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What if there was a motor sport in the Olympics?

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Heinz57

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So all this Olympic spirit. Its got me thinking. What if there was some form of motor racing in the Olympics?

I'd like to see some form of single seat motor sport. Be it karting or something a little faster. Given the popularity of motor sport around the world, I think it would go down quite well. Alot of countries would want to get involved.

So how could it work? I invisage it most likley being perhaps karting. That way staging it would be a little easyer and could take place in most indoor or outdoor arenas.
Going a little larger and faster (Forumla 3 level) gets a little more complicated. Not only would it prove more costly because of the cars, put its staging it. If this was the level then it would have to take place in a proper racing track, or if one wasn't avalible then a tempory circuit. Now for a country like us it isn't a problem, we have more tracks than we can shake a stick at. But should the Olympics take place in a country where there is neither gets problematic.
Karting however doesn't require massive tracks, it can take place in any indoor or outdoor arena. For example, if it was already in the Olympics then for this Olympiad it could have taken place in perhaps the NEC, or practicaly any other arena.

How it would work could be dependent on the amount of countries involved. Lets say thirty countries got involved in it. On the first day or two there would be the 'heats' where perhaps ten countries race in each. The races would be ten laps each, with a qualifying session (one lap each) to determine grid position. The top three from each race would go onto the final medal show down. These final nine drivers would then take place in the final race which would be a little longer, perhaps fifteen laps. The top three would then be awarded the respective medals. Grid position could be determined by the drivers fastest lap time from the previous race.

If many countries want to get involved, then you might have to stage more heats, and perhaps a couple of races that are like 'semi finals'. But you would have to keep it reasonable, and limit the amount of countries that can take part. Perhaps you could help determine this by some tryouts that take place months before the Olympics do.

As you can see I've given some thought to this! What are yours?

Heinz
 
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Harbon 1

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I can't see it working, because all the Olympic sports require muscles to be used, and there isn't really that much physical to do in a go-cart, although it has crossed my mind a few times
 

JamesRowden

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I can't see it working, because all the Olympic sports require muscles to be used, and there isn't really that much physical to do in a go-cart, although it has crossed my mind a few times

You can say the same about archery and shooting, physical power is not important, it is all about reactions and accuracy. Yet they are olympic sports.
 

Yew

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Maybe Power boating? using the sailing course?
 

The Informer

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Motorsports doesn't need the olympics and vice versa but if any form of it could hold its own for flair and technical ability then its freestyle motocross. Those redbull X fighters are awesome!
 

IanD

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Think I saw some motorbikes in the cycle road races. Plus there seemed to be a guy on some sort of motorised scooter taking part in one of the indoor cycling events.
 

Heinz57

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Yeah they were like the pace bikes wern't they?

When I saw that guy with the bike on the telli, it reminded me of the F1 saftey car. It was interesting to see how the cyclists behaved with that bike, pretty much as they do with the saftey car in F1. When they knew it was due to go in they started bunching up and positioning ready for overtaking.
 

michael769

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Motorsports doesn't need the olympics and vice versa but if any form of it could hold its own for flair and technical ability then its freestyle motocross. Those redbull X fighters are awesome!

One could say the same about soccer or tennis!
 

Oswyntail

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You can say the same about archery and shooting, physical power is not important, it is all about reactions and accuracy. Yet they are olympic sports.
Not quite true of archery! The draw weight of the bows varies greatly, but, believe me, you do need strength to draw an average international's bow of say 45lb on the fingers. Then add on the physical weight of the kit that has to be lifted and held steady. And then it all has to be co-ordinated. Great fun, but not as totally dependent on the equipment as some make out.
 

hairyhandedfool

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.... Plus there seemed to be a guy on some sort of motorised scooter taking part in one of the indoor cycling events.

That would be the Keirin, the motorised bike is just a pace-setter and does not finish the race.
 

Bevan Price

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In my opinion, car or motor bike racing would be better described as an engineering competition rather than a sport. It would only be a true sport if all participating vehicles were identical.
 

Heinz57

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Indeed. That was actualy something I forgot to add in the original post. The karts or cars would all be exactly identical, which would put it all down to driver skill.

Like the A1 GP series.... but better...... and using karts.

Would the indervidual drivers beable to make there own adjustments to the set up? (is that allowed in any current olympic sport using a form of vehcle?) or would there be none of that, and the driver gets in and races, thats it?
 

Oswyntail

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Would the indervidual drivers beable to make there own adjustments to the set up? (is that allowed in any current olympic sport using a form of vehcle?) or would there be none of that, and the driver gets in and races, thats it?
The latter sounds like the Modern Pentathlon, where, at least in the riding (if not in the shooting and fencing - I simply do not know that) each competitor is allotted a horse from those available and has to ride it.
 

LE Greys

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Olympic motorsport? Probably not, it somehow doesn't seem to fit.

I wonder if we should extend this to include other sports we would like to see in the Olympics. 20-20 cricket is an obvious one, but what I'd really like to have seen is a big boat race from Weymouth to Tilbury. The only design restrictions would be 'the boat must be a monohull' and 'engines cannot be used during the race'. Other than that, size, sail plan, number of crew, etc is entirely up to the individual teams. Add oars if you like! Run it on the last day, with the top three parading up the Thames to finish at Greenwich.
 

David

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It's probably very dfficult to organise any motorsport events for the Olympics. In athletics, everything revolves around the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and the World Championships, where as motorsports are all based around the inividual championship (and there is plenty of them!).

Another factor is that there is plenty of high profile events in motorsport already, topped by the annual Race of Champions. Others include the Macau GP (F3, touring cars and superbikes), Le Mans 24 hours, Isle of Man TT.

If there had been some form of motorsport in the Olympics this year however, I wuld hae probably been te first person in the queue for tickets! :lol:
 
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