Matters of Moment: August 2018, August 2018

Browse pages
Current page

1

Current page

2

Current page

3

Current page

4

Current page

5

Current page

6

Current page

7

Current page

8

Current page

9

Current page

10

Current page

11

Current page

12

Current page

13

Current page

14

Current page

15

Current page

16

Current page

17

Current page

18

Current page

19

Current page

20

Current page

21

Current page

22

Current page

23

Current page

24

Current page

25

Current page

26

Current page

27

Current page

28

Current page

29

Current page

30

Current page

31

Current page

32

Current page

33

Current page

34

Current page

35

Current page

36

Current page

37

Current page

38

Current page

39

Current page

40

Current page

41

Current page

42

Current page

43

Current page

44

Current page

45

Current page

46

Current page

47

Current page

48

Current page

49

Current page

50

Current page

51

Current page

52

Current page

53

Current page

54

Current page

55

Current page

56

Current page

57

Current page

58

Current page

59

Current page

60

Current page

61

Current page

62

Current page

63

Current page

64

Current page

65

Current page

66

Current page

67

Current page

68

Current page

69

Current page

70

Current page

71

Current page

72

Current page

73

Current page

74

Current page

75

Current page

76

Current page

77

Current page

78

Current page

79

Current page

80

Current page

81

Current page

82

Current page

83

Current page

84

Current page

85

Current page

86

Current page

87

Current page

88

Current page

89

Current page

90

Current page

91

Current page

92

Current page

93

Current page

94

Current page

95

Current page

96

Current page

97

Current page

98

Current page

99

Current page

100

Current page

101

Current page

102

Current page

103

Current page

104

Current page

105

Current page

106

Current page

107

Current page

108

Current page

109

Current page

110

Current page

111

Current page

112

Current page

113

Current page

114

Current page

115

Current page

116

Current page

117

Current page

118

Current page

119

Current page

120

Current page

121

Current page

122

Current page

123

Current page

124

Current page

125

Current page

126

Current page

127

Current page

128

Current page

129

Current page

130

Current page

131

Current page

132

Current page

133

Current page

134

Current page

135

Current page

136

Current page

137

Current page

138

Current page

139

Current page

140

Current page

141

Current page

142

Current page

143

Current page

144

Current page

145

Current page

146

Current page

147

Current page

148

Current page

149

Current page

150

Current page

151

Current page

152

Current page

153

Current page

154

Current page

155

Current page

156

Current page

157

Current page

158

Current page

159

Current page

160

Current page

161

Current page

162

Current page

163

Current page

164

Current page

165

Current page

166

Current page

167

Current page

168

Current page

169

Current page

170

Current page

171

Current page

172

Current page

173

Current page

174

Current page

175

Current page

176

Current page

177

Current page

178

Current page

179

Current page

180

Current page

181

Current page

182

Current page

183

Current page

184

Current page

185

Current page

186

Current page

187

Current page

188

Current page

189

Current page

190

Current page

191

“He would say that, wouldn’t he?”

This was the obvious response to Jonathan Palmer’s assertion that UK motor sport was in rude health and on a sound financial footing when asked about it at this magazine’s Hall of Fame awards ceremony in June. Palmer, of course, is the man behind MotorSport Vision, the operator of no fewer than six UK circuits and several championships. It is therefore entirely in the boss’s interest to talk up the strength of the UK racing scene and say unequivocally: “We certainly have the best motor sport in the world, and the healthiest motor racing circuits in the world.”

But that doesn’t make it wrong.

Palmer’s award was entitled ‘Industry Champion Award’, and there is no arguing that he deserved to be recognised. His passion, drive and entrepreneurial nous is exactly what the industry fosters up and down the land. We look forward to seeing the results of his work with Donington Park – the latest circuit to come under the MSV banner.

But Palmer is hardly alone in supporting UK motor racing circuits, against what can sometimes be strong headwinds. Thruxton in Hampshire doesn’t have the benefit of being part of a large organisation, but last month celebrated its 50th anniversary and the opening of a new visitor centre that will hopefully help attract paying customers to the track and thereby secure its future. The event featured a variety of machinery out on track, from Minis to Chevrolet Camaros via a Williams FW08, and was attended by a host of stars including Nigel Mansell and Murray Walker, underlining the affection in which the circuit is still held.

Amid the clatter and clang of the (excellent) VIP lunch it would have been easy to miss Henry Pelham, the freeholder of the land on which Thruxton sits (and shares with an active airfield). Now 82, Pelham is one of the unsung heroes of British motor sport, having bought the site in 1959 and remained a benevolent landlord to those who’ve raced here before and since the track opened in its present form in 1968. Despite motor sport not being his first passion (that is reserved for aeroplanes), Pelham was clearly moved at the celebrations taking place around him as the roar of racing saloons reverberated all around.

Pelham’s support has ensured Thruxton’s survival as a modern venue in much the same way as another great patron of racing saved Mondello Park – the Republic of Ireland’s only permanent racing circuit. Martin Birrane (below), who has sadly died aged 82, bought the circuit in 1986 at a time when it – like many circuits at the time – required someone with the vision and drive to make it a viable destination. Birrane had both and it wasn’t just circuits that benefited: in 1997 he stepped in to rescue struggling racing car constructor Lola, giving the firm a fresh lease of life. Although it eventually ceased manufacture in 2012, the Lola Group continued under his direction and still operates one of Europe’s most sophisticated wind tunnel programmes.

Lola celebrates its 60th anniversary this year and Mondello its 50th; at the time of his passing Martin was working hard on commemorative projects for both.

Men like Jonathan Palmer are following in an honourable tradition.

MOTOR SPORT HAS always been a brutal business when it comes to competition and is likewise cut-throat in its dealings with people, but I can’t help thinking that Citroën’s treatment of Kris Meeke stands apart.

Put simply, the WRC team’s crassly worded statement, about why it was firing Meeke, was unbecoming of a world championship-winning rally team and reads more like a first draft written in anger which should subsequently have been tossed in the bin to make way for a more measured tone: “Due to an excessively high number of crashes, some of which were particularly heavy and could have had serious consequences with regard to the crew’s safety, and given that the risks involved were unjustified by the sporting stakes at play, Citroën Racing WRT has decided to terminate the participation of Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle in the 2018 WRC.”

That’s called putting the boot in.

Still, it could be worse. As an ex-newspaper man, I well recall the tale of an editor who wrote to his failing horoscope columnist informing him he was fired. He began with the words: “As you will already know…”

INVITATION OF THE month is to join computer gamers in a vast esports competition later this month. “Formula 1®, the pinnacle of motor sport, today confirmed the 40 online racers who have qualified for the next stage of the F1 Esports Series,” it explained. “Representatives from the nine F1 teams participating will select which drivers will join their own esports teams and compete as a professional in the latter part of the season.” It’s easy to scoff but, as the press release makes clear, 66,000 players competed in the qualifying rounds. And guess which country boasted the most players? That’s right, Britain. Leading the way in motor sport once again.