99 replies to this topic

[Ross Stonefeld]

I thought that was an electoral map of Britain 

[TheUltimateWorrier]

Surprises me no Formula 1 driver has come from Harrogate.  Then again they're all probably at Betty's sipping tea and eating prawn sandwiches, whilst harping on about the Fox family.

[7MGTEsup]

I personally would say anything North of Doncaster is North, from Doncaster to Northmpton is Midlands and anything below that is South. Thats if you split the country roughly into thirds. I'm a Northaner by birth (Middlesbrough) but have lived in Norwich for the last 19 years.

[wrighty]

 

Average weekly income. Excuse my lack of surprise if most successful drivers come from the blue areas.

 

aka 'wanna make a million from motor racing? Start with ten million.....'

[Spillage]

Average weekly income. Excuse my lack of surprise if most successful drivers come from the blue areas.

What that doesn't explain the amount of F1 drivers from Scotland. I'll accept that the sample size is small enough for such things to be coincidental, but it's interesting all the same.

Besides, apart from in exceptional circumstances it nowadays isn't possible for a a young driver to bankroll a career from the income of their family; one needs some pretty serious sponsorship or backing even to compete in a series like GP3. It's not like there aren't northern drivers at this level and competing at the highest level in America - they just can't, for whatever reason, break into F1. Maybe it's easier for southern drivers to find good connections, but I'm not at all convinced that's because of family income as opposed to geographic coincidence or a certain sense of cultural snobbery towards drivers from the north of England.

[Amphicar]

 

This is (or to be accurate used to be) the official map of the English regions according to HM Government. On this basis, the North consists of the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber and the North West (including Cheshire). The Midlands comprises the West Midlands and the East Midlands and everything else (the South West, the South East, London and the East of England) is the effete South (where I now live).

[PayasYouRace]

I personally would say anything North of Doncaster is North, from Doncaster to Northmpton is Midlands and anything below that is South. Thats if you split the country roughly into thirds. I'm a Northaner by birth (Middlesbrough) but have lived in Norwich for the last 19 years.

 

Ironically Middlesbrough is further north than both Northampton and Norwich.

[billm99uk]

and sadly, none of them are likely to get a sniff of F1 due to all the pay drivers coming in from other countries with government backing.

Welll Lancaster has a GP2 ride for this weekend at least. Now all he needs to do is have a whip round at his local whist drive or whippet-fancier's get-together (or whatever they do for social contact up there)....

[midgrid]

Northerners are very interested in racing, but my experience is that it tends to be directed more at speedway and bangers than at karting and on through the single-seater career ladder.  I think the concentration of circuits in the South and Midlands should not be underestimated either.

 

(I'm a Northern émigré now living on the south coast.)

[Amphicar]

Ironically Middlesbrough is further north than both Northampton and Norwich.

So is Southport!

[Fastcake]

This is (or to be accurate used to be) the official map of the English regions according to HM Government. On this basis, the North consists of the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber and the North West (including Cheshire). The Midlands comprises the West Midlands and the East Midlands and everything else (the South West, the South East, London and the East of England) is the effete South (where I now live).

 

It's also worth pointing out that those of us in the Westcountry absolutely loathe being lumped in with the South East and London.   In my very biased opinion, once you start getting past Taunton the South ends and Westcountry begins.

[superdelphinus]

It does. You only have to travel 10 miles in Wales and its a different accent much like the North of England. It also begs the question, where are all the Welsh F1 drivers? I can only think of one from the past and that was Tom Pryce.

Smaller populations in certain area's and not enough motorsport facilities I think

I only have to cross my office floor to hear about 6 different Lancashire/ Cheshire/ raw manc accents. I grew up in the sourpth east but have lived in Manchester for the last 10 years or so - still don't understand a surprising amount of what they say. It's all the special words have they for things too, like barm cakes and sweating cobs

[Amphicar]

I only have to cross my office floor to hear about 6 different Lancashire/ Cheshire/ raw manc accents. I grew up in the sourpth east but have lived in Manchester for the last 10 years or so - still don't understand a surprising amount of what they say. It's all the special words have they for things too, like barm cakes and sweating cobs

Here's a handy tip for you - never confuse a barm cake with a stottie.

[Amphicar]

1961 US Grand Prix winner Innes Ireland covered all the bases: born in West Yorkshire to Scottish parents, he lived in Wales for most of his adult life and died in Berkshire.

[RuleyRamundo]

Watford is northern, so Lewis is northern no?

[BRG]

Probably explains his aversion to Croydon.

[ExFlagMan]

 
Average weekly income. Excuse my lack of surprise if most successful drivers come from the blue areas.

You only have to plot the circuits on that map to get the answer - more towards the blue end of the spectrum than the red end.

[Garagiste]

You say that as if a Croydon aversion needs an explaination!

The only name that immediately leapt to my mind was David "whuugh,urrgh,clag!" 'Obbs.

[Vitesse2]

One definition of northernness is the pronunciation of the words 'bath' and 'bugger'. If you say 'barth' and 'bugger' you're a Southern softie. If you say 'bath' and 'boogger' you're from 'Oop North'. The dividing line for that seems to be somewhere between Birmingham and Derby (making allowances of course for Brummie and Black Country accents, which are a sort of no man's land ).

 

Being Cumbrian by descent, I've always considered that 'the North' starts at Charnock Richard Services on the M6. Everywhere south of that as far as the M5/M42 junction is the Midlands.

[sopa]

I guess it's like that with any country. Every country is like a minimized version of the world with its more wealthy and poorer areas. Like there aren't coming many drivers from developing world unless they have huge backing, there aren't many drivers from the countryside of any country either.

[stanga]

One definition of northernness is the pronunciation of the words 'bath' and 'bugger'. If you say 'barth' and 'bugger' you're a Southern softie. If you say 'bath' and 'boogger' you're from 'Oop North'. The dividing line for that seems to be somewhere between Birmingham and Derby (making allowances of course for Brummie and Black Country accents, which are a sort of no man's land ).

 

Being Cumbrian by descent, I've always considered that 'the North' starts at Charnock Richard Services on the M6. Everywhere south of that as far as the M5/M42 junction is the Midlands.

 

I disagree. 'Barth' and 'Bagger' is archetypal Southerner to me.

 

'Bath' and 'buh-ger' is my Yorkshire version (Bath has a flat 'a' sound). Never heard anyone say 'boogger'. 

Edited by stanga, 03 April 2014 - 08:28.

[jimbox01]

I disagree. 'Barth' and 'Bagger' is archetypal Southerner to me.

 

'Bath' and 'buh-ger' is my Yorkshire version (Bath has a flat 'a' sound). Never heard anyone say 'boogger'. 

Bogger is a Derbys/Notts term, as in: "stop scratin ya mardy bogger" - it may be used more widely though.

Then again colloquialisms/dialect can vary not just from region to region, but even down to county level - e.g. in and around Derby (and parts of Yorkshire I think) they use the term 'love', but from the Nottinghamshire border they're more likely to say 'duck', as in "eh up me duck".

 

Anyway, the most likely reason there have been so few northern F1 drivers, is that they can't work the pedals with their hobnailed boots on - or it could be something to do with there being no room in the car for their whippets.

[BRG]

Being Cumbrian by descent, I've always considered that 'the North' starts at Charnock Richard Services on the M6. 

No, no, that's where the Frozen North begins

[Vitesse2]

No, no, that's where the Frozen North begins

Or, if you've been watching it, roughly where what Rory Stewart calls 'Britain's Lost Middleland' begins. Bloody Romans!!

[Amphicar]

Watford is northern, so Lewis is northern no?

There's a difference between Watford and Watford Gap - the latter is about 65 miles north of the former and Stevenage (Lewis's home town) is about 50 miles south of Watford Gap.

[RuleyRamundo]

That's me told Lewis is one of us then. 

[Spillage]

Bogger is a Derbys/Notts term, as in: "stop scratin ya mardy bogger" - it may be used more widely though.

Then again colloquialisms/dialect can vary not just from region to region, but even down to county level - e.g. in and around Derby (and parts of Yorkshire I think) they use the term 'love', but from the Nottinghamshire border they're more likely to say 'duck', as in "eh up me duck".

 

Anyway, the most likely reason there have been so few northern F1 drivers, is that they can't work the pedals with their hobnailed boots on - or it could be something to do with there being no room in the car for their whippets.

Nah, that's not quite right - 'love' is more of a Yorkshire term. Here in Derby everyone either a generation younger, or of the opposite gender, to you, is 'me duck'.

 

Anyway love, we're way off topic now 

[Juan Kerr]

and sadly, none of them are likely to get a sniff of F1 due to all the pay drivers coming in from other countries with government backing.

 

Calado was reserve driver for Force India last year, so I hoped he'd have had a chance, but no - nothing 

 

And while we're on the subject, how about Dan Cammish? He's from Leeds and in F Ford last year won 24 out of 24 races! Yet this year, he can't find a drive - I just find it rediculous, I wish I could win the Euromillions and sponsor one or two of them 

I see Dan Cammish @DanCammish [Twitter] is struggling to find a drive again for the coming racing season. I'm really disappointed by the fact that in the sport I love that is Motorsport in general a talent like this is not being utilised and allowed to flourish right up the sharp end. He has massive potential driving-wise and psychologically. 

[wheadon1985]

Hi... Long time viewer, first time poster!

 

I cannot believe in all the time this post had been going that no one ever once mentioned Oliver Turvey...?!

 

I'm obviously biased as he is a fellow Cumbrian and with Alex MacDowell, they are both doing Cumbria proud in International Motorsport.

 

People seem to forget that Oliver is a class winner at Le Mans, Tests for McLaren Honda as well as being backed by Honda to race out in Japan.  

 

The next one to watch though is a young lad called Johnny Edgar. From a well known Cumbrian karting dynasty, the boy just won the Cadet class at the SKUSA Super Nationals in Vegas. Definitely going places!

[tyker]

Going by dialect alone I would I would put the northern boundary from Chester to Lincoln, clearly north of Derby who don't have a northern accent

[DS27]

Everyone talks about a north / south divide, which I won't dispute, though no one agrees where it starts, however what about an east / west divide. I remember when I first started driving, being amazed that I could jump into my car, drive 2 to 3 hours to the West, get out and barely understand a word anyone was saying! I have to drive about 6 hours north before that happens.

[DampMongoose]

Scotland. Very much in the red in the graphic.

[F1matt]

As a forty something who grew up in North Yorkshire the main four wheel Motorsport was rallying, late 80's and early 90's there were plenty of northerners pedalling rally cars. F1 was secondary IMO.

[tyker]

Basically the further away from London you are the poorer you are.

[chunder27]

That depends on what you class as poor.

 

Motorsport in this country is utterly and completely let down by the MSA who do absolutely nothing to try and encourage people with small amounts of money to compete, they will get you to marshal of course or run events, that is in the main inhabited bhy poorer people isn't it, you still have to join a club that no-one wants to join, still have to pay for a stupid test so a few people can get rich and say you can drive, still have to pay huge entry fees even for basic events.

 

It is run by the rich, for the rich and always has been, it's why I gave it up as a lost cause 30 years ago.

[wrcva]

quick & dirty gmap

 

Data source: http://www.statsf1.c...dom/pilote.aspx

[noikeee]

quick & dirty gmap

 

Data source: http://www.statsf1.c...dom/pilote.aspx

I cliked on Dumfries expecting Johnny Dumfries, that was a bit of a surprise.

[SilverArrow31]

South Yorkshire hasn't done too bad. Had an F1 WDC, a team and most recently Justin Wilson. Got Manor Motorsports too which has had a few famous names driving their cars over the years.

 

Last I heard South Yorkshire was up north.

 

Ahh the homeland. Im from South Yorkshire   Wish I was on my way to becoming an F1 driver too. 

[P123]

I cliked on Dumfries expecting Johnny Dumfries, that was a bit of a surprise.

He's this guy: https://en.wikipedia...arquess_of_Bute

[Fastcake]

I cliked on Dumfries expecting Johnny Dumfries, that was a bit of a surprise.

 

An idiosyncrasy of the peerage. You'll find Johnny Dumfries at Rothesay on the Isle of Bute. He was only known as "Dumfries" because of his courtesy title as the Earl of Dumfries, which he held until his father died and he inherited the Marquessate of Bute, which would obviously match.

 

 

I'm more surprised that there was Grand Prix driver from Porthleven. That's practically next door!

[Counterbalance]

The north definitely* starts in Lincolnshire. I'm from there, but lived down south for a while, and was frequently asked what Butlins was like for a holiday (seriously). Don't know, never been, but that's besides the point. Considering the size of the county, I'm struggling to think of a single driver who's ever made it anywhere near F1. James Allison isfrom Louth though, so that's a crumb of comfort.


*in my opinionion, and only a light hearted one at that.

[BRG]

The north definitely* starts in Lincolnshire. I'm from there, but lived down south for a while, and was frequently asked what Butlins was like for a holiday (seriously). 

Probably people wanted to know whether to go to one of the Butlins in the south - like the ones at Bognor or Minehead.  I guess you northerners think we did not have holiday camps south of the Watford Gap.

 

[Counterbalance]

Probably people wanted to know whether to go to one of the Butlins in the south - like the ones at Bognor or Minehead.  I guess you northerners think we did not have holiday camps south of the Watford Gap.

 

 

Or you southerners know what a head is on a pint of lager....haha!

 

 

On a side note (or back on topic, really), I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Cadwell park. It was only about half an hour from where I was brought up and if I recall correctly, during their F3 days, Senna and Brundle had some amazing battles there. Although I have no idea how suitable it is for car racing there now, I do know it's still a very, very popular motorcycle racing venue.

Edited by Counterbalance, 03 February 2016 - 12:09.

[BRG]

 Although I have no idea how suitable it is for car racing there now, I do know it's still a very, very popular motorcycle racing venue.

As one of Palmer's MSV tracks it is very much suitable for cars, although sadly only at clubbie level. The BTCC field might get a shock if they raced there!

[Imperial]

The BTCC field might get a shock if they raced there!

I trust you've never been to Croft then?! (Where BTCC does race).

[Counterbalance]

As one of Palmer's MSV tracks it is very much suitable for cars, although sadly only at clubbie level. The BTCC field might get a shock if they raced there!

 

They don't call it the mini Nordschleife for nothing!

[BRG]

I trust you've never been to Croft then?! (Where BTCC does race).
 

Of course I have.  Fine track.  If only it wasn't in the back of beyond.

[mikeC]

...  Fine track.  If only it wasn't in the back of beyond.

I could say that about Brands Hatch 

[Maustinsj]

They're all eating barm cakes working at t'mill.

[DampMongoose]

The north definitely* starts in Lincolnshire. I'm from there, but lived down south for a while, and was frequently asked what Butlins was like for a holiday (seriously). Don't know, never been, but that's besides the point. Considering the size of the county, I'm struggling to think of a single driver who's ever made it anywhere near F1. James Allison isfrom Louth though, so that's a crumb of comfort.


*in my opinionion, and only a light hearted one at that.

Ken Richardson qualified 10th in a BRM for the Italian GP in 1950something. Wasnt allowed to participate as it turned out he didn't have the correct licence.