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It is something of a tradition here at UKGPL to have an end-of-season review where the drivers get a chance to declare what went well and what didn’t. Season 33 is no different, so this is your chance to influence the direction of UKGPL. The moderators cannot promise to implement all your suggestions but where possible they will be considered when setting up Season 34.

Here are some questions to get the ball rolling:

1.    Has the token system worked well with all car sets?
2.    Should “Amateur” drivers get extra tokens?
3.    Should all races be “Pro” rules?
4.    Has the mixture of 2L and 3L classes worked well in the 66F1 series?
5.    Was having the available tokens listed in the race announcement helpful?
6.    What car sets do you want to see in Season 34?
7.    Do you like the rule that drivers must complete 50% of the race to score?
8.    What tracks would you like to see in Season 34?
9.    Do you like the combined championship tables as in the 1967 F1 where there was a combined table and separate tables for the Works and privateers?
10.   Are the rules, penalty guidelines and etiquette recommendations fit for purpose or are there any areas that need revising?

There are numerous other questions that could be asked so don’t limit your responses to the above.

We are planning to start Season 34 on Sunday 13/01/2019 with the intention to have an eight week break in the summer with Season 35 starting on Sunday 28/07/2019. That way we can fit two full seasons into a calendar year. Having a season always starting on the second Sunday of the year should help drivers plan their racing calendars.

The one I entered, yes. (65)

Depends if you want faster Ams racing slower Pros in the races where a an Am can take a Lotus and a Pro is in a BT7.
Some Pros say yes, some Pros say no.
If it is a truly split grid, with 2 separate races, then no, as equal tokens will help split the grid further.
If there is a 65 league i Plan on taking the BT7 in Ams as I like driving it and I would like some closer racing.
Would like a bigger grid too.

No. Us inconsistent Ams like to finish the odd race. :)

Probably for some but I don't use it as I keep my own spreadsheet so I can plan what chassis to use and practise with beforehand.

65
55
69X

Yes

Yes and none that I know of.

I think it has. Instead of being static as they have been, tho, I suggest that the most used cars get more expensive, and the least used cheaper, after each season. Less tokens for pros v. ams would be good, too.

Worked fine in 55s.

No

Yes if there are Pro/Works drivers in it.

Haven't a clue.

Yes.

55

Yes

This season in 55 the tracks were good.  No daft fantasy tracks!

Sounds a good idea but I didn't look.

Still seem ok.

It was OK for me

Yes when they drive with "Works", but maybe less extra tokens than in season33

YES

It was perfect for me.

YES

mod67, mod66 and maybe F2

YES, YES, YES


50% papy tracks, 50% new tracks

Yes, it was very nice

seems to be OK in 99% cases

There is no holidays in UK on August ?  8)
8 weeks break in summer, and season starting on 28/07 means a break from 10 June to 27 July. I would prefer from 5 July to end of August ...

1. The token system seems too generous, it allows drivers to switch to nimble cars on slower tracks without penalty.  It could also be adjusted to demand, as already suggested.  A third improvement would be a token cost every time a driver switches chassis? 

I would prefer a more team based approach for at least one series, with an offseason wrangle for chassis, or team leaders signing drivers.  Perhaps a 65-69 series?

2. Six-seven drivers doesn't justify a separate series.  While we should encourage new drivers, this needs a new approach, and it seems doubtful we could start a rookie series for a twenty year old game.  Perhaps a greater presence on social media, and some form of amateur hour before races might help?

3. Yes.

4. The generous token problem is with all the championships, however the 66s suffer most.

6. As its the fifty year anniversary for the 69s will we run the classic 69 championship?

7. Yes.

8. When you have a grid of mixed ability it is difficult to race circuits like Syracuse?  While the 1955 series should have appropriate circuits, it doesn't seem necessary to force the sixties chassis onto them?  Jarama and Bugatti aren't raced enough considering they are genuine 1967 F1 tracks.  Otherwise the new Interlagos circuit could be tried out.  Though Spa is preferred, Zolder isn't a bad circuit if Spa were to be omitted for some reason.   

Good point David. I appreciate the school holidays in most countries are in July and August so it would be a good idea to have the UKGPL summer break in that period. The only problem with that proposal is that to fit 2 seasons in one calendar year we would have to run 3 of the "Season 35" races immediately after the last "Season 34" race. Otherwise the "Season 35" races would not finish on Tuesday 10/12/2019.

I don't really have a problem with that because I think I can run a registration thread for "Season 35" at the same time "Season 34" is running. But how would the drivers feel about moving straight from "Season 34" to "Season 35" without a break? Albeit there would be an 8 week break just 3 weeks into "Season 35".

As you say Phil, an interesting issue. One idea would be an extending the season over the whole calendar year & running 20 races. We can split the breaks over Easter, August holidays & Christmas. No so different from real Formula 1. It will reduce  the work on moderators by only having to set up a season once a year & we cut out the debate about when to start the new season. I guess the downside is the championship get decided half way through.

1. Yes
4. Yes
5. Yes
6. 69x 67x 66
7. Yes
8. Bathurst, Charade, Daytona Road Course, Interlagos, Jerez, Kyalami, Laguna Seca, Nordschleife , Road 67
9. Yes
10. All in all I am satisfied! :)

Another would be to have a 10 race season between Sunday 13th Jan 2019 and Tuesday 11th Jun 2019, a 3 month summer break and a shorter 7 race season between 8th Sep 2019 and Tuesday 10th Dec 2019. We could run fun races and the Joe Shaw memorial series in the summer break.

A twenty race season is different from late sixties Formula One, which had twelve races in classic format, though this was only run once as the Spanish GP was not official in 1967 and Spa was cancelled in 1969.  If there is an anniversary 1969 series, will Spa be cancelled?

Three months is too long a break, with a 13-7 split in racing fortnights, another alternative might be to have the autumn series run every week- so the spring series would be four mods and twelve races and the autumn series two mods and twelve races?  This is seventy-two races instead of eighty, how about a non-championship cup race at the end of every series, with tokens allocated based on the championship result?

It doesn't need to be a complete break. We could use the summer break to fit in a few mini series of underused car sets (e.g. a 3 race CanAm series) and the Joe Shaw Memorial races.

Interesting suggestion. The only potential problem would be only having a week between races but providing we retain the token system and don't go back to a system of car allocation based on Championship position that would be OK.

While it might be difficult to have a cup competition based on allocation straight after the last race, you could start a series or season with the cup competitions from the previous series or season, which would allow the moderators the entire break to set it up.

A one-race cup competition would provide an opportunity for slower drivers without burdening faster drivers with a slow chassis all season.  If we run separate series on the same grid you'll have a return of the situation where a lonely amateur just turns up and makes it past halfway to win a race.

I was unable to compete in most of the last season, but what concerned me more than anything else was pitting my modest talents against those drivers in the Works category. I found that it was not nearly as frightening as I'd imagined and would be pleased to be invited back again for whatever kind of series or format the administrators eventually choose.

1.    Has the token system worked well with all car sets?
> i guess so
2.    Should “Amateur” drivers get extra tokens?
> puuh, unsure.
3.    Should all races be “Pro” rules?
> no, its too hard
4.    Has the mixture of 2L and 3L classes worked well in the 66F1 series?
> for me yes
5.    Was having the available tokens listed in the race announcement helpful?
> yes
6.    What car sets do you want to see in Season 34?
> i like the wingless open wheelers most
7.    Do you like the rule that drivers must complete 50% of the race to score?
> yes thats good
8.    What tracks would you like to see in Season 34?
> stable ones !
9.    Do you like the combined championship tables as in the 1967 F1 where there was a combined table and separate tables for the Works and privateers?
> its ok
10.   Are the rules, penalty guidelines and etiquette recommendations fit for purpose or are there any areas that need revising?
> all in all, very consistent, reliable and transparent

1.    Has the token system worked well with all car sets?
2.    Should “Amateur” drivers get extra tokens?
3.    Should all races be “Pro” rules?
4.    Has the mixture of 2L and 3L classes worked well in the 66F1 series?
5.    Was having the available tokens listed in the race announcement helpful?
6.    What car sets do you want to see in Season 34?
7.    Do you like the rule that drivers must complete 50% of the race to score?
8.    What tracks would you like to see in Season 34?
9.    Do you like the combined championship tables as in the 1967 F1 where there was a combined table and separate tables for the Works and privateers?
10.   Are the rules, penalty guidelines and etiquette recommendations fit for purpose or are there any areas that need revising?

1 yes
2 yes
3 could be a solution to improve caution
4 yes
5 yes
6 55,canam66 and F2
7 yes
8 not fantasy,suzuka ,fuji
9 yes
10 is ok

1.    Has the token system worked well with all car sets?
2.    Should “Amateur” drivers get extra tokens?
3.    Should all races be “Pro” rules?
4.    Has the mixture of 2L and 3L classes worked well in the 66F1 series?
5.    Was having the available tokens listed in the race announcement helpful?
6.    What car sets do you want to see in Season 34?
7.    Do you like the rule that drivers must complete 50% of the race to score?
8.    What tracks would you like to see in Season 34?
9.    Do you like the combined championship tables as in the 1967 F1 where there was a combined table and separate tables for the Works and privateers?
10.   Are the rules, penalty guidelines and etiquette recommendations fit for purpose or are there any areas that need revising?

1/ yes good system
2/yes
3/this will frighten some ams.
4/yes very well
5/yes very helpfull
6/CA66_F166_F167_F2
7/yes
8/It will be good to have a nice mixte of some tracks of GPLRank, ChallengeRank, HistoricRank, MunchausenRank ( for the F167 ) ... and the rank for the others mods who will be selected..... like this we can improve our rank :laugh:
9/yes it's good motivation for Ams.
10/the rules ares ok for me
11/it will be nice if the serveur can be there 2 or 3 days before the race .....practice together is more fun ;)

Thanks for all the feedback. Your views have been taken into consideration when preparing for Season 34 which is on its way!