The document is interesting and in this case the devil is in the absence of detail, or rather in the fact that there are implications to the actions that may be unconsidered.
For example: How many drivers recognised that they had an opportunity to influence the direction of their sport for the next 5 years and actually contacted their club before November and how many people vetted what their club actually decided?
More, how many people will realise that they can write a commentary on this Green Paper or that they have to do so by 17 January?
Another difficulty is that the proposals are very vague, they have a nice 'touchy-feely' sound (much like many statements by politicians) but the simple answers may not work so well.
For example, one might link the proposal to limit the classes to a proposal to improve the prestige of national championships and the proposal that there could only be one national championship for any class. Now there are a number of implications possible.
If one describes a commercial race series (eg:SuperOne, FKS) as the most prestigious form of racing, would it imply that if a class did not race in that series that it ought to be culled? Or would it imply that a 'national' event was only one that the MSA gave 'National' status and that other championships that might involve drivers from all over the country were "national" but not "National", and would that demand a separate MSA series?
At the same time the paper calls for making Karting more accessible, but raising the prestige of a championship might make it less accessible. This forum comments regularly on chequebook racing so how would you raise the prestige of a championship without making it more desirable and more vulnerable to chequebook influence.
So does one limit chequebook effect by limiting the number of competitors (making them do 'qualification' or carry a National A* licence?). If one accepts a class of super drivers, does that mean that no-one else is allowed to compete in a "National Champs" and that the MSA would allow a 'national champs' as well. Could that lead to many drivers going to a non-MSA 'National Champs'? Does one think that the organisers of a commercial series would be in favour of limiting the number of drivers or would we see registration fees lifted to Formula 1 levels making it self-restricting?
Now it might seem that I am creating difficulties where none exist, but it seems to me that the greatest danger for this document is that it may create the conditions for an even more restricted sport if the simplest solutions are called for, while there might be resistance or misunderstanding at the driver level if the major reforms required to implement it properly are put in place.
But without a wide and thoughtful input, those implementing these proposals may justifiably consider that they should meet the interests of those who have bothered....and they may be the people with particular agenda at hand.
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