UNCERTAINTY FOR WELSH RACING AS EVENT IS AXED
The British Racing and Sports Car Club’s meeting at Anglesey this weekend has been cancelled amid a lack of clarity surrounding when motorsport can restart in Wales following the coronavirus hiatus.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the devolved Welsh government has taken a more cautious approach than the English authorities – and this also stretches to sporting events, where it remains the case that 30-people bubbles must be used.
The BRSCC tried to reduce the number of drivers at its event by moving its popular Mazda MX-5 categories to a British Automobile Racing Club meeting at Donington Park this weekend, which had some spare track time, while the combined National and Northern
Formula Ford grid will now compete at a Silverstone BARC fixture in October. But, even without those competitors, the BRSCC was still struggling to make the bubble system work and decided to cancel the meeting on Wednesday last week.
“About two weeks ago, we were nervous and Paul Mcerlean [race operations and general manager] put together a plan to greatly reduce what would’ve been a very busy meeting,” explained BRSCC chairman
Peter Daly. “We held out hope and were being given an indication things might change. But we had to make that decision because we couldn’t leave our customers a week to cancel any arrangements they had made.
“It’s a tough blow to our customers and a tough blow for us. I can’t say we regret not doing that sooner. For eight weeks, we had been actively trying to get answers.
I’ve got great sympathy with all of the drivers and teams but, unfortunately, our hands are tied.”
Welsh circuit bosses are frustrated at the situation, believing a one-size-fits-all approach has been taken when race circuits are very different venues to rugby stadiums, for example.
“I’m bitterly disappointed we’ve been unable to secure a sensible arrangement with the Welsh government to allow us to operate race meetings,” said Anglesey’s Andrew Crighton. “It’s something that a lot of people can’t readily get their minds around that the Welsh government and English government are working on different trajectories. Motorsport Vision and other English circuits have managed to get going so it’s frustrating for us to be watching that happening and not be able to follow suit – and it must be incredibly confusing for competitors.
“We’ve been lobbying the Welsh government for a long time now but we can’t afford to operate in a way that would contravene Welsh law and we wouldn’t want the BRSCC to work in a way that would do that.”
Pembrey circuit manager Phil Davies believes progress is being made in the talks with local authorities and the Welsh government and is optimistic that the BARC meeting at his venue on 12-13 September will go ahead.
“We’re working hard with government and officials and they understand that the regulations in place aren’t necessarily right for what we do,” he said. “We’re not going to leave it there.
“If the local authority can licence it and say it’s as safe as anything can be [racing may resume]. We’re positive that we’re making progress.”
Governing body Motorsport UK says it is continuing to work with the Welsh government and other authorities in a bid to allow events to be held in the country.