Discussion
taken from autosport
Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has reiterated his stance that he is not desperate for a round of the championship in the United States, further dismissing its commercial importance to the sport.
Current US GP hosting venue, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, are ending their contract with Formula One Management to host and promote the US round at IMS. Next weekend's round will be the last at the famous speedway unless a new contract is agreed on.
And with speculation growing that IMS are no longer interested in hosting the event, which has so far registered financial loss, Ecclestone has moved to downplay the possibility that Formula One will once again find itself with no US Grand Prix on the calendar.
"It does not matter to Formula One if there is no Grand Prix in the US," Ecclestone told the Times newspaper, echoing similar statements he made in the latest issue of F1 Racing.
"What do we get from America? Aggravation, that's about all. If you say 'good morning' over there and it's five past 12, you end up with a lawsuit.
"We have never got any sponsors out there. The television has never taken off; we have more viewers in Malta than over there.
"Why do we need to worry so much about America? It has never really taken to open-wheel racing. They talk about the big audiences for NASCAR, but we get as many viewers in Italy alone as they do for NASCAR in the States."
Ecclestone clarified, however, that he is not ruling out an extension of the contract with IMS - but said the event will not be subsidised by the sport, after suggestions that IMS may demand significant financial incentives to sign on.
Ecclestone said: "If they want to continue having a round of the Formula One World Championship over there, I am happy to talk to them, which is what I will do when I get there. But I am not prepared to subsidise a race in America.
"I have a very good relationship with the people in Indianapolis, and I am sure talks will go well."
Is it me or is this just a case of Bernie setting his stall out to get a better deal? and Tony George feining a lack of interest in order to get a cheaper deal?
I like Bernie, but for once I don''t think he's got a leg to stand on, F1 screwed up last year, and it isn't worth the sticker price Bernie wants anymore.
So Bernie you ARE going to have to lower your price, in fact I hope all the circuits start feeling this way and tell Bernie to get real, as the knock on effect of funding f1, falls to the circuit's other users, namely the clubman.
Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has reiterated his stance that he is not desperate for a round of the championship in the United States, further dismissing its commercial importance to the sport.
Current US GP hosting venue, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, are ending their contract with Formula One Management to host and promote the US round at IMS. Next weekend's round will be the last at the famous speedway unless a new contract is agreed on.
And with speculation growing that IMS are no longer interested in hosting the event, which has so far registered financial loss, Ecclestone has moved to downplay the possibility that Formula One will once again find itself with no US Grand Prix on the calendar.
"It does not matter to Formula One if there is no Grand Prix in the US," Ecclestone told the Times newspaper, echoing similar statements he made in the latest issue of F1 Racing.
"What do we get from America? Aggravation, that's about all. If you say 'good morning' over there and it's five past 12, you end up with a lawsuit.
"We have never got any sponsors out there. The television has never taken off; we have more viewers in Malta than over there.
"Why do we need to worry so much about America? It has never really taken to open-wheel racing. They talk about the big audiences for NASCAR, but we get as many viewers in Italy alone as they do for NASCAR in the States."
Ecclestone clarified, however, that he is not ruling out an extension of the contract with IMS - but said the event will not be subsidised by the sport, after suggestions that IMS may demand significant financial incentives to sign on.
Ecclestone said: "If they want to continue having a round of the Formula One World Championship over there, I am happy to talk to them, which is what I will do when I get there. But I am not prepared to subsidise a race in America.
"I have a very good relationship with the people in Indianapolis, and I am sure talks will go well."
Is it me or is this just a case of Bernie setting his stall out to get a better deal? and Tony George feining a lack of interest in order to get a cheaper deal?
I like Bernie, but for once I don''t think he's got a leg to stand on, F1 screwed up last year, and it isn't worth the sticker price Bernie wants anymore.
So Bernie you ARE going to have to lower your price, in fact I hope all the circuits start feeling this way and tell Bernie to get real, as the knock on effect of funding f1, falls to the circuit's other users, namely the clubman.
I'm not surprised IMS are making noises, last year's US GP was a joke. Wasn't it CART who offered free tickets to one of their rounds to everyone who bought a US GP ticket? That can't have helped.
2 things I think would turn this race around. The first one would probably never happen because of health and safety, but hold it on the streets of Las Vegas, at night. The incredible backdrops, not to mention the gambling tie-ins for the local casinos, would give us a second Monaco. But it would have to be at night to have the right effect IMHO, Vegas doesn't look half as interesting in the day.
The other one would be to have a US Formula 1 championship as well as the world championship. I hate to say it, but I seriously doubt many americans care about a race in Bahrain or Turkey as much as one on their home soil. It would sustain american interest in F1 through the year, and give some teams a chance to try out their new drivers, as well as get some extra media coverage in a market they are currently underserved by. Run the 2 series together in one race when the world championship calendar comes to the US, and you have a nice big spectacle with lots of cars racing, as well as some local teams vs world teams interest.
Regardless of what Bernie says, the US is F1's main hope for signifigant commercial growth in the future (besides maybe China), and he needs the US GP to make it happen.
2 things I think would turn this race around. The first one would probably never happen because of health and safety, but hold it on the streets of Las Vegas, at night. The incredible backdrops, not to mention the gambling tie-ins for the local casinos, would give us a second Monaco. But it would have to be at night to have the right effect IMHO, Vegas doesn't look half as interesting in the day.
The other one would be to have a US Formula 1 championship as well as the world championship. I hate to say it, but I seriously doubt many americans care about a race in Bahrain or Turkey as much as one on their home soil. It would sustain american interest in F1 through the year, and give some teams a chance to try out their new drivers, as well as get some extra media coverage in a market they are currently underserved by. Run the 2 series together in one race when the world championship calendar comes to the US, and you have a nice big spectacle with lots of cars racing, as well as some local teams vs world teams interest.
Regardless of what Bernie says, the US is F1's main hope for signifigant commercial growth in the future (besides maybe China), and he needs the US GP to make it happen.
stockhatcher said:
So Bernie you ARE going to have to lower your price, in fact I hope all the circuits start feeling this way and tell Bernie to get real, as the knock on effect of funding f1, falls to the circuit's other users, namely the clubman.
Why is he going to have to lower his price? There are countless countries, which are building or have designs for new F1 circuits, that want to host a GP. Bernie's right, he doesn't need the US GP. F1 doesn't need it either.
He's in as good a bargaining position as he always is. He knows that he has other countries wanting a GP (Belgium for a start...)
Bernie plays hard ball as a matter of course - it's his nature and it's what keeps him going day to day.
F1 is foolish to ignore the USA - the largest automotive market in the world. But, in reality, it's the USA which doesn't need F1. It has managed without F1 for years and would do so again quite happily.
Bernie's rush to "emerging" markets is one of the reasons why I am gradually losing interest in the whole F1 scene. History and tradition are as much a part of sport as any other elements. By walking away from traditional venues and traditional fans, F1 is basically saying to the long established fan base - "Stuff you guys. We aren't really interested in you as we can make an even better living in these new areas". Well, my general opinion of any "business" operation is that, if you are telling your old established customers that you don't really need them, you are heading for a big come-uppance.
F1 is foolish to ignore the USA - the largest automotive market in the world. But, in reality, it's the USA which doesn't need F1. It has managed without F1 for years and would do so again quite happily.
Bernie's rush to "emerging" markets is one of the reasons why I am gradually losing interest in the whole F1 scene. History and tradition are as much a part of sport as any other elements. By walking away from traditional venues and traditional fans, F1 is basically saying to the long established fan base - "Stuff you guys. We aren't really interested in you as we can make an even better living in these new areas". Well, my general opinion of any "business" operation is that, if you are telling your old established customers that you don't really need them, you are heading for a big come-uppance.
The US doesn't really have an national racing platform which is consistent. NASCAR strong in some parts but not others for example. Lots of local stuff of course since the country is so vast.
It's difficult to see how a single event interloper like F1 would be of much general interest on a grand scale. All previous incarnations, after the Watkins Glen era iirc, have tended to be street circuit races thus forcing the race into the public domain.
The second problem would be that all the F1 drivers and team personnel would need to become God Fearing Christians overnight. May be OK for some but I would guess a few may find that harder to take.
I don't think the mass of the American public is really into the nuances of performance gain technology and the reasons why it is difficult to make a pass. Lots of action and 20 cars all with the chance of a win on the last lap seems to be their preference. Can't say I blame them.
I did like Bernie's quip though!
Mind you no race in the US might blow a hole in Red Bull's current marketing strategy ...
It's difficult to see how a single event interloper like F1 would be of much general interest on a grand scale. All previous incarnations, after the Watkins Glen era iirc, have tended to be street circuit races thus forcing the race into the public domain.
The second problem would be that all the F1 drivers and team personnel would need to become God Fearing Christians overnight. May be OK for some but I would guess a few may find that harder to take.
I don't think the mass of the American public is really into the nuances of performance gain technology and the reasons why it is difficult to make a pass. Lots of action and 20 cars all with the chance of a win on the last lap seems to be their preference. Can't say I blame them.
I did like Bernie's quip though!
Mind you no race in the US might blow a hole in Red Bull's current marketing strategy ...
The strange thing is that in the 1960s F1 and the US seemed to get on very well - with a huge amount of cross pollination between dedicated US based drivers and Europen GP drivers. This continued on into the 70s. In the 1980s, F1 began to slip away in popularity as F1 disappeared up its own rectum - an atribute most Americans find strangely unattractive.
I would think Bernie would be more diplomatic knowing how awful things were last year. He probably would have been better served keeping his mouth shut and negotiated privately. F1 made a mistake last year, had thousands of fans traveling all over the USA to see the race and blew it.
The USA is a key market, F1 made a mistake and maybe should offer favorable terms on a short term basis and if Indy gets the numbers, Bernie gets his pound of flesh.
The USA is a key market, F1 made a mistake and maybe should offer favorable terms on a short term basis and if Indy gets the numbers, Bernie gets his pound of flesh.
D-Angle said:
The other one would be to have a US Formula 1 championship as well as the world championship. I hate to say it, but I seriously doubt many americans care about a race in Bahrain or Turkey as much as one on their home soil. It would sustain american interest in F1 through the year, and give some teams a chance to try out their new drivers, as well as get some extra media coverage in a market they are currently underserved by. Run the 2 series together in one race when the world championship calendar comes to the US, and you have a nice big spectacle with lots of cars racing, as well as some local teams vs world teams interest.
Can't see that working to be honest. The US already has two "premier" open wheel series in Champcar and the IRL, and they're both struggling horribly. Many would lay the blame for that state of affairs at the feet of Tony George, which makes the current spat all the more silly.
jpf said:
The USA is a key market, F1 made a mistake and maybe should offer favorable terms on a short term basis and if Indy gets the numbers, Bernie gets his pound of flesh.
Ah! the key ...
Ceefax has a story about Honda (Fry) and Mercedes (Haug) both wanting to see two races in the USA. So that will be why Bernie said what he said. Can't be seen to be in agreement with the manufacturers can he?
So Bernie wants to take F1 down market with races in East Timor, India, Guatemala, Dominican Republic and Togo.
For those of you in Europe, Bernie dropped SPA without batting an eye. He may well very well do in the USGP.
It's no wonder the manufacturers want a say in how things are managed!
Heard lodging is really cheap for the East Timor GP!
For those of you in Europe, Bernie dropped SPA without batting an eye. He may well very well do in the USGP.
It's no wonder the manufacturers want a say in how things are managed!
Heard lodging is really cheap for the East Timor GP!
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