Chase Carey: "F1 fans must accept some changes"
- Published on 14 Feb 2018 09:42
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- By: Rob Veenstra
Chase Carey has hit back at criticism of the changes being made to formula one. Liberty Media has been slammed in recent days and weeks by some fans who believe the sport's new owners are changing too much.
For instance, the controversial Halo is arriving this year, grid girls have been banned, the long-standing race start time has been tweaked, and more races in the US are planned. F1 chief executive Carey denies the fans are being ignored. "The fans are incredibly important to us," he told Sport Bild, "just as Europe - including Germany - is our base."
"So our motto is: same game, different approach. We want to create a product that includes everything the fans grew up with, but that is not frozen in time. Because if you do not allow change, you cannot grow. Bernie Ecclestone said himself in 2016 that he would not buy a ticket to a race. There was a negative spiral and we had to break it," American Carey added.
He sees many positives about F1 at present, including the biggest driving stars. "Lewis Hamilton is a very special personality," Carey said of the reigning world champion. "Half of Holland comes to the races to see Max Verstappen, and Ferrari is the brightest light in the sport."
However, he said he hopes there is more "competition and drama" in 2018 compared to last season. "Last year it was too much of a duel between Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton," said Carey. "I wish that sometimes an underdog would win rather than only the favourites. Can Fernando Alonso win again? Can McLaren attack with Renault? Will Verstappen have more luck than in the first half of 2017? They would all be nice scenarios," he added. (GMM)
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Replies (20)
Login to replyBhurt
Posts: 320
I don't think people are against change. They're against change that is bad, pointless, stupid or all of the above.
HEINZ
Posts: 61
I accept changing for the better!
#bringbackgridgirls
Freguz
Posts: 160
Do not change too much, but here are a few things i'd like to see
- more mechanical grip
- less aero grip (for closer chasing)
- no track limit punishment, but:
- natural tracks limits, that makes you lose time (like grass, sand, or walls)
- skip DRS
- better full wet tires
- better drainage of tracks to get rid of water after rain
Bhurt
Posts: 320
If we're allowed to make a wish, I would like to see the drivers championship become one where the best driver wins, not the guy who happens to be in the best car.
Have the FIA sign the top 20 drivers in the world (no more pay-drivers). 20 cars on the grid, each driver drives each car once. Best driver wins (and best car wins the constructors).
mpm001
Posts: 20
FREGUZ, you hit it right on the nose! Why doesn't anyone see these simple facts that will make the racing more exciting.
RogerF1
Posts: 501
7 x YES. This is what all the motor racing fans want but Liberty don’t seem to take notice. Get it right with these changes and fan base will increase immensely then they can tinker with ‘the show’ or perhaps won’t need to. This is what will engage the public. “I wish sometimes an underdog would win”. Pirelli hot laps, grid kids, social media won’t help the underdogs. Equal returns from the pot for each team - no point having 6 cars on the grid- plus a small bonus to winner and more to the teams than Liberty’s coffers. They don’t have an income if most of the teams pack up. Car park racing is boring, get rid of those circuits.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
-I could agree about removing DRS, IF we replace aero grip with mechanical grip. And only then. As it stands however, DRS was great in 2017.
-Hell no to natural track limits. I get that it sounds cooler, and I get the "you're out, you're done" concept, but it doesnt work for F1. The cars are too expensive and too fragile for that to be realistic.
-Replace better full wet tyres with better tyres overall. We need Pirelli to produce better tyres, and we need Liberty to revert from the current regulations to tyres that can actually be raced on.
-Most tracks actually have decent drainage, but the tracks that doesnt (Monza comes to mind) certainly need to fix that.
I've added a few points of my own:
-More allocations. I get the whole eco-friendly thing. But 3 units for an entire year wont cut it if we want fun racing.
-If we are to have 3 or fewer allocations, give drivers involved in racing incidents a free allocation if their PU is beyond repair. If a driver is hit by another, e.g Alonso during Singapore last year, they could very well end up not only retiring from one race, but has to take grid penalties the next. That, in my opinion, isnt okay, and needs to be adressed. Drivers responsible for incidents shouldnt have the same luxury.
-A controversial point: some kind of Balance of Performance might be sound. We cant have a supplier this dominant as Mercedes is. I understand it harms the leader, but I think it could be done in a way that helps those falling back without actually harming them.
Pauli
Posts: 140
There is not such thing as mechanical grip in F1 ;)
Ok. There is but it is basically friction coefficient that is nearly entirely decided by tyre compound and tyre temperature effect to the compound.
Friction coefficient is multiplied by normal force applied to the contact surface. That means force directly towards down affects how much friction is available. The force down is dominated by aerodynamic downforce. Minor extra component is suspension generated forced towards ground depending on how bumpy surface is. The suspension effect has greater share on slow speeds than high speeds.
Now the issue with current aero dynamic regulations is that teams generate very turbulent/draggy downforce that makes it very hard to follow cars close.
Improved aero regulations would ban any aero elements that generate rotating vortexes around car. To mitigate downforce lose from lost vortexes we could keep downforce levels near same with car body works changes that vortex controlled air flow areas with smooth surface controlled air flows. Current vortex controlled air flows are at least include air flow around open wheels and air flow around sides of floor.
reg
Posts: 162
Why changes - what are they fixing?
We all like it and it makes loads of money!
Or maybe they paid Bernie too much for it all and need to improve their profitability?
The latter methinks, and they will ruin our sport for their profit!
Nothing new here then!!!!
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Changing the payments so that smaller teams get more cash compared to earlier and Ferrari doesnt get as overpaid isnt a good change?
RenaultFM1
Posts: 100
Sell it back to Bernie, he was imperfect but at least he had the heart into it.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Imperfect as in completely incompetent these last years... Lest you like the thought of him milking more historic venues dry?
kngrthr
Posts: 203
F1 is a sport not a product.
beware guys in suits who see everything as a product
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Still better than seeing it as a cow to milk dry. Looking at you, Bernie.
f1dave
Posts: 782
Restrictive rules to try and level the field are counter productive. Fewer silly rules, fewer tire choices and getting rid of grid penalties for mechanical problems, plus less interference with the amount of money spent and let the chips fall where they may. ( oh, and no children on the grid)
Mad-Dog
Posts: 2
Fans will adjust, not to your wishes learn from Nascar lost fan base , and viewers if not for tv deals will be in red, beginning of decline can give tickets away from $90.00 to $35.00
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
So far I like many of the things Liberty has done, and I think people should, can and likely will adapt to some of the changes. HOWEVER, and here's my shrimp, if you, as the leader of a sport, say the fans of the sport should adapt to you, you've got it a bit backwards. Your duty as the leader of that sport is to retain old fans and recruit more. So far, I like Liberty, but they need to make sure that F1 retain its spirit and fans.
ajpennypacker
Posts: 2,475
I don't agree with all the changes Liberty has made, but I definitely agree with the approach. The sport was dying under Bernie. Liberty is still pretty new and they are trying things out. I like that they do market research before changing something instead of simply implementing ideas that Bernie pulled out of his arse. Finally, while the suggestions made above by @Freguz are all great, we must keep in mind that most if that can't really change until 2021 when the current arrangement expires.
Numnum
Posts: 4,863
At leaste he’s keeping his promise and started listening to the F1 fans.
Oh wait....
He prefers little kids... on the grid...
RenaultFM1
Posts: 100
Changes like the boxing promotors.. If this is the way you think is future for FM1 I think better you sell it back to a company with european gen's.