Magnussen relishing return to ‘on the limit’ cars

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In the round-up: Kevin Magnussen is optimistic F1’s new rules for 2017 will make the cars more challenging to drive.

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Let’s take two very different views on yesterday’s very big news:

Absolutely gutted knowing Bernie Ecclestone has been forced out.

His style and character have become what Formula One is and has been for so long that if you stop and think of the drivers who have lived, died with little or massive success during their all were under Ecclestone’s wings.

You’ve done well Mr Ecclestone and many of us who follow the sport have had you as the leader if the pack. The new guys will have to create some amazing tricks to accomplish what you have. Thanks.
Ted Bell

If a race that has a total attendance measured in hundreds of thousands makes a loss, the business model is wrong. If a team has a budget of many millions but cannot afford an engine, the business model is wrong.

If viewing figures are falling off a cliff because the coverage is on pay TV, the business model is wrong. If the races are thousands of miles from the fans and the organisers are using cardboard cutouts to fill the grandstands, the business model is wrong.

Good riddance Bernie Ecclestone.
Graham (@Guitargraham)

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On this day in F1

Happy birthday to Luca Badoer, who is 46 today, and Scott Speed, who turns 34.

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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42 comments on “Magnussen relishing return to ‘on the limit’ cars”

  1. Happy birthday to Luca Badoer, who is 46 today, and Scott Speed, who turns 34

    How ironic…

  2. I think both COTDs sum Bernie up perfectly.

    There is no denying that many people who have been associated with F1 over the last 40 years have become very rich on the back of the “deals” that Bernie has made. There is also the fact that he revolutionized the way we consume the sport, via the sale of broadcasting rights. He also successfully marketed F1 as the pinnacle of automotive technology, and sold it as the prime advertising real estate. All great achievements that we should commend him for.

    Bernie was a visionary, unfortunately, his vision started to blur in the early Naughties. He never really got to terms with the 21st century, and everything that’s happened in the last 10 years or so is testaments to this. What we’ve had, especially since the start of this decade, has been an Octogenarian papering over the ever expanding cracks of The Formula with his origami machinations. Ever the ringmaster, Bernie had everyone around him at bay, but it only kept them away for so long. The puck had to stop somewhere, and now, the play is over.

    But is it though? How long before Chase Carey realizes the ambiguous nature of the “Deals” that Bernie has made? What happens when the realize they can exactly get out of existing contractual and commercial commitments? What of the caveats in fine print (providing there is a print!).

    Bernie is not done yet. The role that he’s scored with Liberty is no doubt a of deal of sorts. We can expect to see him around for a few more years. Liberty would be exposing themselves if they didn’t keep Bernie close, simple due to the cloak and dagger nature of his past dealings.

    So all in all, for the short term anyway, Bernie still holds all the cards….as he usually does.

    Well played sir…well played.

    1. @jaymenon10, I think you are being a little generous to Bernie, as for Liberty they will be doing very little to make F1 more fan friendly just because they had to pay $8 Billion for it thanks to Bernie and Max. And the teams that spend hundreds of millions to put on the show get nothing.

      1. @hohum You are right that the deal with cvc was of an absence of insight, anyway Bernie is responsible for what F1 is. Bernie’s role is so intrinsic that he’s part of f1 history ever since the 50’s. Most of the time Bernie has applied the doctrine of capitalism, it’s a principle that has moulded the structure of F1, it has given f1 integrity and power over it participants, ensuring order and liberty. I’m sure Bernie is a fan of John M. Keynes.

      2. I think Liberty Will be more fan friendly @hohum. I think they will be looking at ways to get more events in places where there are more people to attend, to make the race more of a happening and festival wherever it is staged. I also think they will be looking at alternatives to get the sport to fans.

        Not out of altruism off course, but because they want to earn that 8 billion, and double that, back. They are in it for the long run however, so they need a somewhat more healthy base (meaning finding fresh fans, getting a better funding scheme in place for the teams so that there will be a full grid AND ensuring that it is a better deal to actually stage a race in places where the fans are.)

        1. @bascb, I’m sure they will try to increase viewership but a wholesale price drop will be difficult.

          1. Yeah, it will certainly not be all plain sailing, and I am pretty sure that we will get some times when we long back for the CVC times … @hohum

      3. @hohum
        2009 has called, it’s claiming intellectual property on blaming Mosley for everything.

        1. @nase, not everything, only one thing.

  3. Nice tweet. I remember at the time the quotes of how Rosberg was the “real deal” and part of their long-term strategy, I guess those were just #AlternativeFacts

    Also the Hulksters tweet is absolutely hilarious. :D

    1. nope. They were facts at the time. But change is a thing and they have to adapt to it.

      1. ’twas but tongue in cheek, but fine, take everything literally. You must be wondering how that R.S.16 will pass scrutineering :P

  4. @MauriceHamilton
    I and many others have a lot to thank Bernie for these past 40 years. But it was definitely time for Mr E to stand aside.

    This tweet sums up why I can barely read anything from the mainstream press.
    The self entitlement, the presumptuous tone, the intolerant fouling stench of the smug remark. The journalist is the star, the expert, the truth. The journalist lost all the traits most commonly associated with the profession, the values are gone. The journalist either lost or forgot how to communicate. As if he’s a poser. The words are absolutely subjective and aimless, yet spoken and “worthy” to be treated as the holy truth. The voice of the media is the only one that matters the only one that’s heard and the only one that’s worthy.
    I’m not saying that Maurice Hamilton is wrong. It’s impossible to tell exactly what he mean’t by what he said, anyway regardless, I’m nobody to decide whether he’s wrong or right, however what’s going on with mainstream media and specifically the journalism pieces are certainly not journalism.

    1. Ok how about this….

      Bernie is 86 years old. It’s definitely time for him to step aside.

      1. @gitanes You are Minardi better than BBC CNN etc. I’d read your newspaper. @seth-space I did read a lot in a few words. I guess some of you may be unaware of how badly media is influencing the world and f1, it’s the reason why we frequent f1 fanatic “independent f1 blog”. @paulguitar there’s no need to insult. your post makes you come across as an intolerant, ignorant person.

    2. @peartree

      Okay, that post just makes you come across as a nutter.

    3. Well, when people are unwilling to pay for it, what do you expect? The press is paid for by those with agendas to push. News is closer to entertainment than journalism. Twitter is the 24/7 bite-sized reality TV where you never know what’s genuine or scripted and everyone at home is voting along for their favourites.

      It’s to be expected, and the only way to truly object is to vote with your fingers and not engage or visit sites which perpetuate it.

      I’m thankful that Keith gives us the best bits :) and allows us the opportunity to comment.

    4. Well, since Hamilton was there for a significant part of the time Bernie was, he has been able to see what the sport used to be, what Bernie made out of it and how it has reached an impasse for the last decade or so @peartree.

      I really fail to see what you object to in that tweet. It is a tweet, it is short. If you look up on his comments and articles over the last few years, you can easily see the background to his tweet there.

    5. You read a lot in a few words. Interpretation and fantasy are the core of your story.

      The self entitlement, the presumptuous tone, the intolerant fouling stench of the smug remark. Pennyroyal is the star

  5. That McLaren deal to get up to date 3D printers will hopefully help get them to build the parts they come up with and test them on the cars.

    Good place to be for a 3D printer manufacturer to want to improve their visibility to the world.

    1. Don’t think stratasys needs it @bascb

      It is good matketing, definitely, but they are already one of the biggest names in the industry, they won’t get much more business by being involved on F1.

      1. I think the idea is to grow the market of 3D printing by bringing the possibilities to more people.

        Off course the biggest part is that McLaren bought a new set of equipment, the PR surrounding it is part of the pitch from McLaren used while they were negotiating the price.

        Also, to stay one of the biggest (or be simple the biggest, BE 3D Printing in the eye of the world), you need to stay on it, as there are more companies who are wanting a piece of that growing market too.

        1. Don’t think the 3D printing technology that they will be using will be available to more people in a short/medium period of time. They are most likely using SLS, EBM and polyjet machinery, which are expensive and have the size of a bedroom.

          We can have access to FDM tech (the cheapest, and honestly most anoying version) and stereolitpgraphy, which can go up to 2000€ the machine alone.

          The rest I agree with you, however stratasys does have other parterners that are more relavant to their industry and showcase better their capabilities.

          I once had a meeting with a supplier and they told me that they were making the roll hoops for a F1 team, and this was a couple of years ago already, they didn’t tell me which one however

          1. @johnmilk Not sure I get your pessimism here. The deal is done. I’m sure both McLaren and Stratasys are quite confident that they will do a lot of learning and growing together in the next four years and who knows how valuable that will be for Stratasys as they spread what they have learned to many other businesses that will relish their experience. That experience could take them in many directions that you or I couldn’t possibly predict at this point in time. If they indeed have other partners who are more relevant to the industry then there is surely no harm in them expanding their horizons via F1 and applying what they learn to their relevant partners. From reading the article it sounds like a perfect fit, pardon the pun.

          2. @robbie there is no pessimism, sorry if sounded that way. And i can see why you get that idea after reading my comment again.

            Just feeding in some of my experiences.

            Other industries such as aerospace, aeronautical and medical can take more from this sort of tech, and the applications used on those industry will be extrapolated into F1, that was the point I was trying to make, and I was giving my insight on the technical side of things, and the state of the art of the technology.

            But of course it is great deal for marketing purposes for both sides. We don’t see for example aeroplanes in the tv, and when we do usually it is not a good sign, F1 on the other end is a mucher better platform for business exposure.

  6. I think both the COTDs have make fair points. Ecclestone did a good job of taking Formula 1 to it’s peak from 1976 into the 2000s. Maybe F1 wouldn’t hit the levels of popularity it did if it wasn’t for Bernie, and for that he has my respect.

    But, he had over a decade of incompetence following it. People rightfully call him a dinosaur because he didn’t realise the paradigm shift in content consumption in the digital age, he didn’t realise how to make F1 sustainable for all F1 teams participating, he prioritised short term gain over long term vision and overall made a mess of the sport in every way imaginable

    If he were the CEO of a company listed on world markets, he would have been fired ages ago. While I’m glad Bernie was the man in 1976 who acquired the commercial rights to Formula 1, I’m even happier that he’s the man who’s been dropped by the system in 2017.

  7. I have to say I am mixed about this. Bernie had to go no doubt, but he has done so much for the sport for over 40 years that this feels a little wrong. Times change I suppose, but it is hard to imagine F1 without Bernie at the helm.

    I am also still a little sceptical about Liberty Media. They have come along and it seems like everyone in the F1 universe just jumped up and said “Wow, these guys acknowledge that social media is a thing, they must be better than Bernie, let’s hand them the keys!” They have said precious little about what they are actually going to do. Yes they have made sweeping statements about digital media, hosting more races, extracting more from sponsorship deals and expanding the sport in markets such as the USA, but other than the digital media part, Bernie was already doing those things. We’ve just had the longest season ever and the teams are already saying this is genuinely breaking point for them, so hosting more races may not be the best idea ever. He’s brought in Heineken as a major global sponsor. And he has been pushing for more races in the US for ages. The only saving grace for me with Liberty is that they have brought in Ross Brawn. He is a sensible guy, a racer and he has the ability top put long term, sensible plans in place. I am confident that with him in charge of the technical side of the sport, we will be ok.

    1. Yes, I think we can be optimistic about Liberty Media, @geemac.

      So far they have refrained from doing any obvious stupid moves. They have put an internal guy who likes motorsports and has a very solid reputation in charge. This guy has been present in the paddock a lot in the last half a year and has listened to all sorts of people who move around in and surrounding the paddock.
      And he has so far refrained from calling for any immediate stupid moves like the qualifying gaffe, “tyres to degrade” ideas, etc.

      Now they have installed a very good team on top of the sport, where Brawn has already mentioned that his vision is to get working now to prepare improvements for the future with an actual long term plan. Liberty signed up to that idea (so far), which is a huge positive for everyone involved.

      On the other hand, they will certainly want to earn back (and double it up no doubt) the money invested. They do not seem to be alltogether unhappy with the pay TV model either, and want to bring even more races on an already pretty full calendar.

      Overall, I think the outlook so far is solidly positive, but we will have to see if they will really deliver on that.

      1. +1

        The only thing that I would had, is that I wouldn’t mind having to pay to see F1 as long as the mosel is pay-per-view like the one UFC has for example. What I don’t like atm is that I have to pay a lot for a package of all other stuff that I don’t see or care about just to have access to F1. I wouldn’t mind to pay directly to liberty for a F1 stream and skip the intermediaries agenda.

        Or put it on Netflix…

        1. @johnmilk That assumes that everyone uses Netflix.

          1. That was more of a joke @geemac

            But even if it wasn’t it would be cheaper than a standard package tv subscription. And we can’t assume everyone has one either.

          2. Ah I see, sorry. I just mentioned that because there seems to be a view that every single person in the world these days uses Netflix, where in fact millions (including me) don’t. The same goes for all forms of social media.

    2. @geemac The thing is, it’s not a case of them appearing to be more social media savvy and therefore ‘let’s hand them the keys.’ They have bought the keys. It’s their bat and ball now. Nobody has handed them anything that they haven’t purposely bought because they have plans.

      And most people, even inside F1, seem to be saying thanks BE but it was time. ie. things needed to change. Just as with the Mac/Stratasys deal, who are we to be pessimistic when these entities haven’t had a chance to see their plans through? Both F1 and Mac need to do SOMETHING. Let’s just relish in their excitement at new horizons in F1 and that they see the entity as viable and worthy, shall we?

      1. @Robbie Oh I am excited, but I am just reigning myself in until I hear some concrete plans from them. Like I said, I am very excited that Ross Brawn is going to be playing a significant role going forward. I think he’ll help them strike the right balance between the razzmatazz and sporting integrity.

  8. Such a lovely thing for Nice to do. A really fantastic tribute to a great man

    1. Jules could have become a Ferrari driver…How different could F1 be now with Bianchi. He probably would have . landed a 2018 Ferrari seat. A very good deed by Nice.
      PS- This seems like selfadving but I just want a few people to check out my new blog- http://www.formulaonecentral.blogspot.in
      I’m just a young F1 fan (12 years old) trying to make it in this world.

  9. Bernie should have been forced out. He had the chance to leave when the time was right several times, but he made it clear he would only stop if he died or if he was forced to. So forced to it was. It’s a shame for him, no doubt, but it was overdue.

  10. Un grand merci pour toutes ses informations qui me
    seront utiles au quotidien

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