Has F1 jumped the shark?

[NathanE]

I just saw the f1technical article about F1 fragrance. Even if the regs, the appalling inconsistent stewarding, the theme tunes etc had failed to kill the spark, surely this has to be a sign of the end?



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[El Scorchio]

I just saw the f1technical article about F1 fragrance. Even if the regs, the appalling inconsistent stewarding, the theme tunes etc had failed to kill the spark, surely this has to be a sign of the end?



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I was thinking about posting about the fragrances but wasn't sure where it might sit on this forum!
Applause to Liberty for wringing everything they can out of it, but this is a weird one. I just can't see there being much of a market for it, but then again, someone somewhere will buy it I guess.

I'm curious about what the smells could be and how they decided on it. Lots of the smells aren't overtly pleasant to a lot of people:

Petrol fumes
Burning Rubber
Engine Grease
Hot dog with onions

[nzjrs]

I don't mind the fragrances. Dad gifts are a harmless market.

[NathanE]

I wasn't sure either where to put it, but this is now the face of F1 so I guessed the general F1 forum was the right spot.

Hmm maybe I getting it wrong - maybe its more "I love the smell of napalm in the morning"

Brake dust and burning clutch!

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[Just_a_fan]

Ferrari have been doing it for a while, for example. Teams do all sorts of merchandise.

[codetower]

I don't think it's "jumped the shark". Looking at viewership numbers, looks to be getting a bit stronger:

- 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix has broken viewership records for Sky Sports (https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/f1- ... ormula-one)
- In the US, Baku GP audience peaks at 1.04m on ESPN- largest audience of 2020 and 2021 seasons and fourth highest F1 US cable audience on record. (https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/f1- ... tings-espn)
- 2020 with 4 fewer races was pretty much in line with the previous 7 years, but saw increases in China (+43% yoy), Netherlands (+28% yoy) and UK (+10% yoy).

It seems (and I hope it continues) that it's improving in some key markets.

[wesley123]

I don't think it's "jumped the shark". Looking at viewership numbers, looks to be getting a bit stronger:

- 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix has broken viewership records for Sky Sports (https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/f1- ... ormula-one)
- In the US, Baku GP audience peaks at 1.04m on ESPN- largest audience of 2020 and 2021 seasons and fourth highest F1 US cable audience on record. (https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/f1- ... tings-espn)
- 2020 with 4 fewer races was pretty much in line with the previous 7 years, but saw increases in China (+43% yoy), Netherlands (+28% yoy) and UK (+10% yoy).

It seems (and I hope it continues) that it's improving in some key markets.

Jumping the shark ≠ viewership numbers.

Something can have jumped the shark, while keeping, or gaining, engagement figures.

I personally agree with on it, and in their defense they're far from the only ones to do so. In the chase of more engagement, the sport has lost it's core audience. Every little change they have made in the past few years has been to appeal to the popular culture. And in that regard F1 has jumped the shark.

For me the sprint race has really been the point. It felt so forced in every single way, and just felt absurd. I mean, the winner of a race is the fastest qualifier? And then calling qualifying still calling it qualifying, even though it's not. But the trophy is now called the "speed king" award. Seriously wtf.

It feels like they hired Family Guy writers to come up with absurd ideas, just looking how far they can push it.

[hollus]

Just for those that don't know the meaning:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumping_the_shark

More seriously, though, when I first saw them, I first thought of the Pirelli color codes for tires. So the names would be like super-soft, soft, medium, hard and super-hard. But come to think of it, if they also go for wet and super-wet, it almost starts to sound a bit dirty.

Nothing says "F1" like a range of fragances, right? I am also properly perplexed by this.

[codetower]

I don't think it's "jumped the shark". Looking at viewership numbers, looks to be getting a bit stronger:

- 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix has broken viewership records for Sky Sports (https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/f1- ... ormula-one)
- In the US, Baku GP audience peaks at 1.04m on ESPN- largest audience of 2020 and 2021 seasons and fourth highest F1 US cable audience on record. (https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/f1- ... tings-espn)
- 2020 with 4 fewer races was pretty much in line with the previous 7 years, but saw increases in China (+43% yoy), Netherlands (+28% yoy) and UK (+10% yoy).

It seems (and I hope it continues) that it's improving in some key markets.

Jumping the shark ≠ viewership numbers.

Something can have jumped the shark, while keeping, or gaining, engagement figures.

I personally agree with on it, and in their defense they're far from the only ones to do so. In the chase of more engagement, the sport has lost it's core audience. Every little change they have made in the past few years has been to appeal to the popular culture. And in that regard F1 has jumped the shark.

For me the sprint race has really been the point. It felt so forced in every single way, and just felt absurd. I mean, the winner of a race is the fastest qualifier? And then calling qualifying still calling it qualifying, even though it's not. But the trophy is now called the "speed king" award. Seriously wtf.

It feels like they hired Family Guy writers to come up with absurd ideas, just looking how far they can push it.

I guess it depends on the interpretation of "jumping the shark". I used to watch the old Happy Days re-runs and my interpretation (admittedly, might not be accurate) is "jumping the shark" is that event in time that you can intetify as being the moment where something is past it's prime, and starts to decline in popularity, e.g. that Fonzie jumping the shark episode... all went downhill from there.

I see what you are saying; I agree that it seems to be losing its core audience. Personally, I was on the fence with the sprint race. I enjoyed it somewhat, but I think it did seem a bit gimmicky. I hope they don't bring it in permanently. I think qualifying needs to stay as is. Fragrances... don't care for them.

With that being said, I think they need to evolve and continue to bring in new generations of viewers to keep it going for decades to come. I think/hope the new young drivers will bring that. Theres a good mix now. Max has the attitude, Lando the young gun, Russel the calm force, Leclerc the GQ face of Ferrari... I don't think F1 needs the gimmicks.

[Big Tea]

I just saw the f1technical article about F1 fragrance. Even if the regs, the appalling inconsistent stewarding, the theme tunes etc had failed to kill the spark, surely this has to be a sign of the end?



Sent from my SM-G986B using Tapatalk

I was thinking about posting about the fragrances but wasn't sure where it might sit on this forum!
Applause to Liberty for wringing everything they can out of it, but this is a weird one. I just can't see there being much of a market for it, but then again, someone somewhere will buy it I guess.

I'm curious about what the smells could be and how they decided on it. Lots of the smells aren't overtly pleasant to a lot of people:

Petrol fumes
Burning Rubber
Engine Grease
Hot dog with onions

Castrol R, must have Castrol R for the 'culture' of it in bygone days of yoe when if drivers ran into one another it was a knuckle sandwich behind the sheds .

[JordanMugen]

Has F1 jumped the shark?

Nope!

I think there is a very real risk the V8 Supercars (Australian Touring Car Championship) has though, it is based on American vehicles (Mustang and, soon, Camaro) that are largely irrelevant to the average enthusiast, and is increasingly a minor interest that I do not bother to seek out watching. Why should the Australian Touring Car Championship be an Americana series? It makes no sense.

For FWIW I quite like the theme tune and the introduction with the driver idents -- it means it's time for F1 . While The Chain by Fleetwood Mac set to on-track action is a great intro, the current intro makes it intro more of a contest of drivers with personalities, which is a good approach. Not everyone is interested in the technical and engineering side of things, with a faceless "organic component" in between the steering wheel and seat, perhaps?


It's all machines and a bit too impersonal perhaps?

[Zynerji]

I own a Lamborghini cologne as a daily driver, but if I'm going into a big meeting, it's Calvin Klein : Contradiction, for sure!

I may check this out, even for novelty sake.

[notsofast]

On a related note, it would be good for f1technical to make it clear when an article is quoting a press release or some other content written by someone else.

incredible racing scents

Surely this isn't f1technical's own choice of words?
But yeah, I had the same thought about F1 jumping the shark when I read that.

[Viper2789]

Maybe there is more of a Dad market to be had?

Imagine the branding for F1 viagra?

"Change from soft to hard quicker than a Red Bull pit crew"

[theblackangus]

Petrol fumes
Burning Rubber
Hot Brakes

If I could roll around smelling like this these with a quick spray I would all day every day!