What is currently the world's greatest motor race?

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The world's current greatest motor race?

Monaco Grand Prix
4
6%
Indy 500
20
29%
Le Mans 24 Hours
22
32%
Nurburgring 24 Hours
6
9%
Bathurst 1000
4
6%
Daytona 500
4
6%
The Dakar Rally
2
3%
Pikes Peak Hillclimb
0
No votes
Isle Of Man TT
6
9%
Other
1
1%
 
Total votes: 69

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#31

Post by XcraigX »

Bottom post of the previous page:

This is a tough one. Many choices for many reasons. However my picks:

1. Le Mans - Still the premier race with the highest technology cars. The track is challenging (especially at night) and the 24 hour format challenges the drivers. This has become more of a sprint as technology improves, but the last few years, the top contenders all manage to break down leaving a large margin of victory for whomever is left. I agree that it was a better race 20 years ago and older, but there is not much better in 2017.

2. Isle of Mann TT - The only reason this is not top choice is because it's a TIME TRIAL and not a race. I love this event and I think it is the greatest challenge to the riders, but it's just missing something due to the format. We rarely get to see them actually race each other. We only get bikes passing each other if someone is having a bad day or a technical problem.

3. Nurburgring 24 Hours - The best / toughest track on the planet. This would be better if it was open to the top tier cars (prototypes). Right now it is just GT racing and while it is entertaining, it's just not in the same tier as the other events. Plus we get maybe a 1 hour summary show in the states (if we are lucky). No TV coverage puts a wet blanket on the event for us.

4. Bathurst 1000 - It's great, but I guess I don't have the history on this side of the globe. I try to watch it every year as I believe this is the best race of the Aussie V8 series, but if it were on against F1, or LeMans, I would watch those instead. Plus there are several other Aussie V8 SC races that are almost as entertaining.

The other events get lost on each series very busy calendar. Indy is now matched by other ovals, the Daytona 500 was only an interesting race when they held it on the beach, and the Monaco GP is only special because mega rich people show up. The F1, NASCAR, and Indycar series have tried to bring up the quality of other tracks and this has made their once premier events a bit less special. At one time each of these could have been considered the best race in the world, but not anymore.

For Dakkar, I've never been into it. So I guess I am biased against that one.
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#32

Post by Microsprinter18 »

I said the Indianapolis 500. The longest running motorsport event in the world undoubtedly has a heritage that really stands out to me. The 500 is definitely the race I look forward to the most.
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#33

Post by face1086 »

LM24H can't consider itself the greatest race in the world until it sorts out the LMP1 Hybrid Mess. If Indy continues its recovery then it may leapfrog it in the next 5-10 years. Monaco is definitely the hardest to win, given you (generally) need to be in one of two cars to stand a chance!
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#34

Post by SBan83 »

It all depends on which perspective. For me as an enthusiast who understands the technicalities will have a different choice to Joe fan who only follows one or two motorsport events a year. Plus geography matters too. Anyway, for me, it's the one where the concentration of talent and effort is percolated higher than in any other and so I'd have to go for the Le Mans 24 hours. As a track it's not much of a challenge compared to Bathurst, Nordschleife or Isle of Man though.
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#35

Post by erwin greven »

face1086 wrote: 6 years ago LM24H can't consider itself the greatest race in the world until it sorts out the LMP1 Hybrid Mess. If Indy continues its recovery then it may leapfrog it in the next 5-10 years. Monaco is definitely the hardest to win, given you (generally) need to be in one of two cars to stand a chance!
That the LMP1 Hybrid is according to you a mess has nothing to do with Le Mans. It is the FIA that set up the rules for the LMP1H. This years Le Mans was outstanding in my opinion. Last year the same. Who thought that Porsche would win both races? No one! Toyota's drama's in both editions where the icing on the cake.
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#36

Post by Andy »

Microsprinter18 wrote: 7 years ago I said the Indianapolis 500. The longest running motorsport event in the world undoubtedly has a heritage that really stands out to me. The 500 is definitely the race I look forward to the most.
The Isle of Man TT is 4 years its senior ;)
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#37

Post by Andy »

Still races on the Mountain Course for me. Whether TT, Classic TT or Manx Grand Prix doesn't really matter.
It is the most physical, challenging and demanding race on the longest real roads course. Alongside stone walls, barb wire fences, gras banks, trees, lampposts and far more furniture. Weather woes as in low visibility due to mist on the Mountain and the roads are everything but even. A mistake at Le Mans gets you either crashing into the armco or makes you getting stuck in one of the few gravel traps.

On the Mountain Course a mistake means hospital at minimum and death at worst. And we haven't been on to any mechanical error on the machine that most often means the same. At average lap speeds around the 130 mph / 210 km/h !

Also on a low estimation two laps on the Mountain Course (37.75 mile / 60.75 km per lap) cover an entire MotoGP race but the shortest races for solo machines are four laps, the longest 6 laps. Even sidecars do 3 laps per race.
Riders are allowed a max. of 8 laps on race days due to the pure physical demands, and that means that they can and most often do 2 (!) races on those days with the smaller classes 4 lap races. If a 6 lapper on the superbikes runs completely through we are talking about almost 2 hours on the bike including 2 pitstops.
Le Mans on the other hand allows 3 hours maximum stint time but usually afterwards the driver gets about 4-6h of rest if it goes to plan.

Taking everything into account it is racing on the Mountain Course for me because it is a pure thrill being just inches from the passing bikes away. Sitting on a gras bank, stone wall. If you stick your elbow out it is going to be ripped off, that close it is. You don't get any closer
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#38

Post by erwin greven »

To race here you have to be a certain breed of racers. The same type of racers who raced at Spa Francorchamps or the Nürburgring in the 60's in F1.
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#39

Post by Filipe Gordinho »

It has to be the Le Mans 24H hasn't it?
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#40

Post by JOC1991 »

From the racing series' I watch, I have to say the Indy 500. It gives me the biggest adrenalin rush and the racing is usually fantastic if a little bit scary.

The Isle of Man TT is probably the greatest challenge, however. I don't follow it but it really is dangerous and the riders are very brave.
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#41

Post by Heetseeker »

Indy 500. Not even debatable.
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#42

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

Heetseeker wrote: 2 years ago Indy 500. Not even debatable.
In your opinion. :wink:

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#43

Post by erwin greven »

Heetseeker wrote: 2 years ago Indy 500. Not even debatable.
Why would the Indy 500 be the greatest race? Ok, it has the highest average speed, but speed is relative. Is it the longest track? No. Has it the highest number of competitors? No. Is it a world championship? No. Is it a long race? No.
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#44

Post by alfaisetre »

I think once time was 24h of Le Mans, actually media give us only formula 1, but it's enough.
My answer is actually the most competitive race is every grand prix not run in Tilke's circuit
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#45

Post by mcmirande »

Any Formula 1 race. All the remaining motorsport racing is amateurish compared with Formula 1 ;)

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#46

Post by SBan83 »

I guess from a point of view of the mainstream global audience, it'd have to be the Monaco GP?

Americans likely see Indy 500 or Daytona 500 (depending on which side of the Mason-Dixon line you ask) as the greatest race, since their whole sporting scene is so isolated from the rest of the world.
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