"Stock-car" racing

Sir,

Any motor-racing enthusiast who witnessed the saloon-car race at Silverstone on May 11th must have been disappointed at the appalling display of gamesmanship by one or two of the competing drivers.

The Christabel Carlisle/Peter Harper incident was quite obviously the result of “boring” and “nudging” by less responsible drivers.

Naturally at the approach to bends, particularly during the first and second laps when cars are bunched together, certain drivers must give way to avoid a collision with another competitor. Some drivers, however, refuse to give way, preferring to literally “barge” their way through. Now some of the better drivers are realising that unless they also consider asserting themselves in in this dangerous manner they will have to accept a less advantageous “line” through the bend.

The majority of drivers, I feel sure, abhor this practice, not only because it is lowering the tone of the Sport but because it is dangerous both to themselves and to the public who watch.

The remedy for this is much stiffer penalties following reports of rough tactics by offending drivers from marshals. The second offence should involve a suspension.

Action must be taken now against these drivers—and they know themselves who they are—before this very interesting and exciting section of the Sport degenerates into a form of “stock-car racing.”

Michael Brookes.
Sutton.

[But don’t Grand Prix drivers do a bit of “boring and nudging”? I seem to remember an incident at Monaco involving Fangio . . . etc.—Ed.]