Storming Norman Posted May 1, 2005 Report Share Posted May 1, 2005 For the first time, I was bored watching a Grand Prix. Individual races didn't mean much until the riders last rides. I missed the regular races of death under the old system where riders were desperate to get second place or they were out. I found the new format boring. Maybe others didn't? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyM Posted May 1, 2005 Report Share Posted May 1, 2005 Better because it's closer to the old-fashioned individual tournament. Gives every rider a reasonable opportunity to reach to reach the semis without the fear of elimination after two rides, and therefore has to be an improvement. Would be better still without the semis and final, but that's just my prejudice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornishman Posted May 1, 2005 Report Share Posted May 1, 2005 better cos you get to see everyone at least 5 times and if a rider has an e/f it wont put them under as much pressure. (although i did like the elininators). but overall better imo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomhaines Posted May 1, 2005 Report Share Posted May 1, 2005 (edited) terrible... much easier for riders to make the semis! Only half the field are eliminated after 20 heats! No real sense of excitement in any heats because in 80% of them there was no 'do or die' situations. Much prefer the old format and believe this is a step backwards Edited May 1, 2005 by tomhaines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoTigers Posted May 1, 2005 Report Share Posted May 1, 2005 I do think that it is a much more fair system for the riders but also that yesterdays race what a little bit boring. However I don't think that's only the systems fault, it was the track that was a bit boring. We didn't see a lot of great racing and passings, after the first lap the heat almost seemed finished. Since every point does count a lot in the long run I'm sure were are going to see plenty of great racing in the rest of the GPs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frigbo Posted May 1, 2005 Report Share Posted May 1, 2005 Tom Haines has summed it up well for me. The majority of heats contain little drama and are pretty much an apperitif for the last 4 heats, semi's and final. The cut throat elimination system created far more drama and excitement...a serious backward step in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Addison Posted May 1, 2005 Report Share Posted May 1, 2005 The thing that made it most boring last night wasn't the format but the concrete hard track with no outside line until a few late races. Give this new format a chance people !!! If we have a great race track with lots of racing actually going on in the heats you might change your opinions. I personally think this format is a lot better. For the riders it gives them 5 rides at least and you don't trek half way across Europe for two rides. But for me what i HATED about the old format it didn't encourage racing. If you were in second why risk it going to pass for first ??? All you had to do was finish in the top 2 each time you went out.Whats that all about ? Garbage. Plus we saw riders giving race wins up for second for a better race draw next time out.How credible does that make speedway look to the outsider then ? No this format is 100 % better than last years IMHO. Not sure yet about the final points system but the format itself is better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orion Posted May 1, 2005 Report Share Posted May 1, 2005 The format is fair but zzzzzzz but when the track is slick like that, just makes things a lot worst. I think this gp series could be over by the fifth or sixth round under this format and with less temp tracks as well . Looks just like the elite league with the change over ts and lower team pts etc etc people have put saveing or makeing money over entertainment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted May 1, 2005 Report Share Posted May 1, 2005 (edited) terrible... much easier for riders to make the semis! Only half the field are eliminated after 20 heats! If you had a knockout format with 16 riders, you'd still have half the field in the semis! Simple Maths really. I prefered the new format, every race DID mean something (did Hans Andersen give up after 3 dodgy rides?) as he had to do well to try and get as many GP points as possible, if he had stoped trying and scored 0, he'd have 2 GP points less now. TBH, the track made it seem more boring, the format did not effect it, a knockout format would have had just as little passing and been equally boring. Edited May 1, 2005 by SCB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cpbyles Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 The new format is surely what Speedway is all about, I think Andy M wrapped it up in a nutshell. The old system was purely television orientated. For the riders and fans at trackside, this is a winner and gets my vote everytime. For a rider to go home after just two rides was nothing less than farcical and how anyone can suggest this new system denies out and out racing is beyond me, quite the opposite. The only thing they need to do now is do away with seeded riders and bring back qaulifying stages around the Country and give everyone a fair crack of the whip and bring back a TRUE World Champion once again !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 The thing that made it most boring last night wasn't the format but the concrete hard track with no outside line until a few late races AGREED! That slick track didn't work so well Ole! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUDGIE Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 It was interesting going back to the conventional 20 heat format. I missed the elimination races, but looking back to previous years just how many top boys got kicked out prior to HT 17 or 18 anyway, most of them weren't even in the racing up to Heat 13 ( I'm excluding heats 9 &10 as they were 'fillers'). Could anyone truely say that somebody eliminated in the last 3 years in HTs 5 or 6, or 11 and 12 could have actually won any GP, I think not. The standard has obviously been raised, hope that its not too high now to discourage riders making their debut, and being hopelessly out of their depth, in previous years the debutants always had the likes of Max and Smith to beat!, riders of that ilk are no longer in the series, so the newbies will find it tougher! I think that it may be a step too far for the World U21 champion to be included just because he is World U21 champion, but we will see, when we get to more tracks. The last 7 races where good in terms of excitment, and presuambly the organisers and Sky want a build up throughout the evening, this certainly happened, however, I won't have to rush the barbie now just to see Heats 5 & 6! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjw ministerofport Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 I like the new format and found one of the best races of the night was TR beationg Greg he would have stayed in second place with the old format. And the fights for third place were also a bonus. If Gollob had gone after two races it would have been a dissapointment. Plus AJ coming back after a terrible start to the meeting showed the system is better. With each rider getting five races surely the new GP riders will have more chance of learning how cope and at the end of the series i think each GP will be even harder to win. As for TR having a very sore back that was very true he was in agony at the practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicey Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 Some of the comments about "boring" and lack of passing I find hard to believe . I taped the the GP and watched it back again and there were 17 heats where passes were made after the first bend out of the 23. Not bad me thinks. Also 7 out of last years top 8 qualified for the semi's . ..Lindaback being the only exception. Ominous for those trying to get into next years GP's ! My only hang up is the point systems which I posted further down this borad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyM Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 Quite right. The riders did well against an obviously difficult track. How anybody could come to the belief that the meeting format caused that is beyond me! Besides, don't see how eliminating riders makes the meeting more exciting. More riders are in with a chance of qualifying for the semis for a longer period, hence greater excitement! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joester Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 I think that the new format is to fair, riders aren't trying as hard as they can because they know that they're not going to be eliminated, so they don't seem to push for the next place. This make the racing really boring upto about heat 15. I say change it back to the other system!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryn Posted May 3, 2005 Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 I'll reserve judgement on the points scoring system at the moment I think. What I would say is that the eight round British Sidecar Championship are employing a system that might be considered fairer. The TOP FOUR in the heats progress to a final to determine the winner of each round in a one off race but in that final, they are awarded points as thus: 1st: 4. 2nd:3, 3rd: 2, 4th: 1. Those are added to points tallies in the heats. After Sunday's first round at Newport therefore, THREE of the field are level on 14 points each in the series standings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adder Posted May 3, 2005 Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 The old format was much better. Under the new format you are going to get pretty much the same 8 riders making the semi's each time which is going to get somewhat tiresome after a while. Sausage, eggs and boring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted May 3, 2005 Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 Under the new format you are going to get pretty much the same 8 riders making the semi's each time which is going to get somewhat tiresome after a while. But weren't they nearly always with the old format?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReadingRacer05 Posted May 3, 2005 Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 I think it was better as Leigh Adams said its harder coz your meeting ALL the riders. Thought it was a bit more intresting, gives riders more of a chance and doesnt knock them out after a couple of rides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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