Pre-Season 2018 Season Preview

[Il_leone]

Force India abbreviated to FI to Force Formula One Team which would make it FF1 or FFOne ot FFOT does not quite sound right

Interestingly on the team chose the name Formula One Racing & Creative Engineering Ltd which could have been abbreviated to FORCE

Back in 1985-86 a team run by Carl Haas ( no relation to Gene) with a Lola chassis and Alan Jones using the chassis built from Haas owned design and construction company called
Formula One Race Car Engineering (FORCE)

The team was known as Team Haas but some in some cases FORCE Lola.

I don't see the issue Force Indian then calling the team FORCE for a start rather than the long name they registered with. I thought the idea is to attract more people to F1. It is not as bad as Brabham who were actually called Motor Racing Developments (MRD) in French it sounded like something your dog did.


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VJ's name is not listed as director and I should think Sahara too will want their name not on the car given the supposed corruption and scandals they've been embroiled in.

The one concern is what is the team's future then, how does it intend to survive?

 

[F1Brits_90]

New weekend schedule includes later race starts for 2018

Who knew 10mins would cause such a huge fuss. For me Got give liberty a chance they are do good long term things. I dont like some fans who recently since ross brawn gone into management. Has gone from the greatest designers to a moron

Although the response on social media has surprised me. Because alot of people are seeing bernie through rose tinted glasses & wanting a comeback. yes he was good from the start to the last 10/15 yrs brilliant, F1 wouldnt be sport it was. But after he was a walking disaster.

• Pay tv
• hybrid engines
• prize money rising inquality,
• increasingly unsustainable budgets
• Causing the pay driver & team folding problem
• replacing historic circuits with heritage to the highest bidder.

That completely fine. But liberty media getting rid of gridgirls & 10mins later race start. Unforgivable

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

10 minutes later? Well that solves everything.

 

[The Artist.....]

New weekend schedule includes later race starts for 2018

Who knew 10mins would cause such a huge fuss. For me Got give liberty a chance they are do good long term things. I dont like some fans who recently since ross brawn gone into management. Has gone from the greatest designers to a moron

Ahem, 70 minutes...

 

[Rutherford]

yes he was good from the start to the last 10/15 yrs brilliant, F1 wouldnt be sport it was. But after he was a walking disaster.

• Pay tv
• hybrid engines
• prize money rising inquality,
• increasingly unsustainable budgets
• Causing the pay driver & team folding problem
• replacing historic circuits with heritage to the highest bidder.

It's funny how you say that and then mention all the things that happened under his leadership and blame him, whilst ignoring the fact that that was the time when CVC stepped in by purchasing more shares in F1.

The pay driver "problem", if it is one at all, has always existed, as (top-level) motorsport has been a sport for the wealthy right from the get go.
Also, which team folding problem are you talking about? Three teams have folded in the last 10 years, the rest pulled out due to the financial crisis. No team is forced to spend more than they have, it's just that they want to be competitive and in the hope of achieving success spend more. It's the same in football, and then they eventually enter liquidation.

Hybrid engines weren't his decision, one can't count the number of times he said they're rubbish, it was a decision made by the FIA due to pressure from the manufacturers.

You go where the money flows, and that simply includes possibilities such as Pay TV and selling out to countries with higher bidders, which in turn also increases and increased F1's range. Liberty Media have shown no intention of changing the strategy; they want to go to Vietnam and other places.

 

[Rutherford]

I am no longer excited about F1.

This was the time of the year, when I could no longer await the revealing of the cars, when I excited to see them on track for the first time in pre-season testing, when I stayed up all night to watch the free practice sessions in Melbourne and was psyched up, when the cars lined up on the grid and waited for the five red lights to go out, 1... 2... 3... 4... 5... lights and it's go go go.

The buzz has yielded for an increasing dissatisfaction with the sport.

Especially in the latter half of 2017, I began asking myself why I was watching it, as with many others here, it seems to have become more of a habit, because I've always watched it, rather than a habit out of thrill. It's sad, I've been following the sport for ~ 20 years.

 

[Olivier]

I'm in the same boat. I don't know why I still care ... (maybe I don't)

 

[RasputinLives]

I think it's great. It means I can get more done before my nap on a Sunday afternoon.

 

[Il_leone]

If F1 becomes a PPV only sport I think I will follow Formula E from now on

 

[F1Brits_90]

Ahem, 70 minutes...

For a 8 races yes in Europe & brazil but the rest is just 10 mins

Discussing this with my dad & it seems that liberty are going against some big tradition of 1pm gmt start is a myth. Because hes says that when he watching f1 live in 1980s european races always started at 2pm gmt & doing some research. It looks like he was correct

 

[RasputinLives]

Liberty media are doing a great job as presenting themselves as modernising F1 without actually changing anything at all. Probably helps when you own Autosport.

The truth is that Bernie and Co guaranteed a pay out the projected profits for F1 until 2021 in advance to its directors before Liberty Media bought in. Liberty Media have to honour this meaning they have to keep making the same profit or they'll make a loss. Business wise this means they'll stick to the same model we have to ensure this.

They do seem to be experts though in starting their own fires and then asking us to pat them on the back when they put them out.

Can anyone name one change they've made to the racing?

 

[The Artist.....]

For a 8 races yes in Europe & brazil but the rest is just 10 mins

Discussing this with my dad & it seems that liberty are going against some big tradition of 1pm gmt start is a myth. Because hes says that when he watching f1 live in 1980s european races always started at 2pm gmt & doing some research. It looks like he was correct

Absolutely- through the ‘80s and ‘90s, the races (other than the Monaco GP) would start at 14:00 local time... Monaco would, just to be different, start at 15:30 (local time)...

 

[F1Brits_90]

It's funny how you say that and then mention all the things that happened under his leadership and blame him, whilst ignoring the fact that was the time when CVC stepped in by purchasing more shares in F1.

yes around that time CVC did turn up, but Bernie lost the plot all he saw was pound signs to the detriment of the sport & his decisions have damaged the sport he worked so hard to build, his legacy has left a lot of wreckage in his wake just look at white elephant & waste of money that was korea or india 700m dollars & they had 5 grand prixs between them

The pay driver "problem", if it is one at all, has always existed, as (top-level) motorsport has been a sport for the wealthy right from the get go.

Pay drivers agreed are a big part of f1 many future world champs were pay drivers but in backmarker teams ie Alonso at minardi. & your talent gets you up the grid. but drivers are now getting into the midfield for no other reason but money & are no longer a nice bonus or help you take driver on talent In 2nd seat. Magussen at haas is there on money, Williams & sauber both have 2 pay drivers, even force india the 4th best team on grid constantly challenging for podiums taken 2 paydrivers as talented as they are

Also, which team folding problem are you talking about? Three teams have folded in the last 10 years, the rest pulled out due to the financial crisis.

Yes we have had 3 go. But what about the 3 others considering the huge financial pressures Sauber Force India & Lotus(Renault) had its amazing they all stayed in business. Sauber have few times last few yrs been close to going under. Force India were struggling to pay suppliers & if it wasnt for perez money they couldve gone. The biggest miracle is lotus how survived is beyond me. No one got paid & We're locked out of motorhomes in Austin & Japan through unpaid debts. Had to ask Bernie to eat in hospitality as they were "homeless". Also ask with ridiculous money where top 3 spent collectively just short of a billion dollars this season. why are no teams or engine suppliers even interested in joining the grid. because budgets are no longer sustainable

Hybrid engines weren't his decision, one can't count the number of times he said they're rubbish, it was a decision made by the FIA due to pressure from the manufacturers.

Bernie ran the sport, FIA under todt where just a silent partner if he wanted it stopped he couldve stopped it & Bernie has never been pressured into doing any deal as he always got his way through his numerous tactics. & why when these manufactures wanted these engines. are no manufacturers over the last few years queuing up wont even consider until 2021 because they are far too expensive & far too complicated

You go where the money flows, and that simply includes possibilities such as Pay TV and selling out to countries with higher bidders, which in turn also increases and increased F1's range. Liberty Media have shown no intention of changing the strategy; they want to go to Vietnam and other places.

Pay tv has slashed viewing figures by 80% 800,000 people watched Lewis Hamilton be crowned champ on sky f1. when Lewis won in 2008 it was 9.08m & jenson in 2009 it was 6.63m , & i mentioned somewhere the effects the ashes has suffered pay tv compared to free to air. viewing figures & publicity in the long run are more valuable than money, take the 6 nations they had 2 offers SKY or joint BBC/ITV bid but they took the publicity over money & so if your happy with selling to highest bidders. Im sure you would be delighted if we replaced Monza Spa Silverstone & Suzuka. with Korea, India, Abu Dhabi & Baku. Because after all they are massively underpaying what is 60yrs of heritage. if not a hindrance & just standing in the way of people making millions

 

[Bill Boddy]

Just one thing F1Brits_90, would you do a count up of the number of teams that have left the sport each year please? I would but have a feeling that some years in the '70s and '80 I might run out of fingers.

 

[siffert_fan]

F1's growth forecasts called into question - Pitpass.com

Isn't this saying that they did their forecast by pulling numbers out of their arse?

 

[FB]

Current launch dates, courtesy of the BBC

2018 team car launches
Date Team Launch venue
15 February Williams Online
20 February Renault Online
20 February Sauber Online
22 February Ferrari Maranello
22 February Mercedes Silverstone
23 February McLaren Online
26 February Toro Rosso Barcelona

Formula 1 2018 car launch & testing schedule

 

[vintly]

 

[Speshal]

I think one team might be bending the rules a bit......

 

[Olivier]

No six-wheeler allowed? What kind of rule is that?

 

[Greenlantern101]

Its all getting rather close now.