Official F1/Motorsport thread

[Matt]

I'm not into F1, but have been following the news. I'm glad this has happened. Nothing like a little anarchy to make things interesting

[Darwock]

Unbelievable... the precedents for this kind of thing don't exactly spell a rosy future for the sport - look at the mess that is boxing.. just how many different world champions are there anyway? Closer to home there's the US and it's IRL/CART situation, all this kind of split achieves is to dilute the sport.

I'm also concerned about what it means for the media coverage. Motorsport fans are lucky that the prestige of F1 means they are guaranteed primetime TV coverage. What's gonna happen next year? BBC have the F1 license, are ITV going to spend megabucks to get the FOTA license when it means they are potentially only going to get a 50% audience share? I'm guessing they wouldn't. So maybe we won't have any means of watching it other than sky sports subscriptions or some other bull****.

I guess the only positive thing about this for me is that it means Schumacher's reputation will remain unrivalled for eternity. We will never again be able to say the best in any particular generation was competing against the best of his peers... they are going to be spread all over the shop (as far as open wheeled racing is concerned anyway).

However in 2010 (if I can) I will most certainly be watching the series that is not being run by a little poison dwarf. I suppose that's another good thing

[MonkeyWrench]

Whilst I'm not surprised, it's still a big shock. I would much prefer to follow FOTA into a new championship than Mosley and his band of ****wits. Since the formation of FOTA I've been impressed by how much feedback they've gathered from fans, I spent a good 30 minutes filling in a questionaire last year that went into a lot of detail of what fans want from the sport.

[Kieran76]

Spilts can never be a good thing. I am trying to think about the calender, surely the most of the circuits have contracts for several years. You can't imagine races like Monaco, Singapore and Valencia happening more than once a year. I fear it will be like the premiership where the top teams make all the rulings to benefit them.
Then again, I have only skimmed through a lot of this mess and have probaly missed some info along the way.

[abigsmurf]

I can't see a breakaway championship being successful. F1 has the name, the tracks, the TV coverage etc. You're not going to get Monaco to shut down its streets for another 3 days for another race.

More people will watch F1 with fewer big names than would watch an alternative with Ferrari and co. I think they dramatically overestimate the popularity of the teams themselves

[MonkeyWrench]

I think you'll be surprised Ferrari have massive draw, as I saw myself at the Japanese GP last year.

Personally I won't miss some of the current F1 circuits, especially Monaco, which is only in the roster because of it's legacy. Otherwise it's a dull track that doesn't do the sport any favours with modern race cars. There's loads of decent circuits out there that deserve a chance.

[Orgun]

Woot! FIA I hope you f*ck off and die.

This explains it quite well, http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/moto...ne/8108492.stm

edit: Someone on Neogaf suggested they call the new championship Formula Zero....F-Zero

[ChrisF]

I wonder how it'll affect the rest of the current season? If the break away teams are serious then I can't see why they'd want to invest a penny more in the current F1 season, other than perhaps the bare minimum to meet contractual obligements, and keep people's jobs on etc...

F-Zero sounds cool idea Or "Formula FU-MM" (will leave that one to the imagination)

[Roddie]

Although the FiA have made some ridiculous calls, especially over the last couple of seasons, I think that Max Mosley is fairly sensible. It's the Bernie Ecclestone and FOM that'll I'd be glad to see the back of. His constant flip-flopping, bias, bull****-talking and attempts to remove every well-known track from the calendar as some sort of personal achievement have bugged me for long enough.

[abigsmurf]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8109846.stm

Get the popcorn. This is more interesting than the last couple of races at least...

[MarioMark]

Can't help but think this is all putting a damper on Button's awesome season.

[Roddie]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/moto...ne/8109846.stm

Get the popcorn. This is more interesting than the last couple of races at least...

Not really. FiA and FOM said they along they would sue if this happened. Whether the breakaway series even happens remains to be seen, or maybe if it does it'll only last a season or two. Judging by IRL and CART things are set to get pretty messy if this happens.

[VR46]

Can't help but think this is all putting a damper on Button's awesome season.

You're probably right, which is a great shame for Button and Brawn. F1 will be on the news for all the wrong reasons.

Hard to see this sorting itself out though, either FOTA or Mosley will have to concede defeat and I can't see either of them doing that. It is all going to get very messy.

[ChrisF]

They're already taking bets on who's getting TV rights to the new breakaway championship. Sky are favourites, apparently.

[CMcK]

Please no. I cannot stand the graphics Sky use on their sports coverage and the accompanying sound effects are straight out of Jacko's BAD video!