is it right to auction a drive??

[Les]

There is currently a second seat in a Formula Renault up for auction. It finishes in 3 hours or so and the bidding is at 55K (reserve not met).

What do you reckon - is this a good idea or not?

I have sat here thinking about it. On one side a driver with the cash but not the where with all to win a seat from a test has a chance of a drive, on the other hand the team may fill a seat they are having trouble with.

What happens next - Mg or Vauxhall auction off a seat in the BTCC?? (or does that already happen but in secret?)

[Peter]

I do not like the idea of the richest kid winning the seat.

I would like to see a test, in which the most qualified drivers compete with one another. Thus a driver would win the seat on speed, not money.

[John]

I assume that not just anyone can race in a national championship as you need a liscence. Therefore the winner must have a little bit of talent.

I dont like this trend where people with cash get drives over people with talent and/or experience. But on the otherhand if a team has a choice of running two cars (one with a pay driver) or not having the funds to run at all then there isnt really an option.

[Paul Rayner]

One thing I'd like to get straight here is that Formula Renault is, like Clios, a paying championship. There are no drivers that I know of who get paid by the teams to race, all money for drives has to come from sponsors, or family.

Do I think it's a good idea to sell it on eBay? Yes and no, but mainly no. Yes, it could be a good idea as a publicity stunt, if the local or maybe national press were informed, it would raise the profile of the drive and *maybe* attract a sponsor. No, I don't think it's good though because it gives the impression of desperation to fill a drive.

The truth is though that teams in FRenault need money to run the cars, and therefore they try to get the most they can from drivers they can attract, effectively meaning that all drives go to auction, away from the public eye. All drivers have to be taken on from a business profile - has this driver got x amount of money to spend this year, or will they be worth taking on because they'll be successful for the team and raise the amount I can charge next year by y amount of money?

[touring fan]

Well, £55,100 and it didn't meet the reserve.....

[Craig Antill]

You think seats don't get auctioned all the time? The only difference here is that they're being up front and open about it rather than bull**** and politics ensuring the auction runs from the end of October through to the middle of March...