FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[McLaren Fan]

From F1 Live:

With Formula One Management opting to move the British Grand Prix from Silverstone to Donington next year, the BRDC-owned circuit seemingly has a new friend in FIA President hopeful Ari Vatanen who is keen to see Formula One continue to race at the traditional grand prix venues. He is seemingly a champion for a back-to-basics approach – something that could become an issue with the commercial rights holders.

"I am not against Donington but I am for Silverstone because I don't see it as a sensible move from an overall point of view to go to Donington," he told Reuters India.

F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone has been a long-time critic of the Northamptonshire circuit, particularly in terms of facilities and the seemingly inability of the British Racing Drivers’ Club to bring the circuit up to the standard enjoyed at many state-funded venues in that are now prevalent on the F1 calendar.

"The fact that Silverstone may not have a race, Hockenheim may not have a race next year, France may not have a race... it means we are alienating the traditional customers and fans and it is not so easy to win them back," said Vatanen.


Forget about working class families attending F1 races in the future in the UK and Europe, Vatanen insists that the relatively affluent middle classes are now being prices out of the sport.

"We can have a short term gain but a long-term cost and Silverstone is the symbol of that," he said. "If the races are expensive to organise, if the ticket prices are so high that the normal middle class family cannot go with their children to see a race, it means that something is wrong.”

Ecclestone’s role at the head of the CVC owned championship is simple. He and the company need to finance the debt incurred by buying the series – ironically from Ecclestone and his plethora of companies – and hence the drive from the traditional European venues and the addition of circuits such as Abu Dhabi, Singapore, and China who are willing to pay the big money.

Vatanen’s views – should he be elected – will almost certainly drive a wedge between the previously cosy relationship with the sport’s governing body and the commercial rights holders...

Earl ALEXANDER
© CAPSIS International

[EwanM]

Interesting, but Vatanen in all honesty can't do anything. Come next year the FOA-FIA clause comes into effect and the CVC have control of F1's commercial rights for the next 100 years.

[myownalias]

Vatanen talks sense but he is likely to be powerless, selling the commercial rights was a dumb idea in the first place. When decisions are being made on financial profitability, that is detrimental to the sport. At the rate we are going, within 10 years F1 racing could be dominated by Tilke designed middle and far east tracks with maybe three Americas races and 1 or 2 European races. That doesn't sound like like a good prospect to me!!!

[Jabberwocky]

he speaks a lot of sence. However how many people that can vote him into power are of working or middle class, who would not be able to attend a GP at a drop of a hat?

however to us working class people (which I am not sure about everyone else) If I took my GF and I to the British GP this year it would of cost me the same as 2 weeks holiday in Spain!!!! How can that be justified by Bernie?

TBH I go to Silverstone probably 2 - 3 times a year, on average tickets for events cost around about £25 per person. which is not too bad.
I also go to Pembrey Circuit about 7 - 8 times a year, which costs betweeen £10 - £15. which is excelent value, you also don't have 20 foot wire fences between you and the action. the run off areas are not about 100 meters so you can see the cars up close.

Really when I think about it even though I love F1 and Silverstone. the safety restrictions around F1 have caused Silverstone to be very un fan based. On TV you get to see the cars etc up close only because the cameras have 100x zoom lenses. So who is the Devil? Silverstone or F1?

If I had to decide on having to go to an Event at Pembrey or Silverstone, I would chose pembrey every time, it is cheaper, more friendly, you can see the cars better. I am sure that most grass roots circuits around the world are better. Where as every F1 track has been spoilt for spectators, by the greed of the rich

So maybe going back to basic is better!

[Gaz]

Interesting, but Vatanen in all honesty can't do anything. Come next year the FOA-FIA clause comes into effect and the CVC have control of F1's commercial rights for the next 100 years.

Yeh and F1 will be even more bloody comercial.

its pretty hard for some people to justify nearly a months wage on a 3 day trip to the formula 1.

I can imagine loosing spa, monza etc... in the future also to venues that are more comercialy lucatrive.

paints a bleak picture for f1

[IceManpjn]

I can imagine loosing spa, monza etc... in the future also to venues that are more comercialy lucatrive.

paints a bleak picture for f1

Not a picture I'd personally want to look at.

[headless]

F1 bett6er not lose those tracks

[McLaren Fan]

I agree with pretty much everybody that Vatanen will be pretty powerless. Realistically, all he can do is tell CVC to wise up, and then he'll promptly be told to where to go. What is really required is for fans to vote with their feet en masse, but that will never happen.

I don't go to Formula One races, as it's far too much of a hassle and too much expense to see very little of the action, especially when I can watch other decent racing series, getting a much better view of the racing for relatively little or nothing at all. For instance, I can watch the Ulster Grand Prix - the fastest motorcycle race in the world - for absolutely free, I can stand several feet away from the bikes perfectly safely, I can access into the paddock and pits, and by buying the official programme, which is £12 or something, I can get access to all of the bars etc. Moreover, the atmosphere at these events is much more friendly - almost festival like - as the riders and other team members are willing to talk with you and sign autographs, and those who organise the events are enthusiasts just like the spectators.

Obviously, Formula One is a bit different. With the money CVC takes off the host circuits to hold the Grands Prix and the general upkeep of the circuit, you can hardly expect to get in for free - and I don't think that's what people are asking for - but the telephone-number ticket fees are wholly unjustifiable. Further, it costs little or nothing to make Grands Prix a lot more fan friendly, and, for the money your handing over, it is well warranted.