Do the FIA and F1 even understand racing?

http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/22611836/renault-say-strategic-f1-grid-penalties-optimise-performance-2018

What does it mean to the fans when they tune in only to see their favorite driver at the back of the grid because of engine penalties they really don’t even understand or because Max torpedoed you in Turn 1 and trashed your gearbox If your favorite driver has zero chance of winning because of that, how disappointing is it? The key to success is a fan base emotionally invested in a team or driver. That’s why NASCAR is what it is. The fans “know” and love their drivers and the sport does everything right to promote that relationship. F1 continues in the opposite direction by creating a racing environment that continually fractures that “relationship” in so many ways. By creating cars no one likes, rules that favor certain teams, circuits that lack any sort of competition, artificially imposed penalties that ruin a race for a driver... I mean I could go on forever.

It’s almost like a child or that colleague who’s been criticized then instead of accepting that real and valued information and adjusting, simply doubles down and goes further down the path simply out of spite to their own peril and disadvantage. It is absolutely bizarre to me.

 

They need to watch MotoGP and maybe they will learn something. If it’s another MB cakewalk I will watch nothing but MotoGP.

 

No, they don't, never did, never will....

 

Same here! Only MotoGP for me!

 

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It's hard to say it but Max Mosley was better. Things have seriously gone in the wrong direction under Todt. We're stuck indefinitely with these turbo engines and halo; only hope now is that Ross Brawn can pull things back so that at least we have good racing.

 

Well so far... two things that all the fans hate... grid penalties and the halo... the sharkfins and the T wings are still here.. .just to name a couple.... so I'm not exactly feeling the positive impact of his tenure quite yet. The limited PU and gearbox allocations and the outcome of that bordered the ridiculous last year. So what do they do? Make the allocations even less and create even more grid penalties. The explanation that it's a cost saving measure is about as ridiculous and insulting to the fans as the rule itself. Save cash on a PU, spend twice as much on development and testing to create parts that last longer.

 

Many of these things can't be changed by anyone other than the teams since they're already in the regulations and requires unanimity among them to pass through. A rare event in F1. Shark fin is a recent example.

PU and gearbox allocations is also the domain of the FIA but even with this the teams have to have unanimity to change the allocation step down each year that was established in the original regulations. It was Marchionne (and probably Merc too) who blocked it from staying at four since it plays to their competitive advantage.

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/133455/todt-no-going-back-on-2018-engine-rules

On the technical side Liberty/FOM would never get into nitty gritty details like sharkfin and t-wings. Their role is to influence the macro regulations like aero philosophy to promote overtaking and a better show through aero and engine architecture, grid penalties, etc. The impact of what Brawn is working on probably won't be seen till next major aero and engine changes.

 

This ain’t NASCAR. You can’t be last with 5 laps to go and still have a chance to win.

 

Spot on !

Moto GP were smart by refraining from OTT aero taking over. The result is real racing for millions of ticket buyers and tv viewers.

 

Liberty and the FIA seem hell bent on destroying and undermining the sport. I’m going to enjoy the day that liberty are forced to sell their interests in the sport for a handful of magic beans once they’ve completely destroyed the racing and no one is watching anymore, because maybe then someone with a brain, some marketing nounce and half an idea about what makes racing interesting to racing fans, rather than pandering to politically correct enviro-loonies, will buy up the shares and relaunch a proper version of F1

This quickening death of F1 is sad to see, but I think the only way back now is for liberty to take a massive hiding, be ousted from control, and someone else take over. Liberty, and chases moustache, clearly have not the slightest idea what they are doing. The ugly cars launched last month, and their flatulent engines, are an absolute joke being involved in what was once the pinnacle of motor racing. It’s almost embarrassing to admit that we follow F1 to people anymore, as most seem to be under the impression no one watches it anymore anyway

 

In its quest to achieve cost reductions, F1 has reduced the appeal of its product to its customers. Not good.

Maybe Liberty, along with the FIA, will figure out customer appeal -at the track, on the tele, on the phone, has to be #1. Everything else is secondary to that.

-F

 

This predates Liberty. I think actually Liberty might get it; that this is about the customers first. We'll see.

CVC, Bernie, and the FIA (each from different directions) are the ones who took the sport to places it shouldn't have gone.

-F

 

The worst part, is it would be so easy to make it GREAT with all the technology available these days. Its all politics that drags it down.

 

Agree. Liberty are turning F1 into a synthetic Disneyland. Sanitized to fit with safe corporate America. Did anybody at Liberty realize that motorsport is inherently dangerous. That's part of what makes it more exciting than say snooker.

Viewers will not be engaged when Mickey Mouse keeps crossing the line in a sanitized vacuum cleaner on wheels.

 

Don’t worry Liberty has the solution:

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-commissions-musical-theme-from-hollywood-composer-1010946/

MotoGP’s theme song? Easy.

 

F1 will go with:



We've only just begun. The Carpenters.

 

Oh Dear !

“Music is a key component of the emotion of sport and we are engaging with top international talent in order to develop a new signature tune for F1."

How about turning the soundtrack of vacuum cleaners into that of racing cars ? A signature tune is 1 minute. Liberty's Vacuum Cleaner soundtrack is 90 minutes

 

MFOGA!

 

It is not only Liberty and the FIA with F1.

Feld entertainment (yes the clowns that killed Ringling Bros. and creators of Monster Jam) the AMA and FIM have proceeded to destroy Supercross as well. Instead of looking back 25 years and seeing how close the racing was with the majority of riders surviving the season. They have created a jump filled festival that is so timing dependent that this year 7 of the top 10 contenders are on the sideline with injuries because of them making the slightest mistake on track. These idiots instead of looking and saying "What are we doing we are hurting the stars that fill our seats" They just make it more and more a demo derby with monster girls shooting flames and lasers between races. .

Yes F1 cars don't sound great with turbos. Yes the show is ruined because they have to watch fuel economy or engine life. The Halo looks like an afterthought. Yes the current aero rules prevent close quarters racing. At least they have safety figured out to where most accidents the driver walks away to drive in the next practice or race.

Liberty needs to look back 20 years and look at how close the racing was and how good the cars sounded at full song on the track but keep all the safety improvements in place. I say bring back the V10's, refueling, simplified aero packages and allow teams to test during the season.

 

Yes, MotoGP are doing a great job - Here's the 2018 Ducati:

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Hmmm....... Hang on a minute!

 

MARCH 7, 2018

Liberty doesn't understand F1 technology says Marchionne


Sergio Marchionne has told Liberty Media to back off and let Ferrari get on with the business of making F1 cars.

Recently, the Ferrari president said he disagreed with Liberty's apparent post-2020 direction for F1 and threatened to quit after 2020.

But Marchionne said at the Geneva motor show that he believes a compromise will be found.

"We want a clear protection of the DNA of this sport. We do not want it to be diluted by commercial and entertainment factors," he is quoted by Corriere dello Sport.

"We are engaged in the technical side, while I believe Liberty does not understand a thing about this. So let us work.

"If one competitor cannot be distinguished from the next - if Ferrari cannot stand out from Mercedes - then we'll do something else," Marchionne said.

When asked if the Bernie Ecclestone era was better, the Italian-Canadian said: "I saw Bernie this morning. I don't know.

"Liberty's commercial commitment is very serious, but Bernie had a unique strength -- he was not going to interfere in the technical choice," he said.

As for Ferrari's chances of winning the title in 2018, Marchionne said he is feeling "relaxed".

"It's definitely the quietest season I've faced since arriving in 2014," he revealed.

"The boys are in control more than before. We have all the conditions we need and I think the car can be a winner at 51 per cent of the races this season."

Marchionne ruled out moving Ferrari into Formula E, saying the category is "too funny to watch on TV with all those car changes".

"For Alfa Romeo, we thought about it but we're not ready to talk about it. I do not think the technology is suitable."

As for the rumour about Maserati teaming up with Haas, Marchionne said: "We have thought about it and there is that possibility, but first I want to see how it goes with (Sauber and) Alfa."

 

All the problems in F1 today are thanks to Max Mosley/Bernie tag-team legacy.

F1 is in this mess thanks to him.

 

Fully agree about Bernie; Max hasn't been around since 2009. Max was no saint but things have gotten infinitely worse under Todt with the turbo engines and halo.

 

When did Max torpedo a car in front and take out their gearbox?

I must have missed those races.

I did see a Vettle out of control with locked up brakes from going into hot slip into Kimi with a Kvuat alongside Kimi.

I did see Vettle go like he was the only car in T1 with Kimi and Max both inside of Vettle at Spa.

Didn't even get to T1, Vettle took out Kimi and a red bull in Maylasia.