What happened to F1?

What happened to F1?

Author
Discussion

team underdog

938 posts

228 months

Tuesday 22nd July 2014
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RDMcG said:
I agree completely with the comments Derek Smith made. It is ironic that the racing is so good right now and viewership is falling.

Certainly, the Tilke tracks in places with little or no motor sport tradition rob F1 of its heritage when they become the majority of the locations. The world changes, but yet, like many, I look forward to the great circuits like Spa, while the elaborate facilities and seemingly interchangeable tracks in the more recent venues leave me cold.

Even on the traditional tracks, I worry that the emphasis on safety will continue to make them less exciting as chicanes are added, curves are straightened and traditional vistas are neutralized.

I also think that drivers need to be a bit more accessible to the general public. I have been lucky enough to do a fairly large number of Paddock Club attendances and the world there is very different with lots of access, but its just for a handful.

In the US, the various series do a much better job in letting the more general public meet the drivers and of autograph sessions and the like, Not my thing, but especially for young people its a big deal. Also, allowing drivers a bit more leeway in what they say would be good. Why is it that I prefer to hear Raikkonen on the radio than anyone else?...we do need a bot more personality in the sport.

There is no doubt that we are at a time when interest in all things automotive is falling. The advent of the Web, Social media, strict traffic regulations, speed limits, and very expensive costs to run an interesting car has dampened enthusiasm. Modern cars are also much more complex, so the old days of amateur tuning are pretty much gone. To get the next generation of viewers we need:

-Easy to understand
-Strong personalities
-relevant locations
-freeze on rule changes in season

The actual racing is fine, in my view.
I'm a dedicated fan of F1 and have really enjoyed the racing this year, but I can understand why "casual fans" are turning off;

-Lack of free to air TV in the UK at least (and other countries)
-Overly technical nature of the cars (ERS etc) and racing (DRS etc)
-Lack of noise or atmosphere (on TV at least)
-Drivers not speaking their minds. Too much PR speak (aka drivel)
-Lack of a bitter rivalry between drivers
-Races in countries with no racing heritage (yes I know, they need to start somewhere)
-Sanitation of once great race circuits
-Overly corporate nature of proceedings, which is ironic considering how teams struggle for sponsors.

It occurred to me watching the pre race build up to Silverstone on Sky that in the background to the presenters, all I could see was middle aged people in their sunday best, most of which probably had corporate hospitality paddock passes. On the grid was Bernie and Jackie chaperoning some CEO or HRH around, lots of suits and grey hair (or reflective scalps) around...

I'll continue watching but as I say, I can totally see why some people aren't.

Eric Mc

121,788 posts

264 months

Tuesday 22nd July 2014
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Likes Fast Cars said:
^ These new venues may have made it more accessible for fans in those countries
If there were any.

mistakenplane

426 posts

119 months

Tuesday 22nd July 2014
quotequote all
team underdog said:
-Lack of free to air TV in the UK at least (and other countries)
-Overly technical nature of the cars (ERS etc) and racing (DRS etc)
-Lack of noise or atmosphere (on TV at least)
-Drivers not speaking their minds. Too much PR speak (aka drivel)
-Lack of a bitter rivalry between drivers
-Races in countries with no racing heritage (yes I know, they need to start somewhere)
-Sanitation of once great race circuits
-Overly corporate nature of proceedings, which is ironic considering how teams struggle for sponsors.
In response, some of the problems that the sport faces:

1) Im pretty sure BBC asked to drop F1 due to cost cutting, rather than being out bid.
2) I dont think the technical aspect turns people off at all. In fact they seldom speak about deployment of ERS during the race which I would be interested to know more about. If you educate people they wont be ignorant any more?
3) The only issues with the noise come from the constant complaining of it. If no one had started making an issue out of it the whole issue would be dead by now. Its a convenient stick for those aiming to devalue the sport (ie Bernie and Luca...)
4) Very true, teams need to be freer with the drivers. But in an age where everyone has to apologise for every thought they have, you can see why they dont let drivers chat away.
5) Rivalry, Hamilton V Rosberg is shaping up nicely. It also takes the drivers too though, and for example Vettel and Alonso respect each other and dont get into the "war" very much.
6) Some stick, some dont. Flexibility would be good. If F1 feel its too Euro centric, then alternate races in and out from year to year. Want to expand in India and Korea? Alternate years. Too many Euro races? Alternate France and Germany if the fees are prohibitive. But at least it sticks to traditions, and offers a different excitement every year.
7) Its somewhat necessary. Not many tracks have been ruined on the calendar. The racing at Hockenheim for example works very well. Racing at the old Osterreichring in current cars would be terrible!
8) Definitely need a swing away from this! Make it much more fan friendly!

These arent challenging you by the way, or criticising you! Just developing the debate with contrary points of view! smile

Eric Mc

121,788 posts

264 months

Tuesday 22nd July 2014
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1962 -




2014 -




McClure

2,173 posts

145 months

Tuesday 22nd July 2014
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xRIEx said:
He added: "It is no longer a sport of gladiators, it is a sport of accountants." [41]
I like that, I'm going to steal it as a description of Ham v Ros - the gladiator v the accountant.

scarble

5,277 posts

156 months

Tuesday 22nd July 2014
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A good gladiator, like a good racer, is calculated, consistent and master of his emotions.
It's more like the crashy petulant child versus the well rounded mature racing driver.

Derek Smith

45,514 posts

247 months

Tuesday 22nd July 2014
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team underdog said:
-Sanitation of once great race circuits
I remember going to Brands one year where they'd erected temporary toilets, latrines might have been a better name. The gents consisted of a trough in a tent. OK, so far so nearly adequate. But the trough ran out into a big bucket which was overflowing and running back into the tent.

So sanitation is much better nowadays in some respects.

Likes Fast Cars

2,769 posts

164 months

Tuesday 22nd July 2014
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Eric Mc said:
Likes Fast Cars said:
^ These new venues may have made it more accessible for fans in those countries
If there were any.
Yes very good point. Of course, which is exactly the point ... laugh

zac510

5,546 posts

205 months

Tuesday 22nd July 2014
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On other forums less localised to the UK you do see a lot more Eastern users and non-English as first language users (f1 fans).

If I took an English speaking forum like pistonheads' demographic to judge F1 viewers then I'd say French people don't watch F1 either. In fact I know a few French people and none of them are interested in F1 so French people don't deserve an F1 race.

Wills2

22,669 posts

174 months

Tuesday 22nd July 2014
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Derek Smith said:
Loads of good stuff.
Well summed up.

Likes Fast Cars

2,769 posts

164 months

Tuesday 22nd July 2014
quotequote all
mistakenplane said:
In response, some of the problems that the sport faces:

3) The only issues with the noise come from the constant complaining of it. If no one had started making an issue out of it the whole issue would be dead by now. Its a convenient stick for those aiming to devalue the sport (ie Bernie and Luca...)

mistakenplane said:
To be fair, from the perspective of a lot of us PH'ers it's a personal preference thing. I for one do not really like the new engine sound, I much prefer the V10's, alternatively the V8's. It's just a personal thing.

mistakenplane said:
6) Some stick, some dont. Flexibility would be good. If F1 feel its too Euro centric, then alternate races in and out from year to year. Want to expand in India and Korea? Alternate years. Too many Euro races? Alternate France and Germany if the fees are prohibitive. But at least it sticks to traditions, and offers a different excitement every year.

These arent challenging you by the way, or criticising you! Just developing the debate with contrary points of view! smile
And Spain has 2 races.... why?

zac510

5,546 posts

205 months

Tuesday 22nd July 2014
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Spain hasn't had 2 races since 2013.. Come on if you want to bh about F1, get your facts right!

Likes Fast Cars

2,769 posts

164 months

Tuesday 22nd July 2014
quotequote all
Likes Fast Cars said:
mistakenplane said:
In response, some of the problems that the sport faces:

3) The only issues with the noise come from the constant complaining of it. If no one had started making an issue out of it the whole issue would be dead by now. Its a convenient stick for those aiming to devalue the sport (ie Bernie and Luca...)

mistakenplane said:
To be fair, from the perspective of a lot of us PH'ers it's a personal preference thing. I for one do not really like the new engine sound, I much prefer the V10's, alternatively the V8's. It's just a personal thing.

mistakenplane said:
6) Some stick, some dont. Flexibility would be good. If F1 feel its too Euro centric, then alternate races in and out from year to year. Want to expand in India and Korea? Alternate years. Too many Euro races? Alternate France and Germany if the fees are prohibitive. But at least it sticks to traditions, and offers a different excitement every year.

These arent challenging you by the way, or criticising you! Just developing the debate with contrary points of view! smile
And Spain has 2 races.... why?
Sorry something got screwed-up when I tried to quote & comment on 2 of your points separately....
rolleyes

JonRB

74,404 posts

271 months

Tuesday 22nd July 2014
quotequote all
Derek Smith said:
team underdog said:
-Sanitation of once great race circuits
I remember going to Brands one year where they'd erected temporary toilets, latrines might have been a better name. The gents consisted of a trough in a tent. OK, so far so nearly adequate. But the trough ran out into a big bucket which was overflowing and running back into the tent.

So sanitation is much better nowadays in some respects.
hehe

And people say you have no sense of humour, Derek. I see what you did there. hehewink

WelshChris

1,173 posts

253 months

Tuesday 22nd July 2014
quotequote all
It's sport made for TV now - wouldn't make any difference if they ran every race behind closed doors.

Sure people still love to attend and revel in the spectacle of it all, but the truth is that it's simply too expensive for Mr.Average and his kids. I attended all the British GP's from around 68 to 78 with my father and sister, and we certainly weren't a 'family of means', but there's no way that most people could do that now.

Not only have the classic circuits been sanitised (albeit Spa, Monza and Monaco are still fantastic) but great circuits with long motorsport heritage have disappeared from the calendar completely (Brands, Zandvoort, San Marino etc.etc.).

Being able to relate to the drivers is easier nowadays due to the continuous media coverage (including of course social media). When I was a kid I was lucky enough to meet Hill/Clark/Surtees et al, and until you heard them speak in person you didn't even know what their voices sounded like! They were certainly more accessible in person in those days though.

I don't know what the answer is - not even sure I know if there's a real problem or if it's just perceived that way!

Eric Mc

121,788 posts

264 months

Tuesday 22nd July 2014
quotequote all
zac510 said:
On other forums less localised to the UK you do see a lot more Eastern users and non-English as first language users (f1 fans).

If I took an English speaking forum like pistonheads' demographic to judge F1 viewers then I'd say French people don't watch F1 either. In fact I know a few French people and none of them are interested in F1 so French people don't deserve an F1 race.
Chicken - egg (or should that be poulet/oeuf?)

Grand Prix racing (heck - even the name is French) started in France. They dominated early motor racing and also had a massive success in getting French drivers onto the grid in the 70s and 80s. I find it unbelievable that there is currently no French GP.

If you took away the British GP, in five or six years you would find interest here tailing off too.

zac510

5,546 posts

205 months

Tuesday 22nd July 2014
quotequote all
Eric, yeah I know, I was just trying to point out the dangers of making conclusions on the interest in foreign countries just from a few glances on television and English-speaking web forums.


JonRB

74,404 posts

271 months

Tuesday 22nd July 2014
quotequote all
zac510 said:
Eric, yeah I know, I was just trying to point out the dangers of making conclusions on the interest in foreign countries just from a few glances on television and English-speaking web forums.
A fair point that wasn't immediately obvious initially. smile

Likes Fast Cars

2,769 posts

164 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
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zac510 said:
Spain hasn't had 2 races since 2013.. Come on if you want to bh about F1, get your facts right!
Fair point and I stand corrected, thanks. But I'm not bcensored ing about F1, merely having a say as we're all entitled to do smile
Glad to see the 2 races in Spain situation has been corrected.

Fire99

9,844 posts

228 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
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Going back to safety, we seem to yo-yo between extremes.. No-one in their right mind would want a return to fuel tanks that explode in a fireball or on-track medical provision that effectively amounted to a bloke with a watering can (probably located at the opposite end of the circuit to the accident)

However, by and large for example, the 80's were a very safe era for F1. Not 100% but no motor racing can be 100% risk free and still be the cutting edge of challenges.

A couple of weeks ago I scrambled what is allegedly the most dangerous (non ropes and shackles) mountain in Britain. Statistically a couple or so people die each year on it. Should I be restricted to walking on a grassy meadow with fake rocks and ravines painted on it? OK lovely and safe, but 90% of the challenge has been removed.

Then you have the corporate circus that follows F1 around, that is about as environmentally friendly as a coal fire, but the the cars are being pushed for fuel economy and overtaking is orchestrated by the DRS version of 'push to pass', it all becomes about how it appears rather than how it actually is.

F1 has become the David Copperfield of motor sport. All about promoting an illusion of something that isn't really all that in reality.