The state of F1...

Justin:

My review of the Australian GP was pretty positive I think.

Then this.

I need to write about the last few days.

Driver statement
Andrew Benson, from the BBC, reviews the statement here. The statement/ letter in full is here.

I read the letter and it made a fair amount of sense. They spoke of "changing landscapes in TV viewing" and the "current global economic climate" to name but two things. They also referred to various rule changes, technical changes etc. They referred to them, without referring to them.

Just a few hours later...
Ok, either one of two things happened. Either the GPDA knew of the Sky exclusive deal from 2019 and decided to get a statement out first....OR...The powers that be in F1 decided to announce the deal as a reply to the drivers rising up against them. Would not surprise me in the slightest at all!!!!

So, Sky has all rights to live F1 from 2019. It will decide to sell a highlights, scraps if you will, package to a free to air channel.

I am furious.

No, not because I don't have Sky TV.

I am furious because F1 is going down the shit pan commercially.

Why?

1. The audience on Sky is nowhere near as big as on free to air TV. Fact.

2. This new 2019 TV deal just stinks of the F1 powers that be...Bernie, the F1 company...hell even perhaps the FIA!!!....They grab as much money as they can, no matter the cost. Look at the many new Grand Prix venues that pay a crap load of cash to hold a Grand Prix, then they have empty stadiums the whole weekend. Then they give a tiny amount to the teams compared to how much they earn!

At the expense of other races where the crowds would attend in their hundreds of thousands.

Follow the money. And it is a stinking trail back to Bernie and CVC.

3. The drivers, the guys that put their lives on the line every race, pointed out their concerns. They are bloody ignored!! Ask Alonso.

4. The complete fuck up with the new qualifying format. F1 claims to "listen to fans". Erm. No. Fact
Everyone. Literally everyone, said the new qualifying format didn't work and let's go back to the 2015 version, which didn't really need changing. Teams, team bosses, drivers, fans = unanimous.

Even Bernie said he didn't like it (perhaps he realised he might lose money somehow).

Then, a few days later (after it was put out there that obviously everyone hated it and we'd go back to old qualifying as soon as Bahrain) - F1 powers that be suddenly change their mind and say "oh hang on a minute, new qualifying is not great, but lets give it another race first (BEFORE WE ACTUALLY LISTEN TO EVERYONE ELSE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD)".

Urgh.

The drivers are on the fans side.

Why the hell aren't the people that run F1 on our side too? Oh, thats, right. Follow the stink of cash.