Race of Champions 2012

[jack_christie]

Race Of Champions - Bangkok, Thailand 14-16 December 2012
http://www.raceofchampions.com

Some good updates here:
http://www.speedcafe.com/



https://twitter.com/search?q=raceofchampions



Coverage on Motors, RLM, jalopnik etc
http://jalopnik.com/5967460/watch-th...ium=socialflow

[Pininfarina_]

LMFAO is that grosjean i see in the back row?

[Donington]

LMFAO is that grosjean i see in the back row?

Yerp.

he won

[Karoug]

I didn't care about this years ROC, the lineup of drivers was very weak.

[TC]

I remember watching these ROC races when they did it on that island. That was some exciting racing. These arena events seem rather dull by comparison.

[Gingertom]

I don't know if it was because I was there rather than watching on TV, but the track they had at Wembley seemed much better than this one and the racing seemed more exciting too.

Still, there was some good driving and some great drama too. I thought the eventual winner really upped his game and drove beautifully to win it. (I haven't named him in case some people haven't watched it yet.)

I hope it moves to a more motorsport oriented country next though, the crowd size was pathetic and there didn't seem to be a great atmosphere either.

[Karoug]

I remember watching these ROC races when they did it on that island. That was some exciting racing. These arena events seem rather dull by comparison.

I agree.

[DanRoM]

I remember watching these ROC races when they did it on that island. That was some exciting racing. These arena events seem rather dull by comparison.

+ 1.

Building a track into a football stadium is pathetic.

[lukenwolf]

+ 1.

Building a track into a football stadium is pathetic.

Only if you've never seen it live. Thos NASCRAP V8 cars in the Esprit Arena in 2010 were something else. And also, there's something to be said for being able to actually see the whole track. I think it is a good concept.

[DanRoM]

Only if you've never seen it live. Thos NASCRAP V8 cars in the Esprit Arena in 2010 were something else.

Indeed I haven't, but I actually prefer to keep the rest of my hearing as long as possible.
And where? Use a proper stadium name or location, so people know what you're talking about.

there's something to be said for being able to actually see the whole track. I think it is a good concept.

That I agree on. In my opinion, a motor race is watched better on TV than live because usually you see at most two corners when you're at the track. With those stadium events, that's not the case. However, the track is just too short and tight, at least for cars like the R8 pictured in the opening post.
Plus, to me the ROC is a rally event, despite having more and more circuit drivers in the line-up in the past years. A tarmac track just isn't appropiate. Have you seen the track the used on Gran Canaria? Still short and rather stadium-like, but much better than the Carrera tracks they have now.

[avanti]

Only if you've never seen it live.

The only way anyone could enjoy the current format is if they've never seen how it used to be!

[Hazardous]

I'm sure the stadium format is better for the spectators. They can get very close to the action, see the whole track and it's also easy to get there.

As far as TV spectacle goes, though, it's hardly brilliant. The TV kills the little speed there is for most of the time the cars are very stable and in control (drift demonstrations and runaway Lamborghinis aside). You need to look very hard to see any difference between drivers. You could do a bit more with showing more stats on TV (compare heat times between drivers in the same car, for example, I would've loved to see how the times between drivers compared in the X-Bows and buggies) and maybe add things like speed traps or reaction times. But it still is hardly spectacular for TV.