Rockingham Sunday 10th June 2012
This weekend it was the turn of Rockingham to see a visit from The Spectator for the BRSCC organised British Formula 3/British GT package. There were 9 races on the Sunday, 2 of each for F3,UK Formula Ford, Volkswagen Cup & Ginetta GT5 Challenge plus a 2 hour British GT race.
Rockingham, with it's 2 mile road course within the 1.5 mile oval, is an odd place to spectate at. Opened in 2001 the venue has struggled to find it's identity over the years with the visit of Indy/Champ Car in '01 & '02 a distant memory along with the much vaunted ASCAR/Days of Thunder. Indeed the Oval is barely used these days for racing with only the Pickup series using it on a few occasions throughout the season. The road course is a far less interesting version of the venue's early days, with the modern circuit not using the fast chicane on Turn 1 of the oval. I guess it couldn't last especially after Katherine Legge flipped her F3 car there in 2003. What the spectator is left with now is a fantastic view from the enormous Main Grandstand of most of Rutland but you are left with a distance between you and the action below. Yes you can see EVERYTHING but sometimes you just want to see SOMETHING. The only time the circuit opens up the Turn One stand now is when the Touring Cars are in town. In my opinion Rockingham should open the Grandstand nearest Deane Hairpin as then you would get a great view of most of the overtaking that takes place along with a closer view of Yentwood/Chapman & Tarzan bends too.
As to the racing and by far and away the best race of the day was the British GT 2 hour race. An excellent grid of 26 cars put on a great race with the result being in doubt until the final lap. After the Blancpain GT's at Silverstone the week before it would seem that GT racing is in very good shape this season so there must be some money around! Sadly not it would seem to be the case in Single Seater racing nowadays with the both British F3 & UK F.Ford having 14 car grids at Rockingham. Something urgently needs to be done to address the situation in the UK at present as the ladder to F1 is in danger of collapsing. Only young British drivers with access to family millions it would seem have any chance of progressing upwards. The 40 minute Formula 3 race was also one the worst F3 races I've seen and it's sad to see a once great series struggling.
Admission was £10 (bought in advance) and programme was £5.The weather was dry for a change if never warm and it's the only track where you have no need to take an umbrella........
RANT ALERT: One other thing to note was the presence of Brian Jones in the commentary box. He was a stalwart of Brands Hatch for many years and must be getting on age wise. Sadly his commentary was reminiscent of Murray Walker's final years and there were too many errors (Cooper Straight was mentioned more than once) and an inabilty to call what was happening out on track (which isn't good enough on a circuit where you can see everything). I appreciate it's a difficult job but there are far too many bad commentators than good ones around the circuits. Andrew Wilkins (at Donington for the Morgan meeting) is by far the worst culprit as he purely commentates off the timing screen in front of him instead of looking on the circuit and his inane patter has remained the same at every meeting for years. We don't need comparisons in lap time to Motorway speed, we don't need comparisons to Formula One at every opportunity (during a Ford XR qualifying session at Donington......) and we don't want WHOOSH..... RANT OVER!!
Rockingham, with it's 2 mile road course within the 1.5 mile oval, is an odd place to spectate at. Opened in 2001 the venue has struggled to find it's identity over the years with the visit of Indy/Champ Car in '01 & '02 a distant memory along with the much vaunted ASCAR/Days of Thunder. Indeed the Oval is barely used these days for racing with only the Pickup series using it on a few occasions throughout the season. The road course is a far less interesting version of the venue's early days, with the modern circuit not using the fast chicane on Turn 1 of the oval. I guess it couldn't last especially after Katherine Legge flipped her F3 car there in 2003. What the spectator is left with now is a fantastic view from the enormous Main Grandstand of most of Rutland but you are left with a distance between you and the action below. Yes you can see EVERYTHING but sometimes you just want to see SOMETHING. The only time the circuit opens up the Turn One stand now is when the Touring Cars are in town. In my opinion Rockingham should open the Grandstand nearest Deane Hairpin as then you would get a great view of most of the overtaking that takes place along with a closer view of Yentwood/Chapman & Tarzan bends too.
As to the racing and by far and away the best race of the day was the British GT 2 hour race. An excellent grid of 26 cars put on a great race with the result being in doubt until the final lap. After the Blancpain GT's at Silverstone the week before it would seem that GT racing is in very good shape this season so there must be some money around! Sadly not it would seem to be the case in Single Seater racing nowadays with the both British F3 & UK F.Ford having 14 car grids at Rockingham. Something urgently needs to be done to address the situation in the UK at present as the ladder to F1 is in danger of collapsing. Only young British drivers with access to family millions it would seem have any chance of progressing upwards. The 40 minute Formula 3 race was also one the worst F3 races I've seen and it's sad to see a once great series struggling.
Admission was £10 (bought in advance) and programme was £5.The weather was dry for a change if never warm and it's the only track where you have no need to take an umbrella........
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