Isle Of Man TT : Experience Motor Sport At It's Most Dangerous.

If you have ever thought F1 was not as dangerous as it was forty years ago...or ten years ago for that matter? you would be right. You can sit back and watch a GP on a Sunday afternoon safe in the knowledge that you will not see your favourite F1 driver get wiped out in front of your very eyes. However there must be just a little curiosity - as is the case with me as to what it must have been like as a F1 fan in the 60's. What was your mind set knowing that the drivers were doing a sport that could be extremely deadly. How would you regard the drivers bravery?...and would you say to your self, 'sod doing that for all the tea in china?!'.
You could talk to people who were about at the time; or, you could watch this years Isle-Of-Man TT races...
The Isle of Man has hosted these unique races for over a century - and in the early years cars would take part and it also featured on the Moto GP calender, which it of course does not any more.
One of the reasons is because compared to the other circuits on the Moto GP calender - it is very long...37.5 miles. The other thing is that Moto GP riders would all of a sudden face the prospect of instant death in an accident (check above video, and you will see what i mean). Imagine Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonso and all the other currant F1 drivers being told that for one race per season they would have to go and race at the old Nordschleife race track - without seat belts or hands devise...and for that matter...maybe divert the circuit through a few villages and...oh yes! take down all the armaco barriers?. It would be a team bosses worst nightmare. He could lose his best driver to the angel of death laying in wait round every tern.
The Isle of Man TT races are on now (21:00pm ITV4). The riders are TT specialists and even though the circuit is maned by marshalls and medics of the highest quality...death could be the end result for any one of the riders on any part of the circuit at any time. It is terrifying just to watch. But it is also thrilling!.
S.