Ferrari - Does F1 need them?

[D28]

No team, or individual is indispensable to any sport, so F1 could survive without Ferrari, it would just be a very different spectacle.
Ferrari's appeal to many is their competitive record. Through good, bad, or indifferent seasons, they have answered the green flag for world championship races. This is where they differ from all their rivals, no matter how many titles and records achieved, they can be counted to show up for the next race. In one of their very worst periods, 1982-83, they still bagged consecutive World Constructors titles, despite losing two drivers permanently and relying on 5 all together. By comparison this equals total WCC wins for Brabham and Cooper, venerable rivals who have both retired from the fray.

Ferrari certainly doesn't need F1 in order to sell production cars. They have won enough championships to rest on their record for decades to come, after all, what most of their competitors do. At Le Mans, despite not competing officially for 35 years, their record of 9 wins was just passed by Audi last week, relegating them to 3rd place. In the GT category, they won their class as recently as 2009.

Despite threatening to leave F1 at different times since 1950, Ferrari have missed only a handful of races. I don't expect them to leave now, and certainly hope that they continue to race. This is what they are all about.

[steveaki13]

So as not to pollute the BBC thread and with a respectful request that the admins move posts from that thread regarding this topic into this one.

Personally, I feel Ferrari need F1 but F1 would easily survive the departing of Ferrari.

Ferrari fans are first and foremost motorracing enthusiasts. This is what we all are. If McLaren left in the morning I would not stop watching F1. There may be some out there that would but on the overall I can't imagine the hit being anywhere near as much as some people imagine.

As I said in other thread, Ferrari needs F1 far more than F1 needs Ferrari.

Your thoughts?

I agree on the whole.

F1 will carry on who ever left the sport, but I believe the presence of Ferrari is a help not a hinderence.

However nearly all fans would still follow and watch F1.

I'm sure the usual unrealistic fans will claim that F1 will implode and fade into the dusk if Ferrari left but the fact is that it would be sad but F1 will go on regardless.

Who knows, it might make F1 better?

It may do, but I don't see Ferrari leaving in the near future.

Ferrari are an evocative brand, and I'm sure they play a part in tempting some people into following the sport. But if we continue to have racing such as we've seen recently, coupled with "Big" personalities, I'm sure F1 would survive without them.

Yep agree.

That's always been my opinion. Ferrari, as a road car manufacturer, would not be the same without their association with F1. I believe Enzo built road cars as a means to an end i.e. to fund racing, so were Ferrari to walk away from F1 I believe their brand would suffer more than F1 as a result.

However, the sport would be the poorer for Ferrari's absence.

This is correctly stated. Very good post.

[airshifter]

F1 could continue even if many teams left the sport, as long as other teams were willing to come into the mix. This applies to Ferrari the same it applies to Virgin IMO. To think that the sport wouldn't survive without them is rather strange, but I'll agree that the sport would be poorer without Ferrari, or for that matter any of the upper level teams.

Ferrari as a road car manufacturer could survive without F1, but the brand image would suffer somewhat. I'd have to agree that Ferrari needs F1 more than F1 needs Ferrari.

[Rollo]

Let's ask this question as though it were 1980... Lotus - Does F1 need them?
Let's ask this question as though it were 1952... Alfa Romeo - Does F1 need them?
Let's ask this question as though it were 1957... Mercedes-Benz - Does F1 need them?

Formula One not only does survive if some of the teams with a rich racing tradition leave, but it does so almost forgetting their memory once they've gone. If Ferrari were to leave, then we'd feel a bit sad for their leaving, then after about the French GP of that season, move on.

Formula One would survive without Ferrari but would Ferrari survive without Formula One? Probably. They'd almost certainly lose their lustre though, just like Jaguar did when it left sports car racing or Maserati did when it left F1.

[Hawkmoon]

Let's ask this question as though it were 1980... Lotus - Does F1 need them?
Let's ask this question as though it were 1952... Alfa Romeo - Does F1 need them?
Let's ask this question as though it were 1957... Mercedes-Benz - Does F1 need them?

Formula One not only does survive if some of the teams with a rich racing tradition leave, but it does so almost forgetting their memory once they've gone. If Ferrari were to leave, then we'd feel a bit sad for their leaving, then after about the French GP of that season, move on.

Formula One would survive without Ferrari but would Ferrari survive without Formula One? Probably. They'd almost certainly lose their lustre though, just like Jaguar did when it left sports car racing or Maserati did when it left F1.

The problem with your example is that none of those teams had even a fraction of the fan base that Ferrari enjoy. I'd go so far as to say that all three combined didn't have the fan base that Ferrari did and do. Besides, things were a lot different in 1980, let alone the 1950's.

Yes F1 would survive as the sport is bigger than any one team. Perhaps the question is more a case of which team would F1 miss the most? I think the answer is Ferrari.

Personally, I doubt I would keep more than a passing interest in F1 if Ferrari were to leave. I've been supporting them for over 20 years. I simply couldn't switch my allegiance to another team and I've never supported drivers. The Ferrari drivers only ever had my support while they drove for Maranello.

Without a team to support, and therefore something to keep me emotionally invested, my interest would wane. I have no real interest in the WRC now that Subaru are gone for example. Take away a persons emotional investment in a sport and what's to keep them coming back?

[The Black Knight]

The problem with your example is that none of those teams had even a fraction of the fan base that Ferrari enjoy. I'd go so far as to say that all three combined didn't have the fan base that Ferrari did and do. Besides, things were a lot different in 1980, let alone the 1950's.

Yes F1 would survive as the sport is bigger than any one team. Perhaps the question is more a case of which team would F1 miss the most? I think the answer is Ferrari.

Personally, I doubt I would keep more than a passing interest in F1 if Ferrari were to leave. I've been supporting them for over 20 years. I simply couldn't switch my allegiance to another team and I've never supported drivers. The Ferrari drivers only ever had my support while they drove for Maranello.

Without a team to support, and therefore something to keep me emotionally invested, my interest would wane. I have no real interest in the WRC now that Subaru are gone for example. Take away a persons emotional investment in a sport and what's to keep them coming back?

Racing?

That's why I watch F1. Racing entertainment. F1 is first of all a show and that's why it would very much survive Ferrari's departure. It all comes down to entertainment in the end.

My favourite team are McLaren but I can say for definite that should they leave the sport I would keep watching and going to races because I love the F1 spectacle as a whole.

[Retro Formula 1]

That's a good point Hawk. There are obviously going to be people that decide not to watch F1 because a particular team leaves and some Ferrari fans wouldn't consider F1 to be worthwhile without the Prancing Horse but I would hope that most true race fans would remain. Less dedicated fans will probably just carry on watching for the spectacle as normal as the history and nostalgia is secondary to the entertainment. Therefore, the actual impact on the sport would be minimal.

Lets just hope that it never happens though as it would be a sad day if we lost you weird and wonderful, myopic, single-minded Tifosi

[Retro Formula 1]

Racing?

That's why I watch F1. Racing entertainment. F1 is first of all a show and that's why it would very much survive Ferrari's departure. It all comes down to entertainment in the end.

My favourite team are McLaren but I can say for definite that should they leave the sport I would keep watching and going to races because I love the F1 spectacle as a whole.

Thats pretty similar to my view as well. I support McLaren but also have a soft spot for Williams and Force India. However, even if these teams left, I would still watch F1 and support other teams.

[Hawkmoon]

Racing?

That's why I watch F1. Racing entertainment. F1 is first of all a show and that's why it would very much survive Ferrari's departure. It all comes down to entertainment in the end.

My favourite team are McLaren but I can say for definite that should they leave the sport I would keep watching and going to races because I love the F1 spectacle as a whole.

At the risk of speaking for others, I think most people need more than just the sport itself. It's why the home town football team has the support of the locals. It's why people support drivers from their own countries. People need to feel some kind of connection to those they support.

What your're talking about, watching F1 simply for the racing, sounds completely souless to me (no offense intended). I bet F1 fans in Britain were much happier than their counterparts in Germany after Canada, despite the fact that both had witnessed a great race. Why? Becuase they had the emotional high of seeing their compatriot win. It added something special to the race that wouldn't have been there had it been Webber or Rosberg who'd snatched victory on the last lap.

Lets just hope that it never happens though as it would be a sad day if we lost you weird and wonderful, myopic, single-minded Tifosi

You'd all be bored if you didn't have us around to argue with!

I've always been the opposite and supported drivers over teams. First and foremost I have always supported British drivers regardless of who they drove for, although I have followed people like Senna and Hakkinen in the past. At the moment I support Lewis and Jenson and they happen to race for McLaren so that is my team at the moment. If Lewis were to go to Ferrari I would support him there but would be offended if someone referred to me as a tifosi because I hate being put into a catagory where say a team is not my priority. I suppose a huge chuck of Alonso's fans followed him and will follow him if he moves in the future, so I think alot of F1's fanbase is driver orientated. Red Bull are amassing a large number of fans because they are successful at present. Where there is glory you'll find fans, but thats the same in any sport.

Would I be sad if Ferrari, McLaren or Williams left the sport? Yes, but life goes on and so does F1.

I'm curious. Do you follow a football player when he goes from team to team or does your support stay with the team?

[Rollo]

The problem with your example is that none of those teams had even a fraction of the fan base that Ferrari enjoy. I'd go so far as to say that all three combined didn't have the fan base that Ferrari did and do. Besides, things were a lot different in 1980, let alone the 1950's.

Yes F1 would survive as the sport is bigger than any one team. Perhaps the question is more a case of which team would F1 miss the most? I think the answer is Ferrari.

Personally, I doubt I would keep more than a passing interest in F1 if Ferrari were to leave. I've been supporting them for over 20 years. I simply couldn't switch my allegiance to another team and I've never supported drivers. The Ferrari drivers only ever had my support while they drove for Maranello.

Without a team to support, and therefore something to keep me emotionally invested, my interest would wane. I have no real interest in the WRC now that Subaru are gone for example. Take away a persons emotional investment in a sport and what's to keep them coming back?

What would happen if we could run the same experiment on a smaller scale? Would that prove that the sport was bigger than one team?
Suppose for instance that VXRacing left the BTCC. Would the BTCC continue to field about 25 cars in a race? Would the BTCC survive?

Personally, I doubt I would keep more than a passing interest in F1 if Ferrari were to leave. I've been supporting them for over 20 years. I simply couldn't switch my allegiance to another team and I've never supported drivers. The Ferrari drivers only ever had my support while they drove for Maranello.

Without a team to support, and therefore something to keep me emotionally invested, my interest would wane. I have no real interest in the WRC now that Subaru are gone for example. Take away a persons emotional investment in a sport and what's to keep them coming back?

Are you typical though?

I ask the question if most people follow teams or drivers and I tend to think the latter; I will follow any British driver for instance. I remember Mansell at Lotus, Williams, Ferrari back at Williams and later at McLaren. To be totally honest it bothered not a gnat's nadger which team he drove for. Likewise the Australian media tends to follow Mark Webber and they're not bothered if he drove for Minardi, Jaguar, Williams or Red Bull.