GP Masters to wind up

There's news in this week's Autosport that the series is being relaunched. Delta Motorsports head the group working on "the Masters Concept" and they are in final negotiations with investors. The original chassis will be used with a new engine, perhaps a 600bhp turbo.

A quick trip to the old GPM website shows the new series could well be called 'F1 Masters', which suggests it may have the approval of Bernie.

Autosport's news item highlights the fact that Jacques Villeneuve has "put himself forward to race" in the revived series, which will be dropping the minimum age limit of 45.

IMO I liked the GPM series and I am unhappy that they failed. I hope that they come back.

I'm a supporter of GPM as well. I think Villeneuve's idea of handicapping younger drivers is a good one.

For those who said the series is meaningless, would they still say that if it involved M Schumacher, Hakkinen, Alesi, Berger, Irvine, Brundle, etc as well?

It could be a great series and there could be lots of different race winners :)

Riccardo has now confirmed he's been in contact with the series organisers and is "very happy to race again" :s mokin:

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Originally Posted by woody2goody

I'm a supporter of GPM as well. I think Villeneuve's idea of handicapping younger drivers is a good one.

For those who said the series is meaningless, would they still say that if it involved M Schumacher, Hakkinen, Alesi, Berger, Irvine, Brundle, etc as well?

It could be a great series and there could be lots of different race winners :)

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If these guys are around 40, then go for it. But if you start taking on 50+ year old drivers who never achieved much, then I still think its better if it doesn`t exist.

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Originally Posted by Garry Walker

If these guys are around 40, then go for it. But if you start taking on 50+ year old drivers who never achieved much, then I still think its better if it doesn`t exist.

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Rather ageist don't you think ;)

As for "never achieving much", a look at the grid for the 2006 Silverstone race will tell you that the drivers combined had 1751 races, 60 wins, 70 poles, 196 podiums, and 3 WDC's.

I'm sure you'll point out that 5 drivers alone account for most of those stats - Arnoux, Fittipaldi, Mansell, Patrese, Tambay - but to get that caliber of driver to compete in the original GPM series was a superb achievement in the first place. Most of them hadn't raced for years, and had nothing to prove and no need to race again but it showed that, as Villeneuve says, "Masters is a great idea and if it's done properly it could be massive."

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Originally Posted by ArrowsFA1

Rather ageist don't you think ;)

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Garry has a point... I'd rather see somewhat recently retired F1 drivers driving in the series than guys who were backmarkers in their prime, such as Caffi, van der Poele, Lammers, Danner, etc...

His earlier comments describing the series as "meaningless", "bordering on embarrasing", and "comedy racing" led me to believe Garry was not a fan of GP Masters at all :) but it now seems as long as the drivers competing are " around 40" his objections are reduced somewhat. Something to do with a certain Schumacher approaching that age bracket perhaps ;)

Obviously the likes of Caffi, van der Poele, Lammers, and Danner could hardly be described as GP/F1 "Masters", but if the series enabled them to race then why shouldn't they take part?

I suspect that as the age limit is apparently being reduced the revived series may generate interest from more recently ex-F1 drivers - JV's comments suggest that is already the case - and perhaps that may provide Garry with drivers he is more likely to approve of.

A new Masters series, if it can establish itself, may eventually provide drivers with an enjoyable and competitive series once their F1 careers have come to an end. If that happens I think it has a real chance of succeeding.

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Originally Posted by Malllen

Garry has a point... I'd rather see somewhat recently retired F1 drivers driving in the series than guys who were backmarkers in their prime, such as Caffi, van der Poele, Lammers, Danner, etc...

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Thing is we never got the chance to see how they were in good cars, and in equal machinery some may surprise regardless of their age.

However I would love to see M/R Schumacher, Villeneuve, Panis, McNish, Frentzen, Alesi involved.

It should come down to those who have held a super-licence , regardless of age . If there are enough applicants with serious cred (ie-WDCs and high profile drivers ), it will filter out the fluff by itself .

Then give them all weight belts that make them Mansell's weight .