Apparently Motorsport UK ‘had received a great deal of questions’ but rather than try to answer any individually they had grouped them into ten different subjects and addressed the topic generally. I was left disappointed - although I do hope for an answer to my submitted written questions!
The public ‘turnout’ was a disappointment too. Considering there are some 120,000 ‘members’ of Motorsport UK, only around 240 at its highest audience number tuned in according to Youtube’s viewer counter. That smacks of complete dis-interest amongst the ‘members’, does it not?
Of course, there should have been more than 240 folk watching, shouldn’t there? After all our Chair and Chief Exec were on camera to address the nation. Or is this just another case of the majority leaving it to the minority to sort out because the majority doesn’t give a sh*t? As long as there are mugs to organise, officiate and marshal why should the rest of us bother?
No chance of rousing and inciting a placard waving, access blockading mob at the nation’s favourite forests when rallying is denied again this year, is there?
Seriously though, I stuck with it. After a video walk round the offices at Bicester a sit-down chat with Messrs David Richards CBE, Hugh Chambers and Claire Kirkpatrick followed during which they highlighted their plans for the next five years. After that came the ‘Q&A’ session during which both Mr Richards and Jonathan Jackson assured rally folk that they were constantly working with the various forestry commissions in Scotland, England and Wales. The most interesting snippet to come out of that was Mr Richard’s statement that there WILL be a British WRC round before he retires - and this is his final year of Chairmanship!
Having said all that, Motorsport UK does face some serious difficulties looking ahead. The general public’s growing awareness and perception of environmental concerns will impact on a sport which currently relies on petrol and diesel powered vehicles for sporting pleasure. Whilst the great British public, and our critics, are oblivious to their own car use pursuing their own interests, they seem to frown on those of us who wish to use cars for sporting use. And this is something we will all have to face and fight for.
And yet there were some positives from last night’s presentation. The fact that Motorsport UK is making more use of social media particularly for the huge variety of Official and Marshal Training Courses and promotional/publicity functions is a big advantage to reaching the parts of these islands that are otherwise difficult to visit personally, or seek us to visit them.
On the other hand they must be careful that they don’t simply use this as a lecturing platform but also to seek genuine members’ concerns and opinions and engage in discussion. It would be all too easy to block the questions they don’t want to hear.
You can download the Vision 2030 document here:
https://www.motorsportuk.org/vision2030/documents/MotorSport-UK-Vision-2030.pdf