It's probably not news to anyone that there's a huge problem with Formula 1 nowadays. Firstly, the number of fans has declined so much in recent years that you can almost count them by hand. If the trend continues in the same rhythm for a few years more, I may not even be grossly exaggerating if I write that sentence again in about a decade or so.
Secondly, but also related to the first, the very essence of Formula 1 has been changed in the third millennium, and not necessarily for the better.
The main problem is not necessarily that the overall number of viewers has severely declined, but the fact that F1 fans no longer watch every race as religiously as they used to. On the other hand, if we were to juxtapose the popularity of old-school F1 (say, pre-2000) to the one of today it would be like explaining to a young millennial that a Nokia 3310 is better at being a phone than a high-tech, 2015 smartphone. Sure, the 3310 could probably use a larger screen and maybe Internet or GPS capabilities, but strictly as a phone it does the same job for a fraction of the cost compared to a modern smartphone. Not to mention that it could survive multiple drops and its battery had nothing better to do than depleting its energy over several days instead of just a few hours.
While it's true that part of the decline in viewership can be accounted to an increase in pay-per-view or Pay-TV subscriptions in several markets, that is not the only elephant in the room. The real sore spot comprises more than one explanation, so to form a well-educated opinion we have to look at the facts first.
The U.K. - traditionally one of the most F1-hungry countries out there - switched to Pay-TV back in 2012, when Sky Sports started broadcasting the entire championship live, while the Beeb currently shows only about half of the races. This can translate to fewer “casual viewers” in the long run, but also an increase in the quality of the remaining audience, who are probably slightly richer, better educated and especially more, let's say entrenched, as followers. In other words, although the overall number of viewers has slightly reduced (about five percent year-on-year in the U.K. alone) in the last few years, the remaining audience is actually more important to sponsors, so that was somewhat of a good thing.
Still, the introduction of Pay-TV may work well as a sieve that separates the casual viewer from the hardcore fan, but in my view it's not doing much to resurrect the dormant fans that have almost quit watching F1 for other reasons. Nor does it do much to attract a new generation of aficionados to the almost dying-sport.
No, the trouble has started elsewhere, and just a short glance at how a Grand Prix win is celebrated nowadays can give you a pretty strong hint. It's hard to look for passionate fans since the drivers themselves have been reduced to walking and talking billboards. They show almost no emotion, whether on and off the track, always being careful what they say or do so it doesn't breach any FOM regulation or sponsorship guideline.
They're only part of the problem, though, since the racing itself is now more boring than ever, and I'm not talking about the Mercedes-AMG domination of the last couple of seasons. No, I'm talking about a severe lack of the actual “thrill of racing.” Pilots should be battling each other between each corner and winning races by pure talent, not thanks to pit stop strategy or DRS-ing each other on the straights.
Formula 1 drivers should be like gladiators in an arena, and the cars should be their battle chariots. Nowadays, because of FOM regulations that get changed almost every year it has all been reduced to a numbers game. Who better interprets the FIA guidelines and rules, while also having deep-enough pockets, is the top dog in the end.
Nevermind the fact that instead of promoting racing, FOM is trying to promote so-called green technologies, which is why modern F1 engines sound like oversized leaf-blowers with a bad cough. The hybrid, turbocharged V6s, the 100 kg-per-race fuel limit and the rapidly disintegrating Pirelli tires are also part of the reason for which modern Formula 1 doesn't quite work. Fewer revs and the addition of a turbo mean less fuel consumption, which is OK, but they also mean less exhaust decibels. Anyone comparing the ambient sound of a 2013 or earlier race to a current one will agree that the difference is huge. Heck, I think even the turbocharged Mercedes-AMG GT-S Safety Car sounds better in the Monaco tunnel.
Adding fuel to the fire, the CO2 and other toxic emissions that each team unleashes into the atmosphere on each journey from one circuit to another is at least tenfold higher than each of their cars used to emit over a race weekend. So, the “green” aspect is simply for show, since it doesn't actually fix anything. Plus, it's not like the current audience of Formula 1 consists of veggie-eating tree huggers anyway. Decreasing emissions and returning F1 to being the pinnacle of motorsport should be done at the same time, not in the detriment of each other.
No, people originally started to watch F1 because they enjoyed racing, and when the very definition of racing is continuously changed from one season to the next, and not necessarily for the better, fans pack up and leave. Even former F1 drivers, like Gerhard Berger, almost unanimously agree that the modern iteration of the sport is heading into the wrong direction as far as the actual spectacle is concerned.
Formula One needs to get its mojo back, and my first solution would be a slight relaxation of the rules. I'm talking about everyone involved here. Drivers should be allowed more freedom of speech, more fuel, more tires and more revs for racing, while cars need more pizzazz, both technically and visually. FOM should stop adding yearly changes for the sake of change and the number one quest would be to bring back the magic of mano-a-mano battles on the track. No more fuel limits, no more tire limits, and a lot fewer limits in other areas would make a hell of a lot more interesting in my view. What would you change to make Formula One interesting again?
PS: While I'm somewhat angry at the direction that modern F1 is heading and the above text may sound like it was written by an old fart, I still enjoy watching each Grand Prix and as faithful as ever. I just long for more exciting races, and I mean that from every perspective.
The main problem is not necessarily that the overall number of viewers has severely declined, but the fact that F1 fans no longer watch every race as religiously as they used to. On the other hand, if we were to juxtapose the popularity of old-school F1 (say, pre-2000) to the one of today it would be like explaining to a young millennial that a Nokia 3310 is better at being a phone than a high-tech, 2015 smartphone. Sure, the 3310 could probably use a larger screen and maybe Internet or GPS capabilities, but strictly as a phone it does the same job for a fraction of the cost compared to a modern smartphone. Not to mention that it could survive multiple drops and its battery had nothing better to do than depleting its energy over several days instead of just a few hours.
While it's true that part of the decline in viewership can be accounted to an increase in pay-per-view or Pay-TV subscriptions in several markets, that is not the only elephant in the room. The real sore spot comprises more than one explanation, so to form a well-educated opinion we have to look at the facts first.
The U.K. - traditionally one of the most F1-hungry countries out there - switched to Pay-TV back in 2012, when Sky Sports started broadcasting the entire championship live, while the Beeb currently shows only about half of the races. This can translate to fewer “casual viewers” in the long run, but also an increase in the quality of the remaining audience, who are probably slightly richer, better educated and especially more, let's say entrenched, as followers. In other words, although the overall number of viewers has slightly reduced (about five percent year-on-year in the U.K. alone) in the last few years, the remaining audience is actually more important to sponsors, so that was somewhat of a good thing.
Still, the introduction of Pay-TV may work well as a sieve that separates the casual viewer from the hardcore fan, but in my view it's not doing much to resurrect the dormant fans that have almost quit watching F1 for other reasons. Nor does it do much to attract a new generation of aficionados to the almost dying-sport.
No, the trouble has started elsewhere, and just a short glance at how a Grand Prix win is celebrated nowadays can give you a pretty strong hint. It's hard to look for passionate fans since the drivers themselves have been reduced to walking and talking billboards. They show almost no emotion, whether on and off the track, always being careful what they say or do so it doesn't breach any FOM regulation or sponsorship guideline.
They're only part of the problem, though, since the racing itself is now more boring than ever, and I'm not talking about the Mercedes-AMG domination of the last couple of seasons. No, I'm talking about a severe lack of the actual “thrill of racing.” Pilots should be battling each other between each corner and winning races by pure talent, not thanks to pit stop strategy or DRS-ing each other on the straights.
Formula 1 drivers should be like gladiators in an arena, and the cars should be their battle chariots. Nowadays, because of FOM regulations that get changed almost every year it has all been reduced to a numbers game. Who better interprets the FIA guidelines and rules, while also having deep-enough pockets, is the top dog in the end.
Nevermind the fact that instead of promoting racing, FOM is trying to promote so-called green technologies, which is why modern F1 engines sound like oversized leaf-blowers with a bad cough. The hybrid, turbocharged V6s, the 100 kg-per-race fuel limit and the rapidly disintegrating Pirelli tires are also part of the reason for which modern Formula 1 doesn't quite work. Fewer revs and the addition of a turbo mean less fuel consumption, which is OK, but they also mean less exhaust decibels. Anyone comparing the ambient sound of a 2013 or earlier race to a current one will agree that the difference is huge. Heck, I think even the turbocharged Mercedes-AMG GT-S Safety Car sounds better in the Monaco tunnel.
Adding fuel to the fire, the CO2 and other toxic emissions that each team unleashes into the atmosphere on each journey from one circuit to another is at least tenfold higher than each of their cars used to emit over a race weekend. So, the “green” aspect is simply for show, since it doesn't actually fix anything. Plus, it's not like the current audience of Formula 1 consists of veggie-eating tree huggers anyway. Decreasing emissions and returning F1 to being the pinnacle of motorsport should be done at the same time, not in the detriment of each other.
No, people originally started to watch F1 because they enjoyed racing, and when the very definition of racing is continuously changed from one season to the next, and not necessarily for the better, fans pack up and leave. Even former F1 drivers, like Gerhard Berger, almost unanimously agree that the modern iteration of the sport is heading into the wrong direction as far as the actual spectacle is concerned.
Formula One needs to get its mojo back, and my first solution would be a slight relaxation of the rules. I'm talking about everyone involved here. Drivers should be allowed more freedom of speech, more fuel, more tires and more revs for racing, while cars need more pizzazz, both technically and visually. FOM should stop adding yearly changes for the sake of change and the number one quest would be to bring back the magic of mano-a-mano battles on the track. No more fuel limits, no more tire limits, and a lot fewer limits in other areas would make a hell of a lot more interesting in my view. What would you change to make Formula One interesting again?
PS: While I'm somewhat angry at the direction that modern F1 is heading and the above text may sound like it was written by an old fart, I still enjoy watching each Grand Prix and as faithful as ever. I just long for more exciting races, and I mean that from every perspective.
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