MSport Talk: Frank Motorsport Opinions & Debate

OK, So, Happy New Year to you all, it's been a while I know. 2016 was a particularly bad one here but, as promised in 2016 I do intend to get more content out in '17. What better way than to start with a rant. So according to reports both the British Grand Prix and Manor Racing are in danger of disappearing in 2017. With Bernie in an "advisory" position with Liberty Group the addage "The more things change, the more they stay the same" couldn't be truer. I for one am quite upset for many reasons, the last few years I have stopped watching F1, partly through circumstance (no Sky and work) and partly because, well it's not that good anymore, I can sit in my chair at home or at work on a Sunday and scroll twitter and read many comments on how bad the XXX Grand Prix is this weekend, part of me fells happy that I'm missing it, part of me feels very sad because a sport (if it really is still a sport) that I have watched for over 35 years is slowly dy...

The early part of the year always contains two big races to keep the European race fans appetite whetted and, this time they fell on consecutive weekends. The events in question were of course the Daytona 24hr and Bathurst 12hr, both available on line via the relative websites with excellent commentary from Radio Le Mans. I must admit, these were my reason - along with the Nurburgring and Spa 24 hrs races later this year for purchasing a Smart TV as for too long now have I been huddled over a phone or tablet screen, yes I have tried using a Chromecast stick in the past but with mixed results so I took the plunge. However back on to the topic. These two events for me offered some of the best action up and down the field that I have seen for a while now and, only goes to prove what I said a while ago when I started this blog, Prototype and racing with a roof is where it is at now. take Daytona, ESM Patron racing, an LMP2 machine mixing and beating the more fancied Daytona cla...

A contrasting weather front saw two different days of testing at Thruxton Hampshire on the 17th & 18th of February as teams from the BTCC, Clio Cup, Ginetta Junior & BARC Formula descended to prepare for their '16 campaigns. Wednesday's wet weather put off many fans looking to attend the open paddock event but that didn't stop a few from braving the elements to catch, for some the first on track action of 2016. The BTCC was the big draw for many with Yuasa Honda, Pirtek Motorbase, WSR BMW, Eurotech Honda, Speedworks and Team Parker Dextra Racing all in attendance. The on track format saw for an interesting spectacle as BTCC machines shared track time with Clios, Ginetta Juniors and other tin top racers. Below is a pictorial highlight of the two days running. Wednesday was wet, VERY wet, but that didn't stop the teams venturing out for some experience of the damp conditions, above Jeff Smith in his Eurotech Honda Civic, Senna Proctor's ...

Firstly, please let me apologise to those of you that do take the time to read my mutterings, I have been very busy this winter but, as many of you may have done, I made a resolution to concentrate on this little corner of the internet and make sure I get more content out in 2016. Now that that is out what better way to start than with the Autosport International show at Birmingham's NEC this weekend just gone. A plethora of attractions for motorsport fans both old and new, everything from the latest and greatest F1, WEC and Touring cars, classic sports cars, GTs, driver interviews and signings, launches, live action right down to entry level club racing and karting, plus plenty to spend any money left over from Christmas on! Below is a gallery showcasing some of my highlights of the exhibition:  Williams were out in force with a display of cars from their museum, including this, the first Williams raced in 1978...  Keke Rosberg's 1982 championship FW08... And,...

Following the tragedy at the Pocono round of the 2015 IndyCar season in which, as I am sure you are well aware, Justin Wilson lost his life the suggestion has again been made to enclose the cockpits of modern single seater racing cars. The question is: Is this the way forward? The answer, In my mind is, Yes, absolutely. In the last year there have been two high profile motorsport deaths as a result of just this, not to mention the incident involving Maria De Villota who would later die in 2013 as a consequence of her 2012 accident or Henry Surtees, hit by an errant wheel in 2009 at Brands Hatch. Many purists would say that open wheel racing and F1 / Indy Car in particular have always and should always be open top and that the drivers know the risks involved, this is to a certain extent true but in reality should there be as much as possible done to ensure maximum driver protection. When Senna was killed, the sides of the cockpits were raised to protect the driver’s heads from ...

2015 marked the 25 anniversary of the Silverstone Classic and, for the first time I spent the Saturday and Sunday at the event, for varying reasons, earlier in the year, at the media day we were informed that: "One day is not enough" and, well yes that is correct, the three day festival of "Rockin' and Racin'" really needs at least 2 days for one to fully appreciate all of the sidelines to the racing going on, on track. I spent the Saturday (fortunately as the weather his year was particularly grotty on the Friday and Sunday) taking in a number of the sidelines previously mentioned  here  when I previewed the event a month or so back.  So, now we shall try and decide what the Silverstone Classic really is, is it a historic race meeting? Or, is it a family friendly event for the car mad with the added bonus of historic racing as a sideline? Lets see if we can decide. Saturday: Saturday had always been marked down as an exploratory day for me to al...

Motorsport can be such a cruel mistress, 9 months after the horrendous accident at Suzuka, Jules Bianchi succumbed to his injuries. The world of motorsport quite rightly paid tribute to a driver who would have gone on to achieve so much more at the top level of world motorsports. There is nothing else left to add that hasn't already been said by others who knew and raced with him during his oh so short career so lets just remember him this way, hustling a uncompetitive Marussia around Monte Carlo and picking up a fantastic 9th place. Rest in Peace Jules #JB17