Marussia to miss Austin GP
Discussion
ash73 said:
As it's touted as a global package, do people think its financial well-being is still linked to UK viewing figures?
Not as such but it does appear that viewing figures, especially on pay TV, are flat lining if not falling in most markets, except the very new ones, where they aren't that high in any case.thegreenhell said:
I wonder how many extra subscribers Sky has gained since getting F1. It won't be anywhere near 665k, I bet. The BBC regularly outscores Sky for viewer numbers 5:1 when they both show the same race live, and even when the BBC only has delayed highlights that ratio is still 3:1, with fewer overall viewers (ie Sky don't really gain much when they have no live competition).
Only a small proportion of current F1 viewers would be prepared to pay for it if it was the only way to watch. If the BBC dropped their coverage entirely and Sky became the only choice for UK viewers I'm sure there would be a few more Sky subscribers from the diehard F1 fans, but most casual fans would just drop away from the sport and overall viewer numbers would drop further. This has already happened in France where it is PPV or nothing. Nobody in the business of F1 wants this to happen, as without the viewers the business model does not add up and the sport becomes worthless.
Meanwhile, Sky appear to be systematically buying up F1 broadcasting rights all over Europe, and free-to-air is slowly but surely becoming a thing of the past.
We did run a poll on here to see who would pay for Sky and it was a relatively significant number, but of course it adds value to other packages.Only a small proportion of current F1 viewers would be prepared to pay for it if it was the only way to watch. If the BBC dropped their coverage entirely and Sky became the only choice for UK viewers I'm sure there would be a few more Sky subscribers from the diehard F1 fans, but most casual fans would just drop away from the sport and overall viewer numbers would drop further. This has already happened in France where it is PPV or nothing. Nobody in the business of F1 wants this to happen, as without the viewers the business model does not add up and the sport becomes worthless.
Meanwhile, Sky appear to be systematically buying up F1 broadcasting rights all over Europe, and free-to-air is slowly but surely becoming a thing of the past.
Personally I wont get it I'd just stop watching.
RemarkLima said:
Scuffers said:
Well, i would take a bet on the UK audience being very significant over any other region.
What makes you say that? Not being contrary, just curious. I'd have thought Germany, Spain, Italy at the very least match the UK... UK was top of the list, by some way, followed by Italy, then Germany, Spain was not even close.
interestingly, when looking at the audience in the far east, a lot of it is made up of ex-pats.
not suggesting the UK is anything like the majority of the audience, but it's certainly the biggest.
The UK has been and will remain one of F1's biggest national markets. To me it is the spiritual and technical home of F1 and any arrangements which alienate and dismiss the UK F1 fan base is treading extremely dangerous ground.
As Scuffers says, the only other country that shares anything like a similar passion for F1 is Italy. Other similar sized European countries - Spain, Germany, France etc are far less committed to the enterprise. The only non-European country that shows anything like a similar passion would be Japan.
F1's "marketing" mission over the past two decades has been to try and garner new TV audiences in countries that have never really had any involvement in motor sport, let alone F1. This has had various degrees of success but there will always be a massive question mark of longevity of interest in the "new convert" countries. Quite a few have already faded out or shown signs of faltering. In many cases, European ex-pats make up a sizeable chunk of the audience
As Scuffers says, the only other country that shares anything like a similar passion for F1 is Italy. Other similar sized European countries - Spain, Germany, France etc are far less committed to the enterprise. The only non-European country that shows anything like a similar passion would be Japan.
F1's "marketing" mission over the past two decades has been to try and garner new TV audiences in countries that have never really had any involvement in motor sport, let alone F1. This has had various degrees of success but there will always be a massive question mark of longevity of interest in the "new convert" countries. Quite a few have already faded out or shown signs of faltering. In many cases, European ex-pats make up a sizeable chunk of the audience
This is the same website that linked Hamilton going back to McLaren, so not sure how much truth there is in it, but Marussia look to be sold or being in the process of being bought, whichever way you want to look at it
http://www.f1today.net/en/news/brothers-lining-up-...
Just seen similar in the Telegraph as well
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formul...
http://www.f1today.net/en/news/brothers-lining-up-...
Just seen similar in the Telegraph as well
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formul...
Joe Saward has just posted this on his blog.
"Manor Grand Prix Racing Limited enters administration
Geoff Rowley and Geoff Carton-Kelly, partners of FRP Advisory LLP, the specialist restructuring and recovery firm, have been appointed joint administrators to Manor Grand Prix Racing Limited, trading as the Marussia F1 Team.
“With the Marussia F1 Team now in administration, the joint administrators have assessed that, given the current financial circumstances of the Group, it is not viable for the Marussia F1 Team to participate in the next race, the 2014 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, due to take place this weekend in Austin, Texas,” said Rowley.
The company will continue to operate while the joint administrators assess the longer term viability of the Company in its present form."
http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2014/10/27/manor-gr...
"Manor Grand Prix Racing Limited enters administration
Geoff Rowley and Geoff Carton-Kelly, partners of FRP Advisory LLP, the specialist restructuring and recovery firm, have been appointed joint administrators to Manor Grand Prix Racing Limited, trading as the Marussia F1 Team.
“With the Marussia F1 Team now in administration, the joint administrators have assessed that, given the current financial circumstances of the Group, it is not viable for the Marussia F1 Team to participate in the next race, the 2014 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, due to take place this weekend in Austin, Texas,” said Rowley.
The company will continue to operate while the joint administrators assess the longer term viability of the Company in its present form."
http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2014/10/27/manor-gr...
Autosport article on Marussia going into administration.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/116512
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/116512
ash73 said:
airbusA346 said:
With the Marussia F1 Team now in administration
I wonder if some people might now be pondering their decision not to run a second car in Sochi...The team's owner is some Russian billionaire who's name escapes me. He was obviously very keen to see both cars race in Sochi and it didn't happen. Like Tony Fernandes, he's losing interest in F1 and the team's decision to run a single car in Sochi probably influenced his decision to pack it in.
I wonder how the Bianchi situation has effected this. Does their Ferrari engine contract stipulate that payments are due if they do not run a Ferrari 'supplied' driver and these have pushed them over the edge? It seemed strange not to run a second car in Russia, and I'm afraid I don't buy the 'out of respect to the family' line and it's more likely that Alex Rossi couldn't raise the cash in time.
Surely this means the death of Caterham though? Given the choice of either team as a buyer you're going to go for Marussia as there are likely to be fewer skeletons in the closet financially, and there's the potential of 9th place and the associated bonus payment if you get on the grid in Abu Dhabi.
Surely this means the death of Caterham though? Given the choice of either team as a buyer you're going to go for Marussia as there are likely to be fewer skeletons in the closet financially, and there's the potential of 9th place and the associated bonus payment if you get on the grid in Abu Dhabi.
MartG said:
Agreed - with a large sum possible ( $50M ? ) if they appear at Abu Dhabi then the administrators would be mad not to do all they can to get the cars there
So what are the odds on them turning up in AD with Rodolfo Gonzalez and Jazeman Jafaar driving? Trying to lap those guys would make battling wheel to wheel with Maldonado seem as safe as a pillow fight in a padded cell.HorneyMX5 said:
Seems little point in running Q1 of Quali on saturday now. They might as well go straight off with Q2 to decide 11th place back and then do the top 10 shoot out.
They'll probably adjust it so that four cars are eliminated from Q1 and four from Q2, leaving the 10 for Q3.However they do it I think there will be 3 sessions. It was split into 3 sessions to make a show rather than any technical requirement. The show must go on and so it'll be 3 sessions to keep the paying punters happy with the amount of track time they get to see. (Even if they are a few cars short)
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