Ecclestone suspects grid will shrink - Autosport

[Wanta996Gotta]

He thinks only Lotus will survive and does not think that others will be missed. I think this is the first time i have agreed with him.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/85609

[german tony]

I'd rather see Virgin's cash being spent on, say, Williams than on a car that only appears on TV when it's being lapped.

However I'm not happy with the idea that large numbers of people will be spending time at the Job Centre as a result.

[Fire99]

'the other 2010 newcomers have brought little to the sport' ? Would that be money Bernie??

I don't think Bernie is impartial enough to comment. Also I think that wealth and age has made him lose sight of the difference between 'business' and 'sport'

All the teams were within the 107% rule (if it existed) at Germany and that's a darn sight better than the days of pre-qualifying.

Now the teams are in, there should be procedures in place to help them get a stronger footing.

You can't just let them in, give them a bit of a kicking and then kick them out the door again. It has a bit of 'Court Jester' about it.

They are an asset. OK we don't get much TV coverage of them so we don't get to see their own racing going on but that's perhaps more of a criticism of the commercial arm than the sport.

[snorkel sucker]

Fire99 said:

They are an asset. OK we don't get much TV coverage of them so we don't get to see their own racing going on but that's perhaps more of a criticism of the commercial arm than the sport.

I am as bad as the next person for only really watching what goes on at the front of the grid. However, the interactive aspect of BBC does help in being able to watch those teams lower down the grid should you wish.

In fact, taking into account the first part of that sentence, i have pushed myself to actually take more of an interest in the whole of the grid as of late and what is there to see is some genuine talent and passionate, non-egotistical racers; a refreshing change if you will to what goes on at the other end (no names mentioned..)

There is a saturation point, in any sport, as to the number of teams/competitors, and although these new teams arent bringing in the cash that Bernie would perhaps like to see, it does allow more opportunity for a few more exciting drivers to come to the fold. Racing is racing, be that for 1st position or 24th position

[JKDesign80]

With such limited testing, what did he expect!

Think they have done pretty well considering.

[belleair302]

The larger teams should be looking at 'partnering' the smaller teams not just as a 'B' team but to help engineers, designers and mechanics, as well as sponsors to understnd the business that is F1.

Rugby Clubs and Football Clubs all loan palyers and staff to smaller lowere league teams, maybe F1 needs to adopt a similar system. I know McLaren has put staff into Force India but maybe other teams should either be allowed to run a third car under a different guise or have a second string run by a separate team.

[snorkel sucker]

belleair302 said:

The larger teams should be looking at 'partnering' the smaller teams not just as a 'B' team but to help engineers, designers and mechanics, as well as sponsors to understnd the business that is F1.

Rugby Clubs and Football Clubs all loan palyers and staff to smaller lowere league teams, maybe F1 needs to adopt a similar system. I know McLaren has put staff into Force India but maybe other teams should either be allowed to run a third car under a different guise or have a second string run by a separate team.

I cant say I agree with your thoughts on this; F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport. If teams do not have the technical expertise to exist at this level, then they shouldnt be there.

[Redlake27]

I don't agree that big teams should support little teams.

Virgin, Kolles and Fernandez would have come into this if they thought :

1) They couldn't make money out of it
2) They could improve their competitiveness

It is a meritocracy, and the backers of these teams are big boys.

Next year, I see Virgin steadily improving, Lotus making a Toro Rosso/Force India step forward and Kolles selling the team they acquired in a fire sale at a modest profit to another StefanF1 type dreamer.

I think Red Bull will sell Toro Rosso (it's served it's purpose) to the new American F1 team and Ferrari will co-fund it in a revival of their 'NART' livery from the 60s. If not this Cypher group will buy Sauber.

And I really can't see where Villeneuve/Durango are going to get funding from, even if they shortcut by buying Toyota cars and engines.

[snorkel sucker]

Redlake27 said:

And I really can't see where Villeneuve/Durango are going to get funding from, even if they shortcut by buying Toyota cars and engines.

At least this will add to a banzai-attitude to racing and some serious action; they'll be flat out on every straight, and not be able to brake for the corners!

[Murph7355]

snorkel sucker said:

...
I cant say I agree with your thoughts on this; F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport. If teams do not have the technical expertise to exist at this level, then they shouldnt be there.

Everyone has to start somewhere though. And all the teams on the grid now have had times when their cars have been woeful in terms of performance.

Bernie's got more neck than a herd of giraffe. He accepts their entry fees, with plenty of caveats attached to their entry. Testing is blocked to "reduce costs" and then he pans them in public. Tosser.

Personally I hope they survive. But suspect many will only do so if they can improve substantially, and will only do that if they can test more.

With this being the "pinnacle" of motor racing (far from convinced!) I think capping costs is daft. I very much doubt it will lessen the gap in performance between teams, and suspect other measures could be put in place to help this.

Perhaps a formula could be put in place that allows teams test days in inverse proportion to the points they scored in the previous season (i.e. team finishing bottom gets the most, team finishing top gets none).

I'd also consider limiting the kit they can bring to any race (give them 4 tea crates and say that's your lot other than the cars!) and limit the size of the patently ludicrous motor homes that most of them seem addicted to.

[anonymous-user]

Apparently Lotus are offering good money to engineers from other teams, I've been told directly by a Red Bull employee that "loads" of people have left Red Bull in the last few months heading for Lotus. Based on that I'd expect Lotus to be mixing it with Renault and Williams next year. I also expect Lotus F1 to merge with the proper Lotus company to strengthen the brand as they are now planning bigger things for their road cars.

Virgin will stick around because Branson has the cash and Wirth research have just moved to a new headquarters in Banbury (same industrial park as Prodrive I think).

HRT won't make it, let's hope they take it on the chin and admit it early (unlike USF1) so we can have 14 teams in 2011.

Edited by MSTRBKR on Wednesday 28th July 14:22

[Fire99]

MSTRBKR said:

HRT won't make it, let's hope they take it on the chin and admit it early (unlike USF1) so we can have 14 teams in 2011.

In some ways this would be the biggest tragedy of them all. Senna and Chandhok both have a lot to give to F1 and are an asset. I'd like to see both of them in a half-decent car and see what they can come up with.

[groomi]

Murph7355 said:

Perhaps a formula could be put in place that allows teams test days in inverse proportion to the points they scored in the previous season (i.e. team finishing bottom gets the most, team finishing top gets none).

This is the right sort of approach. Enable the lower teams to catch up - that will close up the grid even more.

[anonymous-user]

Fire99 said:

MSTRBKR said:

HRT won't make it, let's hope they take it on the chin and admit it early (unlike USF1) so we can have 14 teams in 2011.

In some ways this would be the biggest tragedy of them all. Senna and Chandhok both have a lot to give to F1 and are an asset. I'd like to see both of them in a half-decent car and see what they can come up with.

Some are saying Chandhok might find his way into Force India, but with Di Resta on the sidelines waiting to take over from Liuzzi I'm not sure that's likely. They might both find themselves with the 14th team though, or even the team that replaces HRT should they bow out.

[Mazda Baiter]

MSTRBKR said:

I also expect Lotus F1 to merge with the proper Lotus company to strengthen the brand as they are now planning bigger things for their road cars.

Apparently they are on the verge of signing the agreement to be called Team Lotus and will be able to use the ACBC badge. Then they can have their 500th gp celebrations again.

[Fire99]

Mazda Baiter said:

MSTRBKR said:

I also expect Lotus F1 to merge with the proper Lotus company to strengthen the brand as they are now planning bigger things for their road cars.

Apparently they are on the verge of signing the agreement to be called Team Lotus and will be able to use the ACBC badge. Then they can have their 500th gp celebrations again.

Well if that's the case Mike Gascoyne and friends really do have their fingers on the pulse. Regardless of the actualities, the guys at Lotus do 'appear' to know what they are doing and are making the right noises to progress.

Regarding HRT and the like, I still don't get it. The powers at be made a big play on increasing the grid size and lowering the standards to allow such things and now they seem to want to cast them aside believing they're not important.

Surely some of these guys must feel like pawns in a rather badly managed game of chess.

[Derek Smith]

Fire99 said:

Surely some of these guys must feel like pawns in a rather badly managed game of chess.

That probably goes for all the teams.

[Fire99]

Derek Smith said:

Fire99 said:

Surely some of these guys must feel like pawns in a rather badly managed game of chess.

That probably goes for all the teams.

True but it seems the 'minnows' are the ones at risk of losing their shirts (and their places on the grid). The likes of McLaren etc seem to have the experience & money to ride the storm.

I still believe Ecclestone has lost his grasp of reality on F1. I blame that on too long with too much power and dare I say, I think age has caught up with him.

[thatone1967]

JKDesign80 said:

With such limited testing, what did he expect!

Think they have done pretty well considering.

agreed...I think the test ban is one of the worth cost cutting measures, if not THE worst...

[anonymous-user]

Fire99 said:

Mazda Baiter said:

MSTRBKR said:

I also expect Lotus F1 to merge with the proper Lotus company to strengthen the brand as they are now planning bigger things for their road cars.

Apparently they are on the verge of signing the agreement to be called Team Lotus and will be able to use the ACBC badge. Then they can have their 500th gp celebrations again.

Well if that's the case Mike Gascoyne and friends really do have their fingers on the pulse. Regardless of the actualities, the guys at Lotus do 'appear' to know what they are doing and are making the right noises to progress.

I definitely rate them as a proper team, somewhat because of the name but Gascoyne knows his stuff, and as I say they have a lot or new RB employees to make the 2011 something special.