AUTOSPORT International 2015 ASI 2015 Live - Thursday
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By: AUTOSPORT staff
Summary
Status: Stopped
That rounds off the stage line-up and our live coverage from day one of AUTOSPORT International 2015.
We'll be back from 10am on Friday morning, when guests include Britain's World Rally Championship star Kris Meeke, Le Mans legend Allan McNish, and former Formula 1 driver Perry McCarthy, plus many, many more.
We'll be back from 10am on Friday morning, when guests include Britain's World Rally Championship star Kris Meeke, Le Mans legend Allan McNish, and former Formula 1 driver Perry McCarthy, plus many, many more.
Palmer welcomes the broad concept of the FIA's new superlicence points system, though he says he "probably shouldn't comment" on the specifics of how different championships are ranked.
But he likes the idea that it's no longer so strictly related to testing mileage, which he points out "can be bought".
But he likes the idea that it's no longer so strictly related to testing mileage, which he points out "can be bought".
Hope-Frost asks Palmer if he's concerned that many other recent GP2 champions haven't made it to F1.
"It does, but that's the reality. I can only do all I can on the track, and I did.
"There are not a lot of cars on the F1 grid, which makes it harder."
Asked if it's frustrating to see defeated GP2 rival Nasr in a race seat, he says it will reflect well on him if the Brazilian performs well, given how they compared in 2014.
"It does, but that's the reality. I can only do all I can on the track, and I did.
"There are not a lot of cars on the F1 grid, which makes it harder."
Asked if it's frustrating to see defeated GP2 rival Nasr in a race seat, he says it will reflect well on him if the Brazilian performs well, given how they compared in 2014.
He reckons the GP2 field he faced was one of the toughest of recent years, citing Felipe Nasr, Alexander Rossi, Stefano Coletti and Mitch Evans as the established drivers he had an eye on, and adding that incoming McLaren and Ferrari F1 juniors Stoffel Vandoorne and Raffaele Marciello made it tougher still.
Palmer talks of the recovery drive at Monza after being excluded from qualifying being pivotal to his title success.
"That weekend was looking tough, but I put my head down from the back on Saturday, managed to get to eighth place, which put me on pole for the sprint race, which I won. That was a turning point."
"That weekend was looking tough, but I put my head down from the back on Saturday, managed to get to eighth place, which put me on pole for the sprint race, which I won. That was a turning point."
McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC finalists
Motoring News' deputy racing editor RUSSELL HAYES has come across Seb Morris and the rest of the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award finalists testing their reactions at the Cardio Wall Challenge at the MSA stand.
McKinley and Kamps round off their time on stage by highlighting the Sean Edwards Trophy award that the Foundation has created in collaboration with the Blancpain GT Series. A 100,000 euro prize is on offer for a young driver under the scheme.
McKinley says part of her safety work in recent months has included trying to get the process for becoming a race driving instructor made more stringent, and looking at international circuit safety, citing concerns about some of the city track layouts used by Formula E.
Kamps has been paying glowing tribute to Edwards and the kind of aspirational driver he had developed into. He cites Edwards' ability to learn tracks and to overtake without losing time as two of his most impressive attributes.
The late Sean Edwards' mother Daphne McKinley and his former team boss Hans-Bernd Kamps are on stage next to talk about the work of the Sean Edwards Foundation.
McKinley outlines her desire to continue Edwards' passion for teaching young drivers, and how she wanted to ensure there was a safety training element in the foundation's work.
McKinley outlines her desire to continue Edwards' passion for teaching young drivers, and how she wanted to ensure there was a safety training element in the foundation's work.
Earlier today we noted that Solberg had taken part in a tyre-changing pitstop challenge on the Alcatel stand.
We haven't had chance to pop out yet and see if he's been beaten, but certainly earlier on, Solberg was the pacesetter here too.
That's what comes of having to be a privateer running your own team, and change a lot of tyres on the hoof on rally stages.
Solberg provides the nearest-swearing-miss of the AUTOSPORT International 2015 central stage line-up so far when he almost uses a version of the word "very" that begins with an f when trying to describe how quick and brave you have to be on the first lap of a World RX race.
"We have a massive job to do. We want to take this sport into new markets, and we want to be bigger in the UK and Germany. We have a massive year ahead of us," says Anayi.
Hope-Frost asks if World RX wants more manufacturers.
Anayi hopes to see them come in and "sit behind" established participants such as Solberg's squad, in a similar manner to Ford's relationship with M-Sport in rallying.
Solberg talks of the importance of capitalising on RX's appeal to a younger audience.
Hope-Frost asks if World RX wants more manufacturers.
Anayi hopes to see them come in and "sit behind" established participants such as Solberg's squad, in a similar manner to Ford's relationship with M-Sport in rallying.
Solberg talks of the importance of capitalising on RX's appeal to a younger audience.
Solberg gives RX chief Martin Anayi a big cheer and clap as he appears on stage too to talk about the rising appeal of the series.
Hope-Frost is reminiscing about the days of live BBC coverage of Martin Schanche's rallycross antics. Anayi admits that rallycross TV viewing figures dropped in the UK and there's work to do.
Hope-Frost is reminiscing about the days of live BBC coverage of Martin Schanche's rallycross antics. Anayi admits that rallycross TV viewing figures dropped in the UK and there's work to do.
Solberg admits that in early English interviews in his WRC days, he didn't necessarily know what he was actually saying, he just used phrases that he'd "heard people say and sounded good". He's mastered it pretty well now.
Conversation turns back to Solberg's old rallying life:
"I miss the WRC, for sure. It's hard not to. Doing 220km/h between the trees gives you a completely different kick compared with rallycross. I enjoy both, but in a different way."
He adds that there's plenty of time for more as he's "only 29". Earlier today, we heard that Andy Priaulx is "only 25".
By those counts, Max Verstappen probably hasn't actually been born yet.
"I miss the WRC, for sure. It's hard not to. Doing 220km/h between the trees gives you a completely different kick compared with rallycross. I enjoy both, but in a different way."
He adds that there's plenty of time for more as he's "only 29". Earlier today, we heard that Andy Priaulx is "only 25".
By those counts, Max Verstappen probably hasn't actually been born yet.
Solberg took five victories - including a streak of three in a row - on his way to last year's RX title but admits:
"I wanted to win more. It looked good in many other races. But you can't be too greedy. You have to be a bit smart and stay away from trouble."
"I wanted to win more. It looked good in many other races. But you can't be too greedy. You have to be a bit smart and stay away from trouble."
And now it's rallycross time again, as world champion Petter Solberg returns to the stage accompanied by series chief Martin Anayi.
Javier de Rocafort from the Quimera project for non-fossil-fuel racing is now on stage explaining his firm's ground-breaking technology to Henry Hope-Frost.
ASI
AUTOSPORT's sister publication Motorsport News has a big presence here to mark its 60th anniversary.
The stand features a wide range of machinery from the six decades of the newspaper, including a very famous Williams.
EDD STRAW grabbed a shot of the paper's deputy editor MATT JAMES interviewing Jason Plato.
After Alain Menu and Fabrizio Giovanardi in 2014 and now Priaulx in 2015, Belcher jokingly speculates that Lewis Hamilton will be the next big name BTCC recruit in 2016.
One downside of coming back to UK racing: rainy winter testing. Priaulx admits that learning his first run in the WSR BMW will be at Snetterton not "somewhere like Albacete or Jerez" was a bit of a downer.
He sat in the car for the very first time here at AUTOSPORT International earlier today. "I love the smell," he says. Not a lot else you can learn from a static test in an exhibition hall is there?
He sat in the car for the very first time here at AUTOSPORT International earlier today. "I love the smell," he says. Not a lot else you can learn from a static test in an exhibition hall is there?
Hope-Frost suggests to Moffat, who was a record-breaker when he raced in the BTCC aged just 16 in 2003, that he's young enough to be Matt Neal or Jason Plato's grandson. Then realises that jibe was a bit of a missed opportunity with neither Neal nor Plato within earshot.
Priaulx mentions that he's already raced with the likes of Plato and Neal in his previous BTCC stint in 2002, and reminds Austin that they were Formula 3 contemporaries too.
While Priaulx can remember spinning on Austin's oil in an F3 race, Austin replies that he "can't remember last week".
While Priaulx can remember spinning on Austin's oil in an F3 race, Austin replies that he "can't remember last week".
"Andy Priaulx, what have you let yourself in for? Look at them..." says Hope-Frost to the BTCC's rather famous returnee.
"It's going to be good fun," replies Priaulx.
Incidentally his race number #111 comes from his three WTCC titles. Hope-Frost has been introducing Priaulx not as a three-time world champion or even a one-time European champion, but as the 1995 British Hillclimb champion. He did win that title in very commanding style.
"It's going to be good fun," replies Priaulx.
Incidentally his race number #111 comes from his three WTCC titles. Hope-Frost has been introducing Priaulx not as a three-time world champion or even a one-time European champion, but as the 1995 British Hillclimb champion. He did win that title in very commanding style.
Meanwhile Rob Austin announces that he's yet to have a drink in 2015.
He also promises a lot of updates on his team's Audi this season.
He also promises a lot of updates on his team's Audi this season.
The first big announcement of the BTCC's week was Jordan's switching from family team Eurotech to works MG outfit Triple Eight. Jordan is confident he's going to be in the most competitive front-wheel-drive car available.
BTCC time again now. A mystery selection was promised, and more and more keep turning up backstage.
We've ended up with a capacity field of Jack Goff, Andy Priaulx, Simon Belcher, Andrew Jordan, Rob Austin, Aiden Moffat and Tom Ingram squeezing onto the stage. The four stools won't quite be enough.
Hope-Frost reckons this is a record number of racing drivers on the AUTOSPORT central stage.
Belcher, Jordan, Priaulx and Austin get the seats.
We've ended up with a capacity field of Jack Goff, Andy Priaulx, Simon Belcher, Andrew Jordan, Rob Austin, Aiden Moffat and Tom Ingram squeezing onto the stage. The four stools won't quite be enough.
Hope-Frost reckons this is a record number of racing drivers on the AUTOSPORT central stage.
Belcher, Jordan, Priaulx and Austin get the seats.
Would Pirelli welcome a tyre war in F1, asks Hope-Frost.
"Yes, you'd do it," Hembery replies, "but there doesn't seem to be much appetite for it in any motorsport."
"Yes, you'd do it," Hembery replies, "but there doesn't seem to be much appetite for it in any motorsport."
As an odd echoing whiny noise briefly appears across the PA system, Hembery quickly chips in with "I don't think that's our fault for once..."
Hembery says that "after a learning year, we've got a lot of things we want to change" and is interested to see what teams have done over the winter as well having had a season to get to grips with the rules.
He expects lap records to be threatened again by the end of 2015.
He expects lap records to be threatened again by the end of 2015.
Hope-Frost suggests that Hembery and Pirelli had a relatively quiet 2014 after previous, more controversial, years.
"There were a few people complaining, but that's Formula 1 - and the nature of motorsport for a tyre-maker," says Hembery.
"We were going into a year of huge regulation change so we had to take a slightly conservative approach, and that was sometimes taken to be an extremely conservative approach, but that was what we had to do."
He says it was important to let the new V6 hybrid technology "take centre stage" in 2014.
"There were a few people complaining, but that's Formula 1 - and the nature of motorsport for a tyre-maker," says Hembery.
"We were going into a year of huge regulation change so we had to take a slightly conservative approach, and that was sometimes taken to be an extremely conservative approach, but that was what we had to do."
He says it was important to let the new V6 hybrid technology "take centre stage" in 2014.
It'll be back to F1 next with Pirelli chief Paul Hembery - though for that to happen, Jonathan Noble will have to put the dictaphone down and stop interviewing him backstage, and that doesn't look likely right now.
Good news from Gow for those who enjoy spending their Sundays watching live BTCC race days in full on ITV4:
"The deal runs until 2016, but I would expect that contract to roll over. We're an important part of ITV4."
"The deal runs until 2016, but I would expect that contract to roll over. We're an important part of ITV4."
Patrick Watts Metro
Our special projects manager SIMON STRANG has found a classic car from 1990s BTCC star Patrick Watts's career:
"This is Patrick Watts' Metro, restored by Patrick Watts. I'm old enough to remember watching him race it first time around! Fever!"
"Did the sensational 2014 BTCC season exceed your expectations?" Hope-Frost asks Gow.
"I've got pretty high expectations, so no..." replies Gow - who goes on to outline all the stats that did make 2014 pretty spectacular, including 10 different marques represented on the grid and 11 different race winners, plus a full 31-car field.
"I've got pretty high expectations, so no..." replies Gow - who goes on to outline all the stats that did make 2014 pretty spectacular, including 10 different marques represented on the grid and 11 different race winners, plus a full 31-car field.
Next up: British Touring Car Championship chief Alan Gow, followed by Pirelli motorsport boss Paul Hembery and then a gaggle of BTCC drivers.
A change of continent now. We've had a British Touring Car champion a few moments ago, now Camilo Echevarria - champion in Argentina's TC Pista series last year and who also made a one-off WTCC appearance in his homeland - is on stage introducing the crowd to tin-top competition South American style.
The McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award pack reveal what they're planning for 2015: European F3 is the aim for Albon and Russell, for Barnicoat and Scott it's the Formula Renault Eurocup, Morris hopes to be in GP3 and Fielding wouldn't be drawn beyond the fact that he hopes the deal is done this weekend.
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