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Is F1 considering mid-week races?

NEWS STORY
08/01/2024

For the most part the fact that - due to Ramadan - the opening two races of the forthcoming season take place on a Saturday appears to have slipped under the radar.

The move comes months after F1 opted to host the Las Vegas Grand Prix on a Saturday, the first time that this has happened since South Africa 1985.

The reason for the timing of the Las Vegas event was in order to have the race televised on Sunday morning in what remains the sport's European heartland, but it was a plan that backfired.

With Las Vegas eight hours behind the UK and nine behind continental Europe it was too early in the morning to get significant audiences, while on the east coast of America it was the middle of the night. Though it was broadcast at prime time in Asia this isn't F1's top market.

Consequently, the Grand Prix attracted the grand total of 1.3 million viewers on ESPN in the US, half the number who tuned in to the inaugural Miami event.

However, that doesn't mean the race was a complete failure, and with F1 being the promoter, with a 10 year contract, fingers will be tightly crossed that things improve over the coming years.

Nonetheless, holding it on a Saturday tested the waters of mid-week racing which is exactly what Liberty Media needs to convince investors that the business has further potential for growth.

Races are the driving force behind the growth of F1's revenues as each one typically pays hosting fees that alone come to an average of $33.5m (£26.5m) annually.

Then there's the revenue from trackside advertising and race title sponsorship as well as hospitality revenues. If a new race is in a key market it could even enable Liberty to boost its broadcasting fees which represent F1's single-largest source of revenue.

While drivers have spoken out over the challenge that this year's 24 race schedule presents, team bosses, with an eye on the coffers, have been largely silent. That said, with F1 CEO, Stefano Domenicali having admitted that he would love to see thirty or so races each year, Zak Brown recently opined that the sport could handle a further eight.

A second race in Italy might not make much difference in terms of the fee paid by Sky Italia, but if, for example, the much-mooted South African Grand Prix returned to the calendar it could significantly drive up the amount that a local broadcaster pays.

The teams are the roadblock in the way of adding more races to the calendar as the Concorde Commercial Agreement, the contract which commits the teams to race, caps the number of Grands Prix in a season at 25 which gives F1 little room for growth. Its terms also state that the consent of 70% of the teams is required if there are more than 24 races in a season or if there are fewer than eight across Europe and North America combined.

There is good reason for this.

The majority of the teams are based in the UK so the more races that take place in far-flung destinations, the greater their travel costs become and the more time they have to spend away from home.

So how does holding races on a Saturday help matters? Well, if Saturday was viable then why not Friday? And if that went ahead then how about Thursday or even Wednesday?

In fact, races have taken place on pretty much every day of the week, though this was mostly when the Indianapolis 500 formed part of the F1 world championship, when the race had to take place on 30 May unless it was a Sunday in which case the event was held over until the Monday.

F1 is under tremendous pressure from the green lobby and not just because of the 20 'gas-guzzlers' roaring around the track. Its calendar is also to blame as the sport travels from one part of the world to another and back again later in the year. If instead of visiting the US at three different times of the year it instead held the three races in one week (Monday, Wednesday and Saturday), it would be a lot more environmentally-friendly.

Furthermore, it would also save on travel costs. Also, there wouldn't be time for as much practice so the races would hopefully be more unpredictable.

But the biggest benefit is that it would mean F1 could fit more races into a shorter space of time. The more races, the more revenue it generates.

If it took the mid-week racing approach in every market F1 could significantly boost the number of races on the calendar without increasing the time spent on the road away from home. That sounds like a win-win and the sport seems to be heading in precisely this direction.

At a time NASCAR consists of 36 rounds, Liberty bosses must be licking their lips...

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READERS COMMENTS

 

1. Posted by Ricardo_sanchez, 07/01/2024 12:07

"@kenji - communist Grand Prix racing is not your thing then? Not even Hungary 1986 - Piquet versus Senna?

;-)

One of the most memorable battles, from the good old days of the Iron Curtain.

"

Rating: Positive (2)     Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

2. Posted by kenji, 07/01/2024 11:07

"@Ricardo_sanchez...Thank you for acknowledging the points I made in my post. Libert are Liberty and it should come as no surprise to see what they are doing. Liberty is an American media focused entertainment investment group. That says it all. Whilst not agreeing with some of their future plans for F1 I do recognise that we/I am enjoying the benefits of existing within a free democratic capiltalist society rather than the joyless socialist enclaves where F1 does not even feature as a known topic let alone hosting any actual racing. "

Rating: Neutral (0)     Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

3. Posted by Ricardo_sanchez, 06/01/2024 12:44

"Liberty seems to be all about quantity over quality. Primarily the quantity of cash. And it also seems more concerned about perception than reality. Clearly more F1 races will increase the sport’s environmental impact, so Liberty doesn’t really care about that aspect.

For me, F1 has always been about excess and extremes. Excessive speed, the fastest drivers, the best engineering, the most glamorous venues etc. All in all, a glorious waste of money. That is the glamour of the sport and it’s hypocritical to pretend otherwise. That’s not to say that common sense economies should not be made, but we have to be realistic - nothing about F1 is eco-friendly. Where F1 can (and does) help the automotive industry is in developing more efficient drivetrains, advancing construction techniques, improving aerodynamic research etc.

F1 demands an element of exclusivity to maintain its position as the pinnacle of motorsport. Each race needs to be a unique and special occasion. If a GP can be held in the carpark of any retail park then the prestige of the sport will be diminished.

As Kenji pointed out below, part of what makes F1 races special is the anticipation and build up to race day. Turning races into routine fixtures will dilute this and may lead to fan ‘fatigue’, especially if one team dominates each event. More is not always better.

"

Rating: Positive (3)     Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

4. Posted by elsiebc, 04/01/2024 19:24

"Also, Bernie understood that manufacturers only stayed as long as it benefited them and their boards would allow. He courted the independents as the root of the sport for it was built on racers who manufactured to support their racing rather than the other way around. Now, Liberty has taken the tact of trying to build it into an indispensable marketing arm for the giants and at a budget they can afford so their shareholders can see value. Andretti doesn't fit the new model. Bernie was right for his time and maybe Liberty is right for this era. Time will tell. Liberty isn't right for me so I'm delving more into endurance racing, which I always loved. And starting tomorrow is Dakar. There's no pretentiousness there!"

Rating: Positive (6)     Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

5. Posted by elsiebc, 04/01/2024 17:45

"My understanding is that when Bernie had his vision for what the sport could be commercially, he first went to the teams to sell them on it. They didn't want to buy in and were happy with the way things were so he went it alone. Risk takers and visionaries deserve their rewards."

Rating: Positive (1)     Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

6. Posted by Defiant, 04/01/2024 16:43

"Bernie E is sorely missed in my opinion. He was a tyrant, yes, but without him, F1 would have continued to be a part time show on the fringes of consciousness.

By the time he left, he'd taken it to what we will all probably remember to be its heights.

Fiberty have done just about everything to kill it as a sport and turn it into WWE"

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7. Posted by BrightonCorgi, 04/01/2024 14:26

"Bernie ran a much leaner company. Less head count, more efficient. I prefer many things Bernie did and some things Liberty are doing.

I'd like to see a mix of the podium finishers in a press box like the old days, but like the varied podium interviews from the track as they do now.

Lack of pit girls is a big loss with Liberty. Targeting the show for kids is not the right audience either.

I'd like to see the podium finishers be able to say more in their native tongue on the track side interview."

Rating: Positive (1)     Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

8. Posted by Editor, 04/01/2024 13:32

"@ ausieausieausie

Bernie made a lot of money from F1… but so did a lot of people.

Before Bernie there was no real structure to the sport, no real organisation.

Along with giving it a structure he gave it a global presence.

Yes he made money, but at heart he loved the sport and was a racer, having been involved long before he took control.

Liberty is there for one reason, to make money.

They don’t understand the sport, they don’t particularly like it. What they have done is employ yes men like Brawn and Domenicali, whilst tantalising the teams with the promise of riches beyond their wildest dreams.

History and passion are to be used only when they can help the goal of making more money, whilst social media and celebrities are used to bring more ‘fans’ on board.

Liberty is like so many organisations these days, obsessed with virtue signalling about its ESG rating.

I genuinely believe we are witnessing the death of our sport, certainly as we know it, and I am absolutely certain that Bernie will take no pleasure from it. Liberty has taken what he helped shape and sought only to turn it into a cash cow.

It cannot last."

Rating: Positive (9)     Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

9. Posted by Endre, 04/01/2024 13:13

"@ausieausieausie Bernie E lead to the current mob running F1. He can look forward to a nice toasty place down below for eternity for what he has done to F1."

Rating: Negative (-1)     Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

10. Posted by ausieausieausie, 04/01/2024 11:46

"Just curious, what is your opinion of Bernie E's running of F1 compared to the present mob??? "

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11. Posted by kenji, 03/01/2024 23:17

"The low twenties are about the max for this F1 tragic. Anymore than that decreases the 'anticipation' level and magnifies the 'domination' effect that comes from any significant top team hogging the top step!"

Rating: Positive (1)     Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

12. Posted by elsiebc, 03/01/2024 19:04

"More races and budget caps = less money and then time to improve your battle wagon. Saves me time because the season will be decided in the first three races... on a good year."

Rating: Positive (1)     Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

13. Posted by Apexing, 03/01/2024 19:04

"I think we're missing something obvious here - race in the middle of the week, but also have the teams drive to the next track! Bonus points added to the teams that get there first! A race to the race! How fun would that be?? Think of it as a series of Cannonball Runs where the teams can pick up constructor's points...and if the drivers want to drive themselves to the next track, have at it! They can pick up some points too! I'd love to see them trying to deal with gassing up, toll booths and outrunning the police..."

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14. Posted by Superbird70, 03/01/2024 18:54

"The thing to factor in are the recovery times for personnel. Soccer, American football usually have at least one week for recovery. Baseball, hockey, and basketball not so much. How does an F1 team recover in two or three days if it demolishes one or both of its cars? Not to mention the mechanics and support personnel. Think of the chefs!!"

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15. Posted by Editor, 03/01/2024 18:10 (moderated by an Adminstrator, 03/01/2024 18:11)

"@ Anthony

F1 wouldn't be bothered about attendance numbers, that's a problem for the organisers/promoters.

As for TV, football is shown almost every night of the week these days, other sports also.

Make no mistake, in no way do we support such a move, we're just trying to judge the way the minds are working at F1 Towers."

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