Comments on: Should Motor Sport Have A Place In The Olympics?

By: Graeme Wattie

Graeme Wattie — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 13:47:44 +0000

Tennis is somehow is the “Lympics, however Motorsport doesn’t have a place in most of it’s forms, unless the A1 GP is possibly considered. MotoGP is the most exciting motorsport on the planet across the 3 classes and World Superbikes GP (SBK) in the big class and the 600cc Supersport is usually wheel to wheel stuff every race. Both of these forms of racing now have riders from Indonesia, Thailand, Turkey surprising some people and of course the regular World Champions from Australia. In the 125cc and 250cc MotoGPs events the rivalry between the Italians and the Spanish riders has to be seen to be believed. This is what the punters want to see so remember motorsport is not just on 4 wheels. Remember last weeks 09 MotoGP race In Barcelona with many lead changes and Valentino Rossi impossibly passing teammate and local hero Jorge Lorenzo on the last corner of the last lap to win a famous GP and his 99th. Bring it on.
Oliver, what kind of heat in Malaysia at Sepang? -I can tell you from first hand experience and whilst at Sepang MotoGP 08 in the 40c air temp and 90% humidity. So Ai Gp Round is a possibility as is a round of, say, the Supersport SBK as they are close to a road bike as you can get at that level. Level playing field and already we have riders from Asia, USA, Europe, Oceania competing. Just a thought.

By: Craig

Craig — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:57:26 +0000

I know not all routes will be the same, but Jenson completed his last triathlon in 2hrs 22mins 43secs.

The guy who strolled in last in the triathlon at the Beijing Olympics completed it in 1hr 56mins 50secs – so Jenson would have been quite a way behind!!

While they are unbelievably fit, I think it has to be taken in context – they train for the sport they are taking part in which means their fitness doesn’t necessarily lend itself to other disciplines.

I think the main thing about F1 or any other form of motorsport in the Olympics is that nobody should fail in the Olympic Games due to their equipment. If a runner fails to win the 100m or whatever then it should be because they simply made a mistake or weren’t quick enough – imagine Massa winning the F1 race by a mile before his engine explodes in a cloud of smoke. It simply shouldn’t happen.

By: Oliver White

Oliver White — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 21:17:10 +0000

This could work and I think it should, however, I realisticly don’t think it will, which is such a shame.

I think that in an ideal world, Formula One drivers would be allowed to partake in the Olympics. Simply because of the reasons that they are athletes. Christ, they can race for 90 minutes in Malaysia in god-knows-what kind of heat. But the cost involved for running an equal race for the drivers... that's too much. Just think how long it takes to design, build and crash test a car before it even hits the tarmac. Add in a circuit, marshals, the FIA(?), rules (car-related retirements?)... Then you have to drum up involvement, and quite frankly, I'm not sure the drivers would want to take part. Unless they got paid lots, why would they? They already earn enough from their main job, why prove/humiliate themselves when it isn't necessary for their bank accounts of future career prospects? I don't mean to be a downer, I actually think it would be great to see F1 drivers in the Olympics, as well as WRC drivers and WTCC drivers. But one thing I really think could happen, and that I actually want to happen. And this deserves a separate line to give it some stature... Jenson Button should compete in the triathlon at Olympic level. And so should Lewis Hamilton. Just sayin'. It's not like I have an opinion on it or anything...

By: Stephen Hill

Stephen Hill — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 20:58:07 +0000

I brought up this discussion because Formula One drivers are amongst the fittest “athletes” in the world and should have the chance compete with other athletes.

I agree with capeplates that “The games are about the sporting prowess of the individual”, however, I do think that an even playing field can be created.

The cars would have to be contracted out to one supplier and be non-adjustable by the driver. The car supplier would be responsible for looking after cars and making repairs.

This could work and I think it should, however, I realisticly don’t think it will, which is such a shame.

By: capeplates

capeplates — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 06:59:48 +0000

There is no place in the Olympics for motor racing. The games are about the sporting prowess of the individual/team not a test bed for technology. It would be impossible to create an even playing field for entrants and any race would be more about the car than the driver

By: Steven Roy

Steven Roy — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 19:51:24 +0000

I have had this discussion on a few sites. On Sidepodcast we decided that the only way racing ould be in the Olympics would be if it was karting so that you can have enough identical machines that every country that wants can enter.

Bernie is apparently negotiating to use some of the roads at the Olympic compley in Beijing as a circuit to hold the China GP as of 2011. Shanghai’s contract is up in 2010 and Bernie either wants a change or he has just started the screw turning process we are all familiar with.

By: Craig

Craig — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:46:05 +0000

I read about this somewhere else the other day and to be honest I couldn’t believe anyone had even thought the idea up!

To me, the Olympics are about people and countries rather than manufacturers. Unless the IOC decided to follow the Race of Champions and commission someone to design a car for them which all drivers used then I don’t see how it would work. Unless every competitor was allowed to use their own car (be it a McLaren or a Ferrari or whatever), but that there was never any mention of who was driving what!

I also think in F1 there is too much reliance on the machinery – Kimi in a Red Bull wouldn’t win no matter how good a driver he was for example, whereas someone like Chris Hoy could probably take a bike from any other competitor and either win or at least do very well.

Perhaps that’s not the case, but it’s the impression I get as a layperson watching from the outside.

By: Pansypatrol

Pansypatrol — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:03:45 +0000

I agree with you fully that motorsports is a sport, and not a game. The main issue to me is whether an event should be an event by virtue of how difficult physically or mentally it is. For something like shooting, it is all mental, and yet it is still in the Olympics along with decidedly physical events like the 100m dash. If we are going to have these mental activities like shooting, I don’t see why the mental focus of motorsports shouldn’t be included in the Olympics as well.

I actually go into this in more detail on my own blog, if you’re interested: http://www.pansypatrol.com/should-motorsports-be-an-olympic-event