Yes Audi!!!!!!!!!!
Good Job Eki

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www.comparethemeerkat.com Take a look Cadpig!

wtf bryan adams?

TALKING AMONG YOURSELVES...

No working internet connection to our commentary cabin at Brands Hatch meant that we missed all your jewels this afternoon, and Carlton and I are sorry to have missed you all. But you did a good job keeping up the banter.

And a Happy Birthday to Smartwombat.

We met some of you who were there, but not all. But I will be at Silverstone for the 1000 Kms on September 13/14, so hopefully we'll catch up there...

MARK COLE

Mark, Carlton

Good evening (or morning when you see this) I'm here, at Brands.
Well actually tonight we're in the Hilton but you know what I mean !
Please give me a shout, as it's my birthday !!
25 with another 25 years of experience
I'll catch it in the replay during the week...

Already got Birthday wishes from Susie, Ralf and Tom, cheap presents I know but my wife is hunting down drivers to sign photos for me and she's very good at it

We've just got round to eating the Mercedes parts they were handing out at Hockenheim, gummi gears, nuts, bolts, pistons nicely packaged in Mercedes-Benz Original-Teile livery.
We've applied the Mercedes sunscreen they were handing out today at the fan/press interview session, very welcome.

Mercedes weather prediction is for rain, the great race leveller, at about 3pm Sunday.
At the fan/press conference they were predicting AUDI going out on the wrong tyres again.
Met Office issued a severe weather advisory forecasting thunderstorms and 20-30mm rainfall.
So if/when it rains tomorrow I hope the girls will be round handing out Mercedes ponchos

Seen Plowey racing, he got caught in the shower of drive-throughs they were handing out yesterday. It might be easier to list who didn't get a penalty in F3 ES race 1. The whole RC team were way back further than I think they ought to be. I hope they're doing some tweaks overnight so we'll see how the new setup works tomorrow.


The arrangements for the paddock passes has changed, not sure why but it's good news !
The silver bands (only) will now get you under the tunnel and round to the back of the pits.

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PAul

http://www.photographyreview.com/smartwombatcrx.aspx

Yep, got that !
Also a ton of photos of the special lifting cradle not working.
Not a day for vorsprung durch technik that one !

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PAul

http://www.photographyreview.com/smartwombatcrx.aspx

Talked to JP after the race, and he was quite positive about signing up for next year.

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PAul

http://www.photographyreview.com/smartwombatcrx.aspx

Thank you for the birthday wishes!

Great Mark, we'll be there at Silverstone.
Drop me a text if you have time to meet up there.
I'd like to see you guys !

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PAul

http://www.photographyreview.com/smartwombatcrx.aspx

I'm sorry guys n' gurlz, but DTM @ Brands yesterday was one of the most boring races that I've ever seen....it made F1 @ Valencia look like a timeless classic...!



OK, so I watched the Brands DTM after having been totally spoiled by all of the BTCC and support races at Silverstone - Porsche race with Tim Harvey coming through from 15th to win was OUTSTANDING. And all on the Silverstone short National circuit...!



But the DTM was IMHO rubbish - and I think that the reason is that the Indy circuit is WAY too short for DTM. Are the cars simply too precious and girly to be able to handle the full Grand Prix circuit...or were the organisers afraid that the crowd wouldn't turn-up, and so with a smaller "Auditorium" the place looked packed...?



We were going to go to Brands for this weekend up until we found out that they'd be on the short Indy circuit - and my fears have unfortunately been proven.



If Brands does host the race again next year, unless they put it on the Grand Prix circuit, we might not even bother to watch it on the TV, let alone go to it.



Sorry n'all that - but I had to say it.

There are noise restrictions at Brands Hatch, the full intrernational circuit can only be used a number of times a year because there are houses too close in West Kingsdown.
It's covered by planning regulations.

http://www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/documents/b ... gement.pdf

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PAul

http://www.photographyreview.com/smartwombatcrx.aspx

AH...that explains a whole lot. Thanks for that, Smartwombat.



Shame (polite mode=ON).



Incidentally, I've just watched race #2 of the WTCC - cracking race, even after the Demolition Derby of Turn #1. Priaulx from 20+ on the grid to 5th-ish by the end.





MMmmm...so back to the DTM @ Brands. What's the answer...?

Surely Brands can't keep promoting a totally castrated venue, in the forlorn hope that Lewis will draw-in the DTM crowds by flinging a Mac around the track, contaminated with an artificial ride-height of several inches.

And just who gets to decide which events / races ultimately use the International track...?



OK, so the BTCC has its finale on the International layout in October this year.

A1GP needs the lap distance.

And bikes are bikes...."4-wheels good, 2-wheels bad" as George Orwell almost wrote...



So therefore is DTM the "poor man" of Motor Sport, having to put-up with second-best...?

Because the Brands Indy Circuit, whilst providing nearly 100% viewing for trackside spectators, provides little else towards generating entertainment-value for fans of cars as fast as the DTM machines...let alone any room to let the race unfold. Ginetta's fair enough; Renault Clio Cup and Legends are well-suited to the Indy circuit. But DTM...? Pur-lease...!



Maybe the Donnington / Silverstone fiasco may provide an opportunity for DTM to go to one of those venues for next season...? I've never seen a recent DTM car on the full GP circuit at Silverstone...Maggotts/Becketts/Chapel at full chat...phew...!



BOTTOM LINE:  Whilst I NOW understand the reason(s) for DTM not using the Brands Grand Prix circuit, it's still not really getting the baby bathed.

I really hope that DTM stays at Brands.
The facilities are better than Silverstone.
The people are nicer than Silverstone.
The food is far better at Brands (where did they get those chicken pies from in the Hailwood bar?)
The Indy circuit is small enough that you can watch the cars round almost the whole lap - provided you can see between the trees
The pits back onto the Cooper straight, so using the paddock pass you get a really good view.
There are plenty of places with little fencing, or the bank behind is high enough, that you can get fantastic photographs.
I have to bitch a little though, the closed the inside of Druids for media only. That is great viewing and it's frustrating not to get in there.
Disabled access is brilliant, parking right behind the Desire WIlson stand, toilets and shops close, or straight ontot he south bank.

Problem with SIlverstone (and soon to be Donington) is the F1 mandated huge fences, the acres of gravel or tarmac, and the sheer size of  Silverstone circuit means you see very little.
Plus for smaller races they don't upen up Silverstone for viewing, and close most of the grandstands, so you're really stuffed for decent access. Even Abbey has been closed for some events.
Only decent photo spot is Luffield, and you can only take so many (or few) pictures around those corners.
Disabled access is poor, and parking even worse. Unless you are a keen blagger and park in the paddock, or a member of the Silverstone Racing Club and can use the SRC car parking.

I far prefer Brands.
Oh and the short circuit?
You see the cars more often, they come by every 40 seconds or so.
No long gaps while they're out of sight on the international loop.


I'd settle for Donington if they haven't increased the fencing at the chicane, or the Melbourne loop (my wife's favourite wheelchair parking point) and if they could improve the size of the tunnel so she can get her chair from one side of the track to the other in less than 15 minutes through the shambling throng.

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PAul

http://www.photographyreview.com/smartwombatcrx.aspx

Good points well made - and understood.



But they still don't help with the RACING...!



No, I'm not just a "sit-at-home-and-watch-the-TV-coverage" type-fan.



And ask yourself this...would you rather see all of the cars coming around, past your vantage point in the same order lots of times...or fewer times but in a different order...?



One of those answers is modern day F1 Monaco in the dry, or any stretch of any motorway you care to choose.



The other is a circuit suited to the style and speed of the cars, that enables them / the drivers to race, stretch their legs, and probe / defend strengths and weaknesses both on-track and team strategy-wise.



There have been some FANTASTIC DTM races - that didn't involve panel-rubbing or paint-trading. There have been some equally fantastic DTM races that have involved a few robust manoeuvres as well. And there have been some excellent DTM races that have been won and / or lost on pure strategy.



Sadly, DTM at Brands 2008 had none of the above...and I place the reason for this squarely on the shoulders of the track not suiting the DTM format.



I don't expect you to agree or disagree with me, Smartwombat, as we're discussing this point from entirely different perspectives - and so by definition neither of us can be wrong or right.

I'll bow to your knowledge re the warmth of folk at Brands versus Silverstone. I have nothing to offer in the way of experience vis a vis the Disabled Facilities afforded by Brands v. Silverstone v. Donnington. And I know diddly-squat about blagging a respectable photographers position at any circuit.



But if DTM is going to try to attract a larger audience through RACING, then the Indy circuit at Brands is not, IMHO, the way to achieve this.



Thanks for the insight though.



Regards,



Gelert.

Good arguments, guys.



As well as the noise restrictions, it is DTM policy to try to keep the cars in view as much as possible: hence they use the Barcelona short circuit - the DTM's next stop on September 21st - and the Nurburging short circuit.



From my point of view I thought the DTM racing at Brands was spectacular, but you have to be there to really appreciate the speed, noise and the smell of racing!



MARK COLE

Yeah I went to Brands and it is incredible the speed that they do!



Also the fact that they used the indy circuit instead of the GP curcuit is a big thing in terms of deciding to go.



I deffinately wanted to go more due to the fact they were on the indy circuit and it is the spectators at the track itself that keep the races coming back!



Still looks like it was managed with more than 25,000 ppl over the 17,000 of last year and now got 3 year contract for Brands hatch.





Also BTCC final was meant to be on the gp circuit to start with but changed to the indy circuit probably due to the noise thing.



Also this was my frist visit to Brands after being to Rockingham twice for the BTCC and it is a very nice setup, just along way to drive!