Liberty Media buy F1

[F1Brits_90]

very interesting, hearing some of the comments from Chase Carey at the FIA sport conference being held this week in Geneva, seems like now they have clean break as Bernie not using his position he was given

Formula One Group puts the boot into its predecessor, Bernie Ecclestone

“This sport has been underserved by a perpetual, short-term, deal of the day focus and one that has lacked a strategy, vision and longer-term plan, and a willingness to invest,”

“The sport didn’t have an organisation before,” he said. “Bernie, to his credit, was a one-man show with financial and legal support. One of the things we have done is put an organisation in place that can support the sport and we will have the key people in by August

“Priority one for us is still to make the sport and the competition on the track as exciting and engaging as it possibly can be, Just the nature of what we do on the track – whether it’s rules, engines, costs – take time. We’ve had meetings on what is the next generation engine … That engine isn’t going to get implemented in three months but it doesn’t mean we haven’t had multiple meetings.”

 

[F1Brits_90]

found more seems like todays aim is attack Bernie Ecclestone as now Sean Bratches is at it as well & from what i guess the fully pay tv deal wont be renewed & will revert back to the half/half deal we have now

F1 owners say UK paywall TV deal they have inherited is detrimental to sport

Sean Bratches has said the UK television rights deal they have inherited from the previous management with coverage entirely behind a paywall from 2019 to 2024 is detrimental to the sport

Sean Bratches said at the FIA conference. he sees free-to-air television as key to the future of the sport. Free to air is critically important to us, My vision as it relates to media rights is a hybrid of free to air & pay. Our plan is to balance the 2 but have a prominent, over the year, free-to-air voice. That is important from a fans, sponsors & relevance standpoint. There is the cauldron full of cash on the pay side & on the other side of the scale you have brand & reach. My view is a 30-70 model of free-to-air to pay, where you have a number of grands prix to be on free to air & then we can play & toil with the pay side to generate revenue that we can reinvest back into the sport.”

 

[FB]

Wasn't sure where to put this but as Ross Brawn is mentioned this will do: F1 considering using gamers to trial new rules

 

[vintly]

Fascinating article FB. Another tick for Liberty Media from me.

 

[F1Brits_90]

Appartantly this weekend Ross Brawn will announce his blueprint to the teams this weekend. Which sounds intriguing & i have faith in ross brawn

But i found this
Neue Pläne der F1-Bosse: Quali-Rennen als Köder für Fans
(Translated highlights)

According to the Liberty Plan, two one-hour practise sessions would be scheduled on Friday afternoon. Saturday morning follows the classic qualification. The result is the starting grid for a sprint race over 100 kilometers, the result of which then gives the final starting grid.

The original plan to have the drivers start the sprint in the reverse order of the drivers' classification has been abandoned. It would have been a step too far. One would have had to face the accusation of wanting to create tension with artificial means. The F2 reaps more criticism than praise with its reverse starting position in the 1st 8 places for the sprint race.

For Liberty is important: The qualifying race would take place on Saturday at prime time. Just before the football matches in the European leagues. There would be no fuel or tire limits in a 100-kilometer sprint. With the aim of giving the drivers full throttle from the first to the last lap. This is especially intended to attract young people.

 

[F1Brits_90]

I understand its about getting new fans no doubt. Good idea but cart before the horse. Although i know ross brawn is already looking into the force field after being worried post melbourne. Hardly anyone would watch a a 100km of melbourne or other 2017 gps & become a fan

Why are people so bothered about messing with qualifying. It is 1 of best things about the current sport. & is almost perfect. So much so that in 11 years f1 has had this system so many race series have adopt it entirely or a variation on it

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

What a faff. With 3 power-units-per-season limit I'm already guessing the winners will be the ones who have the fewest engine problems (which is most likely going to be Mercedes isn't it?). This'll just exacerbate that likelihood.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Oooh goody, a sprint race where no one can overtake to decide the grid for the race where no one can overtake.

I know, let's just have a time trial and leave it at that.

We could then award the prIzes as follows:

World Champion German Constructor.
World Champion who has been involved in the sport for the longest unbroken period.
World Champion constructor being driven by Alonso.
World Champion sponsored by an energy drink.
World Champion best of the rest.

Everybody wins. Hooray

 

[dinsdale]

If true this is just a cynical way to increase revenue from increased viewing of qualifying. Liberty Media are saddled with huge debt which must eat up much of the profit so need to look for new ways to bring money in.

Unfortunately most of the things that actually need to be fixed are largely untouchable.

 

[Galahad]

More mixing up of the starting grid would be a good thing; and this proposal at least would be based on merit (rather than reverse grids or lottery). I fear in practice the teams & drivers would be very conservative in the sprint race - why risk a DNF for one grid position? Plus as rufus_mcdufus points out, it implies considerable extra mileage on engines and gearboxes, which would cost more money.

But these problems might be overcome. I'm curious to see the full proposal.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Ok, if we have to have a sprint race how about Liberty commission the construction of a standard car using a bespoke three litre normally aspirated Cosworth engine with an extremely basic aero package. Each driver would qualify his normal car to determine his sprint race grid position then draw a car number by lottery to determine which of the identical cars he will run in the afternoon. The driver would be able to have a 15 minute session to carry out limited set up changes before the 100k race.

Once the cars have been paid for there would only be shipping costs. It would finally give us an opportunity to see drivers in equal cars while. It would still enable limits on engines and other components.

 

[RasputinLives]

If we end up with a sprint race/Saturday race then as far as I'm concerned it's not F1 anymore.

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

I'm sceptical. The qually format for me is pretty much as good as it can get now, but the additional sprint race would reduce the importance of traditional qualifiying because you then have to invest another hour or so watching the sprint race. The effect might be that people just give up on watching the Saturday qualifying process altogether, or just watch the sprint race (which is at "prime time") especially given the likely additional cost for pay-per-view viewers.
It's not really tackling the main issue which is with the race itself.

 

[Bill Boddy]

Did this programme come out on Sunday morning by amy chance?

 

[F1Brits_90]

Did this programme come out on Sunday morning by amy chance?

thankfully the 2nd april

 

[F1Brits_90]

Oooh goody, a sprint race where no one can overtake to decide the grid for the race where no one can overtake.

very true & can you imagine this sprint race at Monaco 30 laps where bar a few its the same. i said on another thread cut down on the aero or have ground effect whatevers better to get the cars to follow & overtake. then everything will follow. because like in football a winning team is a magic bullet & makes problems disappears

 

[racecub]

Wish they’d stop messing with the bits of F1 that actually work. Qualifying has been through some dire phases but it’s ok at the moment.

Sort out the overtaking! TAKE AWAY THE WNGS. Let’s have some fun!

 

[FB]

I know this is a hoary old nutmeg on my part but if the ACO can create a series where cars which uses different fuels types, different engine configurations, advanced aero and other technology and create close racing why the bloody hell can't F1? Ah, because they let the teams run the sport in F1 and their only ambition is to maintain whatever advantage they have over their opposition so it never moves forward.

The FIA, Liberty Media or anyone will never progress the sport all the time any of the teams have any influence in the rules. Man up Jean Todt, your supposed to be in charge.

 

[Andyoak]

And because I can't do multiple likes I'm nominating FB for president of the FIA

 

[F1Brits_90]

That's is also the problem you can have competors making the rules Man United dont make the rules for champions league. UEFA say here are the rules take it or leave it. Because there could be the miracle cure for F1. But as a consequence mercedes knew they would dropped from 1st to 4th in constructors. They vote against & lobby others to so it fails. Dont need me to badmouth Jean Todt. Lost all respect after 2011 Bahrain gp when no one wanted to go i think force india missed FP2 to leave in daylight. Jean Todt said its completely safe, but then conveniently couldnt attend with other prior arrangements. At least bernie said it was safe & had the balls to turn up

That without discussing the Jules bianchi. Which ive never gave a monkeys what report says Todt was at fault for as well. #8days