Wednesday 7th December 2011

PH blog: Why Bernie makes me angry

F1 In Europe is 'the past' reckons Bernie. How to lose fans and alienate people, pt94

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"Europe is over" Bernie Ecclestone told Spanish paper La Marca the other week. "It will be a good place for tourism but little else. Europe is something that belongs to the past." In fact, the F1 supremo reckons that Europe's tally of F1 races could be down to just five of the 20 rounds in the near future.

German GP: nobody watches F1 in Europe...

Cheers, Bernie. Kick a continent while it's down, won't you? Of course, Formula One is a business, so Ecclestone is bound to go chasing the money. Hence the Arabian peninsula GPs, Singapore, China India and Korea. Next up is Russia, and Bernie is keen to get F1 into even more global markets. Russia is coming, and Mexico and South Africa could be in the running, too.

All of which is well and good, but it could be a short-sighted plan. If you don't have a decent fanbase, a GP won't make money and Bernie will shut them down. Low spectator numbers for Korea, Bahrain, China and Turkey have proven that big investment does not necessarily equate to big public support.

Which is why I reckon Europe still has a massive part to play in the F1 game. All the F1 teams are based in Europe, and most of the European F1 races draw big crowds (even if the circuits don't make big money). I would also be willing to bet that, as a continent, Europe has the most consistently committed F1 followers.

Writing off a continent of 500 million people that has been at the heart of motorsport for a century in favour of an uncertain future gain seems like madness. Lose the fans and, in the end, F1 is nothing. Bernie would do well to remember that.

Riggers

[fatboy69]

He is an idiot!!!

[dele]

fatboy69 said:

He is an idiot!!!

But an old idiot, who will die before F1 does hopefully, so take pleasure in that

[Oddball RS]

As far as F1 is concerned............ 'Bernie is the past'

The sooner he curls his toes up the better.

[gtdc]

Is he getting into senior moments?

[anonymous-user]

Bernie is a wker.
There.

[Tyre Tread]

fatboy69 said:

He is an idiot!!!

Quite a rich idiot though!

[Digga]

Has he no idea at all where all of the cars on his poxy grid come from, or where the majority of (skilled) racing drivers origniate?

What a dickspring.

ETA:

1. This is surely his Ratner moment.
2. I'm glad 'dcikspring' has been cleared for deployment the PH profanity hamsters.

Edited by Digga on Wednesday 7th December 12:52

[ode]

Bloody idiot. I'd like to put on a massive pair of steelies and kick him in the nuts until we're BOTH crying. The sooner he dies and leaves F1 to someone else the better.

[fatboy69]

He is actually a rich fking idiot who makes my blood boil. wker!!!!!!

[thegamekeeper]

Imagine how bad it will be when he does fall off the podium and his daughter takes over the family business

[Silverbullet767]

Well, F1 in the UK will take a nosedive in viewing figures next year anyway, no doubt he'll use that to his advantage.

[Beyond Rational]

I just don't get it, he doesn't have the right build to be in charge.

[zebedee]

Nicely put in the article. I'm out for one, he can keep his precious business, I'll devote all my attention to sportscar and GT racing instead. Total dickspring, as has been said.

[snorkel sucker]

I can't see why Bernie's comments should come as a suprise to anyone. His sole aim is to make as much money as he can.

By suggesting that those races in Europe are in jeapordy, he sparks serious interest from those wannabe F1 hosts, who see an opening in the calendar. He also makes those already on the calendar sit up and take notice, realising (he should really just issue a monthly memo to them all really..) that they are not invincible.

The upshot? Better scope for negotiation for Bernie, and potential for higher revenues as a result.

As an F1 fan, no Euro races does gall me, but, when it comes to appreciating Bernie's business brain, I can see why he is doing it.

[tallsopp]

A cryptic question for Bernie... "what does and F1 car do every Sunday afternoon?

Answer: "what comes around... goes around!!"

...I guess Bernie will be long gone before it all comes back 'round to bite him up the ass!

[Insight]

Well he got us all thinking about Formula 1 again, so that's a good advert. Clever (but not nice) guy.

[Sam the Mut]

publicity stunt

[sinbaddio]

I'm sure the F1 teams would have something to say about that, as the article states the majority are based in Europe and the logistics must be a nightmare already, this would only make it worse. Reality being he wants to take F1 to the countries willing to pay the most to host - simples!

[G0ldfysh]

meh F1; meh Bernie

Guys pinching his Hublot would have to wait in line to give him a kicking now; it seems.

Long time supporter of F1 but this last couple of years the motoGP has been so much more interesting, watching the riders balance on one wheel as they drop through the corkscrew at Laguna seca showed what F1 is missing for all the DRS, Kers and blown diffuser what nots.

Excitement and the ability to see and marvel at the drivers skill. No question the F1 boys are at the top of their game but it all seems so controlled and manufactured to the arm chair enthusiast Sky is welcome to it all.

Please BBC put your F1 teams knowledge into the motoGP and educate us new starters to the sport in all we have missed.

[lazyitus]

Tyre Tread said:

fatboy69 said:

He is an idiot!!!

Quite a rich idiot though!

There's not enough money in the world to stop people disliking him though. That's a sad thing for him, no matter how rich he is.