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[spankyham]

I raised in my comments about the Malaysian GP how clearly down the crowds were at the race. Very sad given it was the Petronas home GP and their team were red hot favorites and duly delivered a 1-2 victory. The drop off in attendance coupled with the slump in the European viewing audience shows just how serious a problem this is IMO. We can all have our own view of the sound or the speed or other facets of the new 2014 F1 - but we can't deny that fans are leaving in droves.

Ecclestone summit held as viewers switch off Malaysian Grand Prix

While Formula One’s troupe arrived in Bahrain to rain, of all things, Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemolo flew to London for a secret summit with Bernie Ecclestone to discuss problems with this season’s controversial regulations and the future ownership of the whole billion-dollar sport.

Di Montezemolo is concerned that viewing figures in Europe fell for last weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix, reflecting Ferrari’s online poll that found 78 per cent of the 35,000-plus respondents did not like the new formula.

The Ferrari president told Ecclestone that the new regulations, including the 100kg per hour fuel flow regulation that saw Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo disqualified in Australia, are too complex and argued against a cost cap.

The two men decided to hold a meeting with FIA president Jean Todt in the Bahrain paddock on Saturday in an attempt to find a quick resolution.

Also under discussion in London was whether Ecclestone, with the involvement of teams such as Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren and Mercedes, might buy back a majority holding in the sport.
.......

[LRW]

So, 78% of Ferrari fans don't like F1 anymore.

Good job we've got Di Montezemolo, Ecclstone and Todt here to look out for us all.........

[sagi58]

So, 78% of Ferrari fans don't like F1 anymore...

Where did you read "anymore", if the quote very clearly states the "new" F1?

...Di Montezemolo is concerned that viewing figures in Europe fell for last weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix, reflecting Ferrari’s online poll that found 78 per cent of the 35,000-plus respondents did not like the new formula...

[LRW]

So, 78% of Ferrari fans don't like F1 anymore...

Where did you read "anymore", if the quote very clearly states the "new" F1?

...Di Montezemolo is concerned that viewing figures in Europe fell for last weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix, reflecting Ferrari’s online poll that found 78 per cent of the 35,000-plus respondents did not like the new formula...

And therefore don't like F1. Because the 'new' F1 is the only one we have.

I dont even understand what your point there is, and I'm not going to even try.

It's a fine example of lazy journalism about a bullpoo story.

[spankyham]

So, 78% of Ferrari fans don't like F1 anymore.

Good job we've got Di Montezemolo, Ecclstone and Todt here to look out for us all.........

OK, so you could lessen or dismiss the Ferrari poll because of course the Tifosi won't be as happy as if they were winning.

But aren't you missing the real message here?

1) The crowd at Malaysia was seriously down when it should have been through the roof because:-
1.1) it is the Petronas home GP
1.2) they offered the cheapest F1 tickets for the season
1.3) their team were red hot favourites and brought home a 1-2 victory and headed every day of testing and qualifying

2) The European viewing audience has slumped

[LRW]

So, 78% of Ferrari fans don't like F1 anymore.

Good job we've got Di Montezemolo, Ecclstone and Todt here to look out for us all.........

OK, so you could lessen or dismiss the Ferrari poll because of course the Tifosi won't be as happy as if they were winning.

But aren't you missing the real message here?

1) The crowd at Malaysia was seriously down when it should have been through the roof because:-
1.1) it is the Petronas home GP
1.2) they offered the cheapest F1 tickets for the season
1.3) their team were red hot favourites and brought home a 1-2 victory and headed every day of testing and qualifying

2) The European viewing audience has slumped

So the headline says.

But I can't see anything in the article to support that statement. No statistics. No numbers. Nothing. Just a meaningless Ferrari website poll.

As I said. Bullpoop lazy journalism.

[myownalias]

I personally like the new Formula 1; bar a few things, I think the 100KG/H rule is stupid and stunts racing, the sound of the V6T Hybrid isn't as appealing to the ear but we'll get used to it; so will the 78% of Ferrari fans; it's a typical knew-jerk reaction to something different; we are two races into the season for heavens sake; the Formula won't change this season and I almost guarantee that most of the people that switched off will be back come the middle of the season. Some casual fans may stay away but the hardcore among us will stick with it, baring electric F1!

[bud]

Aside from Japan, crowd numbers have always been hit and miss in Asia.
I'll wait until the Europe leg to make judgement.

[Hammer278]

Always a slump when changes occur, but there'll be new fans coming into the sport as well. No big deal. The fans who are unable to evolve with the sport are free to leave.

As for the Msian GP don't worry about the attendance, the heat nowadays is excruciating. Only the toughest fans dared to brave out the environment.

[geetface9]

So, 78% of Ferrari fans don't like F1 anymore.

Good job we've got Di Montezemolo, Ecclstone and Todt here to look out for us all.........

OK, so you could lessen or dismiss the Ferrari poll because of course the Tifosi won't be as happy as if they were winning.

But aren't you missing the real message here?

1) The crowd at Malaysia was seriously down when it should have been through the roof because:-
1.1) it is the Petronas home GP
1.2) they offered the cheapest F1 tickets for the season
1.3) their team were red hot favourites and brought home a 1-2 victory and headed every day of testing and qualifying

2) The European viewing audience has slumped

So the headline says.

But I can't see anything in the article to support that statement. No statistics. No numbers. Nothing. Just a meaningless Ferrari website poll.

As I said. Bullpoop lazy journalism.

I fully agree with LRW here.

Firstly, Ferrari is all about power...big v8's, v10's, etc. and made no small fuss about the switch to v6 power units this year, so this is assumption but I think it's highly likely that their fan base is against the change as well, so the 78% needs to be taken with a large grain of salt when measured against the entire viewing audience.

Second, I'd be very curious to know how many Malaysians actually care that petronas is Malaysian. As a diehard F1 fan who doesn't miss a race, I really wouldn't care at all that the winning team had a title sponsor from the U.S. When Mclaren had the american company Verizon on the chassis and won the 2012 US GP via lewis hamilton, I couldn't give a sh1t less about the fact that Verizon was on the car.

Can't argue against the viewership being down since there were reportedly 50 million less viewers in 2013 than in 2012, but the article didn't cite any numbers for the first two races this year

[geetface9]

Always a slump when changes occur, but there'll be new fans coming into the sport as well. No big deal. The fans who are unable to evolve with the sport are free to leave.

As for the Msian GP don't worry about the attendance, the heat nowadays is excruciating. Only the toughest fans dared to brave out the environment.

That's a great point too!! They originally scheduled the US GP in 2012 to be in july...........had that been the case, it would have been 90 degrees fahrenheit (32 degrees celsius) with 90% humidity...... I live in arizona where it regularly hits 113 degrees fahrenheit (45 degrees celsius) in july and august and the humidity in texas might have killed me!!! luckily, there's rarely any humidity where I live

[Hammer278]

Dude it rained cats and dogs on Saturday (I mean drops of rain that could give you a massage if you're not wearing a shirt) causing the qual to be delayed 45min and on Sunday the sun was out with a vengeance, I saw many foreigners sheltering at the restrooms where they had some fans (the thing with blades, not people). It was definitely an experience, and on top of that I missed probably 70% of the race if not more. Though I was glad to be there due to the race result.

No more going to the track for me for the next 5 years at least.

[LRW]

........but the article didn't cite any numbers for the first two races this year

this, this, this and this.

I agree that Ive seen figures elsewhere that show there has been a downward trend on viewers in the last few years HOWEVER, to now start blaming them on the new regulations and the 'new F1', is just bullpoop.

IF this meeting did happen, its just Ferrari realising after two races in, they have failed to grasp the new regs, and want them changed back in their favour. IF this meeting did happen, its pretty arrogant of Ferrari to think they can come in and save F1. Maybe they need to look at Cookin's thread about Ferrari first, and change from within, instead of try to change the rules to suit them.

Thats IF the meeting even happened. The article shows no photos of them meeting, no quotes or confirmations from any of the parties allegedly involved that this happened.

Just typical Daily-Mail-Fill-The-Columns journalism.

[racechick]

I would suggest that the biggest slump to TV viewing figures ( I'm talking about in the UK ) is still moving from a free to view channel. Diehards will find a way to watch. Potential new fans won't bother and in the middle people will just watch the free to view races. Massive loss there.
I would also suggest that Silverstone will be a sellout.

[Jabberwocky]

I know in Britain that the viewing figures will of slumped because of the move to Pay per view (aka Sky) F1 is the only sport I watch however I have to buy the whole sky sports package to view it. Not sure on the amount but I am sure over a year that is a sizable amount of money extra I pay for it. Some less committed fans or fans who are not quite as well off might only be able it on the BBC. I think if I only got to watch half the races I would lose interest in the sport as well and would probably not watch any.

Add to that (dare I say it) the boredom of only having to guess who will come second in the race.

I also have a fear of the same happening this year. However it will be "guess who will be 3rd on the podiums" hopefully one day we will not have a championship with "2 second cars"

So IMHO that is why there has been a slump in interest and viewers

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