Wantan Wrote:To truthandhonesty - your point about unpaid marshalls is another issue entirely and not relevant to this discussion in my view

To Tomcat - I don't understand the point about Mylchreests providing their cars FREE of charge. So what? Do you not think that if they decided to withdraw their support that another local dealer would have jumped at the chance to step in on the same basis? It's a small island, you're right, but the publicity is still worth more than the cost - especially if you're also a keen amateur rally driver who probably loved every minute of each blast around closed roads.

On a general note - I do concede points about the handling of the change - although we need to be clear who we're aiming our tirades at. It would appear to me that Mr Earnshaw has yet again made a complete hash of what should have been a simple process. He has managed this with amazing regularity in his brief term.

Wantan I take your point about the value of publicity, but I still feel that Mylchreests probably don't make much in this respect. Unlike Audi they don't have a presence, and hence market, off the Island. With most race fans being come-overs the chances of them buying a car off Mylchreests are slim to none. Thus I'm more inclined to regard their support as being largely altruistic rather than purely commercially driven.

Points made in this thread and the inquest one all lead to the need for the TT (and MGP!) to be run as a professional business. Sadly the days are past when it is possible to regard this as a pure sporting occasion - the money involved and the responsibilities of those involved are now too great. And like any business the processes need to be transparent and honest, and the managers accountable. If this deal was driven by the desire of individuals to obtain themselves a free flashy car to drive around in, that would be gross misconduct occasioning summary dismissal in any company I know.

If indeed there was a genuine commercial case based on income to the DTL, or savings in hire cars, why were Mylchreests and others on the IoM not given adequate time to prepare, submit and refine a bid?

I'm sure they will easily find another course car driver but in David Mylchreest's place I'd also tell them to swivel. It's the loss of trust that's bitter more than the loss of the contract.