73 replies to this topic

[ronsingapore]

First "most-fans-following" countries on my list are England, Germany and Australia.

 

What about Italy, France, Belgium? 

[Marklar]

What about Brazil?

[GSiebert]

Well if you look at the results of the GPDA poll, France was #2 in number of people participating.

[Jimisgod]

All the countries that have produced a WDC, although I'd say USA, Argentina and South Africa can no longer be considered the "heartland" - the troubles surrounding a permanent US GP and the fact the last South African GP (1993) and Argentine GP (1998) were both decades ago. Also the last Argentine driver was Mazzacane in 2001, the last South African was in 1980!

 

So: UK, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Finland.

 

Others that have to be included because of history and current fan following are Netherlands, Belgium and Japan.

Edited by Jimisgod, 02 September 2015 - 07:46.

[BlackCat]

if it was up to me, i'd give the right to hold a GP only to countries that already have a GP winner. (sorry, Japan. do not take it as an order, Venezuela...)

[Jon83]

When you see how fanatical the Japanese fans are, and considering Honda, Toyota, Bridgestone and of course Sakon Yamamoto etc I'd have to consider it very much an F1 heartland.

[Dick Dastardly]

All the countries that have produced a WDC, although I'd say USA, Argentina and South Africa can no longer be considered the "heartland" - the troubles surrounding a permanent US GP and the fact the last South African GP (1993) and Argentine GP (1998) were both decades ago. Also the last Argentine driver was Mazzacane in 2001, the last South African was in 1980!

 

So: UK, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Finland.

 

Others that have to be included because of history and current fan following are Netherlands, Belgium and Japan.

 

I don't agree that a country that produces a WDC is a "heartland"....Finland, despite several WDCs, doesn't strike me as a "heartland"

I would go along with a historical element [in other words, where GP Racing had its roots decades ago].....UK, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium for the true "heartland".

[johnmhinds]

Most fans think Spa is the spiritual home of F1:

 

Source: http://www.autosport...t.php/id/120142

[Talisman]

if it was up to me, i'd give the right to hold a GP only to countries that already have a GP winner. (sorry, Japan. do not take it as an order, Venezuela...)

Japan has already won multiple championships with Bridgestone, Honda etc etc with involvement in f1 going back over 50 years not to mention the fanbase.

I don't know about heartlands but I'd argue that this is a thread more about which countries have an open wheel culture and I would spread the net wide. Europe, North America and Japan. /edit and obviously Brazil.

Edited by Talisman, 02 September 2015 - 11:01.

[PayasYouRace]

Favourite or most popular does not mean spiritual home. Though Belgium certainly has the Grand Prix history, it's never had the great drivers and constructors that Britain, France, Germany and Italy have had. I think that's an important factor too.

[sopa]

First "most-fans-following" countries on my list are England, Germany and Australia.

 

What about Italy, France, Belgium? 

 

Most-fans-following countries? Well, if we take a % from total population, then I assume Finland might be right near the front, certainly in the haydays of Hakkinen.

 

If you succeed in high-profile sports, it is easier to catch attention in a small country than a big one. Because big countries have lots of successful sportsmen already, and in UK and Germany football takes most of the attention away anyway.

[sopa]

I see in this thread there are also different definitions of "heartland" - in terms of traditions, racing culture, etc. Certainly UK (where most of the teams are based) and also western-central Europe (incl. Germany, France) and also Italy are there. Lots of high-profile circuits, historically lots of competitors, strong feeder open-wheel-series. Outside Europe Brazil and Japan can qualify.

 

I am unsure about Australia. Yeah, they have had quite several high-profile drivers, but how high does F1 register there? I have got the impression the attention of Aussies is more on other sports.

[Kristian]

I think the UK is the most definitive F1 heartland. 

 

The first WDC race was there, most teams are based there, most World Champions were British, British fans are found in large numbers at races all over the world, its been on the calendar every year, etc. etc. 

[Brazzers]

I see in this thread there are also different definitions of "heartland" - in terms of traditions, racing culture, etc. Certainly UK (where most of the teams are based) and also western-central Europe (incl. Germany, France) and also Italy are there. Lots of high-profile circuits, historically lots of competitors, strong feeder open-wheel-series. Outside Europe Brazil and Japan can qualify.

 

I am unsure about Australia. Yeah, they have had quite several high-profile drivers, but how high does F1 register there? I have got the impression the attention of Aussies is more on other sports.

 

Yeah, we generally play more attention to other sports than F1. Majority of the time F1 will be big news if Dan or Webber for example won or did well. Other than that on free to air news the coverage only covers about 15-30seconds regarding who won and where the Aussie finished. 

[oetzi]

That's about the same as here
(UK)

Edited by oetzi, 02 September 2015 - 11:58.

[Nonesuch]

England (66), Italy (65), Monaco (62), Germany (61), Belgium (60), and France (58) have each hosted more than 50 races and make for a pretty solid list.

 

Between them they're also the birthplace of plenty of race and championship winning drivers; from Prost to Clark and Ascari to Schumacher.

 

One should probably also include Brazil (42 races and a total of 8 world championships).

[August]

Right now I can think of only two, UK and Italy.

UK because most of the teams are located there and because the British GP is one of the rare European races not in a crisis. UK jus seems like a country where more people than in other countries care about F1.

Italy seems like another country with lots of people interested in F1. And they have Ferrari.

France has great heritage in GP racing but I wouldn't call them an F1 heartland anymore. They couldn't even keep a race after 2008. And despite Germany's success in recent decades, neither it feels like an F1 heartland. Certainly the high sanctioning fee and high ticket prices caused the demise of the German GP, yet the British GP gets big crowds despite ticket prices.

I'd almost put Japan as the No. 3. They haven't had a real top driver but involvement from Japanese brands, they've got a traditional GP, and Japan seems to have passionate fans.

From the Americas, I'd mention Brazil. They have multiple drivers in the grid and host a race. Though I don't know how big F1 is for the Brazilian people.

[AustinF1]

First "most-fans-following" countries on my list are England, Germany and Australia.

 

What about Italy, France, Belgium? 

Are we talking about sheer numbers or a % of the population. For sheer numbers, the U.S. has to be pretty high up on the list. I believe the USA was 3rd on the GPDA survey response list as well.

 

Not saying it's a part of the F1 'heartland" though.

Edited by AustinF1, 02 September 2015 - 14:01.

[SealTheDiffuser]

Most fans think Spa is the spiritual home of F1:

 

Source: http://www.autosport...t.php/id/120142

 Spa is fantastic, been there this year to check out the sound.

[itsademo]

Most fans think Spa is the spiritual home of F1:

 

Source: http://www.autosport...t.php/id/120142

you seam to be getting confused between favourite track and spiritual home of F1

They are not the same thing

Just look at number two Monaco only someone who knew very little about F1 would ever claim that was more the home of F1 than say spa or silverstone

Edited by itsademo, 02 September 2015 - 14:01.

[SlickMick]

All the countries that have produced a WDC, although I'd say USA, Argentina and South Africa can no longer be considered the "heartland" - the troubles surrounding a permanent US GP and the fact the last South African GP (1993) and Argentine GP (1998) were both decades ago. Also the last Argentine driver was Mazzacane in 2001, the last South African was in 1980!
 
So: UK, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Finland.
 
Others that have to be included because of history and current fan following are Netherlands, Belgium and Japan.

So CurbPainter is single-handedly responsible for making Holland an F1 heartland? :-)

I half expected "heartland" to be a word without a plural but I was wrong. You say 14 have to be included!!!

I'll go with England and only England.

[AustinF1]

I'll go with England and only England.

Yep...

 

[SealTheDiffuser]

Homeland of F1 is of course Milton Keynes England region and Italy region Emilia Romagna. and France and Germany. Brazil for enthusiasm. and Senna.

Edited by SealTheDiffuser, 02 September 2015 - 14:17.

[ElJefe]

I would go for Azerbaijan, Bahrain, UAE.... Oh wait. 

[jjcale]

Yep...

 

 

You know he's not English ....right?

 

Anyway, it would have to be the UK for these purposes and not England.

Edited by jjcale, 02 September 2015 - 14:30.

[AustinF1]

You know he's not English ....right?

 

Anyway, it would have to be the UK for these purposes and not England.

Oh yeah. I know. I just meant there can really be only one heartland.

[SlickMick]

You know he's not English ....right?
 
Anyway, it would have to be the UK for these purposes and not England.

Just like the heartland of whiskey making is the UK?

Did you know Lambert was born in the States. All he needs to do is get a license for the Dutch acting league and immediately he would become :
I) a star overnight, and
ii) Dutch.

[GoldenColt]

How dare you all forget about Austria?   

[smitten]

England (66), Italy (65), Monaco (62), Germany (61), Belgium (60), and France (58) have each hosted more than 50 races and make for a pretty solid list.

 

Between them they're also the birthplace of plenty of race and championship winning drivers; from Prost to Clark and Ascari to Schumacher.

 

One should probably also include Brazil (42 races and a total of 8 world championships).

 

Worth noting that Clark wasn't born in any of the countries listed...

[SlickMick]

How dare you all forget about Austria?   

Austria indirectly contributed to the amount of space available to use as tracks in England, so thumbs up Austria.



I'll run away now.

[Marklar]

How dare you all forget about Austria?   

Na

 

 

Eventhought Austria had more participians in the GPDA survey than my fellow country mans

 

For orientation: That was the GPDA survey distribution

 

1. UK
2. France
3. USA
4. Austria
5. Germany
6. Netherlands
7. Australia
8. Japan
9. Italy
10. Brazil

[GVera]

Based on the open post "most-fans-following" criteria I would say that F1 is closely followed in most Latin Amercia countries (percentually to population).

At least there are enough fans to justify a 24x7 F1 cable/DirectTV channel. Just curious, is there one in Europe?

[LuckyStrike1]

Azerbadjan. Bahrain. Russia. Abu Dhabi. South Korea. 

[Counterbalance]

The spirtual home / heartland of F1? Why, that can only be the very same place where Hollwood casting directors have looked towards when casting the lead role for the baddie in every feature film produced over the past decade or more. England, of course!

Edited by Counterbalance, 02 September 2015 - 15:35.

[charly0418]

Indianapolis

[oetzi]

Right now I can think of only two, UK and Italy.

I see it as UK being the spine and Italy being the heart.

The structure is here, but the feeling is there.

[maximilian]

The original ones: France, UK, Germany, Italy and Belgium, Monaco.

 

Add to those the 2nd generation ones:  Austria, Spain, Japan, Brazil, Australia, Canada.

 

The rest are temporary and/or debatable.

[Imateria]

Not sure I'd count Spain on there, I mean despite racing in the country since the 60's it's only really been big in the country since Alonso turned up.

[Currahee]

Worth noting that Clark wasn't born in any of the countries listed...

 

Quite right. 

 

His farm looked onto one of those countries though. 

[johnmhinds]

you seam to be getting confused between favourite track and spiritual home of F1

They are not the same thing

Just look at number two Monaco only someone who knew very little about F1 would ever claim that was more the home of F1 than say spa or silverstone

 

Isn't Monaco still consistently one of the most watched races on the calendar though?

 

A lot more casual fans have watched a Monaco race and would associate it as being what F1 is than a race at somewhere like Monza or Suzuka.

[Spillage]

I don't know about the heartland, the following are nations who's Grands Prix I wouldn't like to lose under any circumstances:

UK
Italy
Germany
Canada
Japan
Brazil
Australia

Monaco and Spa are worth moving heaven and earth to keep, but because of the tracks, not the country they're in. I'd also have France on that list if there was still a GP there. Spain, the US, China and Russia I'd hate to lose, but think I'd probably get over it. Malaysia, Hungary, Singapore and Austria I'm a bit ambivalent towards; Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and the future Azerbaijan I actively dislike (though I see the case for having at least one race in the Middle East.) I like the fact Mexico's coming back and I'd also like to see events in India, South Africa and Argentina.

Edited by Spillage, 02 September 2015 - 18:31.

[pdac]

UK, Germany and Italy - that's it.

[Volcano70]

India,Turkey,South Korea

[Talisman]

UK, Germany and Italy - that's it.

 

If Germany is an F1 heartland why did the German GP get cancelled because of insufficient local interest?

[anneomoly]

Defining heartland as somewhere essential to the wellbeing of the sport, I'd have to say the UK and Italy. Except, not really. The twin heartlands of F1 are the Midlands (from Donington to Milton Keynes) and Maranello, they're just contained in the UK and Italy. The places that are the homes of Ferrari, McLaren, Williams, and those teams that have changed names a thousand times but are still really the same team.

 

Historical heartland of F1, France (Grand Prix, Federation Internationale de l'Automobile)

 

Core fans: UK, Italy, Japan, Brazil, France.

[Ruusperi]

Most-fans-following countries? Well, if we take a % from total population, then I assume Finland might be right near the front, certainly in the haydays of Hakkinen.

You are right about the haydays. 1,9 million (37% of the whole population) were following the start of Brazilian GP in 2003. But since the FTA coverage was dropped after 2006, there are probably only 300 000 core fans left. So, I'd say UK.

[Nonesuch]

If Germany is an F1 heartland why did the German GP get cancelled because of insufficient local interest?

 

It didn't. There is quite a bit more to this year's cancellation, and it's a story that also involves the troubled recent history of the Nürburgring which could fill a thread all on its own.

 

There will be a German Grand Prix at Hockenheim in 2016, and I'm sure Germany can miss a year without ending up among Turkey and South-Korea.

[August]

It didn't. There is quite a bit more to this year's cancellation, and it's a story that also involves the troubled recent history of the Nürburgring which could fill a thread all on its own.

 

If hosting the race would be so profitable, surely a financially troubled organization would like to have. But it isn't.

 

It's hard for European tracks to keep races when there are government-funded races in Asia. It's hard to get the money for the sanctioning fee from tickets, especially as the ticket prices must be so high. With the turnout of 2014, you know you can't get the sanctioning fee from tickets. And I don't blame Germans for lack of interest, neither I would pay almost €200 for tickets.

[ElJefe]

UK, Italy, Germany, France. Honourable mentions for Austria, Belgium, Australia, Japan, and Brazil. My heart says Argentina as well, given the fact that Fangio was quite possibly the best F1 driver ever, although it's been a long time ago since we've had an Argentinean GP or even an Argentinean driver on the grid. 

[Nonesuch]

If hosting the race would be so profitable, surely a financially troubled organization would like to have. But it isn't.

 

Well sure, but whether the race can be profitable or not is rather a different issue from there being local interest in organizing or attending the event.

 

The Germans may have fallen out of love with F1 a bit more than their neighbours, but at the moment I'd still include it on the heartlands-list.