The Business of Formula OneFormula 1 

Tired Tyres
What's that saying again? Oh yes. Better the devil you know.
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I think I would rather have Bernie than these two bean counters. From my little research neither have any ties to racing let alone experience running a racing series. Sure Brawn is there but it seems to me like little more than an attempt to give legitimacy to the group.

Who knows, maybe I'm wrong, but so far it looks like a business savvy motorsports person has been replaced by business savvy businessmen.
 
I don't believe Bernie leaving is an issue at all. After all, we know how a lucrative deal was generally given priority over the sport under the CVC/Bernie era. But how those who replace him treat the sport and business could be an issue, we just don't know yet. Certainly the noises coming from Carey at the moment are encouraging. This is from the BBC Sport website:

His (Carey's) findings were:
  • The revenue system is skewed in favour of the already rich and powerful, to the extent that the smallest teams are struggling to survive and money is tight for about half the grid.
  • There is a lack of competition on track.
  • Television audience figures are dropping in many markets - although this is largely because of a switch to pay television, to make more money from TV rights deals.
  • The longest-standing races are struggling to fund themselves and risk dropping off the calendar
  • The decision-making process is not working properly.
  • Some significant business and sporting decisions have been made for solely financial reasons, disregarding other important factors, such as their effects on the sporting side.
  • An acceptance that F1 has lost some of its appeal, particularly a sense of edge and drama and as an extreme driver challenge.
So, potentially not good news for the likes of Ferrari and their $100 million bonus for just turning up. 2020 could be interesting for them when the contract is up for renewal.

Bernie made modern F1 and for that I'm grateful. But this should of happened years ago before the likes of the Azerbaijan GP turned up.
 
So I saw that Liberty is making shares available to the teams for a minority position, but that the shares have no voting power and the teams have declined in press statements. The proffer is supposed to be open for some number of weeks once the merger is complete. Lots to figure out here WRT governance and the new deal teams will have with F1.
 
F1 is definitely struggling in a lot of places, so I doubt changes can have much more negative impact. If it needs 5-10 years to sort itself into something better, go for it. There are plenty of other racing series worth watching.
 
I really don't see the historic payment being much of an issue for anyone but Ferrari. Sure, they will throw their toys out of the pram, but I'm sure that racing in the most recognisable and highest tier of motor racing would be more important than racing against a dictator based in a Maranello. I very much doubt any other team will walk because of it, and if anything it will make the sport more enticing as the share of the funds will become more readily available, and it will become easier to thrive, let alone survive in F1.
 
Ross Brawn says change is coming, but it won't happen overnight:

http://www.speedcafe.com/2017/01/26/brawn-sets-sights-gradual-f1-overhaul/

axletramp
But this should of happened years ago before the likes of the Azerbaijan GP turned up.
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If Formula One doesn't grow into new markets, it doesn't grow.

Take, for example, the Chinese, Indian and Korean Grands Prix. Granted, they haven't worked as well as they could or should have - but it's worth considering that there are nearly three billion people in China, India and along the western edge of the Pacific Rim. How could Formula One afford to not be there?
 
Does it have to do with the provinces where they have the races? Are the circuits easy to get to? Is there potential for kidnappings and violence?
 
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Saw a tweet that apparently Glorious Leader is looking at starting a rival race series.

Because of course he is.
 
prisonermonkeys
If Formula One doesn't grow into new markets, it doesn't grow.

Take, for example, the Chinese, Indian and Korean Grands Prix. Granted, they haven't worked as well as they could or should have - but it's worth considering that there are nearly three billion people in China, India and along the western edge of the Pacific Rim. How could Formula One afford to not be there?
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I completely agreement. But Azerbaijan?
 
TheElbows
F1 is definitely struggling in a lot of places, so I doubt changes can have much more negative impact. If it needs 5-10 years to sort itself into something better, go for it. There are plenty of other racing series worth watching.
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I don't see what's not worth watching in F1 to be honest, sure there is an issue here or there but I could name other series that have far greater issues that are on the same premier level. I hear this is a major American series that has grown international fans, and it's becoming a circus even Bernie would be envious of.
 
prisonermonkeys
If Formula One doesn't grow into new markets, it doesn't grow.

Take, for example, the Chinese, Indian and Korean Grands Prix. Granted, they haven't worked as well as they could or should have - but it's worth considering that there are nearly three billion people in China, India and along the western edge of the Pacific Rim. How could Formula One afford to not be there?
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By not sacrificing number of races for quality of the tracks. I absolutely agree that these markets should be on F1's radar but only if they can put on a good race at a good track. To be fair, China got it right; Shanghai is an interesting circuit which I am glad is on the calendar.

India and Korea are just horrible.
 
prisonermonkeys
Circuit design is really more of an art than a science.
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It's a separate argument which has been done before on this board and I accept that the circuit designers are restricted by the rules to which their tracks must conform but Malaysia, Turkey and China do prove that you can make a good track from scratch this century. Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, India, Korea et al. must try harder.

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Going back to the business side of things, I'm cautious that an ex-Murdoch lieutenant is now in charge of the sport given Sky's strangling of the viewing figures in the UK but it was high time that Bernie and his CVC playboys took a hike.
 
Ganon83
Saw a tweet that apparently Glorious Leader is looking at starting a rival race series.

Because of course he is.
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Ferrari will probably sign up when they see the end of their "loyalty" payment. F1 post-Bernexit is going to be an interesting world.
 
To be honest, part of me wants to see this get off the ground, as long as it isn't a spec series. If he manages to get Ferrari on board once their contract with F1 ends, Formula E(cclestone) would probably have multiple Italian races each season. :lol:
 
Liquid
It's a separate argument which has been done before on this board and I accept that the circuit designers are restricted by the rules to which their tracks must conform but Malaysia, Turkey and China do prove that you can make a good track from scratch this century. Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, India, Korea et al. must try harder.
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What exactly do you mean by 'try harder'? Who (or what) must try harder? Every single one of these circuits was designed by the same person, and I'm pretty sure none of them were designed by their respective nations or race promotors. So to say that some must 'try harder' really doesn't make sense to me.
 
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I'm sure everyone's heard by now, but Bernie has repeatedly handwaved away the rumor that he's starting a breakaway series, for reasons of both economic viability and that he doesn't want to compete against the thing that he's spent the majority of his life building up.

I'm not sure how one would even go about making a direct competitor to F1 in this day and age anyhow.
 

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