2020 Formula One Random Discussion Thread

Coldtyre · PostPosted: Wed Apr 08, 2020 3:33 pm

Stop it guys, now I'm getting sad.

Can't wait for the next classic race to be released on F1's official Youtube just so I can feel like I'm 12 again for the space of two hours, not a worry in mind, and no global pandemic tearing everything apart.

Seriously though, I know all those races are available on demand, but there's something special with anticipating the live broadcast time and sticking to it.

LucasWheldon · PostPosted: Wed Apr 08, 2020 4:03 pm

they should pick one from 1999, maybe Nurburgring or Magny Cours

James B · PostPosted: Wed Apr 08, 2020 5:18 pm

Meanwhile, Ferrari are pushing for variable budget caps: https://racer.com/2020/04/08/ferrari-bo ... y-by-team/

Man, talk about trying to turn a horrible situation to your advantage - how low can they go? Shameless

LucasWheldon · PostPosted: Wed Apr 08, 2020 5:36 pm

well, Liberty can put F1 for sale and Ferrari could end buying the whole thing pretty much like Roger Penske did at Indy. Of course this could lead to a bunch of conflict of interests that can increase the dislike for the team

Metzo · PostPosted: Wed Apr 08, 2020 8:43 pm

LucasWheldon wrote:

they should pick one from 1999, maybe Nurburgring or Magny Cours

nürburgring 99 would great. outstanding race.

otherwise maybe a other great classic race everybody forgets; mexico 1990.

James B · PostPosted: Wed Apr 08, 2020 9:02 pm

Nurburgring 1995 imo

amq55 · PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2020 12:25 am

Scotty wrote:

Coldtyre wrote:

I don't know if F1 teams are run like a regular business. Do they have treasury of some kind, for rough times? Or do they just run their budget to the ground every year anyway? Because in the latter case, it doesn't make a difference what the cap was at the start.

It seems that this is just the sort of sport that will stop entirely during a bad-enough global crisis, and then easily get restarted after once the funding and economy blossoms again. Long-term longevity doesn't seem to be an active interest for any team, except maybe Ferrari.

Most F1 teams are sub-businesses of publicly listed companies. Ferrari and Alfa from Fiat, Red Bull and Alpha Tauri from Red Bull gmbh. Mercedes from Mercedes, Renault from Nissan. Williams were publicly listed, think they still are (but I believe they have other interests outside motorsport, such as manufacturing and real estate). I don't know about Haas or Racing Point, I think they'r privately backed.

Just like the GFC, they are programs that will be terminated if they are costing too much money.

A lot of sporting organisations are getting big loans (nearing the billions) from banks to help keep their sport afloat during this. Liberty will be no different, but hopefully there is enough left over after they've supported themselves to support the teams

From someone who works in the automotive industry (I work with Japanese and German car manufacturers) the car industry is holding up OK. the car manufacturers I deal with haven't closed. One has stopped production, but not specifically due to corona virus, but due to lack of sales (development hasn't stopped).

Williams are still publicly traded (about 25% is owned by public shares) and has an engineering branch. Haas falls under the Haas Automation (not public) umbrella but can end the F1 program. Racing Point doesn't seem to have any connections to any companies, seems to be the only team not a part of a larger holding group.

LucasWheldon · PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2020 12:40 am

the most optimistic say the luxury brands usually don't feel that much (because the rich people lose way less than the others) and that might be what could save the sport, granted that the teams have a backing from F1 and also a budget cap

Philthy82 · PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2020 1:13 am

Split the Ferrari bonus amongst all the non-Ferrari teams, simples

LucasWheldon · PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2020 1:18 am

and tell them to shut up when they complain because they always get good chunks of money to lose the championship every single time

Fabs · PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2020 8:13 am

Coldtyre wrote:

Stop it guys, now I'm getting sad.

Can't wait for the next classic race to be released on F1's official Youtube just so I can feel like I'm 12 again for the space of two hours, not a worry in mind, and no global pandemic tearing everything apart.

Seriously though, I know all those races are available on demand, but there's something special with anticipating the live broadcast time and sticking to it.

Here's some hope for you: https://youtu.be/t4NkL4D0P8A

I really think Brawn is optimistic about organising races, even if it is without fans.

James B · PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2020 8:41 am

Williams sold off a majority stake in their engineering wing in December

RtN · PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2020 10:22 am

Interesting to see how Liberty would entice promoters to hold races without fans - no fans means no income and the bill for holding the race still remains. What do they do? Do they allow promoters to hold the race for free? Possible, but Liberty need that money too.

It's all academic until the FCO travel advice changes, anyway. Can't hold much of a race with 7 of the teams stuck at home.

mclaren2008 · PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2020 11:03 am

Philthy82 wrote:

Split the Ferrari bonus amongst all the non-Ferrari teams, simples

Not just that but no more "bribe" payments to keep teams on the grid

Prize money need to be fairly distributed

RtN · PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2020 12:52 am

Promoters don't get TV money, unless Liberty changed that without anyone spotting it.

TV money is another issue in itself - if F1 doesn't stump up 15 races then the TV networks don't have to pay them anything.

You are right about the reduced overheads, and obviously government-backed races don't have the problem of needing fans to make money, but that still leaves the problem of the teams being stuck in Europe until all 3 governments (UK, Italy, Switzerland) say that it is safe to travel abroad. And of course the hosting governments have to allow the teams in, which is not guaranteed, even with the carrot of being the first race of the season dangling out there - Singapore lifted their restrictions a couple of weeks ago and have now had to introduce stronger measures as the outbreak is exploding at a far greater rate than it did in January.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavir ... singapore/

Fabs · PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2020 7:08 am

Yeah I never heard of any promotors getting TV money.

I still doubt you can keep everyone safe from the virus during a weekend. Are they going to test everyone involved that weekend? And what if someone tests positive? Tough luck for that team?
Ross Brawn says he can keep everyone at the circuit isolated. How? You still have locals interacting with the entire F1 staff that will have traveled around the world. It seems unreasonable to me.

Unless there's a vaccine in 2020, which is highly unlikely, I think you won't see a single race this season.

Juihi · PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2020 9:09 am

It's looking that way, heck Dana White was trying to get fights happening on a private island which would be tightly controlled, but he's been told no way but ESPN and Disney

RtN · PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2020 11:03 am

Rencken spells it out far better than I could;

https://www.racefans.net/2020/04/01/wil ... n-started/

He has also written another article on just how fucked the teams are;

https://www.racefans.net/2020/04/08/ana ... ial-shock/

LucasWheldon · PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2020 2:24 pm

better FIA start ditching manufacturers and let only those who have the will to race go, like in the 60's and 70's

codename_47 · PostPosted: Sat Apr 11, 2020 4:23 pm

Today's "classic" race is Monza 2019

Not sure why this was even chosen. If they wanted a 2019 race there was plenty other better ones
If they wanted a Leclerc victory, Spa would've been better.
But I guess the result is all that matters to these people, so we have to sit through a race that, while it has its moments, is far from a classic, just so they can re-show all that "Ferrari winning in Italy" passion on the podium

Ho hum....

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2020 Formula One Random Discussion Thread

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