No, I am not going to write a post about the infamous Rossi-Marquez clash during last Sunday's race in Malaysia, for the simple fact that I really have no interest in motorcycling and everything related to it.
DARREN COX LEAVES NISSAN
The first thing I would like to talk about brings us to Nissan's global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan. Darren Cox, head of Nissan Motor Corporation's global Marketing and motorsports operations, has resigned after having worked there for eighteen years. Cox is the man behind the company's most recent racing efforts: global relaunch of the Nismo (Nissan Motorsports) brand; the ZEOD RC racing car that took part in the 2014 Le Mans 24 hours as a Garage 56 project; this year's World Endurance Championship LMP1-class entry; development of the GT3-spec version of the Nissan GT-R; and, last but not least, the GT Academy.
It must be said, to be objective, that their efforts in the WEC haven't exactly paid off: the GT-R LM Nismo only entered one race in the whole season, and of the three cars that took part, only one managed to cross the finish line.
Coming to the GT Academy, though, we can truly talk about a hugely successful initiative, that would turn gamers into professional racing drivers; as this is my blog, I would like to admit that I tried myself entering such competition, without getting astonishing results, which I wasn't expecting either; this is not a matter of low self-esteem, but rather of being aware of my own limits. This is not stopping me, though, from trying harder as soon as the next edition starts.
It must be said that, in a world where top-level competition has become so expensive that no one but extremely wealthy people can afford to race, this can be seen as a great opportunity to enter a high-level, factory-backed racing team, without requiring to pay such enormous fees as in, say, Formula One.
Darren Cox, to sum up, has made Nismo great. And all of us enthusiasts can only be grateful to him. And hope for a successor as good as him.
NO MORE WORLD RALLYCROSS IN ITALY?
In 2014, the FIA launched the first ever World Rallycross championship. The season also included a race at Franciacorta International Circuit near Brescia, the first race of such kind to be held in my country in at least 25 years. It proved rather successful, even though rallycross isn't exactly popular, here in Italy. I had watched a few races on TV before that, and the short, action-packed races immediately caught my interest! After seeing them live for the first time, I realised how amazing it is to see those 600bhp, four-wheel-drive hatchbacks battling sideways on half-dirt, half-tarmac tracks and decided, if there will ever be another championship round here next year, I'll be happily there! So...It happened. This year, though, for a variety of reasons, but mostly for the foggy, cold, rainy weather, it had been much less successful with the audience. But, as I had noticed a few years ago, if sideways action is what you want, then rain is one of the best allies you can possibly have. And so it was.
The problem, though, is that the 2016 WorldRX season calendar has been released a couple of days ago. And next year, there's going to be no World RX of Italy. It's been replaced by a new race in Riga, the capital city of Latvia, surely because the sport is a lot more popular up there, than it is here. Understandable, for sure. But it's making me sad. Because, if I ever wanted to meet my favourite drivers again, the nearest race is in Hockenheim. Which is in Baden-Württemberg. Which is in Germany. Anyway, if anybody ever offered me to attend the Norwegian or Swedish rounds of the championship...I simply wouldn't say no! :)
You might wonder: who are your favourite drivers? Here they are:
Andreas Bakkerud, from Norway;
Johan Kristoffersson, from Sweden;
Also from Sweden, my very favourite one, even though she hasn't had yet all the luck she deserves; the stunningly beautiful Ramona Karlsson. I've met her last year, was looking forward to meeting her again this year, but she hasn't raced due to health problems. Would be nice if I could meet her again. Lycka till! ♥
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento