@mr_bones: Totally agree, I get the impression from the local communities in Ireland & the Isle of Man that it's a pain that they just have to deal with simply thanks to where they live. They don't want to see young guys coming over and killing themselves and I'm sure that for every person who loves the sport, many more don't.
I get a horrible feeling in my gut when I see any crash on TV or live, car or bike. I worked for Aston Martin Racing in 2013 when one of our drivers Allan Simonson was killed at Le Mans. The grief and shock that went through the team was profound, I wouldn't wish that on anyone.
Anyway, enough crash talk. Really loving the podcast and I'm enjoying the discussion here too.
Enjoyable podcast once again! With regard to motorcycle road racing, it's a tricky one. I've been to the TT three times and the Ulster Grand Prix once. The atmosphere at these events is one of utter admiration and camaraderie between riders and fans, it's electric. I know that some parts of the pro bike racing community would prefer it to be banned, as they think it exploits the riders. The thing is, it's the riders choice at the end of the day. The TT races don't form part of a series, no one is obliged to race there. They do it because they love it, one of the purest challenges in all of motorsport. While I was last there in 2014 we lost two riders, it was very, very sad, but the guys died doing what they loved, and everyone knows the risks. While I agree that it is awful seeing people killed and injured it's this danger that raises the riders up to be something truly special.
If anyone is interested, Closer To The Edge is a fantastic film (as the guys said), but also "Road" is tremendous. It's the story of road racing's most famous family, the Dunlops and is utterly spellbinding.
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