Luca wants later race starts for Euro races.

[Marbot]

Good or bad idea? Or is Luca just taking over where Flavio left off?

http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/2...n-start-times/

[Sodemo]

I would agree. At the moment the races are slap bang in the middle of the day. If I could choose, I would prefer it at around 4-5pm.

[Marbot]

More chance of a late afternoon thunderstorm too.

[GolddustMini]

I agree tbh, a race at midday generally screws the whole day, whereas at 4ish you can do something else during the day and still watch the race

[Pingguest]

I wouldn't oppose such a change. But as a real fan I always watch, no matter what time the race starts.

[GolddustMini]

how would a later european start affect those across the pond and in america?


would it make a descernable difference?

[rpolinski]

10 pm starts are late enough as it is. At least you can be in bed by midnight. If

[ScotsBrutesFan]

Originally Posted by GolddustMini

how would a later european start affect those across the pond and in america?


would it make a descernable difference?

A 4pm would make it 10am on the East Coast of the US.

The biggest issue would be getting the European TV companies to agree to prime time. Once or twice a year can be done, Canada and Brazil, but to do it every weekend would make it impractical for mainstream channels, that aren't used to sport at that time of the evening on a Sunday.

[chunder]

To be honest what on earth is it anything to do with him!

He owns Ferrari not F1, Oh no hang on a minute...

Who is betting they get their way with the turbo 4 cylinder too!

[JeremySmith]

It would be good for us! The later start that is....

[Paradise City]

It would annoy me. It annoys my American viewing.

Too much later would disturb primetime or peak hour viewing as well. It might force F1 off our screens in some cases or damage the coverage in others.

[Peat]

What about the poor people who have paid through the nose for race tickets? I'm sure they would like to be able to get home on the Sunday so they can go back to work Monday to start saving for the increased ticket price for the next year!

[DV_08]

I'm pretty happy with the 10pm on a Sunday night

[Jamesy-18]

No.

I've been to the British Grand Prix for the past two years and leaving the track much later would just be really inconvinient, what with the traffic on the roads, etc.

Personally if people feel that races in the middle of the day are such an inconvenience, they could always record them and watch later on.

[Super Hans]

I think the races should be at 1pm, local time, everywhere.

[duke_toaster]

Originally Posted by ScotsBrutesFan

A 4pm would make it 10am on the East Coast of the US.

The biggest issue would be getting the European TV companies to agree to prime time. Once or twice a year can be done, Canada and Brazil, but to do it every weekend would make it impractical for mainstream channels, that aren't used to sport at that time of the evening on a Sunday.

That is a valid concern. I don't think the times should be pushed in to 5pm style races, but one hour later might work. What races should be run at which times is an interesting issue, if Brazil and the USA were the last two races I'd suggest that an 8pm CET/7pm Western Europe time slot would be best, which would mean a day-night race at Interlagos. This would mean an improved time zone for the Americas, and a prime time slot for Europe. The preferred time for things like a World Cup and Super Bowl is in the evening in the main markets is that for a reason, although it shouldn't be overcooked. One thing that could be considered, for things other than F1 (WTCC?) is Wednesday night racing so that it isn't up against other motorsport, but that's a side issue.

[iucrmh]

Originally Posted by Jamesy-18

No.

I've been to the British Grand Prix for the past two years and leaving the track much later would just be really inconvinient, what with the traffic on the roads, etc.

Personally if people feel that races in the middle of the day are such an inconvenience, they could always record them and watch later on.

Sadly, I feel that the last people who would be considered is the people who
actually pay to turn up at the track.

[JohnSSC]

I can appreciate that the current local times make travel too and from the track easier, I sure wouldn't mind the races being an hour or two later. I like to watch them live and the coverage here on Speed starts at 7:30 AM for your typical Euro race.

A 10:00 AM race start (here) would be nice and might allow the US audience to build. You wouldn't have to get up so early but there would not be a crossover into other events. This would encourage people to watch the race live but still not interfere with the broadcasts of American football games and other sporting events on Sundays.

[ECW Dan Selby]

... I can't wait until there's real news to discuss

Selby

[chillibowl]

i wonder how willing SpeedTV in the USA and TSN in Canada would be willing to air the race live.

a 10AM start time on the east coast already overlaps the pre game football (NFL) shows and cuts into the 11 am east coast start time for the games - albeit only in the months of sep/oct/nov.

by way of comparison, the NBA does not nationally broadcast Sunday games until after Christmas, because it knows you dont go head to head against the NFL...im sure people would watch but the advertisers wont be there and thats what im guessing is Luca's motivation for a prime time spot in Europe.

[jab]

I think Luca's right on this. Wouldn't bother me personally but there are big benefits from it

And I don't care for those that go to the races in this respect. It's their choice to go to the race so that is their problem. And traffic isn't that bad on the roads at 7. Plus a later start would mean you don't have to get there so early in the day - I wouldn't be able to go to the British GP partly because it would mean leaving at ridiculous o'clock am

What would be a more pertinent point is if less people would bother attending if it was later, but I can't see that being a problem for Bernie either

[Super Hans]

Originally Posted by jab

I wouldn't be able to go to the British GP partly because it would mean leaving at ridiculous o'clock am

Is that really such an obstacle? It wouldn't bother me getting up early one day a year to see a Grand Prix. Besides, when I go I tend to go for all three days.

[jab]

Well look at it this way - I either leave Wales in the early hours to get to the British GP, for which I would've paid £100 a head just to get in, or I can have a lie-in until mid-morning and watch the race on TV from the comfort of my home with my laptop on my lap without paying anything

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by jab

...watch the race on TV from the comfort of my home with my laptop on my lap without paying anything

if i lived in Europe that would be the rub for me as well.

its already happened over here. ticket prices have become so ridiculous for events that given a choice i would rather invite my family and friends over to watch on my big HD TV with surround sound, eat all the food we want, get to use the internet, and no one has to pay for parking.

[duke_toaster]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

i wonder how willing SpeedTV in the USA and TSN in Canada would be willing to air the race live.

a 10AM start time on the east coast already overlaps the pre game football (NFL) shows and cuts into the 11 am east coast start time for the games - albeit only in the months of sep/oct/nov.

Doesn't that only apply during the NFL season though? I would start the North American races later, admittedly in the NFL time zone in North America, but in to prime time in Europe.

Wednesday night racing is something that, IMO, the WTCC and other series on that level could experiment with. Football fans get something mid-week, motorsport could run that one up the flagpole and see how it flies.