Bernie struggling to sell "crap product"

From Grand Prix Guide website:

Ecclestone struggling to sell 'crap product'
2015-06-20
Jun.20 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone says he is struggling to sell a "crap product" to the public in the new era of formula one.

The F1 supremo has said consistently that the 'power unit' regulations are a major reason for the decline in popularity of the sport he has ruled for decades.

"I was talking to some engineers the other day and I told them that I was always pretty good at selling used cars, and I still am," Ecclestone, 84, is quoted in an interview published in French by the AFP news agency.

"But I told them they have given me a crap product to sell," he insisted.

F1 legend Alain Prost said recently that the sport's biggest problem is that the overly complex rules of today were designed by those very same engineers.

"Absolutely. 100 per cent," Ecclestone agreed.

"If I was running a team, I would not let one of my staff tell me how I should do it."

The problem, however, is that Ecclestone is no longer the benevolent 'dictator', and F1 rules are devised in consultation and agreement with the teams.

"The problem is they (the teams) don't know what they want," Ecclestone insisted. "They don't have a clue. It's good for them to have dreams, to have their meetings, but if they have ideas, they have to implement them.

"They talk about customer cars, but when you come to the question of how to do it, there is a problem. So it will never happen," he said.

As far as Ecclestone is concerned, however, the issue of 'selling' F1 to the public is simple.

"All people want is to be entertained," he said. "We are, first and foremost, an entertainment company. But today, when Lewis (Hamilton) starts a race, we already know he will win by 20 seconds."

Finally, Ecclestone played down the risk of an investigation into the governance of formula one, insisting: "I still have not heard from the European Union."

He says the smallest teams should run their teams better rather than "complain".

"I had a team for 18 years," said the Briton. "I financed it myself and I didn't expect someone else to give me money.

"Those guys (the small teams) would be in the same situation they are now in formula one if they were doing anything else. They are not able to manage their companies," Ecclestone charged.

 

One can always expect some bombastic comments from Ecclestone who likes to pour oil on the fire.
It's not like like he was an innocent party in this mess either ...

 

If that's the case, then Mercedes-Benz, Renault and Ferrari may just pack up and
take their deal over to the WEC which is, by far, a more relevant series and their
interests will be better served.

BHW

 

To be fair he never was a fan of the PUs, but he certainly cannot wipe his hands on the other extremely high costs.

 

Bernie has made f1 a real money maker for everyone involved . Bernie can walk the walk he's cone from nothing to where he is today he has been against these power units from from before day one he knew all about the cost of turbo engines from his days running BMW engines. You can't compare f1 pre Bernie to post Bernie impo he is tops

 

It's not turbo engines that are expensive, but the energy recovery and hybrid systems attached to it under the present formula.

Turbo engines are the cheapest way to obtain high power.

 

old good days when you have NA and Turbo at the same race
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-JBDGWZsMY

 

Geez... I hate it when Bernie makes sense... but he is actually 100% right.

He ran Brabham and did it his way and won 2 WDC's... and tons of races.

CART PPG had the teams making the rules - and they just failed - and quick.

FIA should have never sold its rights ... then they could have made changes - but the Bernie and Max show did that. what is so Galling is the guy who let the wolf's in to the hen house is now blaming the hens!

 

Yup.

Current engine from Honda is £750k...and I have little doubt that it's the cheapest engine. Merc engine would be atleast 500K more. Ferrari units minimum a million each.

I'm sorry to revert back to V10 engines again, but a complete unit was 200-250K...rebuilt for half that (keep in mind this was during the V10 development years as well, so engine cost coincided with huge development cost!).

I feel like I'm stuck on repeat but V10 N/A engine, which almost all fans want back...much more cost effective, gives a greater spectacle...The whole ''oh we need hybrid systems and turbo engines and this and that so it's relevant to roadcars'' is complete and utter rubbish. If it's this expensive to keep the thing going it's not going to fly for roadcars either, keeping in mind that a huge team takes 45 minutes to get the thing (HOPEFULLY) drive ready. Relevant my ass.

This can't go on for much longer as there is little money coming into the sport sponsorwise (and why would they right now?) and too much going out. Engine change isn't all we need, more needs to be done....but it has to be done quickly. A decision NOW, which announces changes for 2017 in a positive way of what fans want, will keep interest.

Otherwise I hope WEC will have more races.

 

Almost anything would make more sense than the present formula, including a return to V10 atmos.

It's the complexity of the present PUs, and their development cost that are the downfall of F1 - ERS, engine management, brake-by-wire, energy storage, etc...
That doesn't add to the show, but spoils the racing.

 

Talking about WEC ...

Have you noticed how quickly (apart from Nissan) the LMP1 constructors have mastered the hybrid systems compared to their counterpart in F1?

Nissan has failed because it tries to be innovative in too many areas at once, but Porsche, AUDI and even Toyota are very credible and have a 100% reliability rate at the last Le Mans 24 Hours.

Lessons to be learnt there ...

 

But in WEC the engine builders and chassis builders are all part of the same company or team. I think that aspect of designing the entire car under one roof plays a huge advantage especially when it comes to reliability. Looking at F1 the top 2 teams happen to be the only 2 teams that construct their own engine and chassis.

 

That's a very interesting sales pitch to call your product "crap". How's that working out? Fewer teams, whispers/threats of existing teams leaving, a slow but persistent erosion of traditional venues, more and more races at sequestered tracks in emerging nations which have ZERO motor racing culture, etc. Crap product? Perhaps, but to be fair it must also be alleged that turning your back on a fan base 65 years in the making can't be helping. GP of France? Long-gone. Germany? Emasculated track and - temporarily - gone. Spain? Minus one GP race from a few years ago. Mighty and majestic Monza and Spa? Perpetually under Bernie's terrorist threats.
So let's review? Is it a crap product, or is it Bernie treating the established fan base like crap so that he can chase trendy markets that's the problem?

 

Its a lousey formula. The cars on most tracks are 10 seconds a lap slower than years ago. Who wants to watch slow and quiet cars that drivers just out of go carts can drive?If formula I isnt the fastest and hardest,its nothing.

 

I've been to 14 Grand Prix over the past 15 years...(8 at Indy, 3 at Montreal, 1 Monaco, 1 Silverstone and 1 Albert Park) the last being in March of 2013....They won't get a dime of my money until they change the formula...the main culprit is Jean Todt who wants to appeal to the greenie weenies by making F1 "environmentally friendly"....They made the cars ugly in 2009 and we put up with it..that was one thing, but the sound is another.

 

False! When there are a set list of OPEN rules, and the engineers have their way, we get wec. So when the engineers have a set list of CLOSED rules, we get f1.

 

Probably all part of Bernie's brilliant plan to devalue F1, buy his shares back on the cheap, and then re-sell at a premium once they change the formula.

 

I'd they want to be environmentally friendly, how about cutting back on the amount of trucks and equipment they haul all around the world.

 

The point isn't to be green just to appear green.

 

Yep it's typical Bernie bring in Qatari and devalue and make him indispensable

 

It does look like Bernie got another big fish on the line . Let them buy in and let the teams fight over three rules them fish get scared and Bernie will come in and save the day . Bernie is the master of the bait and switch

 

"Entertainment company".... bleh

"Small teams can't manage themselves" ....with a tiny portion of money.

Broken record.

In what other sport do you see one of the leaders constantly say that no one involved knows what they want or how to run their teams. Really builds trust. Definitely actionable and focused on a solution. LOL

 

Yah. He is just a manipulator. A bully to some extent also.

 

Pretty good at both unfortunately.

 

If they are slower it is because of the reduced aero not the PU's.
Pete