Should There Be A British Rider In The 2012 Grand Prix Series?

[spin king 1,923]

If Bomber does not finish in the top 8 and it looks that way, then it is difficult to justify his inclusion, even though he qualified outright last season by finishing in the top 8, this season he has looked out of his depth not just in the Grand Prix but in all the league matches in all the main leagues.

Of the rest Kennett is and will never good enough, Tai still not ready and could be a couple of years before he will, Ben Barker needs to prove himself more and Lewis Bridger will never be a Grand Prix rider unless he has a change of attitude.

Unfortunately until the BSPA and Promotions invest in the young British riders with a plan to improve matters we will never ever get a rider in the Grand Prix never mind one that actually looks as though they will challenges for the title.

[Pollyanna 1]

Pretty naff response I must say, the issue is not to do with gate receipts its is how the sport is being run - the lack of British riders isn't to do with a lack of funds

 

I will congratulate you however on you being able to unearth some British talent in that Australian Speedway Academy on the south coast!

 

 

The last time I looked, there are many teams (EL and PL) whose line-ups include Australian riders, including Somerset Rebels! Not just Poole.

[Rebelfan 0]

Yeah, they love living on the streets.

 

So all 17, 18 or 19 year old's first consideration is a mortgage to avoid being thrown on the streets........honestly, on what planet are you on?

 

I knew a guy in his late teens was holding down a full time job, also a part time job to fund his motor racing career, he lived in modest accomodation (not quite on the streets but not far off) and he would beg & borrow to go racing and fulfil his dream, he now drives in the American Le Mans, has won a number of championships both sides of the pond and can afford quite a few houses!

 

It's about hunger & ambition to win, if a mortgage is the first consideration then he's in the wrong career

[home straight 290]

So all 17, 18 or 19 year old's first consideration is a mortgage to avoid being thrown on the streets........honestly, on what planet are you on?

 

I knew a guy in his late teens was holding down a full time job, also a part time job to fund his motor racing career, he lived in modest accomodation (not quite on the streets but not far off) and he would beg & borrow to go racing and fulfil his dream, he now drives in the American Le Mans, has won a number of championships both sides of the pond and can afford quite a few houses!

 

It's about hunger & ambition to win, if a mortgage is the first consideration then he's in the wrong career

 

They have up live somewhere. Whether it's a mortgage or rent they still have to come up with the money at the end of the month. Also I never said anything about it being the first consideration, don't put words in my mouth please.

[RPNY 608]

My opnion for what it's worth (nothing thats why it's free ;-) ) is that life always works in Cycles and at this moment in time, GB have few - if any world class riders. In the 90's the Americans were very domminent and Aussies hardly had any top riders. Look at it now. Who in the 80s would have thought anyone but Denmark would have a chance at world honors... Difficult to blame people for lack of young british talent. Speedway is not a cheap hobby for a kid to get into plus most kids wanna play football, rugby, cricket, basketball, vidoe games, watch tv before trying things like Speedway. Sad, but true. Saying that, there is definately more we could do to have a youth set up like the Scandi's and if you see on youtube the Billy Hamill academy in Cali, you'll see the efoort thats going in there to produce young talent.

 

With regards to seeding Bomber (or another Brit) next year... Difficult one. On his day he can be great. The World Cup he was fantastic, Mallila he was very good. Torun, was disgraceful, I mean shameful. 0 points unacceptable. But when he's on form he does add something to the mix. But if he is seeded and Holta, Niki, Ward someone like that isnt, then I can see how people would be annoyed. But there are no other Brits worthy of a place in the series right now. People mentioning Barker is a little far fetched. Great kid, bags of heart, but would be even further behing then Tai was last year. Tai, seems to be the one who could 'make it' but needs to sort out his motors first. Just doesnt seem to have the speed on the big occasions.

 

I personally believe the qualifying series should be at the start of the year anyway as a lot of 'form' riders miss out. A la Hans Andersan in 2006, Loram 1999, Joe Screen 1995...

[DukesGreg 46]

No, if nobody is good enough, then there should not be a British rider in the GP next year.

 

Guarantee the home GP wild card, of course, but that is all.

 

 

 

The sport should totally be run on merit.

 

 

However, ^^^ that last line really is one to ponder over, from the bottom of speedway right to the very top. Sadly.

Edited August 30, 2011 by DukesGreg

[WIE-JA 72]

All this arguing could be avoided if speedway GPs were done like any other motorsport. Qualifying rounds and seeded riders could be avoided if the grid places in the series were just sold off to either individual riders or teams. 15 places available for the season plus one wild card at each round for the local organisers to put in. A grid place in the GP series should be worth something in the region of 55k for the season. It is then up to the riders/teams to make money from it from sponsorship and prize money.

[dabbsjoe 149]

Is Lee Richardson still the top Brit in the averages in Britain, Sweden and Poland ?

[Ghostwalker 1,859]

Is Lee Richardson still the top Brit in the averages in Britain, Sweden and Poland ?

 

he is in Sweden, 1,724 (~6,89) vs. Harris 1,640 (~6,56) and Tai 1,303 (~5,21). and Scott 1,370 (~5,48).

[BUDGIE 35]

At present the British set up is a joke.

No-one through to the GP Challenge, not a hope in sight in the U21.

It also looks as though we will not have a qualifier in the SGP, and will have to rely

on someone being nominated. Should that be the case?, depends who you are I guess,

if you have a GP to sell in Cardiff, at an unusual time of year, will it help you to move tickets if you have a Brit

permenantly in the series, or will just a Wildcard be OK, I know which way I would jump, if I was BSI, and at the end of the day that is who will make the decision.

[Cornishman 18]

There has to be a British rider IMO. Sky will loose too many viewers if not. Personally I want to see riders like darcy in there full time and nationality not be an issue but it won't happen.

 

And as for which British rider, I still think bomber is the best bet we've got. Yes he had a shocker last week and generally has struggled all season, but he did finish 6th overall last year and proved in the gp previous to last week that if there is grip on the track he is as good as anyone.

 

Tai deserves another chance in the future, but not for another year IMO. And as much as I'd love to see Ben Barker in there and believe he would cause a few shocks, I don't think he will do as well as bomber

[george.m 3,063]

There has to be a British rider IMO. Sky will loose too many viewers if not.

 

Would they really lose viewers? My perception of most speedway fans is they want to be entertained

by good racing with plenty of overtaking. We are also used to the grand prix having few brits in it

anyway, so not to have any doesn't a make much of a difference. Do many not support their home

team riders as well as a brit?

[richiej95 20]

I also don't think Sky would lose viewers were there to be no Brit in the series. Most people who watch speedway support a British team, and will usually support their riders (if they have any) in the GP's. For example, I know when I watch the GP's I support Lindgren every time over Chris Harris.

[Trees 2,814]

IF BSI want good british riders in their series then perhaps they need to be pumping some money into training them/sponsoring them? Instead of expecting ready made great riders to be there to perform in their meetings?

[BUDGIE 35]

IF BSI want good british riders in their series then perhaps they need to be pumping some money into training them/sponsoring them? Instead of expecting ready made great riders to be there to perform in their meetings?

 

 

I guess you are suggesting that the UK should get preferential treatment from BSI because at present we are not competitive, and that would help their business.

 

That idea is totally unfair to everyone else.