The bottom falling out of F1 ?

I don't think it's the fact that they are underperforming. I think these teams are all looking at what it will take to get back to competitive and the rules and time line are not acceptable to them. Maybe we don't need wide-open development again, but it seems like they could easily double the number of tokens.

 

BBC Sport - Bernie Ecclestone: F1 could be sold this year, says boss

 

+1

However, I'm not hearing them "complaining" that lack of tokens is a problem - Maybe it is, but it should be noted none of them are whining.

As yet anyway.....

Cheers,
Ian

 

It seems to me that trying to keep cost down - just makes the costs go up every year.

I think there should be an open formula that alows both Turbo or Atmospheric engines - 1 L turbo 2 L atmo... multi cyl, and any form of induced aspiration - turbo or supercharged and or electrohybrid... if you make F-1 a place ( like LMS ) where car companys can innovate - then you will see more money flow in.

right now several large auto makers could be enticed to enter... BMW, Toyota, Jaguar, Ford, GM ( opel or other GM brands ) VW, Tesla, Nissan(Renault) Subaru etc... even if they com in as engine providers or make chassis... it will bring the sport back to its roots in a ultra modern way.

the rules are so restrictive and going down a one way street.

Limit performance to the driver - have them monitored and put a G limit on the car. that way even if the car can out perform the driver, the limiter kicks in before the driver gets into trouble - that controls safety.

If you open up the formula - you will kill the smaller teams... but if you give larger car makers a reason to show up.. they will.

the other part is the tracks. F-1's bigger races need to sponsor the poor races.. so for every ME country that wants a race - then they have to fund a revival in France, Germany, Portugal, Holland, Austria. the traditional home of F-1. I think the following tracks should be either purchased by F-1 or have a Gp permenantly funded by F-1:

Monaco
Monza
Silverstone
Zandvort
Nurburgring
A-1 Ring
Spa
Paul Ricard
Estoril
Barcelona
Kylami

 

Couple of problems straight away:

Zandvort and Kylami would need $Millions spending on it just to bring it up to current F1 safety standards, plus even more $Millions to modernise it's facilities for both the teams and the fans.

Estoril would need $Millions spending on it to get it up to modern F1 standards

Paul Ricard would Need $Millions spending to create stands for fans to sit in (plus it is privately owned By Bernie Ecclestone and he's not going to sell it to F1).

Whilst Monza, Monaco, Silverstone, Spa, Barcelona are never going to be sold to F1!

As for the bigger races having to fund the poorer races - Well that just sounds like F1 communism!

 

+1

and on top of Zandvoort...we have NO parking in reality. No way to real accommodation (you have to stay in Haarlem and further), we need many more grandstands (we have 2, 1 big one and one...I can compare it to nothing else but the bleachers at a poor american high school!). The train station is quite small and only 2 tracks wide, and it's ''1 way'' only, as it's a dead end, so there's a significant limit to how many people we can bring with each trip.

F1 at Zandvoort is a pipe dream, unfortunately. The traffic jams towards the race will make the Silverstone one seem like a walk in the park!

 

Maybe not lol! -- CVC does not want to sell F1 stake - Ecclestone - Formula 1 News

 

From GP Guide, i guess the head of Silverstone is not a fan of the current state of affairs:

Silverstone chief says F1 'sh*t' and 'not saleable'
2015-10-08
Oct.8 (GMM) Silverstone chief Patrick Allen has launched an unprecedented attack on formula one, describing it as a "sh*t product".

It is an echo of an earlier story in 2015, when Bernie Ecclestone reportedly told a French media outlet that F1 is a "crap product".

The F1 supremo, however, denied saying it, insisting he was referring only to the controversial hybrid engines.

But Patrick Allen, in charge of the historic British grand prix venue Silverstone, has been quoted by The Independent newspaper as openly slamming modern F1.

"Months and months back I said it to Mr E himself that I can't sell tickets for a sh*t product," he told the F1 business journalist Christian Sylt.

His comments follow earlier reports that Silverstone could drop off the calendar as early as next year if the circuit is unable to guarantee the race fee to Ecclestone.

Now, Allen said the biggest problem is that drivers are 'lifting and coasting' and being told what to do by faceless engineers rather than living up to their billing as "gladiators".

"I think it is criminal when we have got to that state of racing and that is not saleable," he insisted.

"How long is it before the technical director is stood on the top step, not the driver? You've just got to throw the towel in then and look for something else."

 

The latest on Silverstone:

(From: Silverstone says British GP safe to 2026 - British Grand Prix 2015 - Formula 1 - Eurosport Australia )

Silverstone says British GP safe to 2026

Silverstone managing director Patrick Allen has confirmed the circuit's contract to host Formula 1's British Grand Prix through to 2026 will be honoured.

It recently emerged the Northamptonshire track could activate a break clause in its 17-year deal that would allow it to pull out of hosting the race after next year.

Despite the difficulties in raising the annual hosting fee - which increases year-on-year due to a five per cent escalator clause - Allen has confirmed a business model is in place that guarantees the race's future.

Speaking to AUTOSPORT today, Allen said: "We will be able to see out the contract.

"We can do it because not only do we put on a good show, but we also made a significant improvement on profit from this year's grand prix than we have done in the past. All of that helps.

"But the way I am developing the business is as an attraction and entertainment business where we are generating revenues from not just one race of the year.

"That not only secures the future of Silverstone, but also the future of the grand prix. If it came to it, if we had to subsidise the grand prix, then we could.

"At other circuits there is one big race of the year and that's the end of it, but we are not that.

"We're a 360-day attraction that generates revenues from many other events. We are not totally reliant on one race.

"People get the impression if there is no grand prix there is no Silverstone, and if there is no Silverstone there is no grand prix, well that just isn't the case.

"Silverstone will be able to host the British Grand Prix through to 2026, absolutely."

Allen has confirmed a letter of credit from bankers Lloyds was in place prior to his arrival at the start of the year, allowing Silverstone to pay its hosting fee to Bernie Ecclestone in arrears.

"We've never missed a payment and the letter of credit is in place. There is a contract in place that allows us to do that," added Allen.

"Our bank is comfortable with the situation."

Allen also downplayed comments in which he had described F1 as "a **** product" and "a procession" that made tickets hard to sell.

"The product has been developed from a technical perspective rather than a customer-experience point of view, so the cars are ever more technical and advanced," he said today.

"That said, when there is a disparity between the front two Mercedes cars and everybody else, as it was in the early part of the season when the comments were made, then the product needs to improve.

"What has happened since is that Ferrari and Williams have improved, and what we are seeing is ever closer racing.

"Notwithstanding that, Mr Ecclestone and the FIA are looking at rule changes to produce ever-more exciting racing.

"The comments at the time were apt, but action has been taken, and we're now going to have a better product and a more exciting racing format for 2017."

 

That is the whole premise is that F-1 needs to invest in its own product not just the cars. they need to invest in the tracks and build up the F-1 infrastructure. There is no way that F-1 needs all the crap that they say they need... safety aside - they dont need huge pit complexes... if they want them - then build them.

as for traffic etc... the european races like Zandvoort can work. this is the whole thing about F-1 it brings in the tourists and money etc... if it would invest back .. it will see more in growth... and bring in bigger sponsors etc... F-1 is just so short sited.

 

F-1 could easily acquire hosting rights at each of the tracks... with out actually owning them.

as for the rich... its not an issue per se... other than that is all that F-1 wants to cater to... that is the issue... soak the average fan - so they can provide more champagne to the Paddock... at some point it has a reverse affect ... which is now beign felt.

in the early 90's there was a great mix - paddock was exclusive but still closer to the common man... today, its just completely insane. Millions spend to cater to a couple thousand, where as you can have 100,000 fans that have nothing... but ever steeper prices with no show.... no value. the folks in the Paddock ( visitors ) its just a distraction. most of these folks could easily be at a Golf tournemant, tennis, polo, sailing, or flying ... while real Petrol heads would die for the access to the teams and cars & drivers.... that is the twist.

 

F1 has been dead since Michael Schumacher's engine blew in the 2006 Japanese Grand Prix......

 

Zandvoort is a mess, more of less like a lot of other European tracks. Even tracks like Spa need investment (the grandstand and the gritty stands accross the old pit complex for instance).

But Zandvoort is one of the worst, it needs at least more than 100 million to get it back to international F1 track standards, that's excluding the infrastructure surrounding it .

Zandvoort needs a tunnel, like the one in The Hague, to accomodate larger traffic streams. A new grandstand, new parking lots, a new pit complex, new grounds surrounding the pit complex, the track itself needs to be widend, larger run-off aera's. The gritty holdiday resort on the east side needs to be removed (great place for new track side lodges and accomodations by the way) etc.

 

LOLOLO, i wouldn't go that far back......let's stay with..."when Elton passed Glock at Brazil"!!

 

Funnily enough, many people think that was when F1 was born again!

 

Yep, but I believe they're all banned....

 

True.

 

F1 and the NFL have a problem in common: When the stuff happening off the track (field) is more interesting than the stuff happening on the track (field) you have serious problems, the most basic one of which is a lack of leadership.

 

The clever Dutchmen lack two things

- a large F1/motorsport industry and culture like the Brits have
- "Unlimited" oil- and gas wells combined with autocratic leadership like the Arabs and Russians have

A modern day, fully equiped F1 track can't support itself.

 

But Why would they? - Where's the benefit for the owners of F1?

The way F1 is run at the moment, the owners of it make a good profit out of each race without any of the hosting costs, so where's the benefit in taking over the costs of hosting all of the races?

The owners of the circuits who have to deal with the costs of hosting the race barely break even in most cases, so the hosting costs would severely eat into the profits of the F1 owners, and that's why it's a fans pipe-dream that is never going to happen!

 

True.

But, neither do France (no disrespect Nerofer! ), Spain (or Pedro ) and many others.

+1

Hopefully not true! Anyone know how Austin's doing?

Cheers,
Ian

 

+1

Not quite so sure about "sadly" though!.... You ever been there in a sandstorm? Bas'll confirm I'm sure, *miserable* doesn't start to describe it! And this under an awning on the truck of course......

Only one I recall worse was the 'Ring in the snow......

Cheers,
Ian