Quote:
Originally Posted by TrapezeArtist
I'm uncomfortable about the possibility of Liberty turning F1 into some sort of All-American Superbowl Show that plays to the lowest common denominator. But for the moment we just have to wait and see.
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Which surely, is precisely what they will do?
The Poison Dwarf's money machine turbocharged.
So sadly, GP racing fell prey to the big money many years ago: once sponsors became involved, it was they, rather than the FIA calling the shots.
The unholy duopoly of Mosley at the FIA and Ecclestone, planned the demise of what had once been a sport.
I well remember Moss being interviewed on BBC radio quite some years ago, by a typical Beeb girlie, bubbling over with nonsensical waffling.
Sterling most graciously corrected her constant misuse of the word "Sport"; he said:
"Oh my dear, Formula One today is not a sport; and hasn't been for many years! It is a business; and a jolly good business, too! Michael Schumacher earns more in one week than I earned in my whole professional racing career!".
Probably, the crux point was reached when instead of regularly changing the regulations (To encourage and germinate advances), narrow self-interests (here read sponsors), threatened the FIA with boycotts etc on the single selfish "justification" of "The huge sums we have already invested".
Worth perhaps remembering how GP racing evolved post WWII.
Originally, older late 1930s cars were used of circa 4.5 Litre. Then the 2.5 Litre class became the standard. Spawning a magic early World Championship series of wonderful cars such as the Maserati 250F, Vanwall, Ferrari, Cooper et al.
This changed to 1.5 litre for the 1961 season until 1966; when engine size became max 3 Litre.
From the 1970s onwards it all became rather silly; from 1980 on it was purely and simply a business.
Which has followed the route of football, tennis and everything else.