2012 Gp Wildcards Announced

[speedibee 3,091]

I'd agree with that.

 

Although to be honest, I'd do away with wildcards altogether and make everyone qualify. Perhaps keep the top 6 (or preferably 3) from the previous year, everyone else has to come through open qualifiers.

Yep bang on . selections are made as much for businees reasons as anything else . Fight your way in and then fight to stay in .

[ImpartialOne 160]

sense prevails and the right choices were made ... for 2012 anyway............... i'd suggest Bomber, Freddie and Nicki should be in the last chance saloon though....... at least unless they are prepared to try to qualify in the challenge

I agree with the last part. They should be told that unless they contest the qualifiers they have to make the top 8 next year or miss out.

 

Bomber's on borrowed time now as well as borrowed machinery and next year could well see the likes of Woffinden and Barker as more likely choices in 2013 if they make the progress I expect them to.

[harleynut 1]

I would much rather see a formula based on

 

Top 6 retained in the GP joined by

the U21 Champion - at least it is won on the track

and one GP wildcard as now

 

The other 8 places come from some form of qualification rounds leading up to two 'Semi Finals' in which each of the top four go through. Could make much more of cut throat semi final; good for TV

 

Of course will never happen because of TV money determing the 'right and needed' mix of nationalities; as TV is footing the bill we will always have those in power needing to manipulate who is worthy of racing on track.

 

Bring back selction being earned by racing

[doc61 0]

So the EL has 7 GP riders now. Try and tempt 3 more over and you could have a 1 per team rule...

at this moment in time the 2012 elite league has no grand prix riders named in any of the teams.

 

who are the 7 and which teams are they riding for next season.

 

just being pernickity lol

[SCB 0]

My issue with Harris is that he never qualified in the 1st place and has actually only qualified once himself which to be honest is hardly deserving of another wildcard.

It's irrelevant whats he or anyone else has done in the past. Ivan Mauger has won more titles than any current day rider but you'd not give him a wildcards. What if Rickardsson made a comeback tomorrow?

 

What you should be asking is, "is Chris Harris one of the top 15 riders in the World at present - or will be next season?" IMO, he's borderline, same with Freddie. Don't forget, 8th is an arbitrary figure that has no meaning.

 

If a rider was the 10th best rider in the World for 10 years are you telling me you'd boot him out of the GPs after a season because he didn't qualify and replacing him with the 16th (or worse) best rider in the World? I wouldn't, I want to see the best 15 riders in the World in the GPs - sadly, I think Bjarne ruins that and there is the issue with qualifiers. But take out Bjarne for the old Laguta and I think you'd have a pretty spot on field. Lets not forget 12 month ago people were claiming we had the strongest GP line up ever, so to lose Rune, Kolodziej and Laguta and we're gaining Ward and Pepe I think we straight away have a better series than last year.

Edited October 11, 2011 by SCB

[oldtimer 340]

Watching Pedersen in the Play Offs and especially last night, you have to ask what on earth is he doing in the GP competition? A good rider yes, but a light of other days.

[Chris Brown 542]

What you should be asking is, "is Chris Harris one of the top 15 riders in the World at present - or will be next season?" IMO, he's borderline, same with Freddie. Don't forget, 8th is an arbitrary figure that has no meaning.

 

To be fair with 12 places available the question should be whether he is one of the top 12 in the world. In my opinion he has benefited hugely from being British, was he not then he would not be in the GP series

 

Just an opinion

Edited October 11, 2011 by Chris Brown

[Chris Brown 542]

Watching Pedersen in the Play Offs and especially last night, you have to ask what on earth is he doing in the GP competition? A good rider yes, but a light of other days.

 

He is in it because he done the qualifers and qualified. He therefore has more right than any of the 4 names today

[The White Knight 9,039]

It's irrelevant whats he or anyone else has done in the past. Ivan Mauger has won more titles than any current day rider but you'd not give him a wildcards. What if Rickardsson made a comeback tomorrow?

 

What you should be asking is, "is Chris Harris one of the top 15 riders in the World at present - or will be next season?" IMO, he's borderline, same with Freddie. Don't forget, 8th is an arbitrary figure that has no meaning.

 

If a rider was the 10th best rider in the World for 10 years are you telling me you'd boot him out of the GPs after a season because he didn't qualify and replacing him with the 16th (or worse) best rider in the World? I wouldn't, I want to see the best 15 riders in the World in the GPs - sadly, I think Bjarne ruins that and there is the issue with qualifiers. But take out Bjarne for the old Laguta and I think you'd have a pretty spot on field. Lets not forget 12 month ago people were claiming we had the strongest GP line up ever, so to lose Rune, Kolodziej and Laguta and we're gaining Ward and Pepe I think we straight away have a better series than last year.

 

Ah - but - will he ride in the GP's next Season??

 

Has Ward not already stated that he would prefer to ride in Poland and could be affected by the one GP Rider per Team Rule there. :unsure:

 

He is (Bjarne Pedersen) in it because he done the qualifers and qualified. He therefore has more right than any of the 4 names today

 

100% agree with that statement too.

Edited October 11, 2011 by The White Knight

[Pirate Nick 1,801]

It's irrelevant whats he or anyone else has done in the past. Ivan Mauger has won more titles than any current day rider but you'd not give him a wildcards. What if Rickardsson made a comeback tomorrow?

 

What you should be asking is, "is Chris Harris one of the top 15 riders in the World at present - or will be next season?" IMO, he's borderline, same with Freddie. Don't forget, 8th is an arbitrary figure that has no meaning.

 

If a rider was the 10th best rider in the World for 10 years are you telling me you'd boot him out of the GPs after a season because he didn't qualify and replacing him with the 16th (or worse) best rider in the World? I wouldn't, I want to see the best 15 riders in the World in the GPs - sadly, I think Bjarne ruins that and there is the issue with qualifiers. But take out Bjarne for the old Laguta and I think you'd have a pretty spot on field. Lets not forget 12 month ago people were claiming we had the strongest GP line up ever, so to lose Rune, Kolodziej and Laguta and we're gaining Ward and Pepe I think we straight away have a better series than last year.

 

Just a quick point of order: Bjarne finished behind Harris in he Swedish league averages but ahead of him in Poland and Britain. Statistically the better rider then?

[Marmite 84]

Harris? Well I guess there has to be a token Brit.

 

Based on his last two GP appearances, he was the best rider bar Hancock, so I am glad he gets another chance, but he needs to show that GP after GP now.

[alan_boon 1]

Darcy Ward now has a license to print money. There's not an EL track that wouldn't like him as their number one, and with the GP rule in Poland he could tout his services to I Liga tracks who will need top line riders as the non-GP riders get snapped up by Ekstraliga clubs...

 

Just a quick point of order: Bjarne finished behind Harris in he Swedish league averages but ahead of him in Poland and Britain. Statistically the better rider then?

Yeah, bit very, very boring.

[The White Knight 9,039]

Based on his last two GP appearances, he was the best rider bar Hancock, so I am glad he gets another chance, but he needs to show that GP after GP now.

 

I seem to remember a Post saying exactly that twelve months ago.

Edited October 11, 2011 by The White Knight

[Blazeaway 1,501]

You make a very good point there

 

 

Nicki P, hated and adored but never ignored.

[Saint Rob 0]

Bjarne qualified on merit. Harris, obviously thinking the qualification system is below him, has to rely one one decent round to get him a nomination