Is Motorsport going the wrong way?

[ERC]

To follow on from that, as a long-time paying spectator, attending my first race meeting in 1951 and attending regularly from the mid 1950's, I'm just watching the top ten shoot out (I presume) at Bathhurst on TV.

If I was a paying spectator at that event I'd be highly miffed at seeing just one car go past the corner I could see, every 2 minutes. The longer the track, the more stupid these top ten shootouts are. Then there are gaps between the races.

At some tracks, stuck behind a cage and/or tall concrete with no decent photo opportunities. No thanks?

Paying spectators at the event do not pay to watch the action on a TV screen and nothing on the tar seal.

I alluded earlier to a criticism of Goodwood. As anyone who has attended will know, there is NOTHING on the track for half of Saturday and Sunday. If you are on the far side of the track, out of sight even of a TV screen, what a waste of time having a load of junior hooray Henry's in pedal cars from the chicane exit to the finish line.

Some of the parades are often as bad and very slow, then much as we admire Lord March, a 10 minute speech lauding Sir Stirling Moss for example, whilst the parade cars are stationary on the grid? It happens every year I've been. Sorry Jelly Wrestler, although some enjoy the bikes, they don't appeal to me.

Monaco Historics, you are penned into just one grandstand, even though the others are less than a quarter full. I don't want to be trapped in one section of any track. On that score alone, Goodwood does hit the spot as when there is action on the track, you can wander at will and there are no wire fences and on the far side of the track, you can usually get a position right at the fence.

I have also noticed that at our so-called premier race series in NZ, crowd numbers were abysmal.

So to summarise my rant, paying spectators are not being considered at any level. Harking back to Mallory Park in the 1960's, huge bank holiday crowds at a 1.35 mile track, drivers often got starting money or their entry fees returned and the organising clubs made money.