Here's one way to reduce costs...limit the number of employees in an F1 team to 75.
I don't know ANY younger folks that watch F1, heck none of my friends watch F1. Now that I think about it I don't know anyone with the exception of car forums (Never met any of you) that give a hoot about F1. I have been fading as well. Tail end baby boomer here
Williams need a top British driver like Hamilton. It would be great to see him race for a British team as he enters his last period of racing and he could structure a pay deal similar to Alonso's. Big British sponsors would b courting Williams quite quickly. Many great drivers have raced and won with Williams
I agree, in theory. It's easier said then done, though. A guy like Hamilton wants top money and a competitive team. That's simply not happening with Williams anytime soon.
A good point about age and bums on seats. As one of the 1946 baby boomers.....(yes, it was post ice age), then in my younger days, most of my friends were motor racing enthusiasts. We watched TV coverage; such as it was, but also regularly went to the races. Many of those guys are no longer with us, and most of my friends today have no interest at all in F1. Here in the UK, F1 coverage is split between Channel 4 and Sky, and at the end of 2018 Channel 4 will quit. As I have no other interest in sport apart from F1, I will (would) have to resort to paying for Sky, just to watch only that. It won't happen. There must be many more out there same as me......maybe a sign of the times.....and we'll all drop off the perch one day. F1 and Liberty seem to be as headless chickens. Improving the sport for all.......but not changing anything until after 2021. Knock knock, anybody there ?
Haas will eventually be sold when it gets through its learning curve. Hopefully to a US car maker. That would really put the US on the F1 map. With the new Sky tv feeds, don't look for the announcers to care as much about Haas as the NBC guys did. It's going to hurt.
I don't know enough about the inner workings, but have read that..."Haas designs its own bodywork and supplies its drawings to Italian chassis constructor and manufacturer Dallara." http://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/19799/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-haas-f1-ferrari-replica-row
Agree with the older fans of F1, but there are young car folks out there too, like my son and his friends that are all motor heads. One way F1 is trying to reach those younger fans is on the F1 page today, the new on line fantasy F1 games. That and the F1 driving competition (on-line gaming) are both notable for their headline status on the home page of F1 now. That's a big target audience of young mostly males that play racing games.
Never seen it and don't know anyone that has. Marketing is a big problem with F1. Guess I will have to check it out now
With all due respect I disagree. My 19 year old niece is obsessed with F1. My 8 year old daughter is too. My 4 year old son loves it already, although he obviously doesn’t really support a driver or team yet (good sign that he seems to like the red cars best!). I agree that F1 needs to get its act together, but this won’t happen over night. Bernie clung on to the outdated 80s and 90s model of F1 marketing and nearly killed the sport. LIberty inherited a mess when they bought in. Give them a bit of time. They deserve a chance to save the sport we love.
Just like 30-35 years ago. What HAAS does and doesn't do isn't in question as far as the viability of F1 goes. I have been saying that for years, and I think I said that in an earlier post here... It's not going to survive when 3 kids out of 5,000 watch. Just like in nascar, we have cookie-cutter cars and TOO MANY RULES. Teams design and develop on the computer and electronic side, and cannot really do much with good ol hands-on knowledge and brain power. But, that shipped sailed in the very early 80's, and won't be back. How do we make it affordable AND exciting AND worth the investment for all: the fans, the teams, the sponsors today? Beats the hell out of me.
Sounds reminiscent of my intro to F1, fortunately Gilles was the headliner. Hope Liberty can make something of the current shambles but I’m afraid they’ll need to return to the grassroots to create something competitive and I think they’re heading the opposite way. I’m almost of the belief electric may save them if increased manufacturer support is there and garagiste teams with ice are allowed to compete with a weight limit advantage.
Sounds to me like Williams are actually saying "we aren't competitive please make the other teams less competitive".