National Motorsport Week is bigger and bolder than ever. Riding on A MARSHAL’S VIEWPOINT a high of national pride, we are shouting There is no question that safety at about the country’s achievements and even the smaller independent tracks why we are at the forefront of this has become better over the last few industry. Formula 1 team boss Nick Fry years. I have been marshalling now and grand prix legend David Coulthard for over five years and of course tell Autosport’s editor-in-chief, Andrew you become more aware of certain van de Burgt, why on page 24. There are aspects from a marshal’s perspective. plenty of ways for everyone to get The areas that I think need to be involved in NMW and we give you some addressed from a marshalling point pointers on page 30. of view and therefore from a driver Keeping Britain at the top of the safety point of view, as we are only motor sport game is one of the MSA’s there to ensure safe racing, are: many campaigns and its investment in Good clear access to the track young talent is key to this goal. You can while carrying fire extinguishers. At a find out how it goes about this with our number of circuits the only route to YOUR report from the training academy held THOUGHTS! circuit is over wet, slippery tyres. earlier this year. Turn to page 38 to read This is unacceptable. We want to know your opinion on which why these young guns were made to Hazard boards which can be motor sport issues MSA jump through hoops. fixed in place. So often the board magazine should cover. We hope you’ll enjoy this summer has to be held by one marshal Email us at msa@ of celebration. Email us at msa@ which is one marshal less to attend thinkpublishing. co.uk thinkpublishing.co.uk to tell us how to an incident. Not too difficult. you marked NMW. Enjoy the party... Some posts have very large mesh frames designed to protect the post and marshals. Unfortunately, because they weren’t located with marshalling in mind, the flag marshal has to step out beyond the barrier in order to be seen.
Gemma Briggs, Editor EDITOR
Gemma Briggs PUBLISHED ON BEHALF OF MSA BY: THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE MOTOR SPORTS ASSOCIATION (MSA)
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These are intended as helpful critical comments and not as gripes, but each of these – if addressed – would improve track safety. Thank you for a most interesting magazine. Jon Jones
SPRINTING TO SAFETY As a member of the BMMC (British Motorsport Marshal’s club) I take the issue of circuit safety very seriously and was pleased to read of ongoing developments. Generally I am happy with the direction that UK circuits are taking towards the improvement of equipment and relating matters. All of my activities are based in the Midland region at Mallory Park, Donington Park and at the Curbourgh sprint track. I agree that Mallory is still a work in progress, although over the winter there has been continued construction of marshals’ posts along with greatly increased run-off areas on the Stebbe straight. However, the accident that claimed the life of Dave Wells during last October’s international sidecar festival proves that more work can be done. It also highlights the differing
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Summer 2012 www.msauk.org
5
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letters I would love to see rallying accessed by more people. The only way is to broaden our appeal in terms of cost and public awareness, and to enable the cheaper cars to be competitive in their classes allowing entry to and continued participation in the sport. It is easy to say and hard to deliver, but unless we manage to change things I know of several rally drivers who will have to reluctantly call it a day. Guy Hancock
VENUE DIFFICULTIES
safety requirements of the car and motorcycle communities. Donington Park seems to have recovered well from its financial difficulties and has produced a wellprotected circuit. The track has been unadulterated allowing drivers to enjoy the character of Donington’s curves. Smaller tracks such as Curbourgh can sometimes be overlooked in terms of safety. Whilst sprinting doesn’t have the wheel-to-wheel action of true racing it does produce a highly competitive pace. Accidents are still quite common, meaning sprints and hill climbs require the same dedication to safety as the race circuits. Everybody says the sport is pretty safe until the wrong accident occurs and safety issues are brought into light by the media and governing bodies. It is therefore vital for safety campaign to continue to make events as safe as possible. I look forward to reading more enlightening articles. Duncan McCosh
EBREY/LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC
SIMULATING SALOONS Very disappointed to read your article on ‘Can simulators make young drivers perform better?’ How can Matt Neal have been chosen to comment on this? He admits he’s never even been on a simulator, on top of which he races saloon cars, not single-seaters that most simulators are based on. Matt Kelly
STAGE RALLY REVIEW I think that most of the problem with stage rallying is mainly based on money. A few years ago there were
a group of about six of us in different cars either as driver or co-driver. Now there are two of us. I know of a few cars in garages that do not go out just because they don’t meet new regs; the main thing on them is seats and belts. Having just built a new car for this season it was annoying and costly to replace the seats and belts in the car at a cost of £650 for all, especially when the ones in the last car had only done nine rallies (approx 330 stage miles). Is there not some other way that they can be controlled, like say a tab sewn into the seat which the scrutineer can punch a hole in every time it is used? In the event of a big accident they can punch say 10 holes, or even cut off the tab – then you would also know the history when or if you bought a second-hand seat. I have noticed that entry lists for rallies are down. Rallies are cancelled due to lack of entries, whereas a few years ago I can remember being a reserve as there were too many entries. Bring back cheap rallying. Bryan Hamilton
I think one of the biggest problems faced by clubmen rallying is the venues. Single-venue, sealed surface events that were traditionally held on airfields have dwindled in recent years as land becomes more valuable and owners decide to sell sections of their property to developers. This style of event was perfect for newcomers to the sport to learn The cost of stage rallying is prohibitive for some in a relatively safe environment with calls for the creation of and for those on a tight budget to ‘cheap rallying’ get their fix of competition. Forest events have always been the more expensive side of stage rallying. The huge charges imposed by the forestry commission and the use of expensive tyres that damage the roads are major factors that have pushed the cost of competing in an average forest event to over £1,000. This year’s There is also immense pressure Dunlop on venues from a number of sources. MSA British The issues with race circuits like Croft Touring Car and Rockingham – where local ‘NIMBY’ Championship is residents who had recently moved bigger and better to the area were able to assemble a than ever. To be case against the ‘excessive’ noise from in with a chance the circuits – has not helped public of winning a perception and acceptance of our sport. pair of tickets to These issues could be rectified a race of your and a sustainable future for the sport choice, simply guaranteed if, among other changes, write in and tell greener fuels were adopted and lowus what you think impact tyres were used. of the Summer James Graham issue of the MSA magazine.
WIN
A PAIR OF BTCC TICKETS!
COST OF RALLYING I own a 205 1.9-litre 8V tarmac stage rally car. This year I have not yet renewed my licence and may if I am lucky run in only two events. In 2006 I ran six rallies on a budget of £3,000. To run in a championship is no longer a feasible idea for me and would likely cost £7,000 to £10,000. Several friends of mine are in the same situation and we all have stage cars. The continued economic downturn does not help and the cost prohibits people competing. Summer 2012 www.msauk.org
7
DATA BURST
WHEN: 10 March 2012 WHERE: Snetterton, Norfolk CHAMPIONSHIP: Dunlop Radical UK Cup CARS: Radical SR8 RX & Radical SR3 RS
OLIVER READ
Turn one at Snetterton and a host of Radicals battle it out in the first round of this year’s Radical UK Cup. In the lead is the SR8 RX of Radical stalwart, Stuart Moseley, closely followed by former British GT Champion Bradley Ellis. Manhal Allos, in car number 61, emerged the victor after 40 minutes of racing – although by a margin of just 0.476 seconds. He was the second winner of the day, with ex-750MC MR2 Champion Zac Chapman taking victory in race one. Snetterton was one of eight events that will be held as part of the championship this year. In April it teamed up with the Radical European Masters Euroseries at Silverstone and also races at Spa Francorchamps. For more information visit www.radicalsportscars.com
8 www.msauk.org Summer 2012
action replay
With single-make series such as the Radical UK Cup the competition is tight and exciting, as you can see from the Snetterton round
Summer 2012 www.msauk.org
9
news
IN THIS
ISSUE:
MSC annual dinner; New Scotland RDO; Regulations approved
Briefing
NEW REGULATIONS APPROVED BY MSC MSC
Conclusions of latest MSC meeting held in March
The latest meeting of the Motor Sports Council took place at the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall on 6 March. During the meeting a number of regulations were approved which can be found on the carrier sheet of this magazine, including subjects such as parking brakes in rally cars, brake lights on racing cars, definitions and regulations for Endurance Racing, ages for passengers and additions to the tyre list for Cross Country events. Further discussions were prompted by the reports of both the Medical and Technical Subjects discussed Advisory Panels in included additions
relation to the minimum age for drivers competing in single-seater racing, and also by a presentation from Jonathan Palmer about the definition of track limits at UK circuits.
SONGASPORT; PAUL CHERRY
to the tyre list for Cross Country events (below) and Endurance Racing (right)
63
The number of young drivers currently benefitting from the MSA Academy’s Team UK, AASE, Co-driver and Development Squad programmes.
HONOURS AND ROYALTY AT THE MOTOR SPORTS COUNCIL DINNER POLITICS British motor sport stalwarts Michael Southcombe, Denis Cardell and Tony Fletcher were honoured with special awards at the Motor Sports Council annual dinner at the Royal Automobile Club in March. HRH Prince Michael of Kent GCVO, Honorary President of the Council, presented his Award of Merit to Southcombe, a Founding Director and former Chairman of the MSA who is a life member and president of Yeovil Car Club. MSA Chairman Alan Gow then handed MSA Lifetime Achievement Awards to Cardell, a founder MSA board member and former Rallies Committee Chairman, and Fletcher, an MSA Steward, trainer and committee member who ran the MSA British Hill Climb Championship for many years. A commemorative clock was also given to former Technical Advisory Panel chairman and MSA board member John Wood to mark his retirement from Council last year.
Summer 2012 www.msauk.org
11
NMW
Showing the nation what motor sport has to offer
The MSA and the Motorsport Industry Association (MIA), the driving forces behind National Motorsport Week, are urging the entire UK motor sport community to get behind this year’s initiative to help show the nation what motor sport has to offer. Running from 30 June to 8 July between the Goodwood Festival of Speed and the British Grand Prix, this year’s celebration of the sport is the second since it was revamped by the MSA and MIA. “We want everyone involved in motor sport to get right behind this initiative,” said MSA Chief Executive Colin Hilton. “At a national level it allows us to celebrate our past and present successes and last year we set the ball rolling when the UK-based F1
teams opened their doors to the public. It also gives us a great opportunity to attract new people to get involved for the first time and a number of clubs and venues organised special activities last year. We want to build on that, especially working with motor clubs to set up events that encourage newcomers to take a look at the sport and realise how much fun they can have on four wheels.” The history books show that British drivers and teams have dominated all areas of the sport. Their achievements, though, are just the pinnacle of a world-leading industry that includes more than 4,000 technology-focused companies, as MIA
JEFF BLOXHAM/LAT
NMW IS RACING AHEAD THIS SUMMER
The Goodwood Festival of Speed kicks off National Motorsport Week
CEO Chris Aylett explains: “Whether it’s high-tech F1 teams winning grands prix, dedicated experts restoring historic racing cars or engineering companies producing state-of-the-art components, the UK motor sport industry is booming. Motor sport is a huge UK success story and National Motorsport Week exists not only for all involved to publicise their fabulous achievements but also as the perfect shop window to attract a new generation of young entrepreneurs.” To find out more about National Motorsport Week and how you can get involved, turn to page 32.
The Strength of Experience Tel: +44 (0) 1952 582825 Fax: +44 (0) 1952 582821
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12 www.msauk.org Summer 2012
15/02/2012 15:45
news
MEETINGS KEEP MOTOR SPORT ON THE AGENDA
MY MOTOR SPORT 0TRIALS
A Q&A with trials ace Duncan Stephens What first drew you into motor sport?
I grew up in a family of motor sport enthusiasts. My dad, Mike, is a multiple former MSA British Car Trial Champion and I was his passenger from quite a young age before getting behind the wheel myself when I reached 15. What’s the difference between Car Trials and Sporting Trials?
POLITICS The MSA’s Public Affairs activity has seen a number of important meetings held in Westminster recently. Ben Taylor, MSA Director of Development and Communications, met with the government’s independent panel on forestry to ensure that the plight of four-wheel motor sport was heard and understood by those considering the future ownership and management of the public forest
estate. In April, Chief Executive Colin Hilton met with Roads Minister Mike Penning to discuss the government’s commitment to an official consultation on Closed Roads. A significant amount of activity is planned for Westminster during National Motorsport Week, at the end of which a number of Secretaries of State, Ministers and MPs will attend the British Grand Prix at Silverstone as guests of the MSA.
NEW SCOTLAND RDO TO CAPITALISE ON SPORT’S HEALTH GO MOTORSPORT Go Motorsport has
What’s special about the discipline?
It’s very accessible and cheap motor sport and I think it’s the only branch of the sport in which you have more seat time the better you get; in most disciplines the faster you go the less time you spend in the seat, whereas in trials the further up the hill you go the more time you spend in it. The trials community is very welcoming; there’s a lot of camaraderie, although obviously it all gets serious when you get in the car, especially if you’re a competitive person like me. What have been your main achievements in the sport?
For a while I held the 2009 MSA British Sporting Trials and 2010 MSA British Car Trial Championship titles at the same time, which was a first in the sport. It meant a huge amount because I’d been very close to the Sporting Trials title three times previously and then by taking the Car Trial crown I was following in my father’s footsteps. What can people do if they’re interested in having a go?
DOM ROMNEY, MODERNPICS.CO.UK
a new Regional Development Officer (RDO) in Scotland: Alison Clark, daughter of rally driver Ivor Clark, who will be tasked with developing the sport north of the border by assisting local clubs’ development activities and delivering the campaign’s message into schools. “Motor sport in Scotland is on a real high right now,” said Clark, one of the organisers of last year’s inaugural Scottish Motorsport Festival. “My challenge is to capitalise on that by helping to bolster the sport’s grass roots and get more people involved in all areas. I want to be visible so that clubs can freely contact me when they feel they could benefit from the help that Go Motorsport can offer.”
Both are about driving as far as possible up a course laid out on a hillside. Sporting Trials use very specialist vehicles and it’s mind-boggling what they can do, whereas Car Trials are exactly the same principle of hunting for traction but use road-going cars, which means the hills are less severe but it’s perhaps more readily accessible.
Have a look at the Go Motorsport and BTRDA websites, then get to some events and have a chat with the competitors, who’ll tell you all about how fun and accessible trials can be.
Summer 2012 www.msauk.org
13
news
TEAM UK IN LAKE DISTRICT CHALLENGE DEVELOPMENT The mental and physical limits of some of some of the country’s most promising young drivers were tested during a 36-hour MSA Academy event in the Lake District recently. Accompanied by National Race Coach David Brabham and National Rally Coach James Wozencroft, the Team UK drivers and MSA Apprentices took part in navigation, hiking, lake crossings and casualty evacuations while enduring cold, wet conditions and sleep deprivation. “I think we all had moments where we felt we weren’t going to make it but everybody finished in the end,” said Team UK and British F3 racer Jack Harvey. AASE graduate Max Coates added: “Although they’re outweighed by the good days, as a driver you have a lot of bad days, and an event like this is great for toughening you up so that you are better able to deal with those lows and move forward.”
Nicky Grist will prepare three young co-drivers for future Team UK membership through a new MSA Academy
MIKKELSEN FLIES FLAG
GO MOTORSPORT IRC champion Andrea Mikkelsen is running Go Motorsport decals on his Skoda Fabia S2000 this season. “I learned many of my skills by rallying in the Welsh forests and that’s why I’m very happy to be flying Go Motorsport flags,” he said. “Rallying has lots to offer everyone in the UK.”
RISE IN FUND APPLICATIONS MSA The MSA received 25 Club and Rescue Development Fund applications in the first quarter of 2012 – twice as many as in the same period last year. Fund enquiries should be directed to Allan Dean-Lewis at Motor Sports House.
To watch the event unfold, visit www.msauk.org/teamuk
GRIST TO TRAIN JUNIOR CO-DRIVERS DEVELOPMENT Former WRC navigator
NEWS IN BRIEF
development programme. Joe Cruttenden, 22, Chris Davies, 21, and Jack Morton, 17, will work with Grist throughout the year as they seek to become more complete and professional co-drivers. Cruttenden said the prospect of working with Grist has made him put a “renewed focus” on his career, while Davies and Morton said they were “ecstatic” and “honoured” to be selected for the programme. “Joe, Chris and Jack have got a fair amount of experience and some excellent results under their belts, so they are ideal candidates for this new programme, which will act as a stepping stone to the Team UK national squad,” said Grist.
RUSSELL NOMINATED
KARTING The MSA has chosen European KF3 Champion George Russell to represent the UK in the 2012 CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy. “It’s a massive privilege to have been chosen by the MSA because this is a very prestigious championship,” said Russell.
BUSY RENEWAL PERIOD
MSA The MSA Licensing Department has come to the end of its traditional busy period. During that time 27,385 licenses have been processed, 97 per cent of which were delivered within a fortnight. 25 per cent were completed online.
Specialists in the design and manufacture of gearboxes and differentials
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circuit safety
*7 &83 &+$03,216+,3 Race Calendar 2012 Donington Silverstone Brands Hatch (Indy) Snetterton 300 Oulton Park (Int’l) Brands Hatch GP Knockhill Donington
28th & 29th April 12th & 13th May 16th & 17th June 30th June & 1st July 21st July 18th & 19th August 8th & 9th September 6th & 7th October
For further information please contact: Hannah Wilson (tel:) 01963 442787 or (mob) 07500 116687 or email hannah@ butemotorsport.co.uk
www.gtcup.co.uk Summer 2012 www.msauk.org
15
news
IDEAS FOR THE FUTURE CLUBS
B&DCC engaging with students to boost membership
NEWS IN BRIEF CHELMSFORD MC TO RUN BRANDS RALLY
RALLY Chelmsford Motor Club has confirmed that the Brands Hatch Summer Stages Rally will return for a second year on August Bank Holiday Monday. “We have worked hard to open up more viewing areas for spectators,” said clerk of the course Tony Clements. Regulations will be available in June, with entries opening on 1 July.
NOMINATION FOR NWCC
Static and ageing memberships pose a conundrum for many motor clubs, which is why Bournemouth and District Car Club is thinking outside the box to attract potential newcomers. It appears to be on the right track, having grown its membership from 130 two years ago to a projected 180 by the end of 2012. The club is striving to take advantage of Bournemouth’s high student population not only by offering a discounted student membership but also by involving students through an innovative new initiative, as vice chairman Alan Spratt explains. “We’re planning to offer bursaries to students who assist the club in areas relating to their studies,” says Spratt, who recently stepped down as chairman in order to concentrate on recruitment. “For instance there is a media faculty at the uni, so we hope to get some students on board for maybe a term at a time to foster
16 www.msauk.org Summer 2012
links with the local media, and we would effectively pay them to do that.” B&DCC has also made good use of the MSA’s Club Development Fund, which has recently contributed £750 towards the cost of a new promotional unit. “It’s an ex-tourist board trailer that opens out so people come and pick up some info about the club,” says Spratt. “We’re taking it to various fetes and shows and we’re grateful to have received financial support from the MSA.” The club’s flagship event is the Bovington Stages, which takes place on military territory. “We try to give competitors value for money,” says Spratt. “The Bovington Stages works out at about £3 per mile and I doubt there’s another rally in the UK that could beat that. That’s why entries are always high, allowing us to make a healthy donation to the army each year in return for their support.”
AWARDS North Wales Car Club was nominated for the Community Regeneration prize at the recent Pride of Conwy Community Awards, in recognition of its support of Wales Rally GB and the supporting Rally Fest.
TVKC LAUNCES WEBSITE
KARTING Trent Valley Kart Club has launched a new website for the CIK-FIA European Championship event it will host at PFi on 19-22 July: tvkc.co.uk/cik. Club chairman Nigel Edwards said: “TVKC are pulling out all the stops to make this event a huge success to help showcase what UK karting has to offer.”
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opinion
HELPING MOTOR SPORT TO WEATHER THE STORM With the sport facing hard economic times, the MSA is committed to leading the ongiong development of motor sport, says Alan Gow, MSA Chairman Whichever way you look at it, times are tough for everyone right now. Rising unemployment and inflation; falling wages and consumer confidence – the hangover from the meltdown of 2008 looks likely to be with us for some time to come. In the face of such a challenging economic climate, it is perhaps surprising that motor sport has not been hit harder by the downturn. That is not to say that all is rosy in our high-octane garden; some championships have been cancelled, stage rallies shortened and we can see evidence of low entries in some of this year’s early events. But equally interesting is that while some clubs, events and championships may be struggling, others are reporting great success and growth. MSVR’s “Indy Weekend” at Brands Hatch, for example, pulled in 315
help the sport better withstand the vagaries of the current economy. At the grass-roots level, our primary concern is for our 700-plus member clubs. The sole objective of the “Go Motorsport” initiative is to attract new people to the sport and we can only be successful in doing that if we also help local motor clubs to grow their memberships. We have already established a UK-wide network of Regional Development Officers (RDOs) to spread the word but in this, the Year of the Motor Club, we will also be hosting a series of club development meetings around the country. We all recognise that motor sport is in competition with a huge range of diverse leisure activities – be it the pub, shops, sports, cinema, TV or indeed gardening – for the valuable time and money of potential recruits. These development forums will bring clubs
MSA remains committed to doing more in the short term to help the sport better withstand the vagaries of the current economy entries. So, clearly, people are still enjoying our sport even if they are becoming a little more circumspect about where they spend their time and money. Successful organisers are confident in their own success, invariably pointing to the importance of understanding the customer and giving them value for money. In this respect, motor sport is no different to anything else. Give people what they want and they will come back, but if you keep serving up the same old thing then you shouldn’t be too surprised when it fails to be so appealing. In difficult times, the leadership of a governing body becomes even more important. The MSA has been making a substantial and unprecedented investment in recent years, not just financial but also in terms of resources, to create the “Whole Sport Plan” – a framework that will enable and encourage the sport to grow and flourish in the longer term. That we have seen only a relatively very modest drop in activity in the past three years would indicate that we are on the right track, and the MSA remains committed to doing more in the short term to
together to share ideas, to brainstorm activities, to talk about what their current future members might want and to discuss how we can provide it for them. We know that there is a latent enthusiasm out there for people to have some fun behind the wheel of a vehicle, whether on a circuit, in a field or on the road. The new regulations governing “Taster Events” should make it easier for clubs to arrange an event so that non-club members can get that critical first experience of grass-roots motor sport fun. If we can give them a great time, they’re likely to come back for more. For those already involved in the sport, however, we have to recognise and appreciate their conscious decision to spend money on motor sport rather than elsewhere. Where possible, the MSA will endeavour to limit the burden of unnecessary costs on these competitors, while being ever mindful of the governing body’s duty of care to manage the risks inherent in our sport. The top end of the sport is perhaps more vulnerable to the financial uncertainty, especially when commercial sponsorship and funding required to get cars and drivers
to the start line is more difficult to come by, but motor sport can still represent excellent value for a company. Again, the MSA can (and should) play its part, so we are supporting a series of sponsorship seminars around the country to help drivers, teams and events in their challenge to secure funding. National Motorsport Week, at the start of July, will provide exactly the right kind of focus and positive message to get everyone talking enthusiastically about our sport. This edition’s cover story explains just how important the week is for the sport and highlights some of the key messages we will be celebrating. If you haven’t yet made plans to support National Motorsport Week this year, then please think about what you might be able to arrange even at this short notice. If you would like some assistance, your RDO is always on hand with ideas and advice, or promotional material that can assist you. It really doesn’t have to be a big event, but the more activity we are able to pull together, the greater the impact we can make on the public at a local level, on government at a national level and importantly on each other at a personal level. Despite the present difficulties, we still have much to celebrate. Our sport is dynamic and engaging, the industry that it underpins is a national success story, we continue to blaze a trail on the international stage and our grass-roots infrastructure is the envy of the world. I can assure you that as the governing body, we will not cease in our efforts to drive the sport forwards. The MSA has never been as pro-active as it is now – and I consider that it’s our duty and our legacy to our sport to do so.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Are you getting involved in National Motorsport Week? Write and tell us what your club has done to attract your new members. Send your comments to msa@ thinkpublishing. co.uk
Summer 2012 www.msauk.org 21
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talking heads
WOULD STRONGER PENALTIES IMPROVE DRIVING STANDARDS?
YES
WALT KUHN
Matt Griffin, British GT racer
Yes, but the penalties have to be governed properly. I think with some of the crazy stuff that happens in some categories, especially with junior drivers who are just coming into the sport, you need strong penalties. If people go off under yellows or if it is something that’s deemed dangerous, the response needs to be harsh to get the point across. “Having said that, I think you need a topline or ex-professional driver to be one of the stewards, like they have in Formula 1, where I think it’s made a big difference. There have been times when stewards didn’t look
at the evidence correctly – you have to look at it from a different point of view and drivers can see things differently. “There was a time in British GT qualifying when I was following another car really closely and it suddenly slowed. Tom Sharp, I had to pull out and go past, but Ginetta GT then I saw red flags. I backed off Supercup racer and came into the pits, but I got penalised. Even after I showed my onboard footage they didn’t I think the way we deal change the decision. with things in the “You have to take into Ginetta GT Supercup is quite account genuine errors adequate. It’s very difficult too. Last year at to say if stronger Snetterton Tom penalties would WHAT DO Black spun in front really improve YOU THINK? of me when I was driving standards Do championships come down hard enough on lapping him and I because I think 90 offenders? Or are there already hit him. People per cent of too many rules? Let us know said he should incidents are what you think about driving have been banned, genuine incidents standards at msa@ thinkpublishing. but that’s wrong – they are mistakes co.uk – he made a mistake. by drivers. “So, yes, I think stronger “At Croft last year I penalties could improve driving didn’t see a black flag and I got standards, but you have to be points on my licence and sure of the decisions before docked points in the handing them out.” championship. If I had been
NO
ignoring the flags then maybe I would have deserved a harsher penalty, but I was right behind another car every time I went past the pits and I couldn’t see the flag, though the stewards didn’t believe me. “In a race I’m not thinking, ‘Am I going to get thrown out for this or that?’ – I already know that if I get it wrong I’m going to be dealt with. “In some scenarios, say when drivers decide to take matters into their own hands and retaliate, penalties do need to be harsh, but generally it’s about right. It might be good to punish people if they deny there has been an accident (difficult in Ginettas because of the TV cameras!) but a lot of the incidents are racing incidents. “I do think driver stewards would help a lot because some stewards don’t see things from our point of view. They don’t always spend enough time going through it, but on the whole I think our series has been pretty good.”
Summer 2012 www.msauk.org 23
24 www.msauk.org Summer 2012
national motorsport week
ILLUSTRATION MATTHERRING.COM
Our engineering expertise is second-to-none and our drivers win crowns across the world. Andrew van de Burgt investigates why Britain leads the way in motor sport Barely a day passes when we’re not reminded that the western economies are in the midst of their toughest period since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Times have seldom been tougher, especially for the UK’s manufacturing industry, which has been in almost permanent decline for 40 years. However, there’s one very high-profile area of manufacturing where the UK is doing rather well. In fact, you could argue that it’s about the highest profile form of specialist manufacturing there is. And you could certainly claim that Britain leads the world in it. Yes, when it comes to motor sport, Britannia still rules the waves. And given this is an industry that requires highly-skilled, professionally-trained personnel to manufacture components that are sold all over the world, it’s one we can be justifiably proud of. But oddly for a sport where overt nationalism happens at the end of every race – when the winners’ (driver and car) national anthem plays as their flag flutters in the breeze above them on the podium – publicising the success of the sector as a whole is an almost alien concept. This is where National Motorsport Week comes in. A joint venture between the Motor Sports Association and the Motorsport Industry Association (MIA), it aims to inform the British public about the success of our motor sport industry and inspire them to become a part of it. But why is Britain so good at building racing cars and their ancillary components when heavy industry such as boat building is just a shadow of its former self? Nick Fry, the Mercedes Formula 1 team’s chief executive officer, is also the business ambassador for the British motor sport industry. He says: “You have to understand the nature of motor sport. What we are very good at is prototyping. Summer 2012 www.msauk.org 25
We turn an idea, an innovation, a concept, into a working prototype in a very short period of time, weeks or months, certainly not years. The type of engineering you find in Germany is the design and manufacture of robots, or machine tools, and is volume production. And that’s a very different stage of the business after prototyping. A lot of German companies, like Porsche doing work with Williams on their hybrid system for example, know that if you want something done quickly, relatively cheaply and to a very high-quality standard with lots of very good ideas, you go to the UK.” As the pinnacle of motor racing, Formula 1 attracts the most attention, and when 16 of the 22 cars that took to the grid for the Australian Grand Prix are built in Britain, it’s very easy to understand why it’s the motor sport industry’s
The number of people employed by the British motor sport industry by around 4,500 companies 26 www.msauk.org Summer 2012
Above: the Goodwood Festival of Speed (above) opens National Motorsport Week; below: Lord March and Colin Hilton
standard-bearer. But in fact it’s just the glamorous tip of an enormous iceberg. Just about every form of motor sport that takes place across the world has an involvement that can be traced back to these shores. The high-octane X-Games could hardly be more different to the brightly-polished world of F1, yet to a whole generation of fans under the age of 25, champion X-Gamer Ken Block is a superstar. Over 60 million people might have watched him in action on YouTube as he jumps, drifts and skids his way through ever more elaborate courses, but how many of them know his fire-breathing Ford Focus is designed and built in Leominster, Herefordshire? And it’s not just design and manufacturing we’re talking about: Britain has produced more Formula 1 world champions – 10 – than any
other nation and produced more winning drivers at the Le Mans 24 Hours (32) than even the French! Our leading ex-pats – Andy Priaulx and Dario Franchitti –have also claimed multiple titles around the globe. Britain’s place at the top table of the motor sport industry has its roots in the way the sport developed following the second world war. Pre-war, racing had been the preserve of the car manufacturer, and British firms such
national motorsport week
The combined turnover of those 4,500 companies as Bentley and Sunbeam had enjoyed their share of the spoils too. But with the European economy devastated by the cost of war, the car manufacturers were unable to pump in the sort of funds that were required for a top-flight motor sport campaign. This created a void for the privateer to fill, and through companies such as Cooper and Lotus and then Brabham and McLaren, Britain became the heartland for what Enzo Ferrari dubbed the “Garagistas” – small, privately-owned teams that specialised in building lightweight, high-tech racing cars. With so many similar operations located within such a small geographical area, whole supply industries developed around them. And it’s this underlying production and skills base, mainly concentrated around the Home Counties, that became Britain’s “Motorsport Valley”. “If you’re within a county like Northamptonshire you’re surrounded by
The UK boasts world-leading motor sport engineering expertise. Seventy per cent of companies exhibiting at Autosport International were British
companies that will provide everything from a wiring loom to body panels to exhaust systems to small parts of hardware,” says Fry, whose Mercedes team is situated in Brackley, right in the heart of Motorsport Valley. “And having those companies on your doorstep is a huge benefit compared to being located in another part of the world. There’s also a very large, highly-skilled motor sport-adept labour base that you simply won’t find anywhere else in the world. We tend to take it a bit for granted as we’ve grown up with it, but if you talk to people in other countries they are extremely envious, especially as the turnover of £6bn is a significant industry.” However, it cannot be assumed that Britain has this position by right. Across the world high-tech business parks are springing up almost daily. Almost every new racetrack that’s commissioned these days features some sort of technology centre that’s designed to create a mini version of the British
model. Indeed, the Williams F1 team – one of the classic garagista-to-grandee examples – has a facility in Qatar’s Science and Technology Park (which was opened in 2009), a stone’s throw away from the Losail circuit, home of the Qatar Moto GP race. In Swansea and Coventry, world-class motor sport-related degrees have been on offer for many years. And it’s through investing in education and sustaining the skills’ base that Britain will be able to consolidate its position. To support this the Racing Ahead initiative was launched by the MSA/MIA. This will run in conjunction with National Motorsport Week from 30 June to 8 July. It will highlight the most promising young engineers and driving talent in the country and reward them with a series of trips to the top facilities the UK has to offer, and support them in their quest to become the next generation of world beaters. “The UK motor sport industry is booming, during otherwise uncertain times,” says Chris Aylett, MIA CEO. “Customers, from all over the world, realising the exceptional quality, value and expertise of UK motor sport products and services, are spending Summer 2012 www.msauk.org 27
28 JUNE – 1 JULY 2012
For the latest event news follow us on Admission by advance ticket only. For tickets or hospitality please call: +44(0)1243 755055 or visit
www.goodwood.com 28 www.msauk.org Summer 2012
national motorsport week
LAT/ CATERHAM F1 TEAM/ CHRIS WALKER – KRTPIX.NET
British motor sport fans are among the most passionate in the world (left). Britain has had a record 10 F1 champions; Mike Hawthorn (top-right) was the first in 1958 and Jenson Button (bottom-right with Ross Brawn) the latest in 2009
their hard won budgets here in Motorsport Valley. Jobs are growing in engineering and the sport to meet this increased demand. We particularly need more young, well-trained, engineers and technicians so we stay ahead in this race for business.” The MSA is equally keen that Britain carries on its enviable record of having produced more world-class drivers than any other nation. “National Motorsport Week is about raising awareness of the UK’s leading position in world motor sport, as well as giving people the chance to try our sport for the first time,” says Colin Hilton, MSA Chief Executive. “We may have produced more Formula 1 world champions than any other country, but we face increasingly strong competition from other nations, so we cannot afford to be complacent.” (And you can read more about how the MSA is working at this on page 40.)
Generated through exports
A very clear illustration of the current strength of the British motor sport industry comes from the engineering section of the Autosport International racing car show, which takes place every January in Birmingham’s NEC. Every year the Engineering Hall plays host to an enormous array of businesses specialising in extremely high-tech motor sport-related manufacturing. Last year over 250 companies displayed their wares, and more than 70 per cent of them were British. With visitors coming from more than 50 different countries to see what was on display, it’s no surprise that a strong presence there can lead directly to sales success. Take Arrow Engineering, which was a small company making connecting rods and driveshafts when it had its first stand at the show in 1993. Since then it has grown to become one
The number of MSA competition licence holders of the largest firms in the world in its area of expertise. But while the headline figures are impressive, it has to be remembered that motor sport is a relatively niche activity. However, a lot of the skills and engineering solutions that are applied in the construction of a racing car and its components have uses elsewhere. The link between motor sport and the aviation industry stretches back almost to the beginning of those pursuits, but in recent years many motor sport firms have been employing their ultra-high-tech engineering capabilities into other arenas. “The technology that is developed in motor sport is not just finding other roles in the automotive industry, Summer 2012 www.msauk.org 29
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national motorsport week
David Coulthard, winner of 13 F1 grands prix, looks nervous while getting his first taste of Sporting Trials during last year’s NMW
LAT
it’s finding a trade and a business in sectors such as defence, which covers everything from fire extinguishing systems through to development of gears to fuel economy programmes,” says Fry. “There are motor sport companies – I can’t name names – where their defence-related turnover is now greater than their motor sport-related turnover because of the size of that industry. The areas where they can deploy their skills are very significant.” Another benefit of having such a thriving motor sport scene is the knock-on effect it has for competitors. Britain has some of the most diverse, competitive and successful grass-
The number of MSAsanctioned motor sport events every year
roots motor sport in the world, with 32,000 competition licence holders in the country taking part in some of its 5,000 MSA-sanctioned events each year. From hill climbing to autocross through auto tests to sprinting, just about any way an internalcombustion-engined vehicle can be put through its paces happens in the UK. F1 might get all the back-page stories and primetime TV slots, but away from the glitz and glam the grass-roots scene offers some surprisingly affordable ways of getting involved (as you can find out when you turn over the page). As part of last year’s National Motorsport Week, 13-time GP winner David Coulthard tried his hand at some less well-known
motor sport activities and had a fantastic time. “Anyone who wants to give it a go can take their own car and find out if they have talent for driving or not,” he says of track-day driving. “The open road is clearly not the place to do that, but properly organised events like these are. I would never have thought you could do it. I literally could have driven down to Brands Hatch in my Mercedes, paid as little as £25, put my crash helmet on and driven that car around one of the world’s most iconic race tracks. What a great way to start in motor sport!” While it’s unlikely that someone who takes their Toyota MR2 for a blast around their local track is going to enjoy a career racing for the likes of Williams, McLaren and Red Bull, their endeavours all play a part in ensuring the continued success of the British motor sport industry – an industry that is responsible for building four of the past five world championship-winning F1 cars, the past three World Touring Car Championship winners and an amazing 21 outright winning cars in the Le Mans 24 Hours. It’s an industry that truly puts the great in Great Britain, and one that deserves all of our support and admiration. Summer 2012 www.msauk.org
31
NMW NEEDS YOU!
Every motor club has the chance to join in and take motor sport to the masses this summer. Gemma Briggs has some tips on how to get involved If you’re reading this magazine, I’m certain you’d rather spend your Sunday morning on a muddy field or stretch of tarmac than a busy high-street shopping centre. But if you opt for the latter for one day this summer, you might just boost your motor club’s membership and ensure its long-term future. Wondering what I’m going on about? Let me explain. National Motorsport Week (NMW) is a golden opportunity to spread the message of motor sport to people who think a car is simply a means of getting to the shops and back. A display of cars put on by your club in a setting that attracts thousands of people – such as a retail park – should have them stopping in their tracks. Talk to them about your club, tell them why it’s brilliant and give them information on how to get involved. You will probably sign a few up as members on the spot. “All clubs need members, venues and organisers, and if you do not bring new people into the sport we do not have enough of them,” says Regional Development Officer (RDO) for the MSA Richard Egger. “There’s a real range of things that clubs can do to join in NMW: putting on a demo, arranging a static display, a club night, a forum. They should put on something that’s representative of the kind of club they are, but which is easy to organise. “Let’s look at putting on a static display of cars: it’s not a massive effort to organise but it gets them in front of the public. They need to identify somewhere they can get the cars on display and find out who can give them permission. There was a very successful one done by one of the Eastern Counties clubs where they went to a shopping precinct. They spoke to the promotions manager who said, ‘yes’ – and he even organised for the local newspaper to come along, so they got press coverage too. “You’re looking for somewhere the other party will get benefit, such as bringing in shoppers. So you can look at shopping arcades, a local pub, Halfords. A commercial organisation that will get extra footfall through their door will be keen. Almost every club 32 www.msauk.org Summer 2012
I’ve contacted said they did something for NMW last year and will do something again. One club in South Wales put on a display at a local agricultural show and ended up with ten new members.” RDOs such as Egger are on hand to advise on the best way of joining in (see the sidebar for contact details of the RDO in your area). Clubs can also visit the MSA website to download a NMW toolkit, including logos and ideas for events and initiatives. “NMW is an idea that is gaining momentum so everyone The BTRDA’s taster event last year was should pull in and help because every a great success year it will get bigger and stronger,” (top), while David adds Egger. Coulthard had his eyes opened to club This year there is an extra incentive, motor sport as the Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) and Motorsport Foundation are awarding a £500 prize for the event that best captures the spirit of NMW 2012. It could be a specially organised event or it could be an existing club event that has been incorporated into NMW. All MSA-registered clubs will be emailed an entry form, and more information is available from MIA. It may be the Goodwood Festival of Speed and the British Grand Prix that take the headlines during NMW, but the role played by clubs is just as important. “NMW gives us a great chance to show people what motor sport has to offer,” says Ben Taylor, the MSA’s Director of Development and Communications. “We have to use the celebrities at the top end of the sport to generate the high-profile media exposure, but the week is really designed to encourage people to get involved for the first time. Local motor clubs have a vital role to play in that, putting on events and providing an easy way into the sport for potential new members.” We’re certain you’re ready to take up the challenge. Visit www.nationalmotorsportweek.co.uk for more information on the NMW toolkit. To find out more about the MIA prize, visit www.the-mia.com, email info@the-mia.com or call +44 (0) 2476 692600
national motorsport week
WHO IS YOUR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT OFFICER?
South Rob Manger
07831 455040 southwest@gomotorsport.net
South East Tom Gaymor
07714 220779 southeast@gomotorsport.net
Central Robin Webster
07720 710673 central@gomotorsport.net
East Richard Egger
07971 596551 east@gomotorsport.net
North East Anthony Dunn
07771 857818
North West Steve Johnson
07919 298799 northwest@gomotorsport.net
North Wales Howard Davies
07889 194170 northwales@gomotorsport.net
South Wales Ryland James
07773 346878 southwales@gomotorsport.net
northeast@gomotorsport.net
Northern Ireland Jonathan MacDonald 07989 283055 northernireland@gomotorsport.net Scotland Alison Clark
079509 14433 scotland@gomotorsport.net
Summer 2012 www.msauk.org 33
DREW GIBSON
34 www.msauk.org Summer 2012
beginners’ rallying
Dan Prosser knows all about rallying – from the journalist’s viewpoint at least. So how would he fare behind the wheel?
THE CRY
A rally driver launches his car from brow to brow, pitches it fully sideways into a tightening bend and keeps the throttle pinned over a blind crest. He breaks the timing beam, sets the fastest time and says to the stage end reporter in laconic, subdued Finnish: “I had a good feeling in the car.” Watching an elite rally driver blasting through a forest when he’s perfectly in tune with his steed is one of the joys of motor sport. That much I know. As somebody who has never driven competitively, though, I have no idea what he means by “a good feeling”. It’s become a cornerstone of motor sport’s own dialect, an accepted explanation for that half a second per mile that one driver found over each of his rivals. He won because he had a good feeling. I can’t begin to count the number of times I’ve nodded knowingly at a driver who has just trotted out the line whilst thinking to myself: “I have no idea what you mean.” Where does this good feeling come from – damper clicks, somewhere within, faith in pacenotes? What does it feel like to drive in that state, how crucial is it to a competitive stage time, how debilitating is a bad feeling? That’s just one of a reeling list of examples that keep folk such as myself firmly out of the headspace of a rally driver. I’d be more capable in my work if I could better empathise with them and really understand what their familiar remarks actually mean. I’m in no doubt: it’s time to answer that rallying cry. Eagle-eyed readers will have deduced that rather than competing a full World Rally Championship campaign in a works Ford Fiesta RS WRC in pursuit of that elusive empathy – as would be my preference – I’ll instead be using Hoping for a a decidedly well-used old BMW. “good feeling”, Older than I am, in fact, which by Dan Prosser tries his hand at rallying my reckoning defines this as in a well-used BMW historic rallying. Skint, haven’t got a sponsor, we’ve all got to start somewhere and so on. The car is a 1986 BMW 325i, kitted out to RWD Challenge specification. Allowing for a little arthritis in its twilight years, I reckon it’s good for 160bhp channeled, of Summer 2012 www.msauk.org 35
beginners’ rallying My colleague and I are entering this adventure more or less blind: I really had no idea what I was supposed to be looking for
course, through the rear wheels. Aside from safety modifications, tougher suspension and an intriguing upright handbrake, the car is largely in standard trim. Myself and a colleague – motoring journalist Chris Harris – bought the thing for the princely sum of £4,000. We’re entering this adventure more or less blind, given that our collective experience of the sport amounts to a handful of stage rallies driven back in 2005. Our ignorance meant that, as I viewed the car to give its tyres a kicking, I really had no idea what I was supposed to be looking for. If it were a road car I’d have checked the oil and lifted the boot carpet, but in this instance I was out of my depth. Instead of buying on condition, we bought on reputation and recommendation. The car came with glowing reports on both accounts (not to mention a treasure trove of spare parts), so we bit the bullet. 36 www.msauk.org Summer 2012
From left: a treasure trove of spare parts was a welcome bonus: not so much “plush” as well-loved, with a heart the size of a rugby ball
Harris and I have a plan. He’ll drive a rally with me calling the notes, before we switch roles and seats for a second event (assuming he’s able to pluck up the courage). We’ll target a proper forest rally for Harris’ outing, given his vast circuit racing experience, but as a total novice I’ve instead got my eye on a single venue rally. Necessarily, we’ll be doing it on a very tight budget. It’s a modest plan to say the least, and any notion that I’ll get an insight into Sebastien Loeb’s psyche as I tiptoe around a single venue event in our rally shed is a little laughable, but it’s a start. The gulf between competing in the WRC and competing in the 325i is vastly smaller than that of competing in the WRC and not competing at all. Of course, our plan will allow me to glean an awful lot more than a clumsy understanding of a rally driver’s winning psychology. Of equal
value is an insight into the co-driver’s role, perhaps even empathy of the appeal of strapping oneself into an object – over which one has no control – that is soon to be propelled through a forest at three-figure speeds. Beyond that there’s the chance to better understand the organisational aspect of a rally and – less worthy but perhaps most significant of all – the opportunity to go and do some great big skids. This whole saga must be a learning experience if I’m to take anything away from it. I’ll be seeking co-driving tuition in the near future, but naturally my priority was to get some driving tuition so that I might learn the techniques that define the sport. That a frozen lake would allow me to cover hundreds of miles in a single weekend without risk of injury appealed to my mother very much. I was drawn to the ice
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Summer 2012 www.msauk.org 37
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beginners’ rallying
There’s no depending on the grip of rubber here: the low-friction nature of the ice purifies even an accomplished driver’s technique
So what’s next? I need to put some work into my co-driving technique because I have a responsibility to my driver. It would be downright unfair of me to offer my services as a navigator without having the first clue of what I’m supposed to do. I just hope Harris is similarly diligent come role-reversal time! I also need to get my licence, kit myself out with a race suit, boots and a helmet and persuade a few mates to wield a spanner each. Many signs point to this adventure quickly becoming a tale of incompetence. Given how fortunate I feel to have this opportunity, though, I’m determined to make the most of it and take those first few steps on the road to truly understanding what rallying is like from a competitor’s point of view. I’ve got a good feeling about this.
Read the Autumn issue of MSA to find out how Dan got on in his first rally
Summer 2012 www.msauk.org 39
IAN HARDY
(specifically Pat Flynn’s school in Sweden) by the prospect of two days behind the wheel of a stock road-going version of our 325i rally car; a no brainer. Aside from the obvious benefits (primarily there being very little to crash into), a frozen lake is the best training ground because it allows near-endless repetition of corners. Repetition is absolutely central to perfecting technique; it’s true of Clockwise from top: any other sport. Imagine trying to practising on the learn proper technique on a rally frozen lake in Sweden; Prosser’s stage where each corner is covered mistakes and throws a spotlight new purchase has just once; you’d not make any on any technical flaws. If a driver had plenty of, er, experience... progress and instead fluff every has a tendency to get on the single bend. Like a tennis player power too early, he’ll soon realise throwing a ball into the air for hours it as the front wheels wash away on end to perfect the first phase of a serve, a hopelessly from the apex. There’s no novice rally driver can repeat the same corner depending on the grip of the rubber to dig you until he’s nailed the fundamental process of out of trouble here; the low-friction nature of brake, turn, patience and power. the ice purifies even an accomplished driver’s The lake also has its use for more technique and filters out flaws and bad habits. experienced drivers because it crucifies I found the prospect of rallying a rearwheel drive car truly intimidating before I’d spent two days on the lake. Whilst I’m still a little anxious, I do feel considerably more comfortable with the sensation of the car moving around beneath me because I now feel as though I can control it. That confidence can only come from covering the equivalent mileage of an entire domestic rally championship in a single weekend.
ame FAcademy
The MSA’s development programme brought 50 young drivers together for a day of thoughtprovoking seminars as it bids to produce world champions, writes Matt Youson Silverstone on a February morning isn’t the poster-child for glamorous adventures in motor sport: fog heavy on the ground and temperatures that haven’t yet poked above zero, skeletal grandstands, deserted access roads, padlocked concession stands – it has the air of as-yet unfulfilled potential. Far out at the south end of the circuit, the lights blazing out of the Porsche Performance Centre offer hope in both the literal and figurative sense. Today is the MSA Academy Squad Day. The boisterous presence of British motor sport’s next generation tends to blow away the cobwebs. This event is the first of its kind:the three MSA development programmes have never congregated before but today Team UK, AASE and the Development Squad are under the same roof for a day of self-development, lectures and seminars. For those with petrol running through their veins, that might not sound a big draw but for these students it is unmissable. Partially that’s down to the quality of the panels but mostly what guarantees rapt attention is the oftenrepeated phrase: ‘This will make you a better driver.’ Attention is not to be found wanting.
40 www.msauk.org Summer 2012
Multiple Le Mans winner and former F1 driver David Brabham and WRC champion co-driver Robert Reid are heavily associated with the Academy, but not every speaker is here to provide tips on the life of an elite-level competitor: Professor Dave Collins, former performance director of UK Athletics, is a sports psychologist who would have no problem selling tickets to his talk, while the discussion led by National Rally Coach James Wozencroft and Academy co-ordinator Greg Symes on the subject of anti-doping practices has 50 young people suddenly realising their lives are not going to be as straightforward as their friends’. Following an introductory session and a lecture from Brabham and Reid, supported by Academy graduate and new GP2 driver James Calado, a team-building workshop takes over with groups challenged to find a method of all passing through a rope lasso in the shortest possible time: it seemed lost on the students they were being asked quite literally to jump through hoops. There was a more serious purpose, as Wozencroft explains: “As coaches we pick things up. We see leaders – but we also see the ones who want
Above: the MSA Academy is now working with more than 50 young drivers. Below: David Brabham and Greg Symes
development
to contribute but don’t say anything, and the ones who stand at the back. Leadership skills are one of the things we need to work on. A driver can’t just be quick: quick only gets you so far. We work to make sure they continue being quick but we want to work on other aspects of their lives both in the car and out.” The three programmes sharing the space are very different and broadly broken down into age ranges. The oldest, in their late teens and early 20s are the members of Team UK, the drivers chosen as the best, brightest hopes for the future of British racing and rallying. AASE – The Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence – caters primarily for 16-18-year-olds and is a
human development programme with study for vocational qualifications. The Development Squad is for those not yet ready for Team UK but who have who have nevertheless been identified as having the right stuff. There is no right way to have six people jump through a rope but the academy had a fair amount of fun trying to find one. The anti-doping lecture which follows is, by contrast, not a barrel of laughs. Both Symes and co-presenter Wozencroft are 100% ME accredited tutors capable of giving advice on testing regimes, understanding the banned-substances list and complying with a complex code which changes all the time. They don’t pull their punches. Expressions in
the audience range from deep concern to manifest terror. “There’s no point dressing it up,” says Symes. “We have to tell them the hard facts because it wouldn’t be fair if we didn’t. We have to be honest because that’s the key to getting them to understand. We’re telling them that it could happen to them.” Next on the schedule is Professor Dave Collins. A pugnacious ex-Royal Marine with a well-honed style which mixes cutting-edge science and music hall vaudeville, Collins discusses how the brain responds to different training techniques. The idea that learning by practice and learning by study produce different reaction times has everyone sitting up. Collins also discusses stress and Summer 2012 www.msauk.org 41
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development
What guarantees rapt attention is the oftenrepeated phrase: ‘This will make you a better driver.’ Attention is not to be found wanting
Clockwise from above: the young drivers are asked literally to jump through hoops; Academy students dreaming about their future; a lecture on anti-doping practices
how it can be good or bad depending on how the driver prepares for it. It’s a topic Robert Reid has heard before. “I actually worked with Dave when I competed, so I know his ability – and his humour. We’re trying to provide quite a varied range of viewpoints today: there’s a bit of Brabs’ personal reflections, there’s some of my understanding of how you contextualise that and why it’s important, and there’s Dave, giving a very broad overview of the psychology of sport. But they all fit together and that’s what we want to do. We want to create a common language between the three tiers of the Academy – between three very different programmes – and that’s the idea of having the group of guys together today.”
While Reid insists the programme will produce a generation of highly professional drivers and some very good motor sport coaches, he also states unequivocally that the goal “is to produce world champions”. Anyone questioning the relevance of the programme might point to the fact that one thing Britain has been very good at over the last two decades is turning out world champions. British drivers have, after all, won four F1 world championships, two WRC and an IRC title, championships in IndyCar Racing, championships in DTM and WTCC and victories at Le Mans and in the Indianapolis 500. It’s not just a very good record, it’s a record unsurpassed.
Reid’s argument is that there’s always room for improvement: with the right training there’s an extra tenth out there for any driver and more for most. The good can become great, the great can become greater. And greatness, possibly, is the lifeblood of the MSA. Success at the very top table has a habit of energising the sport right down to grass roots. Every time a British driver lifts a trophy it increases participation at club level. A generation of drivers doing that in concert – and Academy graduates will win world championships – can take motor sports in Britain to a whole new level. And they won’t forget the MSA helped them get there. It’s a pretty good win-win for all concerned. Summer 2012 www.msauk.org 43
Richard Burns remains one of rallying’s best-remembered stars and gave England its only WRC crown
44 www.msauk.org Summer 2012
richard burns foundation
REMEMBERING
RICHARD
The memory of England’s only World Rally Champion will live on thanks to the Richard Burns Foundation, says Anthony Peacock Ten years ago, Richard Burns won the World Rally Championship. Four years later, to the exact day, he passed away from a brain tumour. To understand a phenomenon such as Richard, you have to go back to where it all started, which happens to be the same place where it all ended. Checkendon is a small, unassuming village in the midst of the English countryside – yet one of its sons once conquered the world. Now he rests in peace in a quiet churchyard there, underneath a simple gravestone that says: “Always and forever, a gentle man and a brave champion.” There is no more apt way to describe him. Nearby is the farmhouse where the young Richard grew up and learned to drive. But the cowsheds have long since been replaced by something more useful: rally workshops. You could wander round them for hours. True to his meticulous nature, Richard stuck all his old rally plates on the wall, where he would record the overall and class result in felt-tip pen. After Richard found fame and fortune, he lived in a variety of places ranging from Andorra to a flat in Little Venice, London. But for many years he was in Kidlington: a suburb to the north of Oxford, where he enjoyed a high time with some lifelong friends. The sight of the future World Rally Champion wearing an antiquated motorcycle helmet while being beaten around the head with a frying pan must have been a memorable one, but it was in Kidlington that the game of ‘cop the wok’ was invented. Unsurprisingly it was a drinking game, where the loser had to don the helmet and take his punishment.
bravery and determination, but also with humour. He battled it for two years, which is practically unheard of with an astrocytoma: the type of tumour that he had. “Richard tended to keep himself to himself after he became ill, so not many people know the full story of how courageously he fought his illness,” said Robert. “It’s fair to say that during that time he was an inspiration to everyone around him.” It would be an even bigger tragedy than Richard’s untimely death were that fight to go unremembered. So the Richard Burns Foundation was created after Richard’s death to honour his memory and help those suffering from brain illness and injury, together with the people who care for them. It was something that Richard was thinking about a lot before he died. “He always used to say to me: ‘It’s OK for me because I’ve got the best possible treatment and people to look after me,’” remembered Zoe Keen, his long-term partner. “‘But what about the people who don’t have money and whose family still have to go to work every day? What do they do? I don’t know how they cope…’” The Richard Burns Foundation also supports charities that fund research into brain illness and injury, such as the Brain and Spine Foundation, which is presided over by Richard’s eminent neurosurgeon, Dr Peter Hamlyn. The patrons and trustees of the Richard Burns Foundation include David Williams, Richard’s mentor and confidant, Robert Reid and Zoe Keen, as well as some of Richard’s fiercest rally rivals, such as Marcus Gronholm and Markko Martin – who was with Richard when he was taken ill in his Porsche while driving to the 2003 Rally Great Britain on the M4, close to Cardiff. The Foundation is present at a number of motor sport events throughout the year, both at home and abroad. More than £40,000 was raised at Goodwood, and an annual charity auction held at the Catalunya Rally in Spain is always attended by the sport’s top stars. For more information about the Richard Burns Foundation and to donate, please visit: www.richardburnsfoundation.com
Summer 2012 www.msauk.org 45
LORENZO BELLANCA/LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC
Richard’s achievements in a car were legendary, but even these accomplishments were insignificant compared to the way he confronted his illness
On more than one occasion, Richard copped the wok. However, the biggest test of his nerve during his professional career was the 2001 Rally Great Britain: the event where he won the World Rally Championship. He had to finish fourth or higher, but what gave the event a not entirely unexpected twist was when his biggest title rival, Colin McRae, crashed out on Friday morning. At the time, Richard wasn’t sure if that made his task easier or harder. It was still far from a straightforward run to the finish, with potential rally-ending problems such as a broken map light in the dark (which co-driver Robert Reid, now MSA performance director, got round by strapping a mini Maglite torch to his thumb) as well as the Impreza refusing to fire up out of parc ferme on the final day. It was a nervous time, made all the more tense by the on-going saga of Richard’s impending departure for Peugeot, which Subaru was contesting on contractual grounds. So when he crossed the finish line, at the end of a drizzly Margam Park stage near Cardiff, his famous shout of “You’re the best in the world!” to Robert was as much an explosion of relief as anything else. His friends and family were waiting to meet him: now England’s first and only World Rally Champion. Later that evening, Richard hit the town wearing a plain grey T-shirt to celebrate his success. Unfortunately for him, several of his colleagues grabbed marker pens and decided to decorate his T-shirt with their own personal ‘tributes’. That T-shirt became one of his most treasured possessions. Richard liked things that were quirky: his favourite car was a 1969 6.5-litre V8 Chevrolet Camaro, imported from the States and equipped with a button on the dash to lock up the front wheels but free up the rears, enabling tyre-smoking burnouts to be staged... Richard’s achievements in a car were legendary – Prodrive technical chief David Lapworth called him “perhaps the greatest ever judge of pace” – but even these accomplishments were insignificant compared to the way that he confronted his illness. Having been diagnosed at the end of 2003, he faced up to his illness not only with
Gear
IN THIS
ISSUE:
Book reviews and win Silverstone tickets p47 Buyer’s guide p48 Seat safety p51 F1 history book
£30 www.haynes.co.uk The phrase “labour of love” probably doesn’t go far enough in describing this incredible resource, which according to the book’s cover tells “the world championship story race-by-race from 1950 to 2011”. For those who think the internet is the best repository of race results, Formula 1: All the Races by Roger Smith gives you instant access to a summary and stats of every grand prix, which you can navigate as easily as Wikipedia.
Smith has added facts and folklore that help tell the story of each season, as well as extras such as a graph showing each year’s chase for the championship. The hardback book is illustrated with beautiful drawings of race-winning cars by Alain Baudouin and throughout the pages Smith has selected what he believes to be the top 100 races of all time. This is more than just a reference book: many happy afternoons could be whiled away reading about grand prix racing in years gone by.
Stirling Moss thrills the crowd in his Vanwall VW10 during the 1958 British Grand Prix at Silverstone
LAT
Tiff’s tale
£9.99 www.haynes.co.uk Jeremy Clarkson has penned the introduction to the autobiography of one of Britain’s best-loved motoring presenters, as famous for being a showman as he is a racing driver. If you’re looking for a summer holiday read, this paperback offers a look back at Needell’s years as both a driver – including some fantastic tales from Le Mans – and TV presenter on Top Gear and Fifth Gear. According to Clarkson: “His story is more than just the story of a two-bit racing driver who never quite made the grade. It’s the story of someone we should all try to be like.”
WIN!
We have a pair of tickets to the World’s biggest classic racing festival, the Silverstone Classic, powered by the AA (20-22 July). To win these tickets for Sunday’s action, email your details to msa@ thinkpublishing.co.uk with Silverstone Classic in the subject bar. Summer 2012 www.msauk.org 47
BUYER’S
GUIDE
Run like clockwork
Sometimes it pays to watch the clock, as monitoring your times can help you increase your performance. Gemma Briggs spoke to Demon Tweeks and others about their top product picks RACE TECHNOLOGY DL1
DATA LOGGER, £499 +VAT, www.race-technology.com (available from demon-tweeks.co.uk) Best for: Semi- and professional drivers Value for money: lllll Added features: lllll Comments: Serious data acquisition kit for improving driver and car performance
STACK ST700
Dash display, from £450 +VAT, www.stackltd.com (available from demon-tweeks.co.uk) Best for: Semi- and professional drivers Value for money: lllll Added features: lllll Comments: All-in-one tachometer, sequential shirt light and voltmeter in various options
RACE LOGIC VIDEO V-BOX
Video data-logging, £1,999 +VAT, www.videovbox.co.uk
Best for: Open-cockpit cars Value for money: lllll Added features: lllll Comments: Top-of-the-range video GPS system for professional drivers
DEMON TWEEKS T100 Lap timer, £46.16 +VAT, www.demon-tweeks.co.uk
Best for: Instant lap-time display on a budget Value for money: lllll Added features: lllll Comments: A simple-to-use device that runs off a battery so no wiring required
AIM MOTORSPORT SOLO GPS lap timer, £275 +VAT, www. aim-motorsport.co.uk (available from demon-tweeks.co.uk)
Best for: High-tech timing Value for money: lllll Added features: lllll Comments: Uses GPS instead of beacons and receivers so great for hill climbs and sprints 48 www.msauk.org Summer 2012
buyer’s guide POLE POSITION
what’s hot
New products making a mark this spring
RACE TECHNOLOGY DASH 3 Compact data display, from £199 +VAT, www.race-technology.com (available from demon-tweeks.co.uk)
Best for: Extending use of data logger Value for money: lllll Added features: lllll Comments: Teamed with a data logger gives real-time access to data from the driving seat
AST RW2
Watch, £94.87 +VAT, www.astopwatch.com (available from demontweeks.co.uk) Best for: Essential kit for co-drivers Value for money:
lllll
Added features:
lllll
Comments: Designed ‘by co-drivers for co-drivers’ it stores up to 30 stage times
OMP CLUBMAN
Stopwatch, £17.82 +VAT, www.ompracing.it (available from demon-tweeks.co.uk) Best for: Club events and classic rallying Value for money: lllll Added features: lllll Comments: Great, budget stopwatch showing split and elapsed times
TAG HEUER RALLY-MASTER
£3,750, www.sportstimingsystems.co.uk If you had to pick a timing company synonymous with motor sport it would be TAG Heuer. The legendary Swiss brand’s UK agent, Sports Timing Systems, is offering watch aficionados the chance to own a piece of history with the re-issue of its famous rally dashboard timer. While the price tag limits it purely to collectors, there’s no denying that it is an incredible piece of engineering, and comes in a special-edition presentation case. Launched in 1958, the Rally-Master consisted of two side-by-side timing components: an eight-day clock on the left and a 12-hour stopwatch on the right. It went through several evolutions over the next decades, before being Watch collectors discontinued in the 1980s. need look no The new edition combines an eight-day precision, Swiss-made, 15-jewel mechanical further for the Heuer Master-Time clock movement with a ultimate in motor sweeping second hand, and a 0.2 second sport memorabilia Heuer Auto-Rally mechanical stopwatch with jumping 12-hour disc. with the re-issue of TAG says that the limited edition re-launch TAG’s legendary of this unique timing instrument caps its dashboard timer year-long celebration of a century and a half of motor sport heritage. Summer 2012 www.msauk.org 49
TILLETT RACING SEATS Introduce the B6F and B7 FIA seats
The B6 F and B7 are unique amongst FIA seats and homologated to the 8855-1999 standard. Made by injection and cut by robot, each seat has a guaranteed thickness and consistency of moulding that hand laminating cannot match. They are some of the narrowest FIA seats available and the incredibly light B7 only weighs 3.5 kg. Their super rigid twin skins are comfortable even without a cover and firmly support the body without the need for shoulder support. Narrow vehicles with limited cockpit space, such as historic racers, now have two FIA seat options that did not previously exist.
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gear
Seat safety has come a long way since the 1948 British Grand Prix when the likes of Luigi Villoresi risked their lives
HOW DO I…
...ENSURE MY SEAT IS SAFE AND SOUND?
LAT
This essential part of your competition car doesn’t just keep you comfortable – it is vital to protect you from harm, says Ben Anderson The seat in your competition car is the key to knowing what’s going on while you’re in it. It connects your backside – and thus your brain – to the track, and allows you to become master of your domain. If it’s fitted incorrectly, or works loose while you’re driving, it’s only going to make you less competitive and, more importantly, put you in danger. Having your seat safely fitted to your car starts with having a soundly constructed and appropriate seat. To gain FIA homologation, example seats are put through a crash test, which demonstrates that seats of that design and construction have a known level of
performance. Seats are homologated by the FIA and there are two standards: 8855-1999 and 8862-2009. The former is the standard required in most categories and lasts for five years, while the latter requires enhanced performance parameters to be met. It was introduced three years ago, primarily for World Touring Cars and the World Rally Championship, and lasts for ten years. Seats that have been properly tested will carry a certification label similar to that found on a driver’s overalls. MSA Technical Director John Symes says that seats play a vital role in safety, so it’s important to choose wisely. “Seats are often
overlooked in terms of the contribution they make in looking after vehicle occupants in an accident,” he says. “With a seat that isn’t FIA homologated, there’s no proof it can withstand any loadings at all, but the FIA homologation demonstrates that a seat meets that minimum standard. Generally speaking, seats of the 8862 standard are bigger and bulkier because they have to be stronger. That means more material and higher cost.” Prices vary based on the materials used. The cheapest seats will be made of glass fibre, but will be heavier because of the amount of material needed to meet the Summer 2012 www.msauk.org
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gear safety criteria. Lighter seats will usually contain carbon fibre, which is more expensive. Whatever your price range, it’s important to carefully choose the right seat for you, as Steve Tillett, managing director of Tillett Racing Seats, explains. “The factors influencing your choice may be: Does it fit you? Does it fit the car? How heavy is it?” says Tillett, who started out as a vintage car upholsterer, before founding a kart seat business that expanded into the competition car market in the late 1990s. “Some cars are small and this can present problems for seats with head surrounds and shoulder supports. Fitting you is important in a competition vehicle. The closer you fit to the sides of the seat, the less room your body will have to pick up Top: Circuit Gilles momentum [in an accident] before Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada, on 9 June the seat arrests it.” 2011. Nick Heidfeld, Once you’ve got your FIA Lotus Renault GP R31, safety-certified seat, it’s all about with a Lotus Renault GP team member, making sure it’s mounted in the preparing his seat. car correctly. If you cut corners Bottom: Michael Caine at Brands here, the consequences could be Hatch, England. disastrous. “Virtually all FIA 2 October 2011. seats have a side-mounting arrangement and that is absolutely critical,” adds Symes. “The reason is that in the event of an accident most side-mounts are designed to distort a little and absorb energy. The more energy you can absorb and distribute, the more is kept away from the occupant. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link and the side-mounts are what secure the seat to the structure of the vehicle, so they are hugely important.” Symes says it’s important to think about the bigger picture when installing your seat, because if one element is not right it can undermine driver safety entirely. “I’ve heard people say ‘I’ve got a good harness, that’ll hold me’ and they think the seat doesn’t matter,” says Symes. “They are so wrong, because the seat and harness are a partnership: if the seat comes adrift, then the harness comes loose and isn’t effective – and if you’re using a head belts will loosen as the seat moves rearward and neck support device it won’t work.” and the occupant will become unrestrained This is where instruction from the inside the vehicle.” manufacturer can help, and Tillett has Tillett also recommends keeping the length some useful pointers. “The first thing we of the seat belts short (by using rigid mounting recommend with any racing seat is to avoid points that are as close to the seat as possible) using adjustment runners,” he says. “This is and buying the best seat-mounting brackets sometimes difficult if a vehicle has to be you can afford. “They are not part of the shared, but sliders are generally not 8855-1999 test, but they should be 5mm thick designed for competition. If they fail, the in aluminium or 3mm in steel,” he says. “This is no guarantee they will not bend, but anything thinner is unlikely to survive. A good bracket will not move and this gives the best chance for the seat to withstand an impact. “With 8862-2009 seats, you must use the exact brackets as tested and some have upper mounts that must be used. Try not to twist composite seats out of their naturally moulded state as you bolt them into the car. If a moulding is pre-tensioned, the stress
Seat prices vary based on the materials used. Whatever your price range, it’s important to carefully choose the right seat for you
around the mounts is magnified. It is tempting to use any bolt that comes to hand, but some cheap bolts may fail, so we recommend a 12.9 strength-designated bolt into both the floor and seat. Try to reduce any spacers to avoid leverages on those bolts in a crash. Lastly, ‘do it up tight’. If a seat bolt comes loose, the strength will be severely compromised.” However, taking all precautions to ensure your seat is mounted correctly means nothing if the structure it’s mounted to in the car lacks integrity. “I’ve seen situations where seats look extremely well-mounted, until you look at what they’re mounted to,” warns Symes. “The seat is fine, the mounts are fine, the attachment to the floor is fine, but the floor is attached to the car by four self-tap screws. What’s going to happen? The screws are going to work loose. Totally inadequate, so you need to look beyond the obvious.” Summer 2012 www.msauk.org 53
techno file
Oiling the path to glory
TECHNO
FILE
Today’s motor sport oils are complex synthetic mixtures that are essential to protect your competition engine, says Ben Anderson to and protect the parts that wear through friction, and absorb the heat and waste materials that are produced inside the engine when it’s running. David McCann, marketing manager of Millers Oils, says it is important for competitors not to underestimate the importance of the job their engine oil does. “The main reason for using oil is to take heat out of the engine and make sure the contaminants that are produced when you burn fuel are taken out of the system,” he says. “In motor sport, higher temperatures are created than with bog-standard road cars, so the additives need to change based on how the car is used.” Millers conducted a survey at Autosport International in January, asking competitors whether they wanted their engine oil to help produce more power, give better fuel consumption, or lower emissions. They found the overwhelming majority actually favoured oil that would reduce engine wear. “Low engine wear came out as favourite because people are thinking about the cost of rebuilding an engine,” adds McCann, who says competitors tend to change the oil in
Modern engines – such as this Duratec Formula Ford – require a more complicated, synthetic oil
JEFF BLOXHAM/LAT
Oil. It has the power to dictate how people live their lives and its price can make or break economies. It’s also vital for the performance and health of combustion engines, and thus it is a crucial component of successful motor sport. Lubrication in motor sport is big business. The technology has changed enormously over the years and motor sport has driven this development. As engines have become more sophisticated and powerful, the oils that lubricate their parts and ensure their survival have had to follow suit. Technological advancement during the 20th century has pushed oils away from a simpler mineral base towards more complex synthetic mixtures, which have been broken down chemically and modified with clever additives to work better. This has made them more expensive, but also ensured they can still adequately protect your engine in the high-performance, high-stress arena of competition. Engine oils have to be viscous enough to flow round an engine across a broad range of operating temperatures, while still maintaining the ability to stick
Summer 2012 www.msauk.org 55
techno file
their engines too often out of habit. “A WRC team estimated that the cost of a rebuild for their engine is EUR30 per kilometre, so if we can make that engine last an extra 50km it will delay the need to spend money on a rebuild. “Our latest Nanodrive family of products means we have viscosities across the range now, from rally and touring cars (which require oils that are thicker at higher temperatures), to single-seaters and endurance cars. What we’re offering is peace of mind. It’s better to choose quality oil and pay a few extra pounds to get to the finish line, rather than blow your engine trying to get there.” The type of oil you should use depends broadly on how modern your car is, so classic cars will require an older mineral-based product, while modern engines require the more complicated semi-synthetic or fully synthetic varieties. Les Downey, managing director of Lucas Oil Products UK, which is heavily involved in the drag racing and drift scene, says a competitor’s selection of oil “can mean the difference between not finishing a race and winning it”. “When you go racing, there are essential things to consider,” says Downey, whose company has just
Lubrication in motor sport is big business. The technology has changed enormously over the years and motor sport has driven this development 56 www.msauk.org Summer 2012
developed a new Hot Rod Oil line of products. “These include the specification recommended by the engine manufacturer, the viscosity of the oil required for the particular engine, the performance of the oil in racing conditions, and the degree of protection provided by the oil under those conditions.” As motor sport has become more sophisticated, the demands on engine oils have become greater. Will Pickford, Castrol’s technical motor sport manager, says the biggest challenge for lubricant makers is striking the right balance between boosting engine performance and aiding durability. “This is where Castrol’s racing heritage comes into play,” he says. “An oil may be able to reduce internal engine friction for more power, but only the best lubricants can do this while also maintaining engine durability. “The durability requirement of current motor sport engines can be four times those seen in recent years and Castrol lubricants have been co-engineered to achieve these stretching targets. Castrol Edge is our best range of oils available to motor sport competitors. These oils are performance tested to help maximise short- and long-term engine performance. “It’s important to consider the demands you are placing on your engine. If you feel you’re placing greater demands on the equipment than the manufacturer intended - and let’s face it, if you’re in motor sport you are - you need to select an oil that is tested beyond the manufacturer’s specifications.” Oil. It’s powerful stuff - and can dictate whether motor sport is fun and carefree, or unnecessarily expensive and heaped in misery.
JAKOB ABREY
Jason Plato blows an engine at Snetterton
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ask the experts
ASK THE EXPERTS
MCKLEIN/LAT
John Symes answers the big question: why does insurance cost so much?
There is a discussion taking place on the BritishRallyForum about the cost of public liability insurance and the £350 excess. Are there any publicly available figures on the distribution of insurance claims between the various motor sport disciplines? Martin Liddle, Derbyshire “I suspect you may appreciate that the sort of data that you request is somewhat sensitive and thus we cannot quote you any specific figures. We can, however, comment. “The MSA has been managing an insurance programme very successfully for many years. I frequently state that the breadth of cover is wide but does not extend to infinity. Our claims record in all sectors of the sport is good and this factor is a key point in the way that premiums have been managed. In real terms the cost of the insurance is now lower than it was 15 years or so ago and the level of cover enhanced. The cover is now £40 million for any one accident. You may well ask why such a high level of cover is taken. “Looking at rallying, one possibility is a car going off and striking a multiple number of spectators. Such an incident happened a few years back when a rally car departed a stage and injured 14 spectators. Whilst no one suffered more than a broken leg
and not all persons made claims in respect of their injuries, the cost in insurance terms was a substantial six-figure sum. In modern times damages awards are ever greater and life-changing injuries such as becoming paraplegic can result in significant awards. Remember, too, that it is not just the compensation awards, as legal costs are significant. There are many cases where the costs have exceeded the award – one case in which the MSA was recently involved racked up legal costs in excess of seven figures. “Routinely in rallying there are always a number of property damage claims. Some are fairly modest but others not and we have experience of substantial sums for property claims. There is probably a perception that a claim will only result if there is death or serious injury, whereas reality is that claims may be made even for injuries that may be dismissed by many as being insignificant. “The per capita is designed to reflect the perceived risk of the activity. In stage rallying the claims record demonstrates the extent of property damage. Property damage claims do not totally come from stage rallying but a very high proportion of such claims – in both number and value – do. “On a forest stage with a reasonable number of spectators, the risk of a car going
Mikko Hirvonen crashes out of Wales Rally GB, December 2008
off and striking a significant number of people is clear. There is a similar risk in circuit racing but with cars contained by barriers etc. that risk is significantly lower. There are many other comparisons that can be made but hopefully this illustrates why per capita rates vary across different disciplines. “The £350 deductible is effective in both directly and indirectly contributing to our claims management. As a principle, if an organiser knows that if a claim is made there will be a cost to his/her club, greater care will be taken to minimise the risk of a claim. “Part of the insurance programme is a personal accident scheme for both competitors and officials. Over the years the benefits available under this scheme have been enhanced and from consultation with other National Sporting Authorities (NSAs), we know that they are at a higher level than others. “Insurers’ income is ‘premium paid’ – they have the expense of administration, the costs of claims paid, legal costs associated to those claims and, as with any business, have the need to pay investors a profit. “The MSA’s approach is that if we can successfully manage the claims record, we will also be able to manage the premiums paid. The principle is well illustrated by Summer 2012 www.msauk.org 59
West
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EBREY/LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC
ask the experts THAT’S MOTOR SPORT FIA World Touring Car Championship star Rob Huff on the best and worst of advice
routine motor policies where if no claim is made in the year, a discount on the premium the following year is provided. “Perhaps not surprisingly there is not a queue of underwriters seeking to write such risks as motor sport and other adrenalin activities. We know of other ASNs that have been refused insurance and had great difficulty in obtaining cover. It is a potential scenario that the MSA is very aware of and why such effort is made to ‘keep motor sport insurable’. “The current situation is the result of many years of experience, both of the MSA and of the insurance industry. As ever, some will claim to be able to reduce the insurance premiums, but that has to be balanced with the wider interests of the sport. For example, a cheaper premium that does not provide adequate cover is as good as worthless. Similarly, raising the ‘excess’ level could leave participants with an unacceptable loss in the event of a claim. “Whatever the insurance, be it motor sport, travel, household etc. there is always resentment at paying for insurance, until the point at which a valid claim is made. Despite the impression that some may have, the MSA completely understands that competitors are sensitive about the costs of their participation. “It is worth noting that any surplus generated by the per capita fees is distributed back to the organising clubs on a pro rata basis each year, which can help to offset a small part of the costs of running the club. “The MSA continues to strive to obtain appropriate and reliable insurance cover at best possible terms to enable motor sport to continue, and to manage the risk inherent in the sport to a level that is acceptable both to the underwriters and to the courts (in the worst case scenario). I think the fact that the real cost of MSA insurance is lower now, yet the benefits are enhanced, is testament to the success of the efforts made by everyone in the sport to manage the risks effectively.”
The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given came from respected racer Howden Insurance has to Ganley, who told me that cover the possibility of cars going off and when you’re deciding your striking spectators next move in motor sport, you should always be looking an extra step ahead. We were speaking at the end of 2002. I had just finished third in the Renault Clio Cup and was torn between continuing in the same series and going for the championship title or moving onto the SEAT Cupra Championship. I was a member of the BRDC Rising Stars scheme at the time and spoke to Howden about my predicament. He said that I should look at what options both series open up for their respective graduates. A few Clio Cup racers had continued to move up the ladder but the new SEAT Cupra Championship actually offered a place in the BTCC to its winner. As a result, I chose the latter option. A year later, I was SEAT Cupra Champion. My prize was a step Rob Huff stars for up to BTCC with British squad RML in the FIA World Touring Car Championship
the SEAT works team run by RML, who I still race with now in the WTCC. In terms of bad advice, I remember being told to take Craner Curves flat out on my first visit to Donington Park in the 2000 Formula Vauxhall Championship! Three laps into my first race at the circuit, I ended up off the track. Thankfully it didn’t stop me from taking the title! The advice that I’d now give to young drivers will sound like a bit of a cliché but I firmly believe that everybody should follow their dreams and never give up on them. In 2001 my racing dream came very close to being over due to a lack of sponsors. Thankfully my sister Francesca stumbled upon an ad for a racing scholarship programme called ‘bearacingdriver.com’. I entered and beat 1,000 other drivers to win a seat in the 2002 Renault Clio Cup. The dream of being a racing driver was back on and it was a second chance I was determined to make the most of. To me, you can’t be a successful racing driver without a lot of self-belief and good people around you.
John Symes MSA Technical Director
Summer 2012 www.msauk.org 61
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national court
MOTOR SPORTS COUNCIL NATIONAL COURT SITTING TUESDAY 13 MARCH 2012 David Munro (Chairman) Mike Harris Chris Mount CASE No J2012/01 Benjamin Cree The National Court has considered the matter of Benjamin Cree, a competitor in the British Rallycross weekend at Croft Circuit on 5th November 2011. There was an altercation at the circuit following an on track incident which resulted in hearings before the Stewards.
As a result both Benjamin Cree and another competitor Tomasz Wielgosz were excluded from the meeting. It subsequently came to light that Mr Cree’s mobile phone had been used to upload an entry to Mr Cree’s Facebook page. This entry was seriously offensive in its nature and was clearly targeted at Mr Wielgosz. The National Court has been informed that although the offensive entry was uploaded from Mr Cree’s phone, it had in fact been done by a friend of Mr Cree, to
whom Mr Cree had entrusted his mobile telephone whilst he competed at the event. The National Court has no choice but to accept the explanation given by Mr Cree and notes that he has apologised for what had occurred. The use of Social Media by competitors and persons for which they are responsible under General Regulation H32.1.10 is inevitable in this day and age but all MSA members are ultimately responsible for what is publicised in their name and for what is published by those
covered by General Regulation H32.1.10. The National Court further reminds MSA members that it will, in appropriate cases, take action under C1.1.4 to ensure that Social Media is not used in any way that would bring motorsport into disrepute. In the present case the National Court is not satisfied that Benjamin Cree was responsible for what occurred, so no further action can be taken. DAVID MUNRO CHAIRMAN
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opinion
Simon says.. From a fry-up at Mallory Park to the Formula 1 paddock in Melbourne, Britishness is rife in motor sport, says Simon Arron
11 March 2012. An early alarm call heralds
Simon Arron is a former editor of Motoring News and Motor Sport. Now a freelance F1 writer, he contributes to titles including Motorsport News and writes a blog for the Daily Telegraph’s motoring section
a crepuscular flit through a mostly sleepy London – save for Brixton, where bus stops always seem strangely busy at 6am on Sunday mornings. Probably clubbers heading home, although they’d be better advised to set co-ordinates for Leicestershire. About two hours away lurks one of the world’s finest breakfasts in terms of content and value – eggs, beans, mushrooms, toast and a quart of tea for about a fiver. Welcome to Mallory Park’s cafeteria. Today, it serves as accessory to a BARC Midlands Centre sprint that counts towards 10 regional championships. The three-figure entry sketches grass-roots British motor sport’s distinctive backbone, from 1930s MGs and Austin 7s via Minis, solitary examples of the Hillman Imp and Ford Anglia, a clutch of 1980 Formula Fords and more contemporary, specialised chassis from such as OMS, Jedi and Radical. It attracts a small but appreciative audience and the enduring sounds are those of rivals’ frequent laughter (mostly while discussing lap times over a no-nonsense fry-up and a decent brew) and the delicious rasp of Sittingbourne driver Stuart Gilbert’s MGB GT. Don’t remember them having 5.3-litre V8s as standard in the British Leyland sales catalogue... 12 March 2012. 40 years to the day since Mallory Park
hosted a very different type of event, the opening round of the European Formula 2 Championship, I’m surrounded by an army of kids speaking a barely
66 www.msauk.org Summer 2012
penetrable version of English on the Croydon Tramlink, gateway to a fast train to Gatwick Airport, thence Dubai and Melbourne, Australia, host to the opening round of this year’s Formula 1 World Championship. The Australian crowd is significant and boisterous – particularly close to the paddock entrance, where drivers have little option but to stroll past the baying mob. Most pause awhile to sign programmes, caps and suchlike. It’s an uplifting location for a fresh season’s dawn. The sport has changed beyond measure since it was invented by the French during the 1890s. At its cutting edge, it was dominated variously by Italy and Germany before Britain’s plucky enthusiasts morphed into a controlling force. The balance of power shifted during the late 1950s and hasn’t altered greatly since. At its core F1 is a cosmopolitan sport, but the essential Britishness of such as McLaren (despite its New Zealand roots) and Williams is well established. Beyond the electronic turnstiles that separate worshippers from heroes in Melbourne, Ferrari has a British technical director, while Mercedes appears to have accumulated several (and has F1 factories in Brackley and Brixworth, for chassis and engines respectively). The Austrian national anthem might chime each time Red Bull celebrates a fresh F1 victory, but the team’s technical hub lies in Milton Keynes. Pirelli is an Italian company that manufactures F1 tyres in Turkey, but motor sport director Paul Hembery’s passion for Bristol City betrays his roots. No matter where you look, Britain’s engineering influence is palpable. Mallory Park lies about 10,500 miles from Melbourne and in terms of profile the gap might be wider still. There is, though, a common bond.
No matter where you look, Britain’s engineering influence is palpable