F1 Priorities

I'm almost tempted to claim you're trolling here, but at least it's well written, so I'll try and give a few comments.

There's always going to be 'backmarker' teams. Nature of the game. Always have been and always will be. However, that they design & build their own cars and get them within a very few percent of the front runners is stunning IMO. That they can do that with a 5th of the budget of the big guys is even more impressive.

F1 is damn hard. As it damn well should be! That they're out there competing and keeping the grids full is also damn impressive.

I haven't checked, but suspect the gap between the leaders and backmarkers in Nascar is much, much, bigger - At least around a circuit with comparable lap times. Anyone know the gap between pole & the tailenders at the recent Watkins Glen Nascar race? I'd bet it was more than 107%....

Viewership is, apparently, down a little. Not good. But it remains the most watched sport on the planet year on year. The World Cup & Olympics every four years are the only things that come close.

Unfortunately, attendance at the actual races also seems to be down some. But only at the 'funny' locations and again, unfortunately, bums in the GA or cheap seats doesn't affect F1's viability at all - rightly or wrongly, it's all about 'corporate hospitality' in the paddock club etc that pays the bills.

Agree re the double points BS. And completely agree that the noise currently sucks. Standing restarts I guess I can argue both ways - they're dangerous, but are generally accepted as a highlight of the weekend - Why not do it again if it improves 'the show'? Which is supposedly what's needed.....

We can go back and forth forever on the fuel limits, but the bottom line is that is what the engine manufacturers wanted. They're pushing the technological envelope again versus (the wonderful!) dinosaurs that are V8's & V10's. That they've got much less downforce (to keep them within the speed limits of the tracks) yet continue to be almost as quick while using roughly 30% less go juice is an incredible technical achievement.

It's what the teams themselves wanted. I'd love to see the return of testing, but the costs were completely out of control. The big guys were running two dedicated test teams costing 10's of millions. They decided it was unsustainable. Not the FIA, not Bernie, the guys that actually matter at the end of the day.

BTW, Susie did get to run again, quite well, at the next race in Germany.

Yep, Engine costs are a huge item. Caterham would be even more disadvantaged if Merc could use as many as they wanted.

Again, it's what the engine manufacturers wanted.

I can argue 'sparks' both ways..... They're harmless and photograph well. No harm there, may even improve the show.

Outside of the States, Nascar is basically unheard of. While Jeff Gordon & Dale Jr are stars here, they're anonymous everywhere else. I live in the States (and love it BTW!), but America remains an incredibly insular nation. Nascar, the 'world series' and the Super Bowl are significant here, but completely irrelevant outside these shores..... F1 OTOH continues to be a global success.

I'd bet the gap between the front runners and tailenders in Nascar, around comparable circuits is much, much larger than in F1. Does anyone know the gap between the front and back at the recent Watkins Glen round for example?

As for marketing, check out Bernie's site. Check Autosport. Many technical articles, interviews and stories if you go and look. Certainly no 'media blackout' these days.

That the US doesn't 'get' F1 is a shame. Michael loved it here as even he was anonymous! It's good that COTA are trying, but the sport will survive even without 'success' here.

My 02c, cheers,
Ian

 

I would argue that F-1 has a pretty large US audience. about on par with european countries. we just have more people. and more sports.

F-1 ( autoracing in general) is not going to eclips the public demand for Football, Baseball and Basketball. nor Soccer - European Football... when you go to Austin - its pretty full - just as full as any other modern F-1 race.


so the question is can you get more $$ out of the USA if you market F-1 to a wider audience? I'm making an assumption here that the answer is no.

the cost to make F-1 a household brand vs. Nascar would most likely cost more then the revenue brought in - in the short term... and the ROI would most likely be too small.

However, my own thought has been to advertise F - 1 on a Nascar team. and then invite the F- 1 drivers of the past - present to be in a rotating team ... perhaps even paint the cars to look like F-1 cars... and then do the opposite in F-1.... i htink you could generate some racing fan interest but still would not tap into the rest of the country.


all that beign said if there were more money to be made in the USA from F1- i think they would be doign it. my local Shell station actually had a picture of the Ferrari F1 car on each pump for about a year ... so that alone shows F-1 is penetrating the USA.

 

It's kinda chicken VS. egg debate, is F1 not so popular in the US because fans don't like it, or that theyve never been exposed, compared to Europe or Brazil where it's already a big deal, so the fan base and TV exposure is self sustaining?

Regarding a question posted above, at the qualifying at Watkins glen the time differential from 1st to last (Danica) was 103.6%. At the Bristol race last weekend, it was 106%.

 

Understood. Given some of the other stuff we've got going here right now I was kind of trying to make a joke!

Ahh, OK, gotcha!

It's a conundrum for sure. I don't claim to know the answer, but understand what you're getting at. I can only guess it's partly at least the age old 'not invented here' problem?

Could it be marketed better here? No doubt. I think the time zones are a problem for one - you can't (often) just plop in front of the tv and catch today's race as per Nascar for example maybe? Even with the DVR you've got to pay attention as it's always changing channel. And I think outside of 'dedicated' fans, most folk want to watch live? Certainly can't help I feel.

You make some valid points, for sure. How do they build "buzz & excitement" for something very few know or care about is I guess their problem?

I don't think it's access to the drivers - outside personally being there that's not possible.

Try and promote it as 'the pinnacle' may be? The info is out there - There's some good sites available these days.

I can only guess that what they now call 'the stakeholders' just don't much care - Ferrari sells everything they make and it seems their market here at least isn't F1 people but rather the polishing brigade! And You can't even buy a Renault here! I guess Merc would like more exposure, and maybe Honda when they come back, but I have no idea how they'd go about it(?)

Cheers,
Ian

 

Hmmmm.... Interesting thought. Try and "cross pollinate" as it were!

I could see that working among, as you say, existing race fans too. Wouldn't attract any newbies, but may just encourage both to try the other format.

Good call!
Cheers,
Ian

 

^^^This idea here? I like it. Kind of unorthodox but I can see it causing some "cross-pollination" as it were...

Maybe we can talk Haas into this.

 

The first, last and only thing you need to know about F1 is that to the stakeholders it's all about the money.
Thinking about it in terms of a sport will get you nowhere. Its a business.
As much as we all admire Bernie's accomplishments there has been no comprehensive leadership for a while now. The FIA, circuit owners, commercial rights holders, independent teams and the large automotive companies all have their competing agendas. There being no final authority we've had a series of ad hoc rule changes that individually fail to meet their stated goals and collectively make the sport a laughing stock.
Despite this we're having some great racing this year. F1 isn't dead yet. Despite the best efforts of all involved.

 

Europe = 742 million
US = 313 million...

Europe much larger then...

I think F1 doesn't catch on in the States for the same reasons that (comparable) Indycar doesn't catch on in Europe...Much different time zones, drivers we don't know and a bunch of other reasons I can't think of right now (long day).