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Transponders and qualifying times introduced in GP’s in 2019

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3 minutes ago, moxey63 said:

Just turned over to BT, to see what this is about (qualifying) and it disappoints me how similar to formula one it is. Depressing.

They just announced a rider(didn't catch the name) isn't in the qualifying practice... because he has an Extra League match somewhere else in Poland! I always thought you had to be there for practice.

Be interesting to see if Speedway Star feels it important to include these (qualifying) race times.

Practise has been optional for quite a few years now.

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5 minutes ago, moxey63 said:

Just turned over to BT, to see what this is about (qualifying) and it disappoints me how similar to formula one it is. Depressing.

They just announced a rider(didn't catch the name) isn't in the qualifying practice... because he has an Extra League match somewhere else in Poland! I always thought you had to be there for practice.

Be interesting to see if Speedway Star feels it important to include these (qualifying) race times.

Practice (now qualifying) for GPs has not been compulsory for some years. Woffinden, Zmarzlik and Fricke were missing this evening, and were 'randomly'* allocated the final three start positions this evening.

* The rider number was drawn, then allocated to the smallest available start number.

Edited by NeilWatson
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3 minutes ago, NeilWatson said:

Practice (now qualifying) for GPs has not been compulsory for some years. Woffinden, Zmarzlik and Fricke were missing this evening, and were 'randomly'* allocated the final three start positions this evening.

* The rider number was drawn, then allocated to the smallest available start number.

If it's compulsory, how can riders miss it?

 

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1 minute ago, moxey63 said:

Just turned over to BT, to see what this is about (qualifying) and it disappoints me how similar to formula one it is. Depressing.

They just announced a rider(didn't catch the name) isn't in the qualifying practice... because he has an Extra League match somewhere else in Poland! I always thought you had to be there for practice.

Be interesting to see if Speedway Star feels it important to include these (qualifying) race times.

Yes the riders in question are Max Fricke,  B.Zmarzlik and Tai Woffinden.

Leaving aside the fact this new development was introduced without the presence of the defending champion the whole idea of introducing heat times as a way of giving choices of gates in the actual event is surely flawed. 

Just a gimmick borrowed from Formula one (where it IS beneficial to get a place on the grid) which just cannot work in speedway.  How many times have we as supporters watched the best race of the night being in the slowest time?

 

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6 minutes ago, NeilWatson said:

Practice (now qualifying) for GPs has not been compulsory for some years. Woffinden, Zmarzlik and Fricke were missing this evening, and were 'randomly'* allocated the final three start positions this evening.

* The rider number was drawn, then allocated to the smallest available start number.

 

Just now, moxey63 said:

If it's compulsory, how can riders miss it?

 

It's not, so they can!

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47 minutes ago, lastword said:

Yes the riders in question are Max Fricke,  B.Zmarzlik and Tai Woffinden.

Leaving aside the fact this new development was introduced without the presence of the defending champion the whole idea of introducing heat times as a way of giving choices of gates in the actual event is surely flawed. 

Just a gimmick borrowed from Formula one (where it IS beneficial to get a place on the grid) which just cannot work in speedway.  How many times have we as supporters watched the best race of the night being in the slowest time?

 

But it can because the fastest rider gets to choose which number he wants in the main meeting meaning he can avoid getting a number which, for example, gives him two rides on the trot or a number which gives him his fifth ride from a more unfavourable gate. In the days of one-off world finals and multiple qualifying rounds it was pre determined which number you had in the next round depending on where you finished in the the qualifier. Ivan Mauger would often forgo winning a qualifying round, deliberately finishing second or third  in order to get a more preferable number in the next.

That's not to say I'm in favour of it.

 

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I cannot see what the problem is. It adds another dimension and those who are forced to ride in Poland is tough luck. Why not give it a chance. It is a learning curve for everyone and for those who are not purist it adds something that can only improve the status of the GP. Yes it becomes technical re starting positions but it now seems to take on, not just the bikes or the track but tactics. My view and it is personal but it is a welcome change. Well done all involved and if it is done properly how many polish league tied riders will want to miss out on practice. Well done Polish speedway, you are spoilers for the most important competition and your self righteous view may eventually come back to bite you on you Polish arse.

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Tonight’s qualifying added something worthwhile  to the GP weekend and the reward of skill/speed to determine gate positions during the main event is favourable to the random draw. 

That said it is a shame three riders were unavailable (not their choice) and clearly there was an advantage to those who went out first and after the mid session grading. 

There are most probably better ways qualifying can be formatted to create a fairer scenario but it’s s start. 

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How did they decide who went out at which time for the qualifying laps?

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I'm slightly confused (an increasing problem!). If I fathom the facts properly, Tai was "excluded" from this new qualifying procedure due to a Polish commitment (?). A bit disappointing, since this is the World Championship, after all. But he was elsewhere (for whatever reason) and he ends up in heat 4 as his first appearance. Therefore he's able to judge track conditions and the best lines etc. from heats 1-3 and gets gate 3 twice, which last year was one race worse than the best gate, gate 1. Given that "penalty" (???) I think I might take the £1000+ a point in a Polish league match. Or am I just a cynic?

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2 hours ago, Trees said:

How did they decide who went out at which time for the qualifying laps?

The free practice which happened before we joined the coverage(5pm to 6pm UK time) was also timed and the slowest rider Doyle went 1st and the fastest Kolodziej went last. 2nd slowest 2nd 2nd fastest 2nd from last etc etc

Edited by racers and royals

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2 hours ago, False dawn said:

I'm slightly confused (an increasing problem!). If I fathom the facts properly, Tai was "excluded" from this new qualifying procedure due to a Polish commitment (?). A bit disappointing, since this is the World Championship, after all. But he was elsewhere (for whatever reason) and he ends up in heat 4 as his first appearance. Therefore he's able to judge track conditions and the best lines etc. from heats 1-3 and gets gate 3 twice, which last year was one race worse than the best gate, gate 1. Given that "penalty" (???) I think I might take the £1000+ a point in a Polish league match. Or am I just a cynic?

The downside of course is the first time his bike and he will be on track will be on his way to the tapes for heat 4.

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1 minute ago, racers and royals said:

The downside of course is the first time his bike and he will be on track will be on his way to the tapes for heat 4.

And the downside for Kolodziej, Doyle, Fricke and Lindback will be that their bikes will be on track for the first time tomorrow night. I quote (from many live meetings, videos, DVDs and conversations with riders) "The track is nothing like it was in practice".

As the sport's leading bookie, are you telling me you're worried by anything you saw in practice?

[You and I have lived long enough to know better]

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5 hours ago, False dawn said:

Therefore he's able to judge track conditions and the best lines etc. from heats 1-3 and gets gate 3 twice, which last year was one race worse than the best gate, gate 1. Given that "penalty" (???) I think I might take the £1000+ a point in a Polish league match. Or am I just a cynic?

Of course, it is all conjecture right now, but looking at the draw, I think Tai has actually come out of qualifying pretty well considering he was supposedly "penalised"! Going off four against Lambert, Smektala, and Lindback seems to be as good as it could get for him.

As I said, it is all conjecture, but all things being equal, I would be quite happy the way things turned out if I was him...

Steve

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5 hours ago, racers and royals said:

The free practice which happened before we joined the coverage(5pm to 6pm UK time) was also timed and the slowest rider Doyle went 1st and the fastest Kolodziej went last. 2nd slowest 2nd 2nd fastest 2nd from last etc etc

So the fastest man from practice is penalised for qualifying, yet the fastest man from qualifying is rewarded for the grand prix?

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