News and views on motorsports

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Spirits Alive

This story on Pitpass shows why Bernie Ecclestone would do well not to attack Silverstone and the British Grand Prix every chance he gets. Well, at least this year he's a lot happier.

The Pitpass just goes to show you why Britain is the home of motorsports. It still has an unparalleled racing industry centered around Surrey and Oxfordshire and just look at the fans. Already at Silverstone at 5.30AM!! Just you try getting an Arab sheikh down to his Bahrain circuit at that hour. I bet no matter how many new countries Bernie wants to recruit and possibly replace the British Grand Prix, he'll never get the same partisan crowds they have over there.

Having said that, access to Silverstone is still a bitch unless by air, so maybe the fans are in early to beat the inevitable queue. But at half past five? Thats what I call die hard fans. At that hour the typical crony is still in bed with mistress and contemplating whether or not to use his complimentary paddock pass at the grand prix and rub shoulders with have-to-be-seen-with politicians.

All this despite all the bickering and politics. As Pitpass says, other sports would kill to have this sort of fan loyalty.

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