FOTA Plans To Improve F1

The Formula One Teams' Association has vowed to improve the spectacle for the fans as part of their 'roadmap' for a better future for grand prix racing.

The teams' body announced several new ideas that will be studied and implemented in order to improve the show for the fans, both on television and on track.

With refuelling set to be banned from 2010, FOTA said it is aiming to "enhance the spectacle and entertainment by recording the performance of each pit crew member, identified by a number on the back."

Other ideas to get closer to the fans include "new forms of entertainment on the race venues involving drivers, against local heroes, joint running show car events and joint launch event (2010 onwards), and joint sponsorship and partnership programme involving all the teams and drivers," said FOTA in a presentation on Thursday.

FOTA is also aiming to increase the content offering both for TV and Internet, making team personnel and drivers more accessible for interviews, as well as offering more technical data, permanent radio communications and access to teams' back-offices for TV crews.

Improving TV coverage and on-screen data is also a goal for the teams' body, who unveiled several new ideas to spice up racing broadcasts.

"Historically Formula One has been a collection of secret societies and we haven't been able to work together sufficiently to share information," said McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh on Thursday.

"It's quite interesting how interested fans are in the technology, in the tactics and in the strategy, and that's without us feeding it.

"I think there were some examples that we tried to illustrate today, where you look at other sports and how they've enhanced the show by providing more information. Like any sport if you can feed that information, fans can become more deeply involved, and interested, and intoxicated by it.

"So I think it's great news. Of course some fans like to see fights between the teams, and at the moment there are a few of those and maybe there will be fewer in the future. But ultimately you want sport out there on the track on a Saturday and Sunday afternoon, and you want us out there to be cooperating and releasing, making available, all of the radio transmissions while the cars are out.

"How many teams over the years have spent lots of money with encrypted radio systems to prevent that? That was a big, big initiative. There are lots of little one-liners, and I think in a year's time we'll take them for granted. I think in a year's time we won't have perhaps recognised the significance of some of the proposals that have come from FOTA.

"But I do think that the sport and the ability for fans to become involved, to buy into it, to understand it, and to enjoy it, will be greater."

He added: "I think anyone who's responsible for the commercial development of the sport has got to be ecstatic about the teams cooperating more fully with how we develop those things."

The complete FOTA statement is in the next posting below:

 

THE COMPLETE FOTA STATEMENT:

The Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) today outlined its roadmap for Formula One at a press conference at which senior management figures from all 10 current Formula One teams shared the stage together.

Setting out its proposed agenda for the evolution of the sport, FOTA unveiled a dynamic package of unanimously agreed proposals which, pending the approval of the FIA, will take effect in 2009 and/or 2010.

These proposals are aimed at increasing the stability, sustainability, substance and show of Formula One, and have all been developed as a result of rigorous interrogation of a FOTA global audience survey carried out in 17 countries earlier this year. The study canvassed views of existing fans but also, for the first time, drew on insights from a cross-section of general and infrequent followers of the sport, in line with FOTA's stated ambition to broaden as well as to deepen the appeal of Formula One.

The proposals can be classified under three headings - technical, sporting and commercial - in line with the three working groups inaugurated when FOTA was formed in September 2008.

These proposals will ensure the retention of Formula One's unique and essential sporting 'DNA', improve the show for all audiences, reduce costs, and increase the value proposition to the major stakeholders.

Luca di Montezemolo, Chairman of FOTA, said: "This is an unprecedented moment in Formula One history. Above all else, for the first time the teams are unified and steadfast – with a clear, collective vision. Thanks to this unity, all the teams have already managed to make a significant reduction to their costs for 2009.

"And, while we will continue to compete vigorously on track, we all share one common goal: to work together to improve Formula One by ensuring its stability, sustainability, substance and show for the benefit of our most important stakeholder, namely the consumer. It is with this mindset that we now intend to work hard, with our partners at the FIA and FOM, our shared goal being to optimise the future of Formula One."

KEY PROPOSALS

Technical

2009:

* More than 100% increase in mileage per engine (eight engines per driver per season)
* Reduction in wind tunnel and CFD (computational fluid dynamics) usage
* Engine available at €8 million per team per season

2010:

* Engine available at €5 million per team per season
* Gearbox available at €1.5 million per team per season
* Standardised KERS (put out to tender, with a target price of €1-2 million per team per season)
* Target a further 50% reduction of the 2009 aerodynamic development spend
* Specified number of chassis, bodywork and aerodynamic development iterations (homologations) during the season
* Prohibition of a wide range of exotic, metallic and composite materials
* Standardised telemetry and radio systems

Sporting

2009:

* Testing reduction (50%)
* New points-scoring system (12-9-7-5-4-3-2-1), to give greater differentiation/reward to grand prix winners
* Race starting fuel loads, tyre specifications and refuelling data to be made public

2010:

* Commitment to recommend new qualifying format
* Radical new points-scoring opportunities (eg, one constructors' championship point to be awarded for the fastest race pit stop)
* Further testing reductions (four four-day single-car pre-season tests plus one single-car pre-season shakedown)
* Reduction of grand prix duration (250km or a maximum of one hour 40 minutes) pending the approval of the commercial rights holder

Commercial

2009:

* Increased data provision for media
* Explore means by which the presentation of Formula One action can be more informatively and dynamically presented, common to other sports such as tennis and cricket, to dramatically improve engagement with the public
* Nominated senior team spokesman available for TV during grand prix
* Commitment to enhance consumer experience via team and FOTA websites
* Mandatory driver autograph sessions during grand prix weekends

2010:

* Commitment to enhance consumer experience via TV coverage

Key Demographics Of Global Audience Survey

* 17 countries surveyed
* First ever poll of Formula One devotees alongside non-Formula One devotees (ie, marginal and/or low interest fans)
* Responses were weighted according to the size of viewing market in each country (to avoid small markets skewing the results)
* Results were segmented by interest level in Formula One, demographic profiles (age and gender), country and region
* Total audience is comprised of:
- Regular fans (25% by volume, predominantly male, cross section of ages)
- Moderate fans (44% by volume, female and male, cross section of ages)
- Infrequent fans (31% by volume, unlikely to watch grands prix, predominantly female,
cross section of ages)

Key Findings Of Global Audience Survey

1. F1 isn't broken, so beware 'over-fixing' it

The current race format is not viewed as fundamentally broken (across all levels of Formula One interest) and therefore doesn't require radical alteration. There is a strong desire for Formula One to remain meritocratic, while consumer interest is driven most by appreciation of driver skill, overtaking and technology.

Implication: there is no evidence to suggest that grand prix formats need 'tricking up' via, for example, handicapping, sprint races, reversed grids or one-on-one pursuit races. Formula One audiences appreciate the traditional gladiatorial, high-tech nature of the sport and would not respond favourably to a perceived 'dumbing down' of the current format.

2. F1 needs to be more consumer-friendly

An individual's view or understanding of Formula One is framed almost entirely by their local broadcaster. Unlike most global sports, the vast majority of 'consumption' of Formula One is via race-day TV coverage, supplemented in part by traditional, non-specialist newspaper coverage.

Formula One fans are also mature consumers of new media channels (eg, on-line, mobile) and other touch points (eg, gaming, merchandise). The global nature of Formula One, although an attractive characteristic in itself, impedes the uniformity of race schedules, and often results in consumption of a race being limited to locally broadcast TV highlights programmes. Only devotees (25% of the total potential viewing audience) are likely to watch a race live if it occurs outside peak viewing times.

Implication: significant opportunities exist to build audience via other channels such as internet and mobile.

3. Major changes to qualifying format are not urgent

When asked to consider alternative qualifying formats, all fan types expressed a modest preference for a meritocratically determined starting grid. There was some degree of interest in allowing luck to play a part in shaping the starting order, but the general sentiment was that the fastest driver should always start from pole.

Implication: there may be justification for minor modifications to the current qualifying format, following further trials; however, a major change to the format will not result in a significant increase in audience.

4. Revisions to the points-scoring system

As with qualifying, all audiences want a meritocratic points-scoring system. This means that they want winning grands prix to count for more than it does currently. There is an indication that all audiences would like to see a greater points reward for winning grands prix.

Implication: a minor adjustment to the existing points system is justified

5. Evolution of pit stops and refuelling

All audiences view pit stops as integral to their enjoyment of grand prix coverage; however, they rank the most important and compelling aspect of pit stops as tyre changing rather than refuelling. Race strategies were not highly ranked as a determinant of interest in Formula One.

Implication: audiences are unlikely to diminish if refuelling is discontinued. Tyre changing is an important driver of audience interest (in pit stops) and should not be further automated.

 

This one I don't like:

"Reduction of grand prix duration (250km or a maximum of one hour 40 minutes) pending the approval of the commercial rights holder"

This one I like:

"Mandatory driver autograph sessions during grand prix weekends"