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    The end of F1?

    Interesting point-of-view article I read this morning. F1 is definitely in trouble. I think that there will need to be a serious change in F1, or it will continue to spiral.

    -----------------------

    he 2009 Formula One season ended in Abu Dhabi last Sunday and, for Grand Prix racing fans, it might have been the day the music died.

    BMW, of course, had announced mid-year it would be gone as of season's end. So there were goodbyes all round on Sunday.

    Then, the bottom dropped out:

    On Tuesday, Bridgestone announced it would no longer supply tires to F1 as of 2011.

    Wednesday, Toyota – as expected – pulled the plug on its involvement.

    Thursday, the board of the Renault car company met in Paris to discuss its future in the sport and, somewhat ominously, said afterward that it would announce "by the end of the year" what it intended to do for 2010.

    A constant all week: Adrien Campos, who was awarded one of four new places on the grid for next season (along with Lotus, USF1 and Manor Grand Prix), was flying all over Europe trying to sell his team.

    So what's going on?

    1. It's the economy, stupid. (Sorry, that's just an expression.)

    2. Ongoing concern about the FIA leadership (Max Mosley and that crowd, including the new guy, Jean Todt).

    3. Bernie Ecclestone's greed (or that of his partners, CVC Capital Partners and JP Morgan).

    4. The whims of the manufacturers.

    Let's take a quick look at each.

    1. Except for Ferrari (Marlboro cigarettes and Spanish banking giant Santander) and McLaren (Vodafone, Johnnie Walker, plus the personal wealth of Mansour Ojjeh and Ron Dennis), there is not a lot of serious money in F1 going forward.

    For instance, Brawn GP – which won both the constructor's championship and the driver's title this season – does not have a title sponsor for 2010 (Virgin has gone elsewhere) and its Honda subsidy ended when the checkered flag flew at Abu Dhabi.

    Renault has lost AIG and, if it stays to race in 2010, might have problems attracting a title sponsor because of its involvement in race-fixing.

    Red Bull, Toro Rosso and Force India are all financed out of the hip pockets of their owners, Dietrich Mateschitz and Vijay Mallya. If their personal portfolios take a hit, guess what?

    Given all of the above, how will any of the four new teams get enough money to race in F1?

    2. Who really – really – wants to get into bed with that bunch at the FIA who are running F1 these days? Having Max Mosley continue at the helm after his porn hobby became public was nothing but an embarrassment for everybody. Jean Todt, his successor, is being welcomed in the paddock with open arms simply because everybody knows it's going to be business as usual.

    3. We all know the fable The Goose That Laid The Golden Eggs, don't we? Well, Bernie Ecclestone is killing the goose.

    He's been doing it for years, of course. "Mo' money, mo' money" is Bernie's motto and he's running out of the Bahrains and Abu Dhabis willing to pay the outrageous fees demanded for the privilege of putting on an F1 race.

    Canada is a case in point. One of the most successful Grands Prix on the calendar – huge crowds, huge TV audiences (in 2005, the Canadian race was the most watched F1 race in the world and the third most-watched sporting event on the planet, behind only the Super Bowl and the Champions League final) – it was taken away last year because various levels of government were unwilling to spend enough public money to save it.

    You will note that there has still not been an official announcement of a race in Montreal in 2010. Guess what's holding it up?

    4. Ferrari has been saying this week that the manufacturers are not dropping out because of the economy but to get back at the FIA (see 2, above). Bernie said years ago that F1 was much better off when the teams were independent and not beholden to the manufacturers "because when they don't sell as many cars, or something, they'll just pack it in."

    Well, either way, look what's happened.

    I don't want to be too much of a pessimist, but 2010 is shaping up to be a disaster.


    Re: The end of F1?

     

    Let's not forget the races themselves: boring to death. They HAVE to make overtaking possible. A slower car should simply not being stuck behind another.


    Re: The end of F1?

    So very interesting to see what teams will come alive to the next season, what pilots will continue, what title sponsors will remain active...

     

    I agree - the mystery and attractiveness of F1 greatly reduced throughout the world...


    Re: The end of F1?

    SciFrog:

     

    Let's not forget the races themselves: boring to death. They HAVE to make overtaking possible. A slower car should simply not being stuck behind another.

     Yes.  They need to make those double-diffusers illegal so that cars can actually get close to each other.


    --

    Re: The end of F1?

    Double diffusers must be banned for 2010.  Overtaking must become a major feature in F1.

    No more processions please.  I'm an F1 fan... looking forward to every event, but unless true racing is possible, on a regular basis, I may switch my allegiance to Moto GP..

     


    --

    "Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out."


    Re: The end of F1?

    SciFrog:

     

    Let's not forget the races themselves: boring to death. They HAVE to make overtaking possible. A slower car should simply not being stuck behind another.

     

    Exactley - it is so boring, that I dont watch it anymore!

    I wouldnt mind if F1 completley dies. And to be honest, there should be a way to start a race series without an Bernie at the top


    Re: The end of F1?

    I like your picture Adam R.

    I think we all know that various forms of racing provide much more excitement than F1. ALMS/LMS, WRC, DTM and Moto GP to name a few. I think I still follow F1 because of its history and my fascination with the technology. I must add that this "fascination" isn't what it used to be.

     

    800px-Peugeot_206_WRC.jpg800px-Porsche_slips_by_the_Ferrari.jpg

    646603_1158488_2362_1574_08051807_MB_DTM_Lausitz_Start.jpg

     

     

    Champion-Moto-GP-2003.jpg



    Re: The end of F1?

    24 Hour Le Mans, DTM championship, WRX Rally, local auto cross events. I could live without F1, i just don't want to. I will remain watching the races tomorrow and always.

     


    --

    indeed shifting is ancient technology - so is a fuel burning engine..  I happen to like both :) 
    _____________________________________________________________________
    1986 BMW 325e 5spd 2.7L 121 hp (172 lb·ft) Le Mans Blau on Tan leather.
    1986 BMW 325is 5spd 2.5L 168 hp (164 lb-ft) White on Tan leather (parted out) 
    2005 Ford Focus S, 5spd 2.0L 136 hp (120lb-ft) CD silver on grey (sold)
    1986 Porsche 944, 5spd 2.5L 150 hp (168lb-ft) champagne gold on grown leather. (sold)


    Re: The end of F1?

    Lars997:
    SciFrog:

     

    Let's not forget the races themselves: boring to death. They HAVE to make overtaking possible. A slower car should simply not being stuck behind another.

     

    Exactley - it is so boring, that I dont watch it anymore!

    I wouldnt mind if F1 completley dies. And to be honest, there should be a way to start a race series without an Bernie at the top

    I agree. It's too boring to watch anymore. Now, if modern F1 races were like this...


    Re: The end of F1?

    917962:

    I like your picture Adam R.

    I think we all know that various forms of racing provide much more excitement than F1. ALMS/LMS, WRC, DTM and Moto GP to name a few. I think I still follow F1 because of its history and my fascination with the technology. I must add that this "fascination" isn't what it used to be.

     

    800px-Peugeot_206_WRC.jpg800px-Porsche_slips_by_the_Ferrari.jpg

    646603_1158488_2362_1574_08051807_MB_DTM_Lausitz_Start.jpg

     

     

    Champion-Moto-GP-2003.jpg

     

    I would love to watch DTM, MotoGP, and WRC.  However, I don't have cable in my apartment (I'm a poor college student  Smiley), and there isn't much in the way of coverage for any of these three series here in the States anyways.  I know there's MotoGP on Speed, but it's only the race.


    --


    Re: The end of F1?

    Adam R:

     

    I would love to watch DTM, MotoGP, and WRC.  However, I don't have cable in my apartment (I'm a poor college student  Smiley), and there isn't much in the way of coverage for any of these three series here in the States anyways.  I know there's MotoGP on Speed, but it's only the race.

     

    Not sure if you can access it in North America but Germany´s ARD publishes the DTM races online. Take a look below Mediabox on the right side, all season´s races are broadcasted in enitre length. On top of that, learn German by listening to the commentators... Smiley


    Re: The end of F1?

    Ferdie:
    Adam R:

     

    I would love to watch DTM, MotoGP, and WRC.  However, I don't have cable in my apartment (I'm a poor college student  Smiley), and there isn't much in the way of coverage for any of these three series here in the States anyways.  I know there's MotoGP on Speed, but it's only the race.

     

    Not sure if you can access it in North America but Germany´s ARD publishes the DTM races online. Take a look below Mediabox on the right side, all season´s races are broadcasted in enitre length. On top of that, learn German by listening to the commentators... Smiley

     

     Thanks Ferdie.  Smiley

    After watching Audi's "Truth In 24," I have an even greater itch to watch the Le Mans Series in Europe.  Seeing those cars on tracks like Monza and Spa would be amazing.

    EDIT:  Yes, I can watch those races online.  I took German at a younger age, so now I'll be able to brush up on it.  Thank you so much!


    --


     
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