Is Formula One an International Sport?

RasputinLives

No passing through my dirty air please
Contributor
When Emerson Fittipaldi took to the grid of the 1970 British Grand Prix in World Wide Racing Lotus-Ford he was to start an unbroken sequence of there always being a driver of Brazilian nationality on the F1 grid. That record is still unbroken to this day, however it could very well be in danger. Brazil has 2 representatives, firstly Fellipe Massa who looks to be out on his ear at Ferrari and in an ever tight market will another team pick him up? Second Bruno Senna at Williams who might not make it to the end of the season at Williams that'll own be on the grid next year. Brazil does have its next generation coming up with Luca Razia and Fellipe Nasr in GP2 but whether either of these will get a drive for next season? It is debatable. So it could be that 2013 is the first time in 42 years where the nation of Brazil is not represented in Formula One.

This of course follows closely on the heels of 2012 being the first time there was not an Italian driver on the F1 grid and whilst we suddenly have 3 French drivers on the grid this year (one of them is really Swiss but shhhh) its been a long time coming and a big gap for a nation that virtually invented the sport. After processing this information and reading TBY's brilliant article on the nations of F1 I drew the conclusion that things like this were bound to happen with F1 expanding its world audience and truely becoming a world wide sport as the FIA and Bernie are keen to tell us it is. Then I took a closer look.

This season grid features 12 teams, 3 of these are technically teams representing non-european nations and all 3 of those are actually based out of factories in the UK. The grid features 24 drivers, 9 of which are non-europeans - 3 South Americans, 3 Asians, 2 Australisians and 1 North American. Having already talked about the possible exit of the 2 South Americans, I'm going to say I can't see Karthkeyen being here next year either which takes the number down to 6 non-europeans. There likely replacements? A Finn and a Spaniard. The only likely looking non-european addition to the grid would be Mexcian Gutteriez. This would mean the number of South American competitors would be down to 1 which would be a massive shock - outside of Europe, South America has been F1's main fanbase with the likes of Fangio and Senna acheiving lengandry status.

Going back to 1970, the year Fittipaldi started the Brazilian streak there were 14 non-european drivers during the season including 3 Africans and 3 from the USA. It makes you wonder if it was more an international sport then than it is now.

So the question I ask you is whilst Bernie takes the F1 circus all over the world and tells us how much appeal it has are we just kidding ourselves that F1 is at the top of the pile in world motorsport? Shouldn't we accept the fact that actually F1 is a European-centric sport? If we accept that shouldn't we also except that this treck round the world to gain more interest has actually failed and take the sport to where its supported Europe?
 
In short, RasputinLives, the answer is that F1 is a Euro-centric sport.

However, I do think you exaggerate the international aspect of F1 in 1970. For example, your three Africans in 1970 (John Love, Peter De Klerk and Dave Charlton) were not regulars on the F1 scene, only appearing at Kyalami, and none of the four Americans (Mario Andretti, Dan Gurney, Pete Lovely and Gus Hutchinson) raced an entire season. There were 45 entrants that year; more drivers would be likely to mean more entrants. The availability of relatively cheap F1 cars that could be entered with a DFV engine in a home Grand Prix increased the number of nationalities involved, a situation that is just not feasible today.

The second thing to consider is the make up of the non-Europeans. Simply, the vast majority of them were from countries which were largely English-speaking and formerly part of the British empire. We've already mentioned the Rhodesian, South Africans and Americans, but there were also 3 New Zealanders and a couple of Australians. Sure the 2012 grid has Ricciardo and Webber, and some of the others are matched too, but is it not more "international" rather than less to see India, Japan, Russia and Venezuela represented than scores of former British dominions? F1 in those days was largely left to the white Europeans or ethnic Europeans; there was no Indian, no Japanese and no Grenadian heritage back then.

As for the bases of the constructors, how often has a non-British based team won either Championship? Ferrari, of course, on multiple occasions, and Alfa Romeo and Mercedes in the 1950s. There was Matra in 1969, but that car was run in Britain. Which means for 56 years both Championships have gone to either Maranello or Britain!

I believe that F1 is Euro-centric, but no more that it has ever been, and I do think it is less F1 being exclusive than the respected feeder series to F1 being based in Europe, thus meaning the talent to reach F1 cannot be developed efficiently elsewhere.
 
When F1 started the Indy500 was only included so that they could call it a World Championship instead of a European championship. It was 1961 before a regular exo-European Grand Prix was established.
 
It is more international than any of the American sports which boasts in its title "World Series"....;)

I don't defend our American cousins very often but the world series is known as the world series because it was started by the world newspaper. Even the average americans know they're are other countries.

Back to F1. It seems we all agree F1 is euro-centric so my question remains should Bernie and co embrace this and stop taking the sport to all far flung corners and hold the majority of the events where it is loved in europe.
 
I don't defend our American cousins very often but the world series is known as the world series because it was started by the world newspaper ...
I've heard that before and I believe is a disputed argument. The only time the MLB felt really like a World Series was when the Blue Jays won it LOL

Sorry for the off-topic.
 
In short, RasputinLives, the answer is that F1 is a Euro-centric sport.
I believe that F1 is Euro-centric, but no more that it has ever been, and I do think it is less F1 being exclusive than the respected feeder series to F1 being based in Europe, thus meaning the talent to reach F1 cannot be developed efficiently elsewhere.

Exactly that TBY.
Young talented drivers have no choice other than to leave their home countries and live in Europe to race in the feeder series to have any chance of an F1 seat.
 
I don't defend our American cousins very often but the world series is known as the world series because it was started by the world newspaper. Even the average americans know they're are other countries..
... however they do refer to the Superbowl champions as the world champions too. The fact that the N in NFL is National should be a hint but World Champion sounds so much better ...
 
In a similar vein, my beloved Leeds Rhinos are the current world champions in Rugby League.

Yes I admit there are only ever 2 teams in the competition - the winner of Superleague here and in Australia - but as it is the only world club championship event the winner has to be crowned the worlds best.
 
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