Formula One Eyes NASCAR 04/10/2008 It is somewhat ironic that, at the moment F1 finds itself without a USGP, the debate on the future of the sport turns heavily on the success of America's premier motor racing format, NASCAR. In the States, NASCAR's victory over open wheel racing is complete, with CART a shadow of its former self after years of division and unsuccessful evolution. The masters of F1 look longingly at the stock car format's success and, as evidenced by FOTA's first suggestions, they seek to emulate it with radical changes in their presentation of F1 to the public.Barrichello meets the fansOn the face of it, this makes sense; if your business is failing, what better way to turn it around than to study the methods of your successful competitors? But that needs examination before any hasty changes are made. For a start, is F1 really failing in its quest to reach an ever expanding audience?The answer to that has to be, "Not so far, no". Actual attendance at races may be down but the days are long gone when the sport would count on gate receipts for its major source of income. These days it is the television ratings that matter more than anything else and it is not just the money paid in by broadcasters that matters here - the exposure of the sport to such a huge audience brings in the advertisers and sponsors that fuel the expenditure required by F1. Even allowing for some inflation of the figures by those who produce them, the ratings continue to put F1 at the second most watched sport in the world and that can hardly be defined as failing.So it is not the present that drives the sport's search for more cost effective ways to fund itself; it is fear of the predicted economic downturn that threatens to squeeze sponsorship and the budgets available for research and development of the cars. Hence the calls for standardizing everything in sight - it is an obvious and easy way to save money.But F1 has to recognize that things are a little more complicated than that, given its present dependence on the motor manufacturers for filling grids. It is against the manufacturers' interests to be limited to standard components because this attacks their reason for being involved in the first place - the exposure of their brand name as a hallmark of excellence in engineering competition.This forces FOTA and the FIA to look at other ways of keeping the dollars rolling in at a time of economic restrictions. Now the apparent success of NASCAR seems to point the way for a bright future for F1 and we get suggestions such as the sideshows mentioned by Martin Whitmarsh this week. He does not say the word "NASCAR" but we all know where the idea came from.At this point, my particular circumstances allow me a rather different perspective on the subject; as an Englishman resident in the States, I can see both sides of the motor sport equation and I fear that the European masters of F1 are missing some important points here. The fact is that motor racing in the States and in the rest of the world are very different creatures and they have totally different audiences as a result.I have looked at this to some extent in this blog before and my American readers have confirmed that, in the States, an interest in F1 is a connoiseur's pursuit, as opposed to the common mania for NASCAR. It is as if the BTCC were to have a following of millions in Britain while F1 were relegated to the status of a minority interest for the purist. And we know that just is not true.History gives us the reason for this variation in approach to motor racing between the two originating continents. It is a huge subject and it suffices here to point out that, essentially, Americans are interested in how fast the thing can go, Europeans want to see how well it corners. F1 has always struggled to convert American viewers because average speeds in a GP are so much lower than those attained by CART and NASCAR vehicles on a banked oval track. Where are the top speeds over 200 mph, they want to know, where the tire smoke, massed packs of cars circulating together, the over-excited commentators, the bragaddocio from drivers with massive egos?It is a different world. I have tried very hard to get into NASCAR but have had to face the fact that it just is not my "cup of tea". To me, the speed that cars can attain around a banked track is highly irrelevant, the car-mangling accidents and hyperbole of the presenters leaves me cold; give me rather the sight of a Senna on a damp track controlling his car at the very limit of adhesion and destroying the opposition through pure skill.I am not saying that one approach is better than another; it is a matter of taste and F1 needs to recognize that its selling points are completely different from those that sell NASCAR. The existing fanbase will not be entertained by sideshows and alterations to the existing format of F1 - they watch it as it is because they like it like that. Go too far towards making the "show" more spectacular and F1 will lose as many of its present fans as it gains from the general public.There is one recurring theme in the discussions on learning from NASCAR, however. And that is all about accessibility, particularly of the drivers but also of other members of the teams (F1 fans care about the whole team, knowing that the car is as important to success as is its pilot). Elsewhere I have made the suggestion that F1 needs to open itself up to the public much more than it does at present - and that means the TV viewers as well as those who can attend races. If there must be change, let it be in the area of F1's secrecy, its fear of letting out any information that might aid a competitor.That is one suggestion that takes into account the differences between NASCAR and F1 and I have no doubt there are many more possibilities. For F1 to market itself more effectively, it needs to understand its unique appeal and build on that, rather than try to emulate another form of racing that relies on an entirely different client group.It may be that FOTA and the FIA are entirely the wrong groups to be making such marketing choices. They seem to have little understanding of what drives the present fanbase and so their attempts to see into the future rarely meet with approval from the paying customer. If they genuinely want to improve the appeal of the "show", let them include the professionals, the broadcasters who have designed programs around the F1 feed put out by Bernie's boys.And it is very likely that the first thing those broadcasters will ask for is greater accessibility...
Clive
aracerdude There is more to Nascar's story then merely a good formula for success.Nascar engaged in a 'divide and conquer' strategy with opposing racing organizations.First they divided sports car racing by starting the Grand Am Daytona Prototype series. This divided the sponsors, the crowds, the teams, and the drivers among the two sports car series operating in the USA.They basically did the same thing with Open Wheel racing in the USA by 'encouraging' Tony George to split from Cart and form the IRL using the Indy 500 as his 'ace'. Staging the Brickyard 40 at Indy helped convince TG he would not need Cart to succeed.Once again, the sponsors, tv ratings, attendance, drivers and teams were divided and then slowly conquered.With the two major competing racing entities divided and competing against each other, Nascar made it's move in popularity.Interesting enough, this strategy seems to have run it's course as Nascar's own decisions as of late are bringing stock car racing back to the level it justly deserves.Sponsors are slowly leaving, attendance is down and the other series are gaining momentum. Date Added: 04/10/2008
Clive You speak from a greater understanding of the American racing scene than most Europeans possess, Aracer. When it comes to F1, what matters is the way NASCAR is perceived in Europe - and over there it is seen as a huge success with little understanding of how it managed to achieve that.So they examine it now and see how NASCAR is a show, a complete entertainment for the weekend and the family and they attribute its success to that. The history and politics behind NASCAR are not understood at all (and I'm not saying I understand it either - I am dependent on my American readers for that!).The way forward for F1 probably does include a much greater input from the States. I recall reading an article somewhere a few weeks ago in which it was speculated that some form of combined formula between F1 and Indy cars might be evolved - and that strikes me as a very good idea. With the manufacturer teams in F1 having their owners' major market in North America, it becomes inevitable that the sport must move towards a compromise with the USA. Date Added: 04/10/2008
Gusto What F1 needs is racing,to add `bells and whistles`will achieve nothing but bring people to the sport who like `bells and whistles`.Everyone knows I love F1,and I have sat there with friends watching races that have even bored me,they just look at me and say "what the hell is this crap",and I say its a bit like waiting for a Meteor shower,you can wait years for one,then you get a show that takes your breath away,then they see the rules rewritten as it goes along,and they cant get out the room quick enough.I wonder how many people who`s first GP was Spa are now thinking`I think I,ll spend my Sundays doing something else`.It doesnt matter what they do,if the racing is processional and then the result is fixed,not only will you not get more new people to watch,the fans will slowly turn there back on it.I have sworn to myself `One more Spa like incident and thats me and F1 over`I,ll read the results on a Monday.Iam probably kidding myself,but the sad thing is I dont think I,ll have to wait that long to find out. Date Added: 04/10/2008
Clive You are so right, Gusto - until F1 gets the basics sorted out, any amount of tweaking is not going to make any difference. Spa was everything we had waited for so long, real GP racing to its fullest extent, and the way in which it was overshadowed by a complete blunder of a stewarding decision was criminal. While such things go on, it is pointless to discuss ways of bringing in more viewers. Date Added: 04/10/2008
Nick Goodspeed It is probably the difference between MacDonalds and fine cuisine. It is one thing to learn from certain marketing techniques but another totally to compromise your product. The differences between stock car and formula racing are as obvious as this to all but Max & Bernie. They couldn't give a damn about the food quality and are quite ready to turn the establishment with the greatest history into a mere cafeteria.It would be sheer madness to take on Nascar by dumbing down F1. They will be shunned by Europe for tasteless content and snubbed by America for poor value for the money. The Nascar fans loyalty is obvious. The F1 fans loyalty is being quickly eroded.syNick Date Added: 04/10/2008
Clive Nail on the head stuff, Nick. It is frightening to think that F1 is controlled by men who do not seem to understand its basic appeal. Date Added: 04/10/2008
Lonny My first exposure to F1 was stumbling over a broadcast of the race at Spa circa '63-'65. I was transfixed by cars racing through the forest on actual roads. Totally different from Indy, which I was most familiar with. Since then I have grown to appreciate nearly all forms of racing for what they are, but my first love is LeMans. I expect Ford's various GTs had a lot to do with that. It saddens me that sports car racing has splintered in the states, but both the ALMS and the Grand-Am provide great racing with plenty of passing, varying pit strategies and cars that are fast in different parts of the tracks. F1 is a close #2 in my world, though I don't have the interest level I used to have. What Bernie and the boys need to copy from almost any form of American racing is the almost total access TV has to the action. Reporters are not afraid to stick a mic in front of Penske and ask him if he has enough fuel to go the last 5 laps. They will ask Chad Knaus (a top crew chief) why his car has slowed and get an answer even while he is trying to fix it. They corner angry drivers for quotes right after accidents. They show close-ups of broken bits and pieces on cars. Nothing is sacred or off limits. Cameras go everywhere. NOBODY says "get away from me" or he will answer to the sanctioning body. Secrets are still around, but hard to keep long. So open the doors Bernie, let everyone know they better cooperate or get hit in the pocketbook, Hard. Maybe that will fan some interest. Date Added: 05/10/2008
Nick Goodspeed Don't expect much from Bernie. I see in today's news he has decided it appropriate to allude to the Ferrari team as a bunch of clowns. He and Max live in ivory towers. If they gave access in the way the Americans do (and F1 used to) they wouldn't be able to fine people $100,000,000.00 for supposedly spying.cyNick Date Added: 05/10/2008
chunter Not to be devil's advocate, but I think language is the main problem F1 has with accessibility.Before the race begins, I watch Peter Windsor getting battered around by reporters from all these different countries while he fails to get a pre-race interview from anyone of any import, and usually the person that speaks says nothing of any particular relevance.To see all the action on the paddock before the race begins, I really don't blame drivers for ducking out and hiding from reporters. How do you really give proper press and face time to all these different media types in all the different languages?aracerdude does make a good point about Nascar: their spec car is very strange and repeats a lot of the aerodynamic issues F1 have right now. If you haven't wondered why Nascar decided to add splitters and wings to their cars recently, it is because they wanted to keep my generation, the one that tunes Japanese compacts, interested in their sport in some way. Do you think the gimmick succeeded at all? Date Added: 06/10/2008
Becken Hi, CliveYohooo….Great news, mate. Quick Nick will remains at BMW. Great for us, great for BMW!!!! Date Added: 06/10/2008
Clive Nick: I lost hope in Bernie some time ago - although I think he's still mildly in touch with reality, unlike his sidekick. I see Max is now trying to change British law to suit himself... Date Added: 06/10/2008
Clive Chunter: Agreed that language is a problem in F1 but this is lessened somewhat by English being the common language in all the teams. The idea of greater accessibility applies to Fridays, when the drivers and team members have a bit more time for standing around and doing interviews. The grid walk interviews of Peter Windsor and the like are a total waste of time - no one's going to say anything meaningful at a time like that. On a Friday, they just might. Date Added: 06/10/2008
Clive Becken: Yes, I saw the news this morning and heartily approve. BMW are such a sensible team! I might write something about it today. Date Added: 06/10/2008
Pat in Colorado I agree F1 and NASCAR are different animals, but it doesn't preclude crossover in audiences, in whole or in part. Personally each has its own bright spots, but it is bad for the sport when qualifying becomes the most interesting part of a F1 race weekend, unless it rains.I do believe that access to drivers and teams is essential, as ultimately it is the fans that pay the bill and allowing them to feel a part of the team is key to continued success and growing the sport.I notice this when talking F1 the driver or manufacturer is used to identify the team, e.g Louis, Renault, etc. vs. in NASCAR its the car number, e.g. "the 20" had an amazing race. That probably doesn't convey the team impact in NASCAR, but simple things like names on the back of the crews fire suits or tire changer POV cams help to put the viewer in the "presence" of the race.I do though wish NASCAR could some how put knock out qualifying in the Sprint Cup.BTW: The best day of racing is the US is Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend. Here (Colorado) you are up at 5:30am to watch Monaco, 10am the Indy 500 and 3pm the Coca Cola 600. Heck, I never get out my PJs, I just exist for 12 hours in front of the big screen. Date Added: 06/10/2008
Pat in Colorado Lewis, bad mistake. Date Added: 06/10/2008
Clive I figured out the Lewis typo anyway, Pat! You're right that it's possible to like both NASCAR and F1 - in the 60s I followed the fortunes of Richard Petty as avidly as I did F1. It is only that it everything has changed so much since those days that makes NASCAR such a steep learning curve for me.The American practice of referring to the drivers by car numbers does puzzle me - it makes things easier for the commentators, I'm sure, but surely more difficult for the fans. But perhaps they are only interested in one or two numbers - those of the drivers they follow.Memorial Day, hey? I must remember that and book the television! Date Added: 06/10/2008
Lonny In NASCAR numbers are a very big deal. They generally stick with the team for as long as they are competing. When Dale Jr changed teams, there was considerable discussion about if he would continue as the #8. In the end DEI (the team) kept the #8 and Hendrick purchased the #88 from another team for Jr. It also fosters the notion that racing is a team sport. I think NASCAR emphasizes this more than any series in the business. Crew chief Chad Knaus is very nearly as famous as his driver Jimmie Johnson. And though he has driven the #20 car his entire career, when Tony Stewart moves to his own team next year, the #20 will remain at Joe Gibbs racing along with most of the current crew. Date Added: 07/10/2008
chunter F1 used to keep their numbers too...I think the problem with calling cars by number is similar to the problem I have with A1GP where commentators say that Ireland have overtaken France. Date Added: 10/10/2008
Clive I agree, Chunter - it sounds strange to me to say one country has overtaken another. But I suppose that was always going to be the case if you have a world cup of motor racing! Date Added: 10/10/2008
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