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Well done Bernie another nail in the coffin.
Realistically he may well be dead by then and more level headed minds will be running F1.
If you want to read a good, well informed, properly written and knowledgeable rant on the state of F1 I heartily recommended Joe Sawards latest blog post.
thepurist - MemberIf you want to read a good, well informed, properly written and knowledgeable rant on the state of F1 I heartily recommended Joe Sawards latest blog post.
Just read it, he's pretty much summarised my feelings about the sport.
Link for the lazy:
https://joesaward.wordpress.com/2016/03/24/knowing-when-to-stop/
Pretty much nail on the head for me too. No more F1 after 2019 it is then 😐
Interesting insight here:
http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2016/03/insight-sky-takes-formula-1-tv-behind-exclusive-paywall-in-uk/
It must be similar to being a football fan, perpetually hopeful, more often disappointed but forever optimistic or at least loyal. I've often said enough is enough but am regularly to be found engrossed in a full race viewing. There's far better racing elsewhere but F1 is ...... should be special! It's a bit like the lure of the chocolate box, you can't help it but you feel like you've let yourself down after!
Interestingly for the 1st race of the season combined viewing figures were down by 30-40% depending on how you measure it. Sky only got 600k viewers peak. Yet James Allen is claiming Sky will get 1-1.5m from 2019, can't see it myself.
McLaren and others could also be in problems sponsorship wise as the viewing figures keep dropping.
It would appear to me that Bernie is doing as much as he can to **** things up.
Not only the pay to watch tv rights (which will take a generation to be fully accepted, whilst the free to air generation are still around), to his recent ultimatum of reverse grid qualifying or retain the Melbourne format. To his rather patronising reply in response to the letter of unease from the GPDA.
Bleeding edge technology is cutting itself and simplicity for the sake of racing and competition is now secondary to the tech and marketing.
Shame really, but Motorsport is one of the disciplines where the biggest amount of credit ( nee cheque book) wins.
thepurist - Member
Surely the stage is set for a breakaway series?
Often suggested when thins are getting ridiculous, but money talks and the teams and drivers will go with the flow. Happened to football when the top teams resigned from the league for the Premier League for purely money reasons (and mostly on Sky for footage now), and happened with Cricket when it went C4 like F1 and then exclusive Sky.
Bernie - well he's the same complete tosser as always. Again, money is all he cares about and stuff the fans.
I'm done.
I used to love this sport, but the life has been sucked out of it.
I'm sure as heck not giving Murdoch a penny to watch the flatulent cars farting their way around turgid, Tilke designed circuits built with allegedly fantastic VIP pit lane areas, driven by disinterested, bored drivers advertising stuff I don't recognize or want.
Bernie was once the go to guy with an innate understanding of that the audience wanted, God knows he was better than Balestre...
...but it's all money, money, money now.
600k? That is low, maybe because of the time difference. It'll be interesting to see what channel four got for its highlights...
Channel 4's highlights package got 2.11 million average and peaked at 2.67 million, down by 30% and 21% respectively from last year
http://f1broadcasting.co/tag/ratings/
Just read the Joe Saward blog, interesting article.
Unfortunately we only have ourselves to blame for this situation, sky buy football, enough people buy sky to make it profitable. Sky then decide that people will want to watch this game more, so let's put that behind another pay wall. Enough people pay it to make it profitable. And so on....
Until we actually stop buying it they'll continue to sell it. All because Jonny rich pants likes to brag to his mates down there pub that he can afford the latest TV coverage.
So we're actually the ones to blame for losing things free to view.
The public get what the public want.... Or, do the public want what the public get?
I actually wouldn't mind paying to watch what interests me (and do pay for F1, but only because I'm still on the original deal when the F1 channel was free if you took HD). But we've been sold a lie with subscription TV - it was sold on the basis of "pay for the channels you want", but that just isn't the case.
You can't just pay for the F1 channel, you need to pay for a whole load of other rubbish as well. Forcing people to have the whole Sports package (which can't be bought alone) is just wrong.
The only winners with pay TV are the TV companies and the sports themselves. Boxing, Golf, Darts, Football seem to be awash with money.
Perhaps we need a petition!
Since the BBC started to split races with Sky, I more or less totally stopped watching F1 as the races I want to watch don't always coincide with the BBC carrying them. Moving them all to Sky pretty much guarantees I'll never watch a race again (in the UK).
It started dying years ago. I always dubious of Schu's 'wins'. There was three Toyota engineers jailed, the huge fine for McLaren but no dirt on Ferrari. Were they really that clean with 'him' at the wheel?
Did Redbull really win FOUR times without any help? I remember Bernie wanted to show the big teams who was boss/break their dominance. Who knows maybe I'm a tinfoil hat-type but it seemed fixed in parts.
Then came double points and changes to qualifying. Since that I just view it as shennanigans, a joke.
They want me to pay to watch? I'd rather watch cricket.
The farcical way F1 is run reminds me of the way Dave and Georgie handle policies in government. Pretty much on the back of a fag packet and back down when public consensus is too much. Barnie seems to side with the opposition and really wants to stitch up Jean Todt and wheels out Mosely every now and then. It also looks like he wants to stitch up the teams by letting them claim they have control and listen to the fans only to to veto the vote.
The Sky deal stinks and the loop hole of making it free providing you have a dish I presume doesnt really cut it. Cant wait til they apply that to the world cup, olympics and England internationals.
Did Redbull really win FOUR times without any help? I remember Bernie wanted to show the big teams who was boss/break their dominance. Who knows maybe I'm a tinfoil hat-type but it seemed fixed in parts.
It does make me laugh when Christian Horner suggests Mercedes domination is bad for the sport - unlike Red Bull's domination, which was clearly good for the sport.
So they've gone to Sky because Sky is offering them a lot more money. (A lot more as it seems!). However, of all the things that are not going F1's way right now I think it's fair to say that a lack of money is not one of them. In fact, if I was to point to the number problem it would be the continuing decrease in the viewing figures. So how is putting the coverage behind a paywall supposed to help that?
Seen Bernies reply to the GPDA letter? I could precis it in 2 words, the second is "you'...
shermer75 - Member
So how is putting the coverage behind a paywall supposed to help that?
It won't increase viewing figures, but a smaller amount of people paying a lot of money brings in probably more money than free through the Beeb.
It's the same with watching races at the track. Deserted middle and far eastern exotic tracks, but Prince whatever pays Bernie shit loads of money to host it there and a handful of rich people and corporates pay for tickets. Bernie is happy. He couldn't care if real fans are not getting to watch or that proper racing died years ago.
Woken with some inspiration, following a chat with a friend yesterday about the mess of F1 and we were talking about qualifying in particular. Upshot being, here's a possible solution, anyone got Bernie's phone number?
Three 15 minute qualifying periods, with a mandatory minimum of say 5 laps for each car/driver. The grid is established from the average times from the flying laps in each of the three qualifying periods. No eliminations, meaning all the cars have to be present and going flat out.
Busy track, cars going fast, with a chance of improved grid position if another competitor has a bad lap due to traffic, mechanical, mistake etc. Keeps track spectators happy and something to watch for the hour or so that qualy lasts, furthermore, no empty track!
Sometimes, I surprise myself...
Will Gollop twin turbo 6R4 The good old days!!!
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I used to be an avid fan of F1 on the Beeb but now I think I'll try and get to a few more Rallycross races this year with the boy. Walk through the paddock talk to the drivers and mechanics about the cars and ask for photos of the cars with my son.
Alonso out for Bahrain, Vandoorne in.
Should be interesting...
...certainly should. I know it had been talked about, but I expected him to be given the OK.
Anyway - have we done Roborace yet? Proposed car looks ace - HotWheels hits the racetrack!...
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Fabulous styling, hopeless substance.
It's a computer simulation of racing; which looks a lot like it bit be a bit snoozy.
..... either that or it'll all go wrong, cause spectator carnage and be in the grave before it's born!
Don't think Alonso will be in a McHonda again...second crash and he's throwing in the towel I bet. The ribs 'injury' is the final knock to his McLaren return.
Someone made an interesting comment on sky's coverage a week past about McLarens online store not offering any Alonso merchandise yet Buttons is freely available...
Don't think Alonso will be in a McHonda again...second crash and he's throwing in the towel I bet. The ribs 'injury' is the final knock to his McLaren return.
And who could blame him? That was a brutal crash and, thankful to the safety improvements, he was able to walk away.
Yes but he wasn't exactly showing signs of cracked ribs. When I cracked two ribs Jesus I felt it and was doubled over.
I think it was a gamble returning to McLaren, the car crash (!)of the engine must have really rubbed his face in it. Then that crash, this crash (his mistake) must have said to him 'you can't drive this car with confidence..I.e trust the car)
A return to Renault 2017 after sitting out the rest of 2016?
Someone made an interesting comment on sky's coverage a week past about McLarens online store not offering any Alonso merchandise yet Buttons is freely available...
Maybe Alonso's merchandise is more popular then Buttons??
Ah yes, the "alonso to quit" rumour mill kicks off again, just like it did after testing last year, and at the end of last season, and before testing this year...
More popular?
I see a carefully worded sabbatical.
Alonso merchandise is still available....heavily discounted though! 😕
I think its Alonso's 2015 kit
http://www.mclarenstore.com/stores/mclaren/en/c/fernando
Jenson has launched his new range for 2016. Not sure about Alonso , just unlucky in choices in F1.
Really looking forward to Stoffel in the f1 car. If he can get close to Jenson and ahead of the other rookies then I reckon it wont only be Mclaren after him
If he can get close to Jenson
Not looking good so far. Only first practice though; he's used to going a lot faster in a GP2 car.
Inbred456 - MemberWill Gollop twin turbo 6R4 The good old days!!!
Best car ever!
Nope - Porsche 917. Cool, looked mean, went fast, sounded great, won. 🙂
That merchandise thing is quite weird! All the Alonso stuff is 60% off- like cheekymonkey888 said, it looks like 2015 stuff.
Button just gone 3rd fastest!
Give it another 45 mins and see if he's still there...
Button has probably done a qualifying lap and everyone else is on race runs.
Button is not going to worry the podium this year and I dont expect those who record the points to have to look him up very often.
Nah Chris the top 5 or 6 have all been out for quick runs on the supersofts - the Ferraris might have a bit of spare but that pace from button is looking genuine. I really hope it is.
On the BBC site....
Button finds the button
Posted at
16:55
When Jenson Button does leave F1 - and hopefully that's not going to be any time soon - I'll miss his sense of humour.After he was told he was P3 over the radio, he responded with: "I found the go faster button! I found it!"
😀
So P3 for Button. I noticed they've got Sensodyne sponsorship on the rear wing so expect they're glad to have something worth smiling about.
Please help a casual viewer
(and apologies if it's bindun (I did have a quick look back over the last page or two))
Watching the practice session repeat on sky - WTF is mclaren(? I think) doing with the sheets of mesh fencing behind their front wheels. Is it to catch bits of tyre when they explode ? 😀
Looks utterly non-aero so must be for a "good" reason
It's a piece of testing equipment to measure airflow from the front wing and wheel area.
As PJM says, to measure air flow.
There'll be a sensor at each mesh intersection (I think) so you get a good picture of the air flow. You then use this to check the results from your CFD tests.
The senaors are pito tubes. Like on a plane to measure wind speed. On that it show different air speeds at different levels.
Oooh! Thrilling qualifying - on the edge of my seat here!
People said Johnny Herbert shouldn't come back after his Brands shunt.
I never thought I'd say this - I'm out of love with F1, the lights are out for me, it bears no resemblance to the time me and my dad used to tour the European circuits in the 90s.
dull as a dull event
blinding last lap from lewis, being 0.5s back was a bit of a surprise for ferrari.
thanks for the answers to my daft Q - I see they ditched it for qualifying 😀 😳
In car footage of LH's lap was impressive. He seemed to be switching screens on his display every corner to adjust something (brake balance?), while doing the fastest lap ever.
Yeah rich, mostly brake balance adjustments and perhaps changing diff settings for the slower corners. It's a heck of a lot of work. Of course in the old days they had a brake balance bar to adjust on the left of the cockpit, a gear lever on the right and a clutch pedal...
Anyhow, faster than the vaunted v10 era is no mean feat. Hope he can get it off the line this time!
Sexy lap!
Anyhow, faster than the vaunted v10 era is no mean feat.
and using about half as much fuel and 4000 rpm less 😯
Oh dear Jensen. Out qualified by the rookie replacement driver who had to fly in from Japan at short notice and then missed lots of the practice due to a mechanical.
Jbs never been much of a qualifier though, and stoffel is absolutely the real deal who should have a full time f1 seat already. He's just demonstrated that quite well. I hope he gets a good race result too.
And 2016 cars are a good 100kg heavier than in 2005 too, or about 16%.
The new qualifying means the mid field runners get one lap. Any errors and you are out.
It doesn't work. When will they realise?
When they realise won't be until their cut of the cash dries up but by then it'll be too late, if it's not already!
I haven't watched any F1 this year.
Is it exciting driver vs. driver racing? Or scalelectrix boring?
If ever you needed a demonstration that F1 is a bit rudderless at the moment...
There's a lot of talk of the 'greatness' of various drivers, with this one compared to that one etc. For me, Senna was great in a way that others never were; for me he was simply a better driver than Prost, who is a 'great'. Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve and Jenson Button won WCs simply by being in the best car. A lot is said of Vettel having the best car, but I'm pretty sure Red Bull wouldn't have won 4 WCs with someone like MArk Webber leading the team. Hamilton's first WC was very, very lucky, and his last two have been achieved mainly through mechanical superiority (a bit like Hill, Villeneuve and Button). So what does make a driver 'great'? Would we be talking about the 'great' Fillipe Massa, had Timo Glock not slid off the track? Some commentators refer to Raikkonen as 'great', yet he was clearly outclassed by Alonso, and now by Vettel. There's a gulf between those pairings that's a lot bigger than between Hamilton and Rosberg, in my opinion. Rosberg, who outclassed an 'aging' Schumacher.
And then, Stirling Moss never won a WC.
So who are the true 'greats' of F1?
Rule of thumb for me is, they've won a lot but have they won races in cars that shouldn't have won, when it's not been handed to them on a plate (the Olivier Panis stipulation)? Senna, Prost, Villeneuve (senior), Moss, them's greats - that's not a criticism of those who won in the best car because that's just part of the game, someone like your Fangio (another great) was almost always in the best car because that's the easiest way to win, but it's when the chips are down (Fangio, N'ring in '57) or your car's gash (Villeneuve, Spain '81 I think? Senna, Portugal '84 - Moss, Monaco '61 - Prost, pretty much any win where he finessed a fragile Renault to the flag), that's where greatness shines.
Schumacher. It's easy to forget how rubbish Ferrari were before he started driving for them. His skill wasn't just in driving it was being a major force in their resurgence.
I've somewhat warmed to Hamilton but won't be fully convinced if he doesn't jump ship to a less competitive team and make things happen.
I agree Pondo. Of the current crop, Alonso is the one who has proved he can really drive a car beyond it's expected capabilities. I've yet to see Hamilton really perform in an underperforming car, in the same way. I think Vettel is capable of such as well. I think that the current top 3 in terms of ability are Alonso, Hamilton and Vettel. There will always be the comparison with the Sennas, the Fangios etc, but we'll never know.
And each season, we'll see the Verstappens, the Perez's, the Johny Herberts. Drivers who are tipped for the top, show loads of promise, even get some good results, but then fade away. Would like to see a more level playing field, to let natural talent emerge more organically.
but won't be fully convinced if he doesn't jump ship to a less competitive team and make things happen.
He did. Mercedes. And a great deal of 'experts' said he was bonkers.
Even the Great Schum couldn't win with them.
A sport so poor we cannot even say who is the best driver- surely that is the point?
We can definitely say who are the best engineers though.
Who is the best cyclist?Junkyard - lazarus
A sport so poor we cannot even say who is the best driver- surely that is the point?
Me.