F1 Commission - Grabbing at straws

[steveaki13]

I hate the standing start idea, but it makes me laugh that they see a good race and decide we don't need standing starts.

If the next couple of races are dull as dish water, then suddenly they will be saying, Standing starts are whats needed to improve the show.

All in all it sums up F1, tinker the rules after a bad race and change your mind again after a good one.

Jeez

[BDunnell]

I hate the standing start idea, but it makes me laugh that they see a good race and decide we don't need standing starts.

If the next couple of races are dull as dish water, then suddenly they will be saying, Standing starts are whats needed to improve the show.

All in all it sums up F1, tinker the rules after a bad race and change your mind again after a good one.

Those running F1 are in an absolute state of confusion and chaos. They have no idea how best to arrest the decline in viewing figures, hence this flip-flopping from one idea to the next, week after week. Their time in charge ought, by rights, to be done. That it's time for a new broom to sweep through F1 is abundantly clear. Whether there is a suitable candidate to head up the sport is another matter.

[henners88]

Those running F1 are in an absolute state of confusion and chaos. They have no idea how best to arrest the decline in viewing figures, hence this flip-flopping from one idea to the next, week after week. Their time in charge ought, by rights, to be done. That it's time for a new broom to sweep through F1 is abundantly clear. Whether there is a suitable candidate to head up the sport is another matter.

One thing is clear to me. They will mess about with rule changes and regulations in an attempt to boost viewing figures way before they will entertain the idea of putting the sport within reach of the fans on free to air television again.

Money comes first and Bernie would never admit an approach with a serious flaw was ever misjudged.

[inimitablestoo]

This was discussed recently on Radio Le Mans' Midweek Motorsport and they came up with a conclusion I'm agreeing with ever more: those in charge of F1 don't seem to have faith in the product. You wouldn't chop and change to this degree otherwise.

In recent years those in charge of both the sport and the individual teams have made much of their willingness to listen. Trouble is, they seem to be listening to everyone, not just the people who will be prepared to watch week in, week out regardless. The casual viewer will be just that and, however good the racing, they won't stick with it forever; change the sport too far beyond recognition and neither will even the hardcore fanbase.

[Tazio]

It really is hysterical in a disgustingly sick sort of way. I don't follow any other sport that cares so little about its legacy. F1 doesn't respect itself, and has become a reality based series

[BDunnell]

This was discussed recently on Radio Le Mans' Midweek Motorsport and they came up with a conclusion I'm agreeing with ever more: those in charge of F1 don't seem to have faith in the product. You wouldn't chop and change to this degree otherwise.

Yes, and not just that — I truly don't think they know what to do. I've seen this myself — out-of-touch bosses trying to shore up a failing product, but merely tinkering round the edges. The consumer can't help but notice, and continues to take its business elsewhere. This is what F1 seems like now. Ecclestone et al have mismanaged completely a number of vital aspects of F1 — merchandising and its online presence, to name but two. In taking it further and further away from its core audience, F1's bosses are surely putting the sport's entire future at risk. Ever-rising fees levied to organisers in countries currently able to pay won't make up the deficit in viewers for ever.

[Nem14]

I am afraid Motorsport, or at least car racing, has had it's day in the Sun.
Gen Y lacks the attraction to cars Gen X has/had.

Niki Lauda got it right by stating Gen Y wants to stay on the beach using their smartphones, but I doubt Gen Y is watching F1 races on their phones, or any other type of device.

In the foreseeable future cars available for sale to the masses will be autonomous, and there will be no 'drivers'.

Add to that the utter lack of charisma today's F1 drivers have. So lacking that the none of the drivers make a solid connecting with either Gen Y or Gen X.

I think the people starting FE are going to shortly be very disappointed.
I've been to electric car races before. It was kind of interesting being able to hear the tires work in the corners, but otherwise, on a lap to lap basis it was about as exciting as watching grass grow.

[journeyman racer]

People can sense desperation, or an attempt to "get them". People are not attracted to that. Here in Australia, V8Supercars have done everything under the sun to attract "new markets". The popularity of the series (which wasn't that high, relative to other competitions here, to begin with) has faded. When you don't know your core audience, there's no way you're getting a bigger one.

I am afraid Motorsport, or at least car racing, has had it's day in the Sun.
Gen Y lacks the attraction to cars Gen X has/had.

A rather pessimistic outlook.

Niki Lauda got it right by stating Gen Y wants to stay on the beach using their smartphones, but I doubt Gen Y is watching F1 races on their phones, or any other type of device.

Niki Lauda would only conclude that, because he doesn't know the answer.

[Tazio]

People can sense desperation, or an attempt to "get them". People are not attracted to that. Here in Australia, V8Supercars have done everything under the sun to attract "new markets". The popularity of the series (which wasn't that high, relative to other competitions here, to begin with) has faded. When you don't know your core audience, there's no way you're getting a bigger one.

Niki Lauda got it right by stating Gen Y wants to stay on the beach using their smartphones, but I doubt Gen Y is watching F1 races on their phones, or any other type of device.

Niki Lauda would only conclude that, because he doesn't know the answer.

Am I correct in understanding that Niki through his omission, that F1 already has, or will never get any more of my generation (baby boomer), because if he is he is probably correct. I do my best in my day to day life not to take a reactionary perspective on current events, as things in the past were not nearly as much better as we romanticize they were. It is still very silly to me that F1 has such knee-jerk reactions to trends in viewership. It is really just a function of greediness on behalf of those who stand to profit from the marketability of the product. Because of this I pretty much just role with the punches, and if I get too disgusted I will no longer feel like watching.

It really is hysterical in a disgustingly sick sort of way. I don't follow any other sport that cares so little about its legacy. F1 doesn't respect itself, and has become a reality based series

This freakin' guy has some serious denial issues as I found myself massively "jonesing" for a Grand Prix this weekend, and it has only been one week since the last.
I think that is what a great race like we saw last week will do. Let's face it, some races will be more entertaining than others and I can live with that.