Formula 1 Extravaganza

So if Perez had not given way in Barcelona he’d be points leader now.

I was gutted for LeClerc after his DNS last year and putting it on pole again this year, but Perez was the next most deserving driver IMO so good that he was able to win.

As for Monaco being for the rubes, I am not so sure. Its held in a REALLY expensive area, the seating is VERY limited - I read somewhere only about 20K seats, not countinf the 1% crowd on their mega yachts in the harbor. That's a fraction of what pretty much every other venue can accommodate. To boot, they apparently pay an abnormally low hosting fee and up until now, control the local TV coverage ( which is terriblel ) and control local advertising .

I for one look forward to Liberty holding their feet to the fire for the next contract. They pay the least, put o a shit race and seem to take their place as a historical venue for granted. Not that I want it replaced by another race in some desert kingdom, but there are surely better places to hold an actual RACE, not this farce.

Fuck Monaco .

I am more worried about classic tracks like Spa and Monza that produce excellent races and are more approachable by fans.

I'm saying F1 international feed *coverage* had to sex up Monaco for the rubes.

I'd leave the rubes out of it frankly, because even rubes can recognize when race car drivers opt to drive ultra-safe on a dangerous road. The quality of the racing is a net loss for the sport from a PR perspective even with the newbies.

What remains is for F1 to figure out how to cut the legs out from under Monaco in their negotiations. A similar venue that has a better track, particularly if it is on the Mediterranean would be a pretty sobering announcement coming during price negotiations. Dropping the race there for even one year when those pricey yachts can sail to Nice or Genoa instead would reset the relationship, and with any luck force Monaco to change (expand) the track to include better stretches of road for racing. Or they just become a history lesson.

Of course I've mentioned my preferred option in the past (put the drivers in identical 12hp go-carts with super-soakers and let them have a blast) keeps not getting a response from F1 management, in spite of it clearly being a candidate for the best audience draw of the season.

Sagrilarus wrote: Of course I've mentioned my preferred option in the past (put the drivers in identical 12hp go-carts with super-soakers and let them have a blast) keeps not getting a response from F1 management, in spite of it clearly being a candidate for the best audience draw of the season.

Isn't this Indycar?

Indy cars have a few extra horsepower.

The super-soakers are key. Each driver has their own color liquid, and each color that can be identified on your car at the end of the race adds five seconds to your time.

They have these sprint races now at some tracks and that's great, but I don't think they're wringing out the entertainment value available with more inventive races. Given Monaco's track limitations a go cart race would be perfect. And frankly, I'd pay extra to listen in on Verstappen's audio as every doggone driver goes to take a shot at him, aiming at his helmet instead of the car.

If memory serves, one of Bernie Ecclestone's old ideas was to run sprinklers during before and randomly during every race so...

Sprinklers won't save Monaco; we saw a wet track resulted in minimal overtaking this past weekend. Part of the problem with Monaco these days is that the cars are simply too big vs older cars; its easier to throw out your elbows so to speak and keep a trailing car at bay.

I don't think it would be that difficult for F1 to leverage their negotiations with the Monaco organizers. Up the hosting fee to something comparable to what other tracks pay. Take away the local TV coverage and advertising rights. Remove the chicane after the tunnel and put it farther down the track. Done. The biggest impediment is willpower/inertia. Nobody seems to want to be the one who "lost" such a historic track. And I've read in the past they view Monaco as a chance to wine and dine deep pocketed sponsors. To that I saw rubbish. Singapore in recent years has taken on some of that reputation and between Miami and possibly Las Vegas they can schmooze with vendors there.

If Monaco doesn't want to up their game, tough shit. There are more venues than available slots on the calendar these days. Turkey has a great track if you want to stay in the Med, although it doesn't have yachts trackside. Whatever. Something, anything would be better than this farce.

Fuck Monaco.

Miami had yachts trackside.

Once Las Vegas comes on board, that is going to be where the big money comes from. Relegate Monaco to historic races and the E series.

Sagrilarus wrote: Miami had yachts trackside.

That fake marina was the laughingstock of the entire weekend. Other than that though everything I've read makes it sound like for a first time venue Miami put on a pretty good event, organization wise.

As far as catering to sponsors, everything I've read says Monaco is no longer the sponsor draw it used to be. Like you said, Miami nd other venues are plenty capable of supplying the hookers and blow necessary to keep the sponsors happy.

That marina was fake?

From what I read the Miami people had to reassure F1 that they had it covered more than once. They’ve put on super bowls and all star games, this was a relatively medium sized event for them.

the_jake_1973 wrote: Once Las Vegas comes on board, that is going to be where the big money comes from. Relegate Monaco to historic races and the E series.

I think F1 knows this, that's why they spent the 200 million on just off strip property for permanent race facilities.

Sagrilarus wrote: That marina was fake?

.

You’re joking I hope?

www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a39914...al-f1-miami-circuit/

Azerbaijan just made Monaco look interesting.