Perennial theme but...

Post here all non technical related topics about Formula One. This includes race results, discussions, testing analysis etc. TV coverage and other personal questions should be in Off topic chat.
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SidSidney
18
Joined: 30 Jan 2014, 01:34
Location: Racetracks around the world

Perennial theme but...

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.. is F1 as we knew it over?

There have always been back markers with financial problems, but the disease seems to be infecting the upper echelons these days. McLaren has no title sponsor. Sauber is on it's financial heels. Williams is flattered by lack of strong competition. The only teams making strong ground are Red Bull, who might take their ball home with them now they are uncompetitive, Mercedes, who are ruthlessly effective and have basically unlimited resources, and Ferrari, who have half the prize money locked forever.

I don't know where it goes from here. I have the feeling I am watching a dinosaur coming to terms with it's own death. I don't switch on the TV these days unless it is to watch free-to-air F1. If TV money declines, because 21st century video platforms like Youtube and Twitch and Lord knows what else pull eyeballs elsewhere, where literally thousands of kids are watching things like DOTA2 streams, what happens? It's surely game over even for the big teams if there is nothing in that TV honey pot available, and we saw the first big declines in key markets last year.

I think Red Bull, who are fundamentally a marketing company, understand this dynamic best of all. They are whinging for sure, but they also have a point about the "show". The problem is that they think of it as a "show", instead of focusing on dynamic sporting action. The core product is going wrong, not the packaging or presentation.

I've been into F1 most of my life, I've worked in motorsport, I've raced to F3 level, written books on the subject, and even I find it a turn off nowadays to be honest. I know there were always dominant teams, but it's beyond that - it's like they are too inwardly focussed these days, like a big corporation that forgot what made it big. If diehards like me turn away, where is the next generation? I can't honestly defend F1 to anyone these days, it is almost embarrassing to be connected.
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Sulman
1
Joined: 08 Apr 2008, 10:28

Re: Perennial theme but...

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Money will decide it. The biggest problem for the sport is the dearth of privateers; manufacturers support series, but they're fickle and they get bored.

F1's biggest problem has become the fixation on money, rather than how that money is created. This is Ecclestone's legacy. Red Bull are a drinks company that run a sports team for marketing; they'd give it up tomorrow if it didn't do what they wanted.

The obsession with road relevance is insane, too. It's never been important. Engineering excellence and competition are what sells the brands; even NASCAR has figured this out. For now.

Vettel Maggot
4
Joined: 28 Jan 2014, 08:30

Re: Perennial theme but...

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You kind of need to question the relevance of GP2 also now that most teams are just grabbing drivers with a budget. Not since 2011 has the champion ended up in an F1 race seat and that was Romain Grosjean. In the past you had Maldonado, Glock, Hamilton, Rosberg, Pantano, Hulk etc winning the series and making it into F1. Now that it is all about the dollars you have guys like Ericsson who have never finished higher than 6th in the end of year standings paying for drives.

The crux of the issue is always money. How it is split up, how much CVC are taking, how much Bernie is taking, it is almost a basket case where you need to just start again.

As a side note, I wonder how many GP2 teams would be running in F1 if it was cheaper and prize money was split up in a more sustainable fashion. Look at the days of Jordan taking the leap into F1 and being successful (for a while!).

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