Ferrari considering pulling out of F1?

[Derek Smith]

Vaud said:

ash73 said:

Just about everywhere except the UK, F1 IS Ferrari.

Not true.

Even in Italy the following is strong for other teams. Sure Ferrari are well followed, but so are other drivers and teams.

A few years ago the largest Ferrari fan club outside Italy was in England.

[Vaud]

Derek Smith said:

A few years ago the largest Ferrari fan club outside Italy was in England.

I don't disagree. The other teams have a very good following internationally. I don't doubt Ferrari are strong, I'm a long time supporter (though less tribal these days), other teams have great support.

I think F1 would survive without them. It would be different (for sure) but would be tenable.

A balanced view here:

http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2014/06/14/how-now-...

[Crafty_]

celicawrc said:

The new regulations have already turned F1 into a joke.

Why exactly ? we're seeing some decent racing this year.

The FIA could kill off F1 if they wanted to, too much money tied up in it.

[IainT]

"Formula 1 isn't working" = "Ferrari aren't good enough to win". Gotta love Monty

[Chrisgr31]

EricE said:

Would make sense...

http://www.motorsport.com/lemans/news/ferrari-prep...

Someone was interviewed on Radio Le Mans on Sunday I think it was and said that they had been talking to a team about a drive in next years race and the company car would have been good. Must of been this they were referring to, all I need to do is remember who it was! Just been awarded an MBE and been driving in the US.

[patmahe]

Ferrari, if you don't want to compete anymore then goodbye, the sport will be impacted by your loss but it will survive.

NO team is bigger than the sport and the sport certainly shouldn't pander to ANY team.

[anonymous-user]

Dario was referring to his talks with Porsche, which were on-going before his career ending shunt.

[Enricogto]

Vaud said:

ash73 said:

Just about everywhere except the UK, F1 IS Ferrari.

Not true.

Even in Italy the following is strong for other teams. Sure Ferrari are well followed, but so are other drivers and teams.

Very very debatable statement, especially with regards to the teams.
And well followed is an understatement....

[Vaud]

Enricogto said:

Very very debatable statement, especially with regards to the teams.
And well followed is an understatement....

So debate...

Minardi were well followed, Torro Rosso are well followed. McLaren has a good fan base.

Mansell "il leone" was well supported even after he left Ferrari. Sure Ferrari have a good following, but it isn't totally tribal.

[Enricogto]

I said team support, not drivers'.
Minardi was supported with simpathy but not real passion, as well as Toro Rosso that is what's left from Minardi.
With the same reasonment we could say that people supported Andrea Moda, but not really.....if you know what i mean.
Honestly, in Italy, if you take 100 people who watch F1, 95 of them will be supporting Ferrari.

[stew-S160]

More posturing. Meh.
If they do leave, I'll be very surprised. But at the same time, quite sad. I'm not a Ferrari fan, but I do see their value to F1.

[Henry Fiddleton]

The usual Ferrari BS.

Bottom line, they think the current F1 is poor as they are not doing good enough themselves.

They should do both IMHO, and also get beat at Le Mans as well ;-)

Really dont rate the entire outfit (Ferrari racing), once they have a level playing field.

But good luck taking on Audi, Porsche, Toyota and the other LMP1 teams.

[angrymoby]

Vaud said:

I don't disagree. The other teams have a very good following internationally. I don't doubt Ferrari are strong, I'm a long time supporter (though less tribal these days), other teams have great support.

I think F1 would survive without them. It would be different (for sure) but would be tenable.

A balanced view here:

http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2014/06/14/how-now-...

Joe doesn't seem to understand what a 'loyalty bonus' is ...it used to boil my pi$$ that Ferrari got a bigger slice than anyone else, but once you get your head around that they're getting a bonus for staying the course (& how many manufacturer's can claim that?) then it all makes sense- plus, i wouldn't be surprised that both Williams & McLaren are not getting a similar deal, but just haven't been in F1 as long (Bernie's way has always been to reward those loyal to him)

[Vaud]

angrymoby said:

Joe doesn't seem to understand what a 'loyalty bonus' is ...it used to boil my pi$$ that Ferrari got a bigger slice than anyone else, but once you get your head around that they're getting a bonus for staying the course (& how many manufacturer's can claim that?) then it all makes sense- plus, i wouldn't be surprised that both Williams & McLaren are not getting a similar deal, but just haven't been in F1 as long (Bernie's way has always been to reward those loyal to him)

But a bonus of that size just increases the barriers to entry and reduces competition?

[RobGT81]

WEC and Le Mans suit Ferraris road car development, they can race with whatever type of energy recovery they want to develop for their road cars.

[daveinaravecave]

patmahe said:

Ferrari, if you don't want to compete anymore then goodbye, the sport will be impacted by your loss but it will survive.

NO team is bigger than the sport and the sport certainly shouldn't pander to ANY team.

Well said. If they leave, Honda are entering the sport so there will still be 3 engine manufacturers to keep it interesting.

Ferrari should be embarrassed. What a bunch of bad losers. The comments will only damage their brand imo.

[Derek Smith]

Vaud said:

Derek Smith said:

A few years ago the largest Ferrari fan club outside Italy was in England.

I don't disagree. The other teams have a very good following internationally. I don't doubt Ferrari are strong, I'm a long time supporter (though less tribal these days), other teams have great support.

I think F1 would survive without them. It would be different (for sure) but would be tenable.

A balanced view here:

http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2014/06/14/how-now-...

Ferrari fans are a little different though. I was at Club, on the banking, the year that Mansell was driving the natualy aspirated Judd-engined Williams against the turbos. He put in a qually lap that was awe-inspiring. The best single lap I've ever seen. At that time he was second on the grid. As he came past us he was on the limit, right at the edge, and there was a bit of cheering - we were watching the diamond screen for the first bit of the lap - and as soon as he got round Club - not a forgone conclusion - everyone, regardless of affiliation, started cheering, clapping and acting stupidly.

I say everyone but the Ferrari group, who were mainly standing together, whilst the rest of us were all mixed up, just sort of stood there (so acting stupidly I suppose). When the lap was completed there was tremendous applause, and then it turned to jeering the Ferrari mob.

A few saw the joke and acknowledged it, but most seemed to go off into a dream of their own. The next Ferrari round was roundly booed.

Great fun I know, but they'd just seen a bloke risking his body in a car that was much less powerful than any other. And yet they were unmoved it seems.

I was, and still would be if they turned up, a McLaren supporter but it didn't matter to me that he was driving a yellow/white car (if memory serves). I was standing with a Prost fan and we were holding onto one-another jumping up and down.

Good memories.

[Crafty_]

RobGT81 said:

WEC and Le Mans suit Ferraris road car development, they can race with whatever type of energy recovery they want to develop for their road cars.

any ERS system that they developed for WEC would be as far away from road car system as an F1 system.