Bernie Ecclestone braced for loss of 'one or two' Formula One teams

[Yaaay]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsp...teams.html

[chemics]

HRT looks like a given unless they are bought out, they are replacing pay drives with better funded pay drivers, never a good thing.

Funny how Bernie makes billions but even a team like Williams struggles, something's not right in there somewhere when the teams that provide the show can't make money but the rights holder can make that much.

[motorracingfan]

The new teams haven't brought anything to this season really, all they have done is make Q1 easier for the top teams and provided some moving chicanes for the race. Out of these new teams only Lotus seem to be looking forward and improving and have been the only new team getting close to the back of the established teams in Quali at certain tracks. Lotus got their entry late and didn't have as much time to develop for this year, they are already working on next year and should be much quicker, they are good addition to F1. As for the other 2, small fuel tanks, last minute driver swaps, parts falling off in practice, they haven't brought anything to the sport, I certainly wouldn't miss them.

[trickydicky]

Bernie has a point

I would also like it if torro rosso engaged more in F1

[chemics]

Virgin are at least doing some development work, albeit slowly, HRT seem to be getting left behind. I think Lotus will be in amongst the more established teams next year now they have some data and the time to develop their 2011 car properly. None of the teams were realistically going to be any good with the time allowed. The smae will happen with any new team next year, they haven't been picked yet, but other teams are already working on cars. Presumably any new team can't go out and hire staff and start development until they get the OK, so the FIA automatically ties one hand behind their back. Realistically they should have picked the teams a year in advance to give them time to do development and get sponsors.

[trickydicky]

Lotus could be the next Force India.

[Yaaay]

No way, unless you mean that in a good way. I think FI are doing badly. You might think differently.

[trickydicky]

Shut up, nobjockey

[Yaaay]

Can't explain yourself.

[forza minardi]

on their way up, it's normal that former mid-field-teams struggle sometimes (see Stewart-Jaguar-RBR or Tyrrell-BAR-Honda-Brawn-Mercedes).
maybe that explains the Force's struggle this (mid-) season.
Lotus looks not too bad for the future, but I think we will see more from Virgin.
I'm really content I've refused to root for HRT since before the season...

[chemics]

(07-28-2010 01:40 PM)Yaaay Wrote:  No way, unless you mean that in a good way. I think FI are doing badly. You might think differently.

I wonder how much FI are hurting from key personnel losses. Sauber seem to have go their act together when the Tech Director moved over and I think Lotus poached a couple. They were looking like they were making inroads at one point, but the whole tyre debacle at the weekend was a joke. That said, it's not worse than McLaren leaving the radiator cover on in Monaco even if tyres should have been easier to spot with strips on them.

[trickydicky]

06 Force India-Mercedes 47
07 Williams-Cosworth 31

09 Michael Schumacher 38
10 Adrian Sutil 35

[frankdouglason]

how is bernie promoting the sport by saying this?

[Yaaay]

It gets stuff in the daily papers.

[frankdouglason]

f1 is in the papers anyway.

the sport makes money when people watch, and nobody watches to see struggling teams go under.

why bernie thinks it's appropriate to kick people who are down when he's suppsoed to be promoting them is beyond me.

[Yaaay]

I disagree. People will always read an article by Bernie, either a business man or a fan. Already we are turned off by Ferrari scandal stories (unless something really new comes up). He is also probably scene setting, just like he did with Monaco.

Is he supposed to be promoting the teams? He supplies them with a lot of money.

[frankdouglason]

he's supposed to be promoting the sport. that includes the teams, but most of all, he supposed to be promoting the sport. nobody tunes in to the race because they want to watch hrt flounder. there's no upside to this story.

[Yaaay]

I disagree more. Watching someone flounder is entertaining in a grizzly kinda way.

[trickydicky]

It might strike you as odd, but F1 is not a regular feature of the papers, not in the same way that football is.

Yes you get a bit of analaysis, but to make the printed press, F1 needs bit news storys.

[frankdouglason]

(07-28-2010 08:14 PM)Yaaay Wrote:  I disagree more. Watching someone flounder is entertaining in a grizzly kinda way.

to people who aren't already tuning in? they don't even know who hrt is. it just makes them think f1 teams aren't doing so well.

[chemics]

(07-28-2010 07:23 PM)Yaaay Wrote:  He is also probably scene setting, just like he did with Monaco.

I think that's the key, it's nearly Concord signing time, so it's time to try and destabilise the teams position as a negotiating tool.

[frankdouglason]

(07-29-2010 08:33 AM)chemics Wrote:  negotiating tool

hey look, we have a new nickname for bernie!