Jump to content
British Speedway Forum
Sign in to follow this  
Sidney the robin

For or against the GP series.?

Recommended Posts

42 minutes ago, Midland Red said:

The World Finals were a culmination of many, many qualifying rounds around Europe, where many, many riders had the opportunity to qualify. Those that came through all the rounds deserved to be there in the final, therefore the best riders of that year.

Depending on nationality (and seeding), riders competed in different numbers of meetings. Some qualified after one or two meetings. I'm not saying that the riders who qualified for the final didn't deserve to be there, but it was quite possible for riders to scrape through with some mediocre performances. Having said that, one bad night - even one fall or e/f - and it was easy for a rider to get screwed.

42 minutes ago, Midland Red said:

With the GPs, just how many riders have the opportunity to qualify? Places are taken by riders qualifying through what they achieved in previous seasons, by selection, and may well not be as good in the current season as others who have no opportunity to qualify.

I'm nor exactly sure how the European qualification works these days, but there are still qualifying rounds. What people forget is that EVERYBODY still has to qualify these days. With the top eight (now six) from the previous year qualifying from the previous year's GP series, that to me is still the fairest way of qualifying. A rider is not going to lose out because of bad luck;; everybody has a full year to qualify. It doesn't matter that it was done the previous year.

How many riders currently outside the GP's would you say are better than those in it? The lower placed riders in the last few years have tended to be those who have qualified from the GP challenge - which people probably feel is the fairest way of qualifying. People weren't happy to see Kasprzak in this year - but he qualified on merit.

43 minutes ago, Midland Red said:

Remember the WCQRs at all British tracks?  Virtually all British and Australasian riders had the opportunity to qualify, now they have virtually none.

How many British and Australasian riders are there these days? Not even enough to have qualifiers at the few tracks we have left!

43 minutes ago, Midland Red said:

this season’s revised scoring system.

Like most, I preferred the old system. However, again I will ask:

1) Is it fair that the winner of a GP gets the most points?
     Previously, you could win the GP, and lose ground on those riders you just beat. It was possible for a rider to win every GP, and not even get enough points to finish in the Top 8 at the end of the year!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, BOBBATH said:

I agree with chunky and not midland red on this, definitely there were some guys very lucky to get to the World Final , and certainly  to win it. E.G. in the first category Bryan Elliott, in the second category no way could Jerzy Sczakiel have become World Champ. in a GP series -not sure about Egon Muller either.

Scenario: Szmarzlik and Laguta get injured before the next GP and take no further part this year. Lindgren or Sayfutdinov wins the title. Did the best rider win, is he a worthy World Champion? Luck has always played a part. Sczakiel was lucky Mauger fell, Muller was lucky the final was in Germany and had the track prepared to his liking.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

i used to love the world finals, but i've grown to love the GPs.

but, with the GPs i would prefer 20 heats and scores totalled at the end, no semi/finals, as gate positions always come into play and overall it should be about most points accumulated not someone sneaking into the semi's on 7 or 8 but walking away with 20 or whatever it is 

  • Like 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
19 minutes ago, stevehone said:

i used to love the world finals, but i've grown to love the GPs.

but, with the GPs i would prefer 20 heats and scores totalled at the end, no semi/finals

What I said...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

GP's, without a doubt.

I saw 3 world finals, Wembley '69 and Odsal '85 & 90, great occasions all,  but GP's are a much better way of doing things.

Besides we get to have a magnificent big time occasion every single year at Cardiff. Previously the big night only came to the UK once every 5 years or so.

Some are moaning about a likely 2 horse race this year between Laguta and Zmarzlik, but honestly what's not to like. Zmarzlik is incredible to watch, a hundred times more spectacular than Mauger, Briggs, Olsen and many others put together and he pulls off moves you would never have see any of those afore mentioned riders make.

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
2 hours ago, customhouseregular said:

Scenario: Szmarzlik and Laguta get injured before the next GP and take no further part this year. Lindgren or Sayfutdinov wins the title. Did the best rider win, is he a worthy World Champion? Luck has always played a part. Sczakiel was lucky Mauger fell, Muller was lucky the final was in Germany and had the track prepared to his liking.

Jason Doyle 2016, Leon Madsen 2019.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
18 minutes ago, norbold said:

Jason Doyle 2016, Leon Madsen 2019.

Collins 1977...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, chunky said:

Collins 1977...

Mornington Crescent.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
6 minutes ago, norbold said:

Mornington Crescent.

I'm sorry, I haven't a clue...

  • Like 2
  • Haha 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
12 hours ago, keepturningleft said:

GP's, without a doubt.

I saw 3 world finals, Wembley '69 and Odsal '85 & 90, great occasions all,  but GP's are a much better way of doing things.

Besides we get to have a magnificent big time occasion every single year at Cardiff. Previously the big night only came to the UK once every 5 years or so.

Some are moaning about a likely 2 horse race this year between Laguta and Zmarzlik, but honestly what's not to like. Zmarzlik is incredible to watch, a hundred times more spectacular than Mauger, Briggs, Olsen and many others put together and he pulls off moves you would never have see any of those afore mentioned riders make.

 

More spectacular than Briggo really ? and by the way they have 13 world titles between them hardly a bunch of also rans.

Edited by Sidney the robin
  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
16 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

More spectacular than Briggo really ? and by the way they have 13 world titles between them hardly a bunch of also rans.

I find it almost impossible to compare riders from different eras where bikes and/or tracks were very different. It would be interesting seeing a young tearaway on a JAP bike where, by all accounts, they required severe control handling because all they wanted to do was drag you to the fence. Hanging off the back of a bike was almost unheard of although the likes of Peter Craven came closest.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I agree Zmarzlik is more spectacular in his riding style then Fundin, Moore, Briggs, Craven and Knutson. But I prefer the riding style of those 5 (and others of there era) then Zmarzlik. The 5 made winning look easier, though I sure it wasn’t. I do wish development of laid down high revving engines had not happened. I still prefer to watch racing from the 70’s

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, Sidney the robin said:

More spectacular than Briggo really ? and by the way they have 13 world titles between them hardly a bunch of also rans.

Quite, Sidney. Not to mention Peter Craven - you could hardly accuse him of not being spectacular. And then there were the likes of Sverre Harrfeldt and Christer Lofqvist. Each generation has had its share of thrill makers, going right back to 'Cyclone' Billy Lamont, whose on-track antics earned him the nickname, "The Man With a Month to Live!"

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
19 hours ago, customhouseregular said:

The old system had its flaws certainly but I still preferred it. Yes, some top guys lost out and some no-hopers made it to the final, but generally the cream rose to the top. Think Mauger, Briggs, Moore, Craven etc. I don’t know if Knutsson would have won over a 10-12 round GP series. He was good enough certainly.

It's well known that nerves often got the better of Björn and without the pressure of having to do it at a one-off meeting, it might have worked in his favour.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

No intention to disparage the great riders from the past, but few, if any people on this forum ever saw Craven ride and there is precious little action footage of him, so we can't really make a judgemental comparison other than listening to other people's reminiscences. 

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. Privacy Policy