New F1 format: Races on Saturday and Sunday

http://www.motorspor...pro-wochenende/

Paul Hembery suggested Formula 1 should undertake a GP2-style format with qualifying on Friday and have one race on Saturday and another on Sunday. This increases on-track action and spectators would have a greater incentive to buy weekend tickets. 

In my opinion, this is actually a pretty good idea, the only downside being that there won't be enough practice sessions, therefore less preparation for the races. However, that could only make things more exciting during the races. 

What do you think?

I can't think of much worse, totally undermines the value of a GP weekend and the event of a GP.

Good idea for non-championship races.

Shame we don't have those any more. They'd be the perfect excuse to try new formats. (Double headers, heat races, other qualifying formats, etc.)

You've got to be kidding me, yet more random dumb ****? It wouldn't be the worst thing they've done in the last few years, no, but why can't they freaking leave the format alone for more than 5 minutes?

Edited by Seanspeed, 15 August 2014 - 11:31.

I don't think it would improve the mystique and standing of a Grand Prix. Anymore than holding a two-legged World Cup final with each match being 60 minutes long.

If my experience of Indycar is anything to go by, it's difficult to fit two long races on consecutive days into your personal weekend schedule.

However, if you must have a double points finale, two races is the way to go. Might work at some isolated events too. The Austrian GP seemed to have a festival feel to it so why not put on more racing to entertain the crowds?

Leave it as it is and ducktape Paul Hembrey's mouth.

Ludicrous idea.

A Grand Prix should be important as an event, it's not just a race in the championship.

Depends on how long both races would be. I can't imagine both would still be 90+ minutes long, because of the extra mileage it'd put on engines/gearboxes and the ensuing problems that would cause.

N

O

NO

This is a great idea only if the races on Saturday coincide with GP2 and the F1 drivers race in GP2 cars.. For a parallel driver's championship.

Think about that for a second.

Or they could race in their Green Mickey Mouse cars on Saturday and bring back the real cars for the races on Sunday.

Love it. How can I reach Bernie?

I wonder if Hembery's been missing all the attention he got when Pirelli were making a mess of things with the tyres. He has to get his spotlight fix somehow, and utterly misunderstanding the sport that's making him "famous" is as good a way as any I suppose.

If he really cares about ticket sales and suchlike, he could try comprehending a weekend ticket costs as much as a family holiday for most people.

That means what... 20 rounds, and 2 races each... 40 races per season? And next thing thay'll probably propose is reveresed grid for top 10, as in WTCC. More action, more drama, potentially more different winners, etc.

Not my cup of coffee, thank you.

He isn't the first person to say this idea.

This was Flavio Briatore's big idea back around 2007. He really wanted double race weekends.

I'm kind of worried this is the direction Bernie and Flavio want to go and they are getting Paul Hembery and other people to suggest it so fans won't be as shocked when they announce their own plans in a few weeks.

Edited by johnmhinds, 15 August 2014 - 16:22.

That's just devious enough to be true!

Teams will be forced to spent their money on upgrading/ building new simulators / supercomputers as results of difficulty to gain track data...

Edited by Reinmuster, 15 August 2014 - 16:37.

The current is better, I love how the tension builds up as the weekend progresses and finally explodes on Sunday afternoon/morning/evening. 

Separating the action into different sessions only makes it more complicated and most likely takes some of the excitement away. A big no 

That means what... 20 rounds, and 2 races each... 40 races per season? And next thing thay'll probably propose is reveresed grid for top 10, as in WTCC. More action, more drama, potentially more different winners, etc.

I'm kind of worried this is the direction Bernie and Flavio want to go and they are getting Paul Hembery and other people to suggest it so fans won't be as shocked when they announce their own plans in a few weeks.

Knowing Bernie, he will be leaking the more radical ideas to test the waters, this "sugestion" is just the first of many more to come.

He isn't the first person to say this idea.

 

This was Flavio Briatore's big idea back around 2007. He really wanted double race weekends.

 

I'm kind of worried this is the direction Bernie and Flavio want to go and they are getting Paul Hembery and other people to suggest it so fans won't be as shocked when they announce their own plans in a few weeks.

Indeed!  It's because Briatore was heavily involved in setting up the GP2 Series in 2005, which was one of the first major series to introduce multiple races with one of them featuring a reversed-grid.

I enjoy the format of GP2, so why not? But I'd still have practice on Friday. 

Old hat - I saw this idea written on the lavatory wall in the old Friern Barnet Lunatic Asylum, though I never did get to meet Two Tongued Meg, but her services sounded appealing...

Edited by Bloggsworth, 15 August 2014 - 20:46.

a race on Saturday why not.

a shorter GP on Sunday? never ever ****ing ever... I will protest personally with banner if that happens... but with Briatore,  Ecclestone and blood money in the mix the chances are not as low as we might want them to be...

Only for Abu Dhabi. 25 points for each race.

Ugh, just when you think the ideas can't get any more sh*t, along comes another gem ...

I'm done trying to save the sport.

Obviously, another example of complete 1% disconnect from the sport's core audience....

Would Spain 1996 part 1,Spa 98 part 2 or sprintrace Silverstone 2003 be remembered today?

Would Spain 1996 part 1,Spa 98 part 2 or sprintrace Silverstone 2003 be remembered today?

Maybe. The 3-part AVUSrennen of 1937 seems to have stood the test of time.

Multi-part Grands Prix are such a rarity that we're not dealing with a very good sample size.

F1 strategy group

Edited by GoldenColt, 17 August 2014 - 14:02.

All they are doing is thinking of ways to justify the current financial model of Grand Prix racing.

They don't seem to understand that the model itself needs to change to save the sport, but no-one at any level is willing to take a pay-cut.

That means what... 20 rounds, and 2 races each... 40 races per season? And next thing thay'll probably propose is reveresed grid for top 10, as in WTCC. More action, more drama, potentially more different winners, etc.

You forgot about weight penalties! 

While they're at it, we could have teams with "Jokers". They could play their Joker to get double points at any race of their choosing... Hell I've said it now someone might actually pick up on it.

No,but I wouldn't mind a sprint race on Saturday as the final part of the qualifying format! Not for championship points but for grid position on Sunday.

Scrap Q2 and Q3.

Just have Q1 to establish the grid followed buy a sprint race(the new Q2) of about 10 laps to determine the starting order for Sundays race.COMPLETE!

Good idea for GP1 but not for F1.

Only reason why there is no Gp1 is because it would kill F1 in a few years time.

Just make qualifying a total of 90 minutes in length (total open track time) and at the end of 90 minutes the grid is set from fastest to slowest. Yes, eliminate cars based on speed and clock time.

F1 strategy group
 

 

Edited by R Soul, 17 August 2014 - 23:02.

world superbike and other bike racing has had 2 races of similer type on a weekend or day, which im fine with, but f1 needs to stick with its core historical format imo

Hell no, the best incentive to get the punters to buy weekend tickets is simple - stop ripping them off - the price of tickets has gone beyond all reason.As far as F1 is concerned the lunatics have taken over.

Why don't they realise there is nothing wrong with the product, its the methods of access and pricing that are the issue

Cheap internet stream, cheaper tickets = far more audience.

Am I the only one bleeping bleeped off about the amount of bleeping people who start a bleeping thread with a mother bleeping thread title that is phrased (or punctuated) to look like a bleeping bleeper of a statement or news when it's really a bleeping question????

Anyway, it seems Hembry has been appointed F1's official stalking horse. If he saw out the shitstorm of the last few years he's got thick enough skin for it.

I don't understand how they can not understand its an access problem.

If they utilise internet media and make it affordable they will have viewers. If they put race recaps and clips on youtube they will help promote the sport.

No amount of fiddling with the sport will help get viewers.

Well. If the idea means more races bring it on. Also I would also fancy non-championship races instead of in-season testing.

Am I the only one bleeping bleeped off about the amount of bleeping people who start a bleeping thread with a mother bleeping thread title that is phrased (or punctuated) to look like a bleeping bleeper of a statement or news when it's really a bleeping question????

Anyway, it seems Hembry has been appointed F1's official stalking horse. If he saw out the shitstorm of the last few years he's got thick enough skin for it.

totally agree, I was about to ask the mods to put the word "proposed" or something of this kind in the thread title, so even if I didn't, at least others can avoid having a mini heart attack.