Is Formula 1 broken?

[wnut]

Originally Posted by chunterer

That's an interesting shout wnut...

Please elaborate a little!

Nick Fry is a class act.

In short he knows the motor industry and the motor racing industry inside out.

Here is a summary of Nick the lazy way:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Fry

Then if you have some time Chunterer, have a look at this:

http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/f1...k-fry-on-2009/

If you wanted an epic team, leave Fry in charge of the finance and marketing and give the technical regulation to Brawn.

[S griffin]

I have to be honest I don't know what Nick would be able to get done with this one. I love the idea of a new person who is leading a lot better than a small minded individual and I have to say that I can see it in a few years and I don't know what to expect from Nick.

[BSchneiderFan]

What's Nick Fry been doing since he left Mercedes? Always rated him, seemed like a straight-up guy.

[wolfhound]

There is an article by Jonathon Noble on what needs changing in F1 and the cars are not one of them.

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/op...crisis-688799/

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

There is an article by Jonathon Noble on what needs changing in F1 and the cars are not one of them.

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/op...crisis-688799/

from that article:

'In more recent years though, Ecclestone has instead grabbed many big name companies to become global partners of the sport. Think of Emirates, Rolex, UBS (and another big brand coming soon), whose names and logos are plastered on race tracks rather than sidepods.'

cant say i have heard this point made before. in addition to a fairer distribution of prize money, FOM/CVC crowding out the teams' ability to find sponsors only compounds the problem of unequal distribution.

good point there Noble.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by S griffin

I have to be honest I don't know what Nick would be able to get done with this one. I love the idea of a new person who is leading a lot better than a small minded individual and I have to say that I can see it in a few years and I don't know what to expect from Nick.

He did very well out of the Brawn sale.....

Plus I'm not entirely sure he was all that brilliant at leading BAR after the Prodrive fall out!

[S griffin]

I don't think we can really judge Nick during his time at Honda, considering they were a corporate manufacturer where he would hardly be making most of the decisions. He seemed to work fine with Ross Brawn, so I'd say he did alright all things considered

[Paradise City]

I'm not sure about Nick Fry. He doesn't seem too stand-outish to me. Although maybe you guys are seeing stuff I'm missing.

Ross Brawn seems more obvious. But I get the slight vibe that he's enjoying himself too much at his present workload. Wonder what Vatanen would've made of the job?

[Casper]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

There is an article by Jonathon Noble on what needs changing in F1 and the cars are not one of them.

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/op...crisis-688799/

It seems to me that those directly involved in F1 such as the author all sing from the same hymn book and appear defensive regarding criticism of the sport. Maybe the fans have got it all wrong!!!

[chillibowl]

like most things, people take what they want.

does F1 have problems, of course it does and if thats what draws your focus then there are lots of problems to keep you entertained.

but the action on track and the interaction between the drivers in their personal lives (which they share via social media) is in my view very entertaining in its own right.

of course i am just as guilty about going off on F1's leadership and financial woes as well but have to say i am really enjoying the season so far...enough so that the problems facing F1 dont seem so bad and for those few hours every other sunday it doesnt feel broken to me.

[Mike Harte]

As if FOM doesn't already make obscene amounts of profit from F1, it would seem as though it has just signed a new deal with Heineken for $150 million over 5 years, and it is in addition to it's other backers.

Two parts of this are part of the problems facing F1. Firstly, this places further pressure on local businesses that might wish to advertise around their home GPs; they have been and are being priced out by multi-nationals. Secondly, this particular coup for FOM smacks of hypocrisy. The FIA currently runs a campaign to stop driving whilst having consumed alcohol, yet here is FOM helping to promote an alcoholic beverage at a motoring event. Shades of the one million pound bribe to the Labour Party, when they came into government in 1997, to continue allowing F1 cars (and races in the UK to be sponsored by) to carry tobacco advertising.

See: http://www.racer.com/f1/item/129313-...a-1-as-sponsor

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Secondly, this particular coup for FOM smacks of hypocrisy. The FIA currently runs a campaign to stop driving whilst having consumed alcohol, yet here is FOM helping to promote an alcoholic beverage at a motoring event.

I don't see that alcohol sponsorship of F1 is hypocritical. Many sports have alcoholic sponsorship without it being a problem, including Motorsport. When you look at alcohol sponsorship in most sports, it is aimed at consumption whilst spectating not whilst participating. The same can be said of podium champagne, where the spoils of the victor can be enjoyed after the event - not while taking part.

[Mike Harte]

F1 does sometimes provide good news stories, and although this one just published is a couple of weeks old, it proves that not all aspects of F1 is broken.

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/fo...es-735682/?s=1

[Casper]

I recommend reading the June issue of Motorsport Magazine for a lengthy review of F1 and its problems from several different authors. I don't say they are entirely right but they do touch on most of the major issues in a less than hysterical manner which others seem to pursue.

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

F1 does sometimes provide good news stories, and although this one just published is a couple of weeks old, it proves that not all aspects of F1 is broken.

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/fo...es-735682/?s=1

that is a very cool story. we often get caught up in 'road car relevance debate' but teams like Williams and Mclaren, and i imagine the other car manu's as well, really are working in partnership with their communities to transfer over technologies and ideas that can really save lives.

good stuff!