Rome GP 2013 update

I don't see how giving a track half as many opportunities to defray its fixed costs is a better business plan. Unless of course they lose money each GP and can't afford to run them too often

 

The latter for Germany. Not sure the Hockenheim race is still supported by the local gov but that's how it was in the past.

The other argument is regional segmentation of your market by moving the race back and forth: simply put you'll have different locals attending

And again in the case of Rome I think the audience makeup will be quite different from Monza benefitting both.

 

I just can't see Monza wanting to share a race with Rome to be honest.

Also, the thing with Monza is that it offers racing like no other circuit in the world, super fast with skinny wings (apart from the F-duct cars of course!). Rome would present a challenge that could be replicated on any other street circuit, anywhere else in the world.


I for one am more than happy to see the Italian GP remain at the Cathedral of speed every year and not have to share the race.

(Now if they'd just bring back the full circuit with the banking!. As a compromise I'll allow them to keep the chicanes to increase the overtaking possibilities and help keep the overall speed down, I can't be fairer than that can I! )

 

You missed my point about the local resistance in Monza growing against the race. Making it an alternating deal with Rome might be just enough to keep that opposition quiet.

 

Danke.
Given how wide an area a GP draws from how big a percentage of the gate can be "locals"?

 

I don't have any data to go by but I'm guessing that a big part (the majority?) of fans is local. Case in point is Spa, which during the Schumacher regime was filled with German fans coming across the nearby border from the area of Cologne.

It'd be interesting to see some demographics, but my guess is that Hockenheim draws primarily from Southern Germany and Switzerland whereas Nuerburgring is filled with Northern/Central Germany fans. Of course there are the die hards who travel but I think they are a minority.

In the US our sense for traveling a great distance is very different from the European perspective.

You see somewhat similar results in Spain: The Alonso fans dominate the Barcelona GP but they have much smaller numbers at the Valencia GP. Just count the light blue flags of his hometown/area, not too many of them in Valencia.

For Italy I think it would be similar: Imola and Monza are too close to make a difference for the fans, but Monza and Rome IMHO will attract different crowds (while of course there will also be some overlap).

 

I did notice the point but I chose not to incorporate it in My response for two main reasons:

Firstly, Monza themselves have stated that they have no interest in sharing the Italian GP with Rome, indicating to Me that they do not feel a need to form even more compromises to appease those who protest.

Secondly, the numbers of those who protest is comparatively small and with the history of racing at Monza, I cannot see them being successful in their bid to stop all racing at the circuit.
Whilst they may succeed in further limiting the number of minor race events at the circuit, My feeling is that F1 will survive there, even if it's the only race allowed there every year, this is Italy we're talking about after all!.

 

Based on no data whatsoever I'd guess that in general the size of the area an event draws from is related directly to frequency, cost, local interest (Schui effect) and ease of transport. Case in point the Superbowl. How much of a local crowd does it draw?

 

From Autosport:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89031

 

"Rome gives up on F1 race plans "


Good job as well!!

 

That's too bad! I was planning on going.

I guess I'll have to go back to my original plans.

 

Bummer.

 

Thank god.

The last thing we need is ANOTHER crappy race. Now we can focus on real race tracks that actually put on a good show, like Spa, Monza, Silverstone and ditch the PR crap like Rome, Valencia, etc.

Today is a good day!

 

+1 very good news.