Annual trip to Catalunya

[brian1951]

I would rather have Bernie the crook than Liberty running the show.

[Steve M]

I would rather have Bernie the crook than Liberty running the show.

Some years ago ‘the Bernard’ did say he would rather have closed circuits for all the races. It seems Liberty will fulfill his legacy.

As you know Brian, this annual trip has been something of an institution in our house and feeds two major hobbies - F1 and photography. Didn’t mind missing last year due to Covid, but to miss out again because someone in the Middle East flashed his chequebook is a big disappointment.
I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that it will turn out to be a multi year deal so even more limits for European fans going forward.
Unlikely to be any testing at Silverstone either.

[sandy]

F1 Is going the same way football went. Money talks not people.

[teedoubleudee]

I think a lot of F1 fans, particularly Brits, will be so disenchanted with the way the world championship ended last year that they will just stop following the sport and attending GPs, which have become so expensive over the years anyway.

[Steve M]

It wasn’t just the end of the season, plenty of dubious decisions both during and prior to the ‘21 season.

I know exactly what you mean regarding prices, you would pay more for a race day ticket at Silverstone than I shell out for my Spain excursion each year. An added bonus is the weather - usually temps above 20c even in February. Notwithstanding the fact that Silverstone has already sold out, the lowest ticket price was £280 and you have to pay transport, parking and food on top of that......and probably sleep in a tent.
For the Spanish GP in May, the three day ticket is only €70 after my OAP discount - lights and hotel are obviously a lot more at that time of year, but still.........
The entire trip to Barcelona next month was costed at under £300 including flights, hotel, food and car hire.

This year there are even more changes to the weekend schedule having now removed all fan ‘engagement ‘ activities while increasing the prices even more.

To console myself I have decided to build something in the shed.

[teedoubleudee]

Like a Scalextric circuit?

[bulleidboy]

I've stopped following F1 in the press and media at the moment. There are so many people having their say on what may happen and what may not - many of them I've never heard of, and I've been following F1 since the mid-sixties - anything to make a headline. I just hope that by the time the "circus" reaches Australia everyone has been "jabbed" - they have already said "No vaccination - No entry" - new headline "Here we go again....."

[Puddles]

Covid has proved that F1 can survive without having fans at the trackside and the TV companies are now profiting from the extra revenue they are getting from those fans now paying the TV companies to watch the live racing. I cannot see the situation getting any better. I do feel that the last GPs climatic ending was influenced and hastily engineered for the very wide TV audience.

Puddles

[Steve M]

Agree wholeheartedly with the comment about the manufactured result last year and yes F1 can survive without fans in the short term.

The behind doors covid races were paid for by F1 itself - they effectively hired the circuits at cost, while in normal times the circuits pay a 'hosting fee' and recover those costs via ticket sales. F1 as a company cannot sustain that over any length of time - the Liberty Media business model will not support it.

The issue this time is that the Bahrainis have 'paid for the privilige' of having the first 'public' outing of the new cars (all new regulations and designs concepts from this year).

They and F1/Liberty Media clearly have little regard for the traditional european fanbase - and I say that as someone who has spent many a day perched on top of a rickety wheelie bin just to get that special photo without a fence being in the way.

Fell off a wheelie bin while standing behind Keke Rosberg while he was doing a piece to camera for German TV - I got a suitable hand gesture from him.

[bulleidboy]

I heard a lovely comparison the other day to compare with the ruling at the end of the last race. A Premiership football match - one team are winning 5-0 - the referee blows his whistle at full time and says "we will now have a penalty shoot-out to decide the winner"