Is F1 over it's "yellow fever?"
Discussion
AJS- said:
There's no shortage of well off people in Korea, Iain. I'd put it down to it not being a country with any real F1 fan base and now that they've had F1 for a couple of years the novelty is wearing off.
Plus it's a dull as ditch water Tilke track designed for snazzy TV shots and a nice media centre.
Having spent some time in Korea, the locals seem to like F1. Its only recently started being shown on TV though and the circuit is positioned in the worse place possible for most people in the country to easily get to. If it was near Seoul it would be much better attended. Plus it's a dull as ditch water Tilke track designed for snazzy TV shots and a nice media centre.
What big city is Silverstone near?
Hungary actually has a strong presence in the history in motor sport. The first really great racing driver, the "World Champion" of his era, was a Hungarian - Ferenc Szisz.
He won the first ever Grand Prix.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferenc_Szisz
Hungary actually has a strong presence in the history in motor sport. The first really great racing driver, the "World Champion" of his era, was a Hungarian - Ferenc Szisz.
He won the first ever Grand Prix.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferenc_Szisz
Gaz. said:
This year was Korea's lowest attendance, 65,000 people in a venue built to take 130,000. Previous years were 80k and just over. That isn't bad, Hockenheim last year had just 55,000 people on Sunday. Spa had 45,000 and I had to get that figure from the police as it was one of the few tracks that refused to release an attendance figure.
How expensive is it? The British GP is just bonkers expensive IMO... did it sell out this year?Gaz. said:
This year was Korea's lowest attendance, 65,000 people in a venue built to take 130,000. Previous years were 80k and just over. That isn't bad, Hockenheim last year had just 55,000 people on Sunday. Spa had 45,000 and I had to get that figure from the police as it was one of the few tracks that refused to release an attendance figure.
Catalunya has a capacity of 130,000 (this capacity reoccurs a lot) but for the last two years has barely got 85,000 through the gate on Sunday.
It would be unthinkable to not have Japan on the calendar, a purpose built track in a yellow rice eating country that had no global autosport drivers at the time of the first race, it wasn't even permanently on the calendar until the 80's. They're just 20 years ahead of Malaysia & Korea. My son is six, I bet in ten years time he'll look at me like I have three heads when I tell him people used to question the inclusion of these 'yellow' tracks in a global sport.
What claim did Hungary have to host a GP? They had a couple of events decades before the Hungaroring was built, no drivers, no pyramid, they didn't really have much in the way of their own motor manufacturing nor had many, if any multinationals assembling cars within its borders. If anything South Korea has a much stronger claim to a place on the calendar than Hungary. The location of the track is just bloody stupid and as a consequence struggles to get other series to visit and there is no point having a 130k capacity if there is no where for the spectators to stay overnight. It is near one city but too far from anywhere else to be a 'day trip' event. Built a track within 2 hours of capital and you'll sell 150,000 tickets and I'd fancy your chances at selling a slot for WEC, WTCC, JGTC & Indycars too. As it stands it'd be like building our national football stadium 15 miles from Plymouth. Funnily enough this is the same reason Mangy Cours was dropped.
I'm not sure that attendances at GPs is necessarily a measure of their success, certainly as viewed by the promoters. The 'right crowd and no crowding' works for the likes of Henley.Catalunya has a capacity of 130,000 (this capacity reoccurs a lot) but for the last two years has barely got 85,000 through the gate on Sunday.
It would be unthinkable to not have Japan on the calendar, a purpose built track in a yellow rice eating country that had no global autosport drivers at the time of the first race, it wasn't even permanently on the calendar until the 80's. They're just 20 years ahead of Malaysia & Korea. My son is six, I bet in ten years time he'll look at me like I have three heads when I tell him people used to question the inclusion of these 'yellow' tracks in a global sport.
What claim did Hungary have to host a GP? They had a couple of events decades before the Hungaroring was built, no drivers, no pyramid, they didn't really have much in the way of their own motor manufacturing nor had many, if any multinationals assembling cars within its borders. If anything South Korea has a much stronger claim to a place on the calendar than Hungary. The location of the track is just bloody stupid and as a consequence struggles to get other series to visit and there is no point having a 130k capacity if there is no where for the spectators to stay overnight. It is near one city but too far from anywhere else to be a 'day trip' event. Built a track within 2 hours of capital and you'll sell 150,000 tickets and I'd fancy your chances at selling a slot for WEC, WTCC, JGTC & Indycars too. As it stands it'd be like building our national football stadium 15 miles from Plymouth. Funnily enough this is the same reason Mangy Cours was dropped.
The reason the new GPs are in the lands of sand or rice is because of the return to the rights holders.
How the officials from these countries justify the tremendous expenditure to buy in these races is beyond me. What convinces them to push for them? Very odd.
Whatever the reason, the problem that would concern me is if these officials leave their positions and others take over. Whilst the infrastructure will be there, I'd be surprised if they would not suggest new, and probably expensive, modifications to be undertaken.
The main pressure for these new locales has been Ecclestone and one wonders if whoever replaces him, especially if the rights are held by a floated company, would have the same appetite for rice and beaches.
From a fan's point of view, I'm happy to urinate in a trough if the racing is good.
Justaredbadge said:
Eric Mc said:
What big city is Silverstone near?
About an hour from Birmingham and an hour 20 from London. not to mention good transport links to two major motorways and good train-bus links from MK and Northampton./devils advocate.
Close to metropolis isn't necessarily the be all and end all for new markets eg. Istanbul & Shanghai.
With regards to Japan it had a thriving auto and moto industry and a strong racing heritage in Japan itself as well more successfully at international level with bikes. Within Japan the Nissan Skyline GTR established its legend in the equivalent touring car championship in the 1970s, Formula Nippon paralled F2 and F3000 and in the 80s Japan had its own Group C championship.
With regards to Japan it had a thriving auto and moto industry and a strong racing heritage in Japan itself as well more successfully at international level with bikes. Within Japan the Nissan Skyline GTR established its legend in the equivalent touring car championship in the 1970s, Formula Nippon paralled F2 and F3000 and in the 80s Japan had its own Group C championship.
Gaz. said:
It would be unthinkable to not have Japan on the calendar, a purpose built track in a yellow rice eating country that had no global autosport drivers at the time of the first race, it wasn't even permanently on the calendar until the 80's. They're just 20 years ahead of Malaysia & Korea. My son is six, I bet in ten years time he'll look at me like I have three heads when I tell him people used to question the inclusion of these 'yellow' tracks in a global sport.
That's not quite true.After a foray in the early 60s with a non-championship race Japan wasn't really on the calendar until 1976.
There was a Honda GP team in the 1960s, and by 1976 had seen a few Japanese drivers and the (admittedly pretty disastrous) Maki team. They had also had big success in rallying and motorbike racing, and I believe a growing domestic motorsport scene. Korea, Malaysia et al simply do not have this, nor show any signs of developing it.
That's not to say there should never be GPs there, I just think it's a great shame to sacrifice the likes of Imola and have no French GP in order that we can watch cars droning around in South Korea and Malaysia.
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