21 replies to this topic

[SophieB]

@Motorsport
Domenicali on two-day weekends: “All the organisers really wanted to have a full experience for the crowd, so we need to respect that.”

 

https://motorsport.com/f1/news/domenicali-rules-out-two-day-f1-weekend/6254438/… #F1

 

 

(I'm sure we had a thread on this idea which has been floating around but can't find it. )

[TomNokoe]

The quote is from this really weird F1 YouTube video where they ask him a bunch of softball questions

 

[Risil]

Well, I'm glad. If you're really following a Grand Prix closely, especially if you've travelled to get there, Friday practice is a big draw.

 

Also there's something really cool and special about watching racing cars go round while all the 9-5 schlubs are still at work.

[pacificquay]

My concern with the push for two-day meetings was they’d use it as an excuse to have 30 races a year or something ridiculous. So in that sense this is a positive development.

[cpbell]

My concern with the push for two-day meetings was they’d use it as an excuse to have 30 races a year or something ridiculous. So in that sense this is a positive development.

Agreed.

[RedRabbit]

If they do make any kind of changes, FP1 should be for the official reserve drivers only. It's crazy that they don't actually get any real time in the car anymore,and they can do the "donkey work" with shake downs and base line set up verification.

[sheSgoTthElooK]

When you think of television coverage, 2-days is better.

 

When you think of live experience, 3-days is better. 

 

When you think of the fact that most guys are not free on Fridays due to their jobs, it doesn't matter if 2 or 3.

 

When you think of engineers, technical failure, some crybaby driver, 3 days is better.

 

Capeesh?   

Edited by sheSgoTthElooK, 14 April 2021 - 15:06.

[Mark521]

Of all of the F1 stakeholders, the race promoters need all the help they can get.  Would Liberty cut their fee enough to make it economically feasible for all of the stakeholders?  Sure a two day weekend might improve the show as it may lead to some unpredictability and reduce some costs but both the promoter and the sponsors would get less exposure thus would pay less too.  As stated above, you would have to add more races (not many but certainly more) to earn back that same amount of revenue.

 

Unless the reduced costs of cutting out the Friday practices and the one less "on-site day" costs are really significant, I don't see the economic sense in changing the current 3 day scheme. 

[Gemini]

3 days race weekend is better for local economy (hotels, restaurants, bars, transportation) and with lot of races race supported by public money and I can see a benefit of it.

 

I attended 10+ race weekends when I was younger and less cautious about money and when cars created proper noise. Now I am not as excited about F1 so I can imagine myself buying cheap Friday ticket to just go and experience cars on track and go back home when following the race is actually much "better" experience.

 

Honestly I am quite puzzled that teams are eager to carry all that super expensive motorhomes and other **** and use it for one less day for sponsors exposure and hospitality

Edited by Gemini, 14 April 2021 - 16:46.

[Red5ive]

By "experience for the crowd" - I think they probably mean - "punters buying stuff at the track on all 3 days, 3 day tickets, hospitality etc" - which is fair enough given that most tracks dont earn a great deal (if anything) from an F1 weekend due to the huge costs they have to pay F1 for holding a race.

[pdac]

I can't see from that article and the quote given how it is established that he's ruled it out. All he says was that "All the organisers really wanted to have a full experience for the people and for the crowd, so we need to respect that". This to me just means that they have to provide 3 days of action - not that the F1 format remains unchanged. They can change to a 2-day format and provide something else on the third day.

[Myrvold]

Well, I'm glad. If you're really following a Grand Prix closely, especially if you've travelled to get there, Friday practice is a big draw.

 

Yup. I only got Saturday and Sunday when I watched my (so far) only GP. It was an experience regardless, really enjoyed Singapore - but I wish I had the Friday there as well!

[Grayson]

When you think of television coverage, 2-days is better.

 

When you think of live experience, 3-days is better. 

 

When I'm at a Grand Prix, the three day format is definitely better. That's especially true if I've got General Admin tickets and I can spend the Friday scouting out good spots to watch the action that really matters!

 

I quite like the three day format when I'm not at the race as well, though. The Radio 5 coverage of free practice in the UK is brilliant, and I love listening to the team filling time and talking nonsense while there isn't much happening. It's a great way to get geared up and excited about the race weekend that's just getting started!

 

All in all, I'm glad that they're not talking about doing 2 day race weekends. That would mean less F1!

[loki]

Of all of the F1 stakeholders, the race promoters need all the help they can get.  Would Liberty cut their fee enough to make it economically feasible for all of the stakeholders?  Sure a two day weekend might improve the show as it may lead to some unpredictability and reduce some costs but both the promoter and the sponsors would get less exposure thus would pay less too.  As stated above, you would have to add more races (not many but certainly more) to earn back that same amount of revenue.

 

Unless the reduced costs of cutting out the Friday practices and the one less "on-site day" costs are really significant, I don't see the economic sense in changing the current 3 day scheme. 

 

The cost reduction would be in accommodation and per diem plus whatever hospitality is saved or any sort of at track bonus the crew might get.  The crews would arrive a day later and start working Thurs instead of  Weds. Don’t know if they could build the motorhomes with a reduced schedule.

[maximilian]

2 days is enough with less fluff, and fits well into F1's philosophy of offering less and less of value to the fans, so it makes perfect sense.

[Tombstone]

Can't say I'm bothered as I found the Friday sessions interminably dull. If I'm not at work on a Friday there are far more enjoyable pursuits, like doing laundry, going shopping, washing my cars, sitting in the garden vaping, or listening to Smith & Sniff podcasts.

[Mark521]

The cost reduction would be in accommodation and per diem plus whatever hospitality is saved or any sort of at track bonus the crew might get.  The crews would arrive a day later and start working Thurs instead of  Weds. Don’t know if they could build the motorhomes with a reduced schedule.

 

Agree but it reduces the amount of time the market group has to sell sponsors.  One of the big selling features is the "private sponsor party guests" that get to see a Formula One team up close and it's much easier to get a "meet and greet" with drivers, etc. on a Friday of a 3 day event.  So a 2 day event means the Sponsors should get a discount (as in a reduction of income to the Teams).  Labor costs (other than some travel premium and OT pay) really don't change (but agree that the travel expenses do reduce).

 

So if there's one less day at the event, does the driver's promotional time get reduced too?  Maybe the real savings is a reduced driver salary    as there workload has reduced both on and off the track.

[ArrowsLivery]

Very good. Hopefully sprint races are put in the same garbahe can as two day events.

[loki]

Agree but it reduces the amount of time the market group has to sell sponsors.  One of the big selling features is the "private sponsor party guests" that get to see a Formula One team up close and it's much easier to get a "meet and greet" with drivers, etc. on a Friday of a 3 day event.  So a 2 day event means the Sponsors should get a discount (as in a reduction of income to the Teams).  Labor costs (other than some travel premium and OT pay) really don't change (but agree that the travel expenses do reduce).

 

So if there's one less day at the event, does the driver's promotional time get reduced too?  Maybe the real savings is a reduced driver salary    as there workload has reduced both on and off the track.

Most of the activation happens Fri night events, Sat for qual and night events and Sunday.  I don’t see it having an impact on sponsorship.

[Lights]

Screw 2 day weekends, I'm for 4 day weekends if that means we go back to 17 races.

[Red5ive]

Most of the activation happens Fri night events, Sat for qual and night events and Sunday.  I don’t see it having an impact on sponsorship.

 

Presume you mean "activity" - actually there is still a hell of a lot of corporate hospitality/events on the Friday of a GP - I should know - I have been to a fair few

 

Admittedly not as much as on a Sat or Sun but Fir is cheaper for smaller corp events and the bigger sponsors eg Allianz etc - can invite lesser guests and staff on the Friday while bagging the Sat/Sun for board members and blue chip clients . You even have hospitality companies buying seats in the non-corp areas i.e Club Silverstone for their guests on all 3 days.

 

So losing the Sunday would mean sponsors, corporate hospitality and the circuit would all lose a chunk of cash.

[pdac]

Screw 2 day weekends, I'm for 4 day weekends if that means we go back to 17 races.

 

6 days and 50 event for me.