I think that F1 will go the way of air racing. In Europe air racing used to attract huge crowds watching contests around circuits between factory and private entries on the fastest planes of the time. Then came the jet age, and air racing became irrelevant: the planes were too fast, they couldn't turn sharply around pylons like props, they needed lots of space, and became difficult to follow for the spectators. Air racing disappeared as a spectators sport in less than a decade during the 50s. Big money will switch its attention where it can make profit. I hope I am wrong, but motor sport will be killed by technology within a few decades, only to survive through historic racing for the nostalgic audience. What we are watching now are regulations trying to slow down the process , by insisting on opposite parameters.
Agree, +1 On the other side of the coin, where are we going to see completely automated driving tests carried out by teams? That's in my opinion the future of F1. For now they could, in theory, fully automate the driving to take the human factor out of the equation and to better calculate aero advantages and consumes, during private tests. And that might even not count as "testing" by fia standards so could be legal for a while.
Anyway I think this is a stupid unenforceable ban and seems Williams and Red Bull will be hit harder because of their choice to maintain last year's small display in their cars instead of the more informative larger one introduced this year whch permits to monitor more car parameters
Well personally I love robots and high tech, so bring it on, F1 has to stay relevant to what is being sold in the high street IMO. IMO Bernie's show has been walking on a tightrope trying to please everyone, the tree huggers, the petrol heads ect , and is doing ok, the racing is good, just could do with the sound beefing up, but that's it, and get the Todt the toad, to clear up grey area rules, and it keeps me happy, it's better than nothing. When Bernie kicks the bucket, it maybe a different matter as to what F1 evolves into though. Besides I gave up cavorting druids, death by stoning, dung for dinner, and dinosaur racing a while back, and historic racing is still alive kicking and dangerous, making ears bleed the last time I looked.
I think that's when I'll start getting "nervous" for it's future too.... FWIW, he's claiming this radio clampdown was all his doing; So, seems like its going to be a "success" - Bernie rarely, if ever, backs a loser! Cheers, Ian Ecclestone ordered radio clampdown - Pitpass.com
Yes Ian, love him (and not just his elephants capacious sized wallet) or hate him, he usually gets the job done, and if not for him, F1 may not even exist.
I disagree with that. I think most F1 fans couldn't care a fig for street car/race car relevance. Some manufacturers might claim that the sport needs to be "relevant" for them to participate, but I think think that's all eyewash. What they really care about is F1 exposure and, more importantly, success translating into increased sales. I'm guessing that if you could get a look inside their skunkworks most manufacturers' technical progress is far beyond anything needed to compete in F1.
Relevance isn't everything otherwise shooting would be a more popular sport than boxing but that's where the money and the advertising opportunities are Just like tyre manufacturers pushing for low profiles
Utter, utter bull*****. Motorsport at this top level grew for 70 years without him (he started FOCA in 1974, but it was in 1978 that he really started fncking it up by stealing the TV rights). It has only started its downward trend with him running the show because he continues to remove the sporting side in favour of his TV show. One can only imagine how awesome motorsport in general, not just F1, would be without him. He wouldn't be so rich for one thing and I reckon there would be lots more tracks and a better attitude to motorsport from non-enthusiasts because their cities would not be sncked dry by the ridiculous fees he charges and pockets. I cannot name a single person that has harmed motorsport more than Bernie. Oh but that's right he's an Englishman ... god help us if Bernie and LH bend over at the same time, the sun will melt from the combined light shining out of their @rses. Pete
Yep! It may still exist, but would still be little more than a bunch of wealthy "gentlemen" playing with cars; Lord this, Prince that & Count other in country club blazers.... It certainly wouldn't be the most watched sport on the planet. I beg to differ on all points there!...... Hardcore fans, yeah, we couldn't give a damn, but there's many more who may just choose a Merc over a BMW after going to a race. And the engine manufacturers at least (excluding Ferrari) certainly wouldn't be spending the gazillions involved if it wasn't at least partially justifiable as R&D expense. Having said that, to your last point, I don't think old adage of "Win on Sunday, sell on Monday" holds true any longer either. Most of them don't even *make* road cars after all! As the Viz notes, its *all* about egos! And even some board rooms have egos as we well know! Very, very much mistaken their too IMO! Outside the supercar guys, we're just now really starting to see carbon fiber occasionally for example - It's what, 30 years old in F1? Their expertise in cooling, packaging, weight and even safety is light years ahead of the run of the mill road car guys. Sure, the likes of Toyota & BMW probably spend more on R&D than even the biggest F1 team - But not to push the the technical boundaries. More like how to save $2 in paint. Or reduce the price of making the door handles. Or cut production time by 5 minutes per car. I'm being a little cynical, but F1 is absolutely pushing the boundaries. Further, with these new PU's they're right on the bleeding edge again. Cheers, Ian
Beg to differ there too! Pre Bernie it was an old boys club of wealthy enthusiasts. It was what it was, but it certainly wasn't "growing" in any significant fashion. I just don't get this argument! - First, exactly what "downward trend" are you talking about? [More, and closer, races than ever.] - Second, what's wrong with the "sporting side"? - Front to back, the cars are as close if not closer than they've ever been. "Hero to zero" in way under a second! Makes for great competition and that typically makes for a great show..... Isn't that what great sport should be about? Something we want to watch. Something that raises emotions, passion, blah, blah. [The NFL has that one down!] Cheers, Ian
A bit harsh there Pete eh!, it's just an opinion, and you have yours. Besides I take it you do know the teams do very very well out of the sport, otherwise they would have done one, long ago.
I like to see the cars I own/and have owned do well in F1, plus it does have a bearing on me who I root for, I do know that, as a fact.
Thankyou sir! Also wanted to note, if you're a "techno-geek", as I believe most (hard core) fans are, what they're achieving right now is almost unbelievable! With more to come of course...... Not bad at all IMO! If they can fix the damn sound, I think we could well be entering another "golden era". Cheers, Ian The efficiency race - Pitpass.com
Interesting opinion of the radio chatter we have gotten and how manipuated it can be. Not anymore it seems-- Out there on their own | Formula 1 | F1 Blogs | ESPN F1
I agree. Bernie made the who 'Business first, sports second' ideology in F1. If he never showed up, F1 would be so much more better and accessible, IMO.
It certainly wouldn't be as big as it is today. Which might not have been a bad thing. "Money changes everything." C. Lauper
Exactly it is not supposed to be about how much money he and the teams can make ... it is supposed to be a sport. Fast_Ian, The success of a sport is how real it is. EVERY contrived solution has come under Bernie's control. I've only just regained some interest because of the new power units but I'm sure you agree the more real something is, the more watchable it is. F1 is now the Kim Kardasian of motorsport, all flashy with little substance and I reckon if you surveyed all of the audience more are involved due to the $'s/flashy side than the motorsport interest side ... why have the race at all? This is what Bernie deliberately did to make money not to improve the sport and it has added fuel to the haters of motorsport. I wish, for example, Melbourne would drop it's GP because I do not believe it is a sound investment and I'm a motorsport junkie. I've said many times before, a person running F1 who had motorsports interest at heart would be putting the profits back into the sport, into improving all the tracks, including lowly club tracks, driver training, improving the positive profile of motorsport and those involved ... instead he is a billionaire. I have no problem with people making money but not a fan of people who make money by pushing others to the brink when there simply is no need to be like that. Pete
If you think F1 is that bad, I find rather ironic you find the time or wasted effort to comment on said soap opera. We simply do not know what would have happened without Bernie running the show, I know his dickhead FIA side kick nearly destroyed it.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SybgWaQy7_c]Fleetwood Mac - Don't Stop [with lyrics] - YouTube[/ame]
And I believe it still is..... Sure, there's huge money involved, just as in the EPL or NFL or any other pro sport.... It's professional, not amateur.... But it remains a sport.... I wonder if the mods can change my user name to just 'Ian'?.... Please.... Anyway; How is it not real? How is it contrived? This is what I don't understand. As I've said many times, these guys can't agree on the color of the Sky. They're some of the most competitive (egos) guys there are - Uncle Ron can't even bring himself to say 'Ferrari', they're simply 'the red cars'. Monster egos like these are never going to give the other guy an inch. Maybe the hardest, most competitive sport there is.... Nothing 'unreal' or 'contrived' at all IMO..... Because there are still 10's of thousands of fans that will schlep thru the mud at Spa, or Silverstone or Monza to watch it! Sure, Bernie doesn't care about them, the mighty TV god is where he makes his money, but the sport remains! Sure, the Kardashian crowd are on the grid, but so what? In times past it was 'Lord Ponsonby' and ''Count Dickhead'. But again, so what? The racing is awesome! The technology is awesome!.... The egos that spend their money on it want the Kardashians on the grid. Otherwise they wouldn't spend their money to fund it. It's all good as long as the racing is good, and I'll argue it's as good as it's ever been..... That most of them wouldn't know a turbo from a hole in the wall is irrelevant...... Cheers, Ian
