Mid and low level teams really need to start delivering

[seinfeld]

teams like toro rosso, and Force india and caterham and sauber. we really have to start coming down on them a bit harder. they have been mid level teams since forever. not really getting anywhere!

I dont understand how it can be lucrative or sustainable. to constantly finish 5th to 10th! What's the point really besides just fueling your ego that his years car will be better.
marussia etc I have no idea what they are thinking TBH. did they look at last years car when it was built and do a days of thunder. we built you to be the best, you are gana glide, the owner even had dreams that he will win every race . LOL the reality is they spent Millions and got no where

[theblackangus]

Nearly no team makes money racing, racing is not lucrative.
People race because they love it... they love the challenge, the competition and want to do it more than anything.

Whats the old adage...
How do you make a small fortune?
Start with a big fortune and go racing.

[Cam]

F1 could almost be a 300kph billboard. There's money to be made from sponsors who want their brand shown to an audience of 10's-100's of millions every other week, plus all the posters, merchandise, magazine right ups, websites (look how many brands get displayed via image postings just on this site alone!). Some companies see value in branding this way.

Sure, the mid-to-back team they sponsor may not win, but then again the price you pay per square metre is also cheaper on the smaller teams - so one could argue you get better value for money from an advertising cost point of view. Plus, you get great exposure when they keep playing the mid field crashes over and over - each time the brand is super slowed down on TV, over and over.....

Plus, when they get a good result - like Caterham in Brazil - that PR can go miles.

So who says the mid and low level teams are not delivering? Like most things, there's more than one way to look at a situation. Performance and results are not necessarily judged on silver ware on the shelf.

I hope this information helps.

[Anon123]

Well the reality is the smaller teams don't have enough money to challenge the top teams and even if they did spend big money there is a risk that they will merely be the best of the midfield teams because the top teams have so much experience competing at the top. The general consensus is that the 2014 changes will be huge, let's see what happens because we might see a few teams moving up the order.

[Jersey Tom]

teams like toro rosso, and Force india and caterham and sauber. we really have to start coming down on them a bit harder. they have been mid level teams since forever. not really getting anywhere!

I dont understand how it can be lucrative or sustainable. to constantly finish 5th to 10th!

It isn't lucrative or sustainable. That's why mid and low tier teams come and go. Arrows, Jordan, Stuart GP, Jag, Stryker, take your pick. Takes quite a bit to win your "tier" and then move up.

So what would you suggest "we" do? Call them up and say, "Hey! Get more money, go develop cars and win races!" They're doing what they can.. but the reality of the situation is there are a handful of teams that can win races, and no one else has a chance.

Have to ask yourself, what makes for good F1? What is consistent with its identity, and also its sustainability? I think for more parity - or at least giving some of these teams some shot at survival - there needs to be more in the realm of budget caps, just like many sports. That and/or more equal distribution of points for race finishes. Bonus points for wins, certainly.. but why not even the rest out a bit?

[timbo]

I think privately owned mid- and low-level teams are essential for F1 survival.
I don't agree they are not doing a good job.