The FIA will be in
town this weekend. On Wales Rally GB. I can see it now. Posters throughout the
stages proclaiming 'Justice for Jock' and 'Justice for Max' - no doubt the F1
fans will be wondering who the hell 'Jock' is. Even the FIA bods may raise a quizzical
eyebrow or two.
There's another reason for concern. The
FIA folks might just get the wrong idea on another matter. You may not know
what the circuit racers are getting up to, but there's a Press Release out this
week announcing changes to next year's British Touring Car Championship.
Apparently the organisers are planning
to introduce new portable trackside marshalling LED light panels which will be
transported to each round of the 2018 Championship. Six of these panels have
been commissioned and will be used at circuits "where TOCA considers the
drivers and marshals would directly benefit from their use".
The mind doth boggle. If the FIA get
wind of this, and the H&S lot as well, who knows what ideas that'll give
them for us rallying folk.
Officialdom might just determine that if
it can be done at racing circuits, then why not in the forests?
I can see it now. Marshals tabards festooned
with LEDs, flashing 3-2-1 boards at Flying Finishes, traffic lights at
spectator crossing points and 'informative' overhead signs warning drivers to
be sure they 'belt up' and 'slippery conditions slow down '. Not to mention the
old favourites 'drive with care', 'heavy rain flooding forecast' and 'safe
tyres save lives'.
Electricity? No problem. The hamsters are
safe, just plug into a pylon!
Happy days, eh?
