73 replies to this topic

[Spillage]

August, on 02 Sept 2015 - 19:35, said:

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.

Not too many races are profitable - I don't think the British GP is either, in spite of the cracking crowd it drew this year. Most of the money is hoovered up by Bernie.

[maverick69]

Primarily the UK...... All day long.

 

Go to any pitlane, in any series in the world - and you'll hear a number of British accents..... or see a number of British built components.

 

One of the few things that us lime munchin', warm beer swillin' Brits can really be proud of.

 

Now...... Where's that cookbook...... and does anyone know what a dentist is?

[oetzi]

anneomoly, on 02 Sept 2015 - 19:10, said:

the Midlands (from Donington to Milton Keynes) and Maranello

Spot on

[ronsingapore]

AustinF1, on 02 Sept 2015 - 13:54, said:

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.

 

Nope, when I started this thread, I meant as in absolute numbers, no percentage of the population.

 

in this case, I am referring specifically to Formula One only, not any other racing series or championships.

[warp]

Yup... UK and Italy.

 

Italy went as far as giving San Marino a GP in order to have two GP's on Italian soil.

[oetzi]

UK does more. Italy cares more. The rest make up numbers.

[Nathan]

UK, Italy, Germany, France, Brazil, maaaybe Japan.

[Atreiu]

Canada

USA

Brazil

UK

Germany

Monaco

Belgium

Italy

Japan

Australia

 

My opinion. And I also think the calendar should permanently be centered around them.

[Nathan]

As a Canadian I have to ask, what makes our country a heartland?

 

We have only produced two successful racers over a 35+ year span, and don't really have anyone in line to do so again.  Never truly produced a car.  The TV ratings are OK, but I would bet 90% of Canadians couldn't name a team other than Ferrari, know what kind of engines are use, any basic rules, or even who last years champion was.  If half could name a Canadian F1 driver I would be shocked.

 

Do you just need a good race track and a driver to pull at the heart strings to become a heartland?

[ronsingapore]

Nathan, on 03 Sept 2015 - 03:13, said:

As a Canadian I have to ask, what makes our country a heartland?

 

We have only produced two successful racers over a 35+ year span, and don't really have anyone in line to do so again.  Never truly produced a car.  The TV ratings are OK, but I would bet 90% of Canadians couldn't name a team other than Ferrari, know what kind of engines are use, any basic rules, or even who last years champion was.  If half could name a Canadian F1 driver I would be shocked.

 

Do you just need a good race track and a driver to pull at the heart strings to become a heartland?

 

That was what i thought, because i saw a marketing article that described UK, Germany and Australia as F1 heartlands, but I don't see how Australia is a heartland when Italy is left out.

[sopa]

ElJefe, on 02 Sept 2015 - 14:27, said:

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

 

Maybe they are heartlands in terms of investment by the government.

[shonguiz]

Jimisgod, on 02 Sept 2015 - 07:41, said:

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.

Nz ? What do they have apart from Bruce McLaren ?

[oetzi]

It's a long way away and nobody lives there so you can't prove them wrong

[Currahee]

anneomoly, on 02 Sept 2015 - 19:10, said:

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.

 

I'd add Finland to the core fans. 

[scheivlak]

shonguiz, on 03 Sept 2015 - 08:54, said:

Nz ? What do they have apart from Bruce McLaren ?

A WDC -as mentioned- for a start.....

[Atreiu]

Nathan, on 03 Sept 2015 - 03:13, said:

As a Canadian I have to ask, what makes our country a heartland?

 

We have only produced two successful racers over a 35+ year span, and don't really have anyone in line to do so again.  Never truly produced a car.  The TV ratings are OK, but I would bet 90% of Canadians couldn't name a team other than Ferrari, know what kind of engines are use, any basic rules, or even who last years champion was.  If half could name a Canadian F1 driver I would be shocked.

 

Do you just need a good race track and a driver to pull at the heart strings to become a heartland?

 

 

I considered heartland places F1 should necessarilly visit. Canada is one of them thanks to the obviously successfull and popular Canadian GP.

[ronsingapore]

Is Australia considered a F1 heartland? I can get it for UK, Germany and Italy.

[Volcano70]

The heartlands of motorsport are where the fans and the races are not the money and crap drivers.

[fastest]

I can name you a few that aren't F1 heartlands, how bout that? Hmmmm???

 

Like there are..... Malaysia, China, Bahrain, Singapore, Russia, Abu Dhabi. Basically one third of the calender. How come I wonder....  Nervermind the stands being empty, or so called fans who are clueless about what they're watching. But hey, at least they're wearing a Ferari t-shirt.

 

All of Europe is F1's heartland. They are the most passionate fans by far. Not to mention, it's the cradle of F1. And I for one would like to see 80% of the GP's  being held back in Europe again. Brazil and Japan derserve to be mentioned as well, countries with a lot of history and passion for the sport.

Edited by fastest, 04 September 2015 - 02:48.

[HeadFirst]

I think we are really talking about the hotbeds of F1, not heartlands. There can be only one heartland and for F1 it is Europe, specifically France where the first race for gasoline fueled automobiles was held in 1887.

[Wuzak]

HeadFirst, on 04 Sept 2015 - 04:18, said:

I think we are really talking about the hotbeds of F1, not heartlands. There can be only one heartland and for F1 it is Europe, specifically France where the first race for gasoline fueled automobiles was held in 1887.

 

And not to mention the first ever Grand Prix in 1906.

[shonguiz]

Germany-France-Italy-Great Britain and maybe Japan. All other countries are good F1 spots at best.

Edited by shonguiz, 04 September 2015 - 23:09.

[LB]

SlickMick, on 02 Sept 2015 - 15:01, said:

Just like the heartland of whiskey making is the UK?

 

Nope thats Ireland ;)

[4Wheeldrift]

If we want to discuss heartland then we have to focus on heart.  If you rip the heart out of something it dies.

 

Therefore which countries would kill F1 if you ripped their participation out?  UK and Italy. 

 

If you removed the UK obviously it would mean the end of all teams apart from Sauber, STR and Ferrari who'd all lose some staff but could recover and continue with Ferrari, Renault and Honda engines.  The logistics, management and TV companies would all need to be replaced.

 

Removing Italy would be the end of two teams and the need to swap to a different tyre supplier, and brake supplier, but the championship could mostly function with one team needing a new engine supplier.

If you tried it with France, you'd lose a driver and Renault engines, no teams, no GP.  So a couple of teams would have to use other engines

If you tried it with Germany you'd lose a few drivers but no teams, no engine, no GP (this year)

If you tried it with the US you'd lose a GP and a team next year

Australia would cause the loss of a driver and venue, Brazil two drivers.

 

If you were to stuff UK into the memory chute, you'd be erasing a huge amount of F1 history (champions, teams etc), similarly with Ferrari , sorry Italy.

 

Obviously the above is very simplistic - you can always find ways around things.  But I think if we are taking heartland we are talking about the UK, Every other country would in someway be manageable if it were to cease participating in F1, but if the UK stopped then F1's heart would be gone.

 

Although if you want to do stereotypes then Italy is the true heartland of F1, with the UK being the brainland.