F1 COMPLAINT: No Passing, So Why Valencia And Singapore?

It also looked like Singapore installed some permanent fixtures for the track. That main grandstand that the cars raced through looked permanent, as did the race control/paddock facilities. What F1 needs to do is start trawling the forests and countrysides of Asia for unique and interesting roadways that they can convert into a race course, just like they used to do.

 

I hate street circuits as much as you guys but you heard Flavio in the pre-race show when he was referring to Silverstone not being near any hotels. The problem is that F1 is now too big to be fed with enthusiasts dollars alone. Mindless spectators with more dollars than interest in the sport are the people Bernie and co. want to attract. These types don't take well to traveling two hours through the countryside to get to the track. In fact, most of these folks would rather leave a race early than deal with the post-race crowd; imagine them sitting in traffic?

The only solution for people like us is well-designed tracks within close proximity to major cities; not very likely. The Singapore spectacle was attractive at first but after a half hour it was apparent that Cleveland would have looked just as nice under the circumstances. (no slight against Cleveland - my point is that there is nothing unusual about Singapore's skyline it was just lit up at night and any city looks great at night)

 

There's some validity to that, but not necessarily in the vein of how you described it. Formula 1 could run in front of empty grand stands and be very successful. Selling tickets and drawing tourism makes money for the host city but has virtually no impact on the sport itself. It's up to the hosts to turn a profit on their event for which they have paid handsomely up front. Granted, if cities can't make money on the races, nobody is going to want to hold an event. But for BernieCo. the money is in the TV/advertising/merchandising revenue. These VIPs are usually transported via helicopter anyway--Bernie used to stay in Chicago during the Indy GP. And there aren't any circuits with an array of hotels closer to the circuit than that. A lot of the F1 honchos have just become so insulated from normal society and dependent on the coddled life that they can't bear the thought of slumming it in a 4.5 star shed of a hotel.

 

Great point about the TV advertising. That being the case, why would Bernie want to head into major cities with all the hypnotic street circuits?

 

I think it's all part of his game. He's expanding the empire, all the while keeping pressure on existing race organizers to stay in line or else...He's not afraid to replace anyone on the schedule (Silverstone) if he doesn't get what he wants out of an event. That said, he does want the stands full and the facilities cracklin' new. I forgot to mention that he does have his grand prix tours business, but even that is mere gravy on his potatoes. And with emerging markets bidding for his limited product, it keeps the sanction fees nice and high.

 

Well I guess he can take a breather now that Lehman Brothers are gone, CVC can buy the balance of the F1 Shares. Its all about Money with Bernie.

 

I pretty much agree with what Tifosiron said originally. Singapore was appropriately held at night, when people should be (and probably were) asleep. Ferrari provided the only excitement of the day, what with ripping out the fuel hose and Kimi crashing again at the end.

However, perhaps there is another side to this coin. Somehow, I don't have these negative vibes about Monaco. Maybe it is just tradition & romance - but I have been watching F1 as long as it has been occasionally on TV, and Monaco has given us some pretty exciting races (along with some bummers). There are also a number of more conventional "road" courses that were of course originally taken from public roads, but usually not right in the midst of an urban city environment. Probably the "city" street courses are attractive nowadays because of hotels, restaurants, TV, etc...so they probably will happen again as new countries get into the game.

One problem I had with Singapore was that it seemed that the planners were more interested in lights, facilities, infrastructure, and so on than they were with the actual track - the track itself just seemed like it was ALL in a tunnel; not just the part that split under the grandstand. It brought a whole new meaning to "brake test" (this time not an evil driver act, but an evil track architect act). And what was up with that half-hearted little snake chicane where everybody was just cutting across on the bumper curbs? Not to mention the diabolical plan of making the curbs just about an inch too high to successfully drive over, but also low enough to make you think you could. (no excuses for Kimi here, you understand)

I think the street circuit designers need to go back to the drawing board. I would hate to see this concept lost from F1, but I admit that a few more like this one and the villagers will take up their torches and march.

 

I was thinking the same thing--they were basically straight-lining that series, so why bother?

Unless I'm forgetting something, I believe Long Beach was the only decent street circuit in the modern era. Wide, with a variety of curves (not all square corners) and runoff area.

 

Well, now that I think of it - maybe it was there to PREVENT the possibility of making a pass at that point...by making people straight line it, they pretty much assured that cars had to line up in single file. Chicanes nowadays are usually thought of as a speed check device, but weren't they originally meant as pass prevention at dangerous points?

As if this track needed more deliberate work to prevent passing...

 

i've said it for months. the moment i heard it was a street circuit, and i saw the layout, i knew from the 1st corner, it would be a really boring race. racing in the night did not make much difference, did it? prolly the best part was the flames and sparks from the exhaust and the bottom of the cars that made it diff from a normal day race. overall, it was a boring race.

 

They need to seriously tweak either that track or the cars if they want passing next year.

 

Welcome back Tony

 

Thanks Brian, did you go to the race, it wasn't too far from you.

 

well, actually no. i just got a new job, plus, i was short on cash

i will be going for a grandstand seat for Sepang next year, will most likely visit SIngapore at the end of this year, get to know some stuff, rough estimations, and prolly will be there for the GP next year.

 

Great, now if I can get to Malaysia as well to see the Manufacturers, I'll meet up with you at the race.

 

cool man. hope to see you soon.

 

To let the fans get closer to the parade?

How many people, these days, can really appreciate classic overtaking? How many people just watch for the crashes?

Street circuits in the rain: playing to the people the TV commercials work on.

The same reason Fox replaced WRC with Nastruck on Speed channel.
Besides: it's really hard to program for people smarter than the network drones.

 

Pearl of wisdom right there: you've summed up the problem with all modern TV.