2005 Gp

[Cynic]

Received an interesting letter from the BARC yesterday about next years GP. The letter says that the requirement for number of days marshalled has been reduced from 15 to 12. Is this the best idea the MSA can come up with to address low numbers? If so, I think it is not going to have much effect. Thoughts anyone?

[Stephen Green]

Surely it's a start?

If you have strong views regarding matters which may make it easier to get volunteers for the BGP, why not drop an e-mail to the MSA as without input from marshals 'on the ground' they can only do what they believe helps.

[Neil Warland]

Sounds good to me. I've always clocked up just under the 15 days and therefore never been invited. Maybe this year...

[Cynic]

If you have strong views regarding matters which may make it easier to get volunteers for the BGP, why not drop an e-mail to the MSA as without input from marshals 'on the ground' they can only do what they believe helps.

Personally I don't have any particularly strong views, but I have spoken to other people who have and the grumbles are always the same, and most of them have been aired here before so I won't bother repeating them. But I find it interesting that most people I speak to who don't/won't do the GP don't do so because they haven't done enough days.
This just seems to be a very simplistic approach to trying to solve the problem. It may work in the short term, but as we are all aware marshal numbers are low, and this does nothing to address the long term problems that are driving people away.

[Stephen Green]

But the GP is but one meeting in the course of a year. There is much work being done behind the scenes to increase marshalling numbers. However, that's straying away from the topic of this thread.

Maybe you could encourage those who complain about not being picked due to the lack of marshalling days to think about applying for next years race. They may be pleasantly surprised now!

Actually, you say yourself that the majority of peole you have spoken to that don't do the GP say it is because they haven't done enough days marshalling during the previous year, so surely the MSA have done exactly the right thing by reducing the days needed to qualify?

[Neil Warland]

Maybe you could encourage those who complain about not being picked due to the lack of marshalling days to think about applying for next years race. They may be pleasantly surprised now!

Do we get invited by the MSA or do we need to apply to them or to our primary club?

[Stephen Green]

You will receive an application form from your club (BRSCC/BARC) shortly.

[Piglet]

You apply to the MSA via your primary club. The Committee then decide whether to invite you to attend (at least that's my understanding of it).

I think it's a good step, there are a number of very good marshals who for one reason or another are not able to do 15 days either in any year or just in a particular year. I know if the past some of the chiefs have advised people with fewer days to apply anyway with a letter explaining why they have't been able to do 15 days.

My message is the same as ever, if you don't want to do a GP then don't do it, nobody forces you to and in the words of the old kids programme "go and do something less boring instead". If you want to do it then go ahead and do it with an open mind and enjoy the experience - it won't be the same as any other meeting so don't expect it to be.

[F1JordanUk]

Sorry to be Mr Thicko, but is that 15 (or 12!)in a year, because I doubt if I would get 15(or 12!) sigs in a year at Castle Combe, I attend every meeting, but not all meetings are MSA organised, i've been there every weekend almost for the last couple of months! (or it feels like it!)
Does this mean that I have to turn my back on track days and go to another Circuit miles away just to get the chance of Marsalling at the BGP?
Lee

[ss24355261]

i am waiting to marshal at a BGP. But i require a course training day? that i will do at the beginning next year.I am a trainee with 25 + days done this year. So will that mean that i will not be able to marshal at the BGP.:confused:

[Alan Green]

F1JordanUk - Qualifying days need to be MSA Licenced race events. You don't need signatures from 12 (15) days, just needed to have been marshalling at 12 (15) race days in the qualifying period (at the job you intend volunteering for at GP).

ss24355261 - Depends when the cut off for applications is. You will need to be Course grade minimum to be considered, so if you can hang on and do the earliest 2005 training day, and speak to your grading officer to get your geen badge sharpish you might get on the list.

Al.

[chezza]

My understanding is that you have to qualify as course and then have amassed 15 (now 12) days once you have graded. I'm cutting it close with the 12 day figure...think I will have to go have a count up!

[Rich D]

Quick question -- I may be in the UK around GP time next year -- how does a foreign marshal go about applying, and what experience/letters/etc. is required??

[Stevespurr]

Recived volunteering form for 2005 bgp in trackside today and it is 12 days now got to copy the form only one form for 3 of us.

[Woolley]

I'll qualify easily with about 40 days. That doesn't include the GP though, as I stopped 3 years ago when I realized it was the worst meeting I did each year. Haven't seen anything in the last year tht makes me think I need F1 back in my life, so if anyone would like to buy some days off me...?

[Stephen Green]

Originally posted by Rich D
Quick question -- I may be in the UK around GP time next year -- how does a foreign marshal go about applying, and what experience/letters/etc. is required??

Rich,

Normally you get your own National Body to write to the MSA giving them your experience and current grade. You can always call the MSA yourself to ask what they need to make sure you forward the correct details.

Their website is www.msauk.org

[Piglet]

Rich, you may also find it helpful to make contact with the chief for your particular discipline prior to the selection committee meeting so that you can let him know your experience etc., you might find it increases your chances of being selected as they will know all about you. I'm sure someone here will be able to put you in touch.

[Dave Brand]

Originally posted by Cynic
Is this the best idea the MSA can come up with to address low numbers? If so, I think it is not going to have much effect. Thoughts anyone?

But I find it interesting that most people I speak to who don't/won't do the GP don't do so because they haven't done enough days.

Something of a contradiction in those two statements, isn't there?

Who's saying this is the best the MSA can come up with? It may well be just one of a number of intitiatives.

As one of the people who won't do the GP, I can assure you it's nothing to do with not having done enough days - I've done plenty. I won't do the GP because I have no interest in the travesty of motor racing F1 has become.

[Cynic]

Obviously I didn't phrase that right. What I meant to say was that I have never yet met anyone whose sole reason for not doing the GP was that they hadn't done enough days. Dave's post is a prime example of the sort of comment I hear most. And the MSA or the organising clubs may well have other initiatives in the pipeline, but this one to me just seems to be a kop-out. Unless someone knows otherwise, I've always assumed the 15-day limit was as much about having a certain amount of recent marshalling experience as much as anything else. If they are going to start fiddling with that, they may as well scrap it completely. That'll probably provide a big boost to the numbers.

[SCARY]

The one reason which stops me from apply to marshall at the BGP is the 'marhsall's who volunteer for the whole three days will have preference'. Not everyone can afford, not only the time from work but time away from families. I only marshall one day in a weekend as I work full time and have a family (they are very understanding.) Taking three days out and camping away from home I do not think would be appreciated; but on the other hand why should a marshall only pick 1 day?

[rbs]

The easy way for the MSA to get marshals back at the GP is to put a meeting on with cars on the circuit, not an empty track. Who really wants to stand and watch tarmac for hours on end.The MSA need to negotiate with the FIA on the
support package for the event. My main grouse with GP's is
why do you have to be on post for so long before a car ventures onto the circuit.
If the only way to fill the "banks" is to lower the qualifing days then so be it if you want the GP to stay in Britain. At least the MSA have done something constructive towards manning the circuit, even if it is not manned to the standard we have been used to.

[Piglet]

rbs, I think you'll find the MSA have negotiated long and hard on both the support package and the time on post. As I understand it the British GP has more support races than most other GP's - negotiate and FIA are not really words that go well in the same sentence!!

When you say "manned to the standard we have been used to" to you mean in the way of numbers or are you saying that the standard of marshalling is lower through having people who have only done 12 days rather than 15? Not picking at you, just curious as to what you mean.

[garry heale]

HI GUYS,I'VE JUST RECIEVED MY G.P.05 FORM FROM THE BMMC,AND YES IT DOES ASK FOR 12DAYS WORTH OF MEETINGS,BUT IT ALSO SAYS THAT IF YOU CANT LIST 12 DAYS YOU CAN WRITE ON A PEACE OF PAPER TO LET THEM KNOW WHY,E.G.WORK,ILLNESS,FAMILY PROBS ETC.
OK ITS NONE OF THERE @&%$"£ BUSINESS WHY YOU HAV'NT DONE 12,BUT AT LEAST IT COULD GIVE YOU A FIGHTING CHANCE TO "GET IN" TODO THE BGP:

[rbs]

Piglet, I know that negotiate and FIA do not go well together and that our GP has more support races than Belgium for example. It is the empty track time that is a problem to me.
As for manning levels, I mean as many marshals as we had in the past.By lowering the number of days you need to do to qualify it will encompass more marshals.
As far as I have seen this year there will be very few marshals with 12 days marshalling only, I seem to see the same faces every weekend, and very few are inexperienced marshals.
The days of 4 Observers and Flags to a post have long gone.
If the MSA thought that we would lose the GP because not enough marshals were attending it can only be the right way to go.

[danccooke]

My wife and i recieved our letters the other day, most happy then i just read that i have to have course grade and then 12??? i have done 20+ meets this year but only just recieved course grade, i am going to fill in the form and send it off anyway, at least we stand a chance that way. and race day would be our 1st wedding anniversary.
Talking about the standard of marshalling i am sure we will never see anything quite like the marshalling at Monaco.