273 replies to this topic

[Sin]

I think your comment says a lot about the German GP as a whole. You as a local preferring to visit the poorer, butchered circuit because of its location says a lot to me.

 

I know as a spectator you only get to view the race from one location but I find it sad you'd prefer to go to Hockenheim over the Nurburgring. I once passed it on a trip to the Nurburg Toy Fair in 2002 on a road trip from the UK in an old Renault Clio. We got there on the autobahn, didn't seem too difficult when my dad did it.

 

I don't have a driving license... so I have to go where the train from Leipzig doesn't take 13 hours to get to. There is just no way to get to Nürburgring if you can't drive...

 

I know some people may find it odd that I watch motorsport if I don't drive at all, but I don't need a car in my city. Also it is fricking expensive to get a driving license. Finally... I am a bit scared of driving myself outside games of course. 

 

Besides Hockenheim got the better infrastructure, Mannheim with hotels is close by, while Nürburgring lies in the middle of nowhere. If I could pick ANY race track, if the licenses wouldn't care I would pick Sachsenring, cause it would be cheapest and closest.

 

I actually might get a car someday not to drive it just to look at it ... when I get a car it should be this one:

 

 

it's so pretty

Edited by Sin, 26 March 2015 - 23:43.

[redreni]

Yes, that F1 should only ever be on at a time that's convenient for European (read: British) audiences, races should only happen at tracks directly on the GMT line and the best way to have a true World Championship is to ignore the world outside of the EU. 

 

The Australian GP was a relatively new event. By his logic, such a race (state funded, in a different time zone, etc) should never be approved today. Same for Japan or a race in the world's biggest market, China.

 

Sorry but the 'British is Best' influence is already pervasive in F1, and if anything the sport needs less Eurocentralism, not more. 

 

It's not just Hartstein that thinks race start times should be timed to be sensible for viewers on CET and GMT/BST, though. We can tell from the actions of the FIA in setting race start times in the early evening local time, or at night in the case of Singapore (at enormous expense), that this is considered an important factor by the commercial and sporting authorities in F1. The reason is that the business model is to sell affluent audiences to broadcasters and advertisers, and F1's biggest affluent audience is in western Europe.

 

That doesn't mean all the races have to be in Europe. It would be foolish to neglect other key markets that are important to the competitors and in which F1 has a reasonable following or is interested in establishing one. That does not mean Azerbaijan or Bahrain or Oman or Abu Dhabi. It means places like China, Japan, India, Brazil, Mexico, USA (although that's always proved a tough nut to crack), Australia etc, although it's important to note that penetrating a market does not just mean holding a race there. The broadcast package and the coverage and promotion of the sport in the target country or region is equally if not more important.

 

The problem some of us have is that races are leaving Europe not because F1 is trying to increase its global reach and penetrate new markets, it's leaving Europe chasing higher race hosting fees. Bernie has worked out that he can monetise the prestige and respectability that comes with hosing a Grand Prix. And, surprise surprise, it's mainly people with something of a respectability deficit that are interested in hosting these newer events.

 

And it cuts both ways - when the Crown Prince of Bahrain, for example, gains some appearance of respectability out of using Bahraini people's tax money to build a track and pay an inflated fee to host a Grand Prix, instead of using it to provide decent public services for the population, and is able to wash some protesters' blood off his hands off the back of it in the eyes of the world, F1's image and credibility is accordingly tarnished.

[Redzone]

. That does not mean Azerbaijan or Bahrain or Oman or Abu Dhabi. It means places like China, Japan, India, Brazil, Mexico, USA (although that's always proved a tough nut to crack), Australia etc, although it's important to note that penetrating a market does not just mean holding a race there.

***

The problem some of us have is that races are leaving Europe not because F1 is trying to increase its global reach and penetrate new markets, it's leaving Europe chasing higher race hosting fees. Bernie has worked out that he can monetise the prestige and respectability that comes with hosing a Grand Prix. And, surprise surprise, it's mainly people with something of a respectability deficit that are interested in hosting these newer events.

 

And it cuts both ways - when the Crown Prince of Bahrain, for example, gains some appearance of respectability out of using Bahraini people's tax money to build a track and pay an inflated fee to host a Grand Prix, instead of using it to provide decent public services for the population, and is able to wash some protesters' blood off his hands off the back of it in the eyes of the world, F1's image and credibility is accordingly tarnished.

 

And never forget Russia, where Putin hisself shows up to shake hands in the locker room, perhaps after washing up with Bernie while in the stands.......and never forget the potential of North Korea hosting a race, or Syria, Iran...and a whole list of countries that would jump with both feet at the chance helping the respectability factor.

 

Indeed, who needs a German GP anyway? or French, or England when you have these  other countries to add to the glory of Furmula One?

Edited by Redzone, 27 March 2015 - 23:03.

[registered]

So a few days ago i read in the newspaper that Bernie doesn't want to guarantee the German GP 16 at the Hockenheimring. Even though that  the Hockenheimring has a valid contract for '16 it doesn't matter apparently....

[ch103]

Scratch off Monza as well.  Bernie Ecclestone - "Whatever goes, goes"

 

You know he has zero conscious when he says "It's funny how these people dig up all this money for things like the Olympics, swimming championships, European athletics, and God knows what else to boost the country."

Edited by ch103, 31 March 2015 - 02:27.

[johnmhinds]

Scratch off Imola as well. Bernie Ecclestone - "Whatever goes, goes"

You know he has zero conscious when he says "It's funny how these people dig up all this money for things like the Olympics, swimming championships, European athletics, and God knows what else to boost the country."

You mean Monza.

[Paul Prost]

I can't imagine Mercedes are too thrilled with this development.

[Gilles4Ever]

Adam Cooper @adamcooperF1

Good news as Hockenhem confirms that it has secured its 2016 GP (article in German): speedweek.com/formel1/news/7

[Yoshi]

 

Adam Cooper @adamcooperF1

Good news as Hockenhem confirms that it has secured its 2016 GP (article in German): speedweek.com/formel1/news/7

 

 

Good to hear

[Marklar]

Looks like that there will be again no German GP in 2017...

http://www.skysports...-return-in-2017

[BRG]

The interesting thing in that report is about Bernie's failure to buy the 'Ring.  The obvious clash of interests should not even be allowed of course.  

 

But I was always suspicious that his continual attacks on Silverstone & the British GP were mainly because he wanted to own the track. Fortunately, neither the British nor the Germans have co-operated in his plan to dominate the world.

[Nathan]

If Bernie owned the 'Ring and Silverstone, do you think they wouldn't host GPs?  On the surface it sounds like a good clash for those that want these facilities/countries to keep F1.

[Laura23]

Looks like that there will be again no German GP in 2017...
http://www.skysports...-return-in-2017

Ticket sales being so poor for the 2016 race thus far won't have helped the cause. Germans just aren't interested in Bernie's current product.

[Pete_f1]

The WEC went down very well this year at the 'ring

[AlexLangheck]

The WEC went down very well this year at the 'ring

No ridiculous hosting fee - so excellent value for money ticket prices = plenty of spectators turning up. It's quite a simple formula.
It's time circuits cut their cloth accordingly - don't pay the Bernie hosting fee, and put on other series at sensible prices.

But of course, it won't happen; I have no sympathy with circuits complaining about losing money.

[SB]

If Bernie owned the 'Ring and Silverstone, do you think they wouldn't host GPs?  On the surface it sounds like a good clash for those that want these facilities/countries to keep F1.

 

Where's the French GP now ?

[Wheels23]

To be honest I forgot about the German GP. 

[Wheels23]

I remember in the 90s that the Nurburgring was seen as "sanitised", "boring", "huge gravel traps", etc. - now its seen as one of the calendar classics. It just goes to show how butchered F1 has become in a short space of time. 

 

Or how F1 Fans hate change and new things. Let's be honest while there are several problems with Bernie, F1 fans are petty and really hate change. I don't know why though? Sure places like Russia and stuff don't have 'F1 history' but how can you have growth if you keep going back to events that pay less or whatever.

 

How?

 

The fact of the matter is Magny Cours is unwanted by F1...  Likewise Imola.  Likewise Brno.  Likewise Sachsenring.  Likewise Dijon.  Likewise Donnington Park.  Lisewise Istanbul Racing circuit.  Likewise Portimao racing circuit.  Likewise Fuji racing circuit.  Likewise Surfers Paradise or Adelaide street circuits.

 

 

 

Didn't people hate Magny Cours Istanbul and Fuji?

[Kristian]

"We wanted to wake Hockenheim up a little bit," he told the German business newspaper Handelsblatt. "They are still 20 years behind the times when I compare it to other places." Ecclestone said the existing contract, set for two more races in 2016 and 2018, is "not very good", adding that whether Germany has a future in F1 is "in principle a question of money".

 

http://www.f1today.n...race-in-africa?

 

What cheek of the man - the whole reason they are already in financial trouble is because he made them spend millions on shortening the circuit (which nobody wanted anyway) and modernising the place, and only just over a decade later has the cheek to say its not good enough.

[Wuzak]

http://www.f1today.n...race-in-africa?

 

What cheek of the man - the whole reason they are already in financial trouble is because he made them spend millions on shortening the circuit (which nobody wanted anyway) and modernising the place, and only just over a decade later has the cheek to say its not good enough.

 

Clearly it isn't - they don't pay enough money.

[Marklar]

Despite cheaper ticket prizes Hockenheim sold so far just 46000 tickets for the German GP next month. The target is at least 60000.

 

It also seems likely that there wont be a German GP next year (at the Nürburgring) either.

[JeePee]

I was looking to buy a ticket, but it's just too expensive. The only overtaking spot on the circuit (Spitzkehre) doesn't have a grand stand...

 

€400,- for sitting in the stadium section where nothing ever happens without nice engine sounds is just too much.

[thegforcemaybewithyou]

You could sit at the Mercedes Tribüne and use one of these

 

 

to watch this

[yasushi888]

You don't need a grandstand, to be honest you don't even need a view, just go out into the forest, enjoy the sounds and soak up the atmosphere.