F1 Fanatic

There has been a lot of debate after the announcement of Sky partly taking over the F1 broadcasting rights in the UK from 2012. It is sometimes argued that good quality just doesn’t come for free and that if F1 fans want to watch high quality coverage, they should be ready to pay for it. This is not a bad argument. However, I believe that the thing is a bit more complicated. Many of fans simply cannot afford to pay hundreds of pounds / euros / dollars to watch F1 no matter how much they would want to. Some could find the money but then they would need to refuse from something else, probably going to one F1 race per year or buying F1 merchandise. I don’t believe there are many who have large balances on their bank accounts and complain about the new order just because they are greedy.

So I would like to ask you the following:

1) Do you spend some money on F1 or get along with what is available for free (websites, free-to-air TV coverage)?

2) What kind of F1 related items do you usually buy and how often? Race tickets, magazines, books, model cars, teamwear, DVDs,…?

3) Do you save money by refusing from something just to be able to spend it on F1 related stuff? I mean, do you buy less clothes, avoid eating out or do whatever else just because so there is more left for F1?

4) Approximately how big part of your “entertainment budget” is spent on F1? One tenth, one third, one half?

Love this thread!

1) I just pay the TV licence to watch F1 and use the internet to follow the news – I don’t (yet) have Sky or anything like that.

2) I spend quite a bit on F1 related stuff. At the Goodwood Festival of Speed last month I spent nearly £400 on models, T-shirts, hats and books. I usually buy a model every month or so, and will occasionally buy a DVD, book, T-shirt, hat or something else F1 related.

3)I don’t really sacrifice much financially to spend more on F1, but I do sacrifice a social life sometimes to ensure I see the best of it. A couple of years ago, one of my best friends organised a big night out as a farewell before he went trekking across South and Central America for 3 months. I went to his house for a few drinks, but then as everyone went off into town I stayed there and went to bed. Why? Because the next morning was the Malaysian Grand Prix, and I didn’t want to watch it with a hangover or, god forbid, turn off my alarm and miss it! Luckily my friends know how much of a fanatic I am and accommodate me…

4) In a general month, I’d say roughly 50-60% of my ‘leisure budget’ is spent on F1, on the things I mentioned in point 2. Some months though, such as if I’m going to the Festival of Speed or to meet up with F1 Fanatics to watch a race, I will spend all of my leisure budget on F1 (and also sacrifice leisure money from the surrounding months) so that I can fully enjoy the experience.

I can relate to your 3rd point Dan.

Last year I was at a party and drank too much Southern Comfort. As a result I reluctantly skipped qualifying in Melbourne. I was very annoyed with myself and now I make sure that I have an easy night if F1 follows early morning.

It’s a pretty significant source of both expenditure and income for me!

1) Do you spend some money on F1 or get along with what is available for free (websites, free-to-air TV coverage)?

Well, as there is 5 Job going Adults in the house, we all chip in for phone bills / rent / tv stuff, so £30 a year from me for TV.. We will not get sky.

2) What kind of F1 related items do you usually buy and how often? Race tickets, magazines, books, model cars, teamwear, DVDs,…?

End of season DVD, ALWAYS! and the F1 Yearbook. (99 – 10, all collected) And sometimes the occasional t-shirt, model. but not bought one in ages.

3) Do you save money by refusing from something just to be able to spend it on F1 related stuff? I mean, do you buy less clothes, avoid eating out or do whatever else just because so there is more left for F1?

I did put money aside for F12010 game. .. £30 (I don’t buy games at 40, unless its called Gran Turismo)

4) Approximately how big part of your “entertainment budget” is spent on F1? One tenth, one third, one half?

Not much.

I spend mostly on computers.But this year I bought an IPS which TV so that I can watch F1 dispite power cut.

For me right now, it’s a bit easier being an F1Fanatic than most others as I still live with the family, parents and two brothers so spending has never really been a factor. But it’s all going to change over the next few months.

1) Do you spend some money on F1 or get along with what is available for free (websites, free-to-air TV coverage)?

I’ve posted it in one of the articles before, (the one with the announcement), but I’ll say it here since it’s relevant. About a year and a half ago, my family had to get rid of Sky because we couldn’t afford it anymore. The cancellation was down a certain circumstance and the effect is still being felt now. If the announcement had been made 2 years ago, then it wouldn’t have been that bad for me, but it’s happened now, at a really bad time financially for us. And I took the news pretty badly… I cried… twice…

Nevertheless, a lot can change in the next 7 months.

2) What kind of F1 related items do you usually buy and how often? Race tickets, magazines, books, model cars, teamwear, DVDs,…?

The last F1 related thing I bought was a Mark Webber T-Shirt at Silverstone 2010. I also have a few playstation F1 games (F1 97 is awesome), a few books, two video documentaries on Damon Hill and Eddie Irvine, a Kimi Raikkonen hat, a Ferrari shirt, a black T-Shirt simply with ‘West’ on it, a Hot Wheels MP4/17D Raikkonen model and a couple of Scalextric F1 cars.

Also, I’ve got a sizeable collection of F1 reviews dating back to 1989, looking forward to 2011 this Christmas ;)

3) Do you save money by refusing from something just to be able to spend it on F1 related stuff? I mean, do you buy less clothes, avoid eating out or do whatever else just because so there is more left for F1?

Well I tend to avoid spending money whenever possible, time for me to get a job. :P

4) Approximately how big part of your “entertainment budget” is spent on F1? One tenth, one third, one half?

We’ll find out next year. It’s definitely certain I won’t be getting Sky again, but for the races that aren’t shown live on the BBC…

a) I’ll just watch extended highlights on BBC and desperately try not to find out the result, it’ll be just like watching F3 on Motors TV again.
b) My girlfriend has Sky, I could watch the live races there.
c) My brother may be moving out soon and he says he might be getting Sky.
d) Might be illegal but this is how much I love F1… My dad has a satellite that can get quite a lot of global channels. Find one with live F1 and dub Radio 5 live over it.

or hidden option e) The BBC actually listens to F1 fans and take back full control ;)

1) Do you spend some money on F1 or get along with what is available for free (websites, free-to-air TV coverage)?

Apart from a TV license, I don’t spend any money on F1. I won’t be paying for Sky.

2) What kind of F1 related items do you usually buy and how often? Race tickets, magazines, books, model cars, teamwear, DVDs,…?

I don’t buy merchandise, and I no longer subscribe to F1Racing magazine (too expensive, and with the pace of F1 news these days, it’s out of date by the time it lands on the doormat).

I’ve never been to a race. I’d love to, and I live conveniently close to Silverstone, but for me it’s prohibitively expensive. I was considering planning a holiday in Turkey to attend the Turkish GP next year (given that it’s a great track, and the tickets are some of the cheapest on the calendar). But now it looks like the GP will be cancelled; perhaps I’ll go to the Hungaroring instead.

3) Do you save money by refusing from something just to be able to spend it on F1 related stuff? I mean, do you buy less clothes, avoid eating out or do whatever else just because so there is more left for F1?

No.

4) Approximately how big part of your “entertainment budget” is spent on F1? One tenth, one third, one half?

Nil.