Priaulx not in BBC's Top Ten

[Brooklands78]

Well, somewhat unsurprisingly, Andy Priaulx didn't make the shortlist for BBC's Sports Personality of the Year, despite winning three world titles in a row. Still, you can vote for a racing driver who didn't win his World Championship, a tennis player who hasn't won a Grand-Slam event, two rugby players who didn't win the World Cup, a golfer who hasn't won a Major, an athlete who's only run one race this year and another who was banned for not taking three drugs tests and a boxer whose biggest fight hasn't even taken place yet! At least Joe Calzaghe and James Toseland deserve their nominations - two out of ten ain't bad, BBC!

[Marc W]

It's a massive shame Andy isn't on the list, but like you say not at all surprising! I don't think Andy will be bothered about not being on the list though, he's won the most important prize already!

[VkmSpouge]

Well, somewhat unsurprisingly, Andy Priaulx didn't make the shortlist for BBC's Sports Personality of the Year, despite winning three world titles in a row. Still, you can vote for a racing driver who didn't win his World Championship, a tennis player who hasn't won a Grand-Slam event, two rugby players who didn't win the World Cup, a golfer who hasn't won a Major, an athlete who's only run one race this year and another who was banned for not taking three drugs tests and a boxer whose biggest fight hasn't even taken place yet! At least Joe Calzaghe and James Toseland deserve their nominations - two out of ten ain't bad, BBC!

Be fair to Christine Ohuruogu, she won the World Championship Final, running a huge personal best, she deserves to be in that ten too. Justin Rose also deserves to be there for winning the European Order of Merit. Andy Priaulx definitely deserves to be there (I'd imagine he'll pick up the South West BBC award?) as probably do several of our sailors for winning their respective championships.
Of the people there I would hope James Toseland claims.

[Eunos]

Most likely because it's not Formula 1. Sadly all other forms of Car Racing seem to be Overlooked.

[SEATFreak]

The moment I felt November draw to a close the more I dreaded this topic of Andy Priaulx again not being nominated for BBC Sports Personality of the Year as I had a gut feeling he wouldn't.

I know their will be those who will say, although they are yet to say it, who said it this time last year, we ought to accept that touring car racing is not a motorsport with a well known public status.

But to be brutally honest, and I don't know about you lot, but if theirs nobody prepared to stand up for it and fly the flag for touring cars and if nobody is prepared to do anything other than accept the position touring car racing has as a motorsport with a low public profile then what does that say about touring cars as a motorsport?

Frankly, I for one don't care about it's profile in the public domain. It is popular with me, I follow it avidly and that is all that matters to me. But I am bothered when I see drivers that I know are every bit as good as their F1 counterparts be overlooked.

[steviejb]

Don't have a problem with him not being in the final list, it was never going to happen. However, if he doesn't get at least a mention this year the BBC will be getting their second email in two years on the matter.

[tyreman2]

Well, somewhat unsurprisingly, Andy Priaulx didn't make the shortlist for BBC's Sports Personality of the Year, despite winning three world titles in a row. Still, you can vote for a racing driver who didn't win his World Championship, a tennis player who hasn't won a Grand-Slam event, two rugby players who didn't win the World Cup, a golfer who hasn't won a Major, an athlete who's only run one race this year and another who was banned for not taking three drugs tests and a boxer whose biggest fight hasn't even taken place yet! At least Joe Calzaghe and James Toseland deserve their nominations - two out of ten ain't bad, BBC!

where can't you watch WTCC ? BBC nuff said !!

[thetrooper_uk]

It's all pointless like most awards. The people that actually do well and win stuff get overlooked as they are not hyped up by the press. There are people as you mention in the line up that haven't done much but are always in the news and thats the only reason they get voted for. It's all political crap.

[ATF]

No surprise about Andy - but a pleasant surprise about Toseland being there! A double World Champ - he surely deserves some credit for that, 2007 was his best season yet!

[Dickie L'Amour]

Most likely because it's not Formula 1. Sadly all other forms of Car Racing seem to be Overlooked.

Quite correct (particularly as we all know Lewis has almost certainly got his name on it). Rewind 15 years or so and think just how different the BBC's sports coverage was then. It was the only sports channel. It's lost virtually everything and tends to focus more and more on minority sports. It's now BBC policy.

The sports personality awards used to big essentyial viewing but for the past decade or so have become an embarrassment. Just look at the preview trailers they've done for it. they don't even have any real F1 footage!

[CroftPilgrim]

Most likely because it's not Formula 1. Sadly all other forms of Car Racing seem to be Overlooked.

Especially by the BBC. Their "Motorsport" section of their website is a joke - might as well read "Formula 1"

[AndyRAC]

Especially by the BBC. Their "Motorsport" section of their website is a joke - might as well read "Formula 1"

Here, here, Totally agree!!!

I'm heartily sick and tired of the British medias coverage of Motorsport - take F1 away , and it might as well not exist. I'm more a Rally fan than Touring car fan but we both have a common complaint. The BBC Motorsport section is a prime example, updated regularly with F1 news (particularly Hamilton mania). Yet anything else no chance - look at the past weekend during Rally GB - Hardly anything, just a link to the WRC website, great fantastic, NOT!! As for the papers- they're even worse, a disgrace, all the sports editors are short sighted morons, look at the crowd numbers that BTCC, BSB, British Moto GP, WSB, Rally GB get,...you can't tell me there isn't an audience.
I could go on, but won't, aaaggghh :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Mark]

The BBC tend to concentrate on the sports that the BBC cover, they only acknowledge F1 exists because it's one of the biggest sports in the world, otherwise they would ignore that too.

[ATF]

The BBC tend to concentrate on the sports that the BBC cover, they only acknowledge F1 exists because it's one of the biggest sports in the world, otherwise they would ignore that too.

Agreed, they always show a MotoGP review in the programme, despite the fact that it has nothing to do with a BRITISH SPotY - but they have the rights to show it! Not sure how much WSBK they will actually (or be able to) show?!

IIRC didn't Andy get a mention last year, he will probably get invited and just sit in the audience!

[SEATFreak]

If you ask me the whole of BBC Sport has what I suppose is disparity in the 10 nominees for the trophy.

OK you cannot deny the performance of the likes of Paula Radcliffe coming back and doing so well in the Great North Run and winning the New York marathon and you cannot deny Hamilton's meteoric rise to worldclass driver status in his very first season (despite having one of the strongest cars in the grid) is surely enough to merit atleast a place in the 10 nominees, but for every Radcliffe or Hamilton (and let's not forget Toseland or Calzaghe), theirs an Andy Murray who I rekon only made the list because of natonal populatrity or theirs a Christina Oghurururu who I think only made the list because she made the news. Winning ONE medal in Osaka after a suspension for missing 3 drug tests just doesn't seem enough.

[wedge]

Hopefully he gets his 5seconds of fame infront of millions of viewers. I remember a few years ago Steve Rider mentioned Dan Wheldon, also in the audience that year in recognition of being IRL champ/Indy 500 champ.

[VkmSpouge]

I hope they do the same for Dario Franchitti for winning the Indy 500 and the IRL, that was a superb achievement.

[AndyRAC]

If you ask me the whole of BBC Sport has what I suppose is disparity in the 10 nominees for the trophy.

OK you cannot deny the performance of the likes of Paula Radcliffe coming back and doing so well in the Great North Run and winning the New York marathon and you cannot deny Hamilton's meteoric rise to worldclass driver status in his very first season (despite having one of the strongest cars in the grid) is surely enough to merit atleast a place in the 10 nominees, but for every Radcliffe or Hamilton (and let's not forget Toseland or Calzaghe), theirs an Andy Murray who I rekon only made the list because of natonal populatrity or theirs a Christina Oghurururu who I think only made the list because she made the news. Winning ONE medal in Osaka after a suspension for missing 3 drug tests just doesn't seem enough.

I wonder if people realise that the awards can be a little political, Murray and Ohurugu nominated in final 10, Oh, let me see - Tennis and Athletics, 2 of BBC's favourite sports, they can't snub them can they?? What chance Federer getting Overseas Personality, I'd give it to either Rossi or Stoner.

[VXR-4-Eva]

The Reasin that Priaulx is not in the running is because in britain virtually know-one has heard of WTCC because it isnt shonw on british TV apart from on CH4 at midnite!

Why not show it when there are 3 british drivers regularly scoring points and winning ?

All they show is BTCC where, lets face it, that was won by an Italian this year (no offence Fabrizio) and when there is a bigger championship with a british guy kicking everyones ass, it should be shown on BBC or ITV

dont you think????

[BDunnell]

Let's be realistic about this. Hardly anyone outside the Channel Islands who isn't a motorsport enthusiast of some sort will know who Andy Priaulx is.

[janneppi]

I was surprised that he drove for England in ROC, I though he was French. :p :