F1 ...a sport or just a business ?

[lebesset]

http://www.pitpass.com/49082-Exclusive- ... -flotation

draw your own conclusions !

[JimClarkFan]

I didn't read the article, because I am pretty sure it is both.

[Neno]

I didn't read the article, because I am pretty sure it is both.

Nope, business, just business. I am waiting apocalypse to destroy everything, and we finally build society where business will dissaperre with all this greed to change everything, including sports into shows for someone better profit, glory and ego. Every year, and am going to take 2009. as major year for this, we see how F1 going further and further from sport, racing and something what f1 meaned, it's just a shame that true fan must see every weekend creating fake champions (Vettel, Button). It's pretty sadly

[bucker]

If you wanna see sport, go to local kart race...F1 is just business and fake entertainment

[Neno]

If you wanna see sport, go to local kart race...F1 is just business and fake entertainment

i am going on karting races, it's fun, but occasionally you see arrogant bastards, and daddy's son who buy him a karting and renting for his son all day kart track. so we ordinary people can go...you know what i mean, so then you try persuade his father to let race with his son, and when he allows it you destroy on kart track his son pride, crushing him greatly and lap him in race, after race you go home with chin up

[krisfx]

If you wanna see sport, go to local kart race...F1 is just business and fake entertainment

After a certain level of karting it becomes very similar to a business type environment... I wouldn't say that F1 is fake entertainment, though. I believe the racing is genuinely fun to watch and based on the technical abilities of teams. EVERY major sport is a business now, aimed at making money.

The fact is that no one makes you watch it so if you think it's "Fake entertainment" I'd suggest watching another sport so you can avoid trolling.

[mep]

For the majority its a general average job.
For many its a job they do with passion
For the guys turning the steering wheels it is sport.
And a few actually do make make some good businesses with it.

[Pierce89]

http://www.pitpass.com/49082-Exclusive- ... -flotation

draw your own conclusions !

Losing the FIA wouldn't bother me at all.

[Cam]

http://www.pitpass.com/49082-Exclusive- ... -flotation

draw your own conclusions !

Losing the FIA wouldn't bother me at all.

Agreed 100%. I mentioned this a while ago and got shouted down for it. Counter arguments put forth suggested the FIA was required to handle marshals and basically they had the depth and experience to handle big events.

If we all thought like that, no other company would compete. Why, just because a big company already had a monopoly? Ppff. Niche industries start to fill gaps where consumers either can't or don't want to deal with large companies. F1 is no different.

I'm not stating it should or shouldn't be done, but I am suggesting it can be done.

Too many cooks spoil the broth - as the saying goes and the FIA is a cook. F1 teams could actually form a legal collective to negotiate direct with tracks - make the tracks responsible for the safety and event as a whole - second verse same as the first for media rights etc. Although there'll always be issues - at least the teams own their destiny.

The 'sport' is an aircraft carrier without a seaworthy captain, unknown heading with a crew without allegiance who's operating instructions change weekly. Who the hell would buy into that? They have to float to get rid of it. As a business acquisition, it's the largest risk - for little reward.

[wesley123]

Honestly, it actually is. The FIA regulates the whole thing as a whole, much like the FIFA does for example. A governing body like the FIA makes sure that GP2 will stay a step up class, and make sure that the drivers are well qualified to compete in the different classes(different licenses). This is then a standard classes can conform to to make it a whole.

On the other hand, it also handles circuit licenses, toi make sure tracks all around the world are safe enough. This makes sure that drivers are just as safe at Interlagos as they are in Melbourne. Without that, things would get pretty cluttered out there and would make world championships virtually impossible due to the different restrictions all around the world.(Brazil would have a much different view on what is "safe" than what australia has for example).

There is a lot more going on than we can see and know, but just because we dont see it doesnt mean it isnt there. Without the FIA all the classes around the world would have never been where they are now, and that includes Formula 1. There needs to be an organisation that rules stuff for the sport, and not for the bussiness. Would you honestly want to see Bernie/whoever owns the rights now see and fully rule F1 by themselves? I mean, then you get stuff that is even worse than you have now. We would probably get a "The Rolex Formula 1 World Championship powered by Vodafone races today at the Qantas Airlines Australian Grand Prix <insert your promotional line here>."

An external, unbiased organisation is a good thing to keep stuff in line, you might not notice them right now, but the work they put in is important to the whole racing world.

[Cam]

So why can't F1 do what Indy has done. Indy is run by Indy Racing League, LLC and has feeder series. As far as I can tell the FIA has nothing to do with it. They seem to run big events, have safety, make money etc. (I could be wrong).

Indy Racing League, LLC is an American-based auto racing sanctioning body, adopting the trade name of IndyCar, stylized as INDYCAR. IndyCar sanctions four racing series, the premier Izod IndyCar Series[2] (often abbreviated ICS or IICS) with its centerpiece Indianapolis 500, and developmental series Firestone Indy Lights, the Star Mazda Championship and the U.S. F2000 National Championship, which are all a part of The Road To Indy.

The trade name IndyCar was officially adopted on January 1, 2011.

Indy Racing League, LLC is owned by Hulman and Co., which also owns the Indianapolis Motor Speedway complex and the Clabber Girl brand.

Substitute Hulman and Co. with F1 Teams Assoc. (a shareholder scheme for all teams) - job done. Can register that tomoz if you like. Then I'd approach each track and negotiate terms. I'm 100% sure a direct deal would see cheaper tickets for the public while F1 Teams Assoc. and the track make money. Everyone wins - expect Bernie. What's not to love about this concept? Which part wouldn't work?

[bhall]

What's with the FIA hate? F1 is governed directly by the F1 Commission - representatives of the FIA, FOM, manufacturers, race organizers, select sponsors - and its decisions are more or less just rubber stamped by the FIA World Motorsport Council for ratification. At that point, the FIA does little more than enforce the rules that F1 itself agreed upon.

(Admittedly, they're not very good when it comes to that. F1's safety standards are fine, but, given his effectiveness at policing aero compliance, I'm not so sure Charlie Whiting could manage quality control at a modest toilet paper factory.)

Since Mosley sold F1's commercial rights to Ecclestone for a song, the business of F1 is 100% in the hands of FOM, and that's exactly where the troubles start. Bernie & Co. have turned F1 into something that's pretty much "too big to fail," meaning our quixotic dreams of a pure sport will never come true, because no one is willing to risk biting the hands that feed.

And why should they? As it stands, the sport makes money hand over fist, and it will continue to do so for as long as there are promoters willing to pay the fees. By most accounts, there are always several would-be global power-players willing to pay whatever Ecclestone demands. In any event, fans aren't a factor, because FOM gets paid regardless of anything. So, where's the incentive to do anything other than maintain the status quo?

[Richard]

I'm puzzled by the references to the FIA, surely the comments hoping Bernie loses money should be aimed at FOM?

At least the FIA provides some vestige of impartiality with marshalls, stewards and applying the rules. I admit its not perfect, but certainly better than letting Bernie do that.

Also the FIA has an invaluable role to play in supporting mototorsports at all levels and ensuring there is some sort or coordination between those levels.

[MOWOG]

F1 teams could actually form a legal collective to negotiate direct with tracks - make the tracks responsible for the safety and event as a whole - second verse same as the first for media rights etc. Although there'll always be issues - at least the teams own their destiny.

Many here may not be familiar with the 20 years debacle that followed the split between CART and IndyCar, which was largely a huge ego driven battle between Tony George and Roger Penske. (There were other important factors as well). American open wheel racing has yet to fully recover from this disaster. If the formula One teams owned the sport, they would contrive a way to ruin it completely. As it is is, it has only been partially ruined.

Be careful what you wish for, gentlemen. You just might get it.

[lebesset]

F1 teams could actually form a legal collective to negotiate direct with tracks - make the tracks responsible for the safety and event as a whole - second verse same as the first for media rights etc. Although there'll always be issues - at least the teams own their destiny.

Many here may not be familiar with the 20 years debacle that followed the split between CART and IndyCar, which was largely a huge ego driven battle between Tony George and Roger Penske. (There were other important factors as well). American open wheel racing has yet to fully recover from this disaster. If the formula One teams owned the sport, they would contrive a way to ruin it completely. As it is is, it has only been partially ruined.

Be careful what you wish for, gentlemen. You just might get it.

+1

when did the F1 teams ever agree to do anything ?
they couldn't even agree on things that would allow them all to make more money !