Incredible unprofessional organised championship, cancelt like a children birthdayparty, just possible because EWC have no promotor. For sure FIM had just a handshake , probably not even this. Same the TV-Livebroadcasting promising the FIM is unable to handle a championship. In GP or SBK impossible, otherwise Organiser would pay millions to the teams. In EWC an email is enough, teams can put their flighttickets,ferrybookings, sponsor and ridercontracts in their ass. So unprofessional is not even the albanian SBK championship.
the pèroblem maybe the organizator, ACO but the FIM is responsable in front to the team. we work all the year for contract to find money for all the season and we are not protect from this decision, in more whit a short championship(only 4 races now and we hope remain 4)whit 1 retired is compromise all the season. in this condition is better a national championship
Re: political and financial issues with the local authorities
Whatever people might say on here about Albacete at least the council there puts out every year to make it happen! Reading between the lines of the FIM statement, and knowing English local authorities, I imagine that the FIM and Donnington and a few other parties did a perfectly reasonable deal and then the local authorities completely ignored their duties to local business and the community as a whole and considered every concievable way it might cost them money, every rule, law and EEC directive they could possibly be held accountable for, plus the views of 3 or 4 people living just within earshot who like peace and quiet and did not notice there was a race circuit and an airport in the area when they brought their house - and so scuppered the deal. Sadly they have been nailed by so many court rulings that defy any sort of common sense that they are all totally paranoid and averse to even the slightest risk to the extent that it is difficult to organise a girl guides treasure hunt in this country now, let alone an international motorsport event. As for "political differences" nothing could be too stupid to surprise me! Perhaps the 'non-greenness' of the sport is of greater importance than the potential to bring vast sums of money into the local economy or maybe the ACU did not feel it could support the councils stance on the persecution of lesbians in Outer Mongolia?
At least No Limits etc have only lost a 5th of their season - spare a thought for the small Phase One team who have kept their bikes for a year and spent months preparing them and trying to raise the money just for this one race! Well, I guess RB has no use for them now so I imagine reasonable offers for 2 well kept bikes that finished 2nd in Qatar on their last EWC outing might be gladly recieved!
I can't believe this, I've been wangling getting time off work for the last 2 weeks (August is hell) just got it all sorted to now read this. This is very amateurish what ever the reason. People and teams have spent real money to get sorted. Rubbish!
Re: Not happy
Posted by Martin G on June 16, 2011, 4:58 pm, in reply to "Not happy" 194.83.236.250
I've moved all sorts of other work and a family commitment to be able to get there, and talked people into putting me up and helping out.
Luckily I hadn't committed any money, but I was just days away from doing so.
It shouldn't be a surprise, but it is.
Gutted.
And angry.
Re: Not happy
Posted by Martin G on June 16, 2011, 5:00 pm, in reply to "Re: Not happy" 194.83.236.250
It's also the ePower bikes and Sidecar World Championship affected as well, of course.
Does anyone know if it was an ACU, Donington Park or FIM decision?
I suspect poor ticket sales might have more to do with it than any problem with the neighbours.
Or the FIM not doing any promoting of the race whatsoever...
Re: I suspect
Posted by Mark/Foggy on June 16, 2011, 6:45 pm, in reply to "I suspect" 81.134.99.25
And the FIM wanting a really big cheque, around about now, to allow the event to go ahead. I'd wager that Donington don't have a great deal of liquid assets and were expecting some help on the promotion font, i.e. value for that really big cheque.
Re: political and financial issues with the local authorities
I thought only we germans are stupid with all that green stuff, but as I understand right, we can learn from England. But jokes beside, I'm totally ####ed. We wanted to beat the other teams at our home race with the Honda TT Legends. That will not happen and I hate this. Waited so long to come to an endurance race in the UK - shit !!!
we have been whaiting a long time for this hotel is booked have time of work and at 4.45 pm today thay are still selling tickets for the weekend wtf is that all about. we will have to go to france now see you there now jp
Re: donnington park
Posted by Mark/Foggy on June 17, 2011, 6:36 pm, in reply to "donnington park" 81.134.99.25
“We were so keen to get Donington Park back up and running that we initially over-subscribed to racing events in relation to the noise restrictions in place,” said chairman Kevin Wheatcroft. “Although it’s a tough decision to reduce the calendar, we know it is right for the venue. We still have some very exciting events to look forward to and we can press ahead with the improvements at the park ahead of what is set to be another exciting year in 2012."
I don't normally advocate petrol bombing, but if anybody in the East Midlands wants a fiver I'm your man. Tenner fot Avgas.
Re: donnington park
Posted by Mike's Diary on June 19, 2011, 7:45 pm, in reply to "Re: donnington park" 82.32.48.184
Given that that bears no relation to anything else that has so far been released and their calendar is full of stuff of far lesser stature I don't think we are anywhere near the truth of the matter yet! Clearly reducing the calendar is not right for Donnington - the more business you do the more profit you can make - but it seems that getting out of running the EWC race was right for them, for reasons that we probably won't actually find out!
PATHETIC
Posted by PATHETIC on June 20, 2011, 12:22 am, in reply to "Re: donnington park" 90.195.20.122
PATHETIC.
Couldn`t organise a cool beverage in a drink manufacturing facility.
Sounds like Anchors.
Guesswork, but...
Posted by Martin G on June 20, 2011, 9:06 am, in reply to "Re: donnington park" 81.86.119.31
Purely guesswork, but how does this sound.
Donington lose MotoGP, SBK, and then their shirt in various confusing business deals. They patch up the track and cast around for events that can earn them a bit of money.
The FIM dangle the carrot of a triple world championship event; endurance, sidecars and e-Power.
In Donington's head they imagine something a bit like Le Mans or the Bol, but with sidecars instead of croissants. A weekend long festival, with traders paying handsomely to sell their wares, the world's media crowding into the press centre, three lots of punters queuing up to get in, etc, etc.
They've hosted MotoGP and SBK before; they know the score. Just to be certain, though, they go to Magny Cours to watch the first race of the season; fantastic. Pound signs light up in their eyes as they watch the hordes of happy spectators heading home on Sunday.
And then no one buys any tickets for the UK round. There are no press articles trumpeting this great new event. The only tv coverage of the championships in the UK is by subscription, and it's never broadcast at the scheduled time.
So they go to the Albacete 8 Hour to remind themselves just how fantastic Donington will be.
And when they get home, dispirited and disappointed, there's a letter from the council telling that due to an administrative error, they've booked one too many events this year. 'Terribly sorry, all our fault, I'm sure we can work something out'.
So what do Donington do? Do they cancel a lucrative motorcycle trackday that's already sold out? Do they cancel a classic car race that'll feature a team of Fifth Gear presenters? Or do they quietly erase the loss-mkaing endurance race, knowing they only have to refund a few quid in advance sales?
Re: Guesswork, but...
Posted by Matchbox on June 20, 2011, 2:44 pm, in reply to "Guesswork, but..." 143.167.57.220
Martin, you might like to add that the last time (I think), they ran an EWC round at Donington (1987?), about 3 people turned up to watch; myself, my brother, and some bloke looking for his dog. No ticket sales, no advertising, petty noise regulations and over zelous local authority chaps will stop just about anything.
And here was me just dusting off my old Phase One shirt to come and offer support. I'll stay in the pub now instead.
