So what will F1 teams do this year?

[izzy]

That would be good for nerds like us. For most of the "yay, the driver closest to my nationality is here in front of me <scream>" type "fans", there wouldn't be any interest. And Liberty aren't going to spend a lot of time/money making a marginal-interest documentary, sadly.

yes it depends if Liberty have heard of the Halo Effect doesn't it, and it looks like they might not have! They have to do something tho, or just watch hundreds of millions of dollars swirl down the plughole while their debt ratio spirals into oblivion

[Just_a_fan]

Here's a thought: it might be a good thing if no one other than the FIA owned F1. Perhaps Liberty going under could mean the FIA could have control of the whole thing, the money generated could be better used than filling shareholder bank accounts.

Imagine, cost cap in place, all of the income from F1 going to the FIA, FIA able to pay teams decent prize money. More teams in F1, bigger grids. With more cars you automatically get more racing - the best racing is usually in the midfield so a bigger midfield means more chances for racing. What goes on at the front is usually boring (except for the occasional race where things conspire to make it interesting).

Let me just add: I know that if Liberty went under, someone else would just buy the rights off them and the FIA wouldn't get a look in.

[izzy]

Here's a thought: it might be a good thing if no one other than the FIA owned F1. Perhaps Liberty going under could mean the FIA could have control of the whole thing, the money generated could be better used than filling shareholder bank accounts.

Imagine, cost cap in place, all of the income from F1 going to the FIA, FIA able to pay teams decent prize money. More teams in F1, bigger grids. With more cars you automatically get more racing - the best racing is usually in the midfield so a bigger midfield means more chances for racing. What goes on at the front is usually boring (except for the occasional race where things conspire to make it interesting).

FIA is pretty corrupt tho. It's a little institution where everybody knows each other and they all look after each other. Look at the Superlicence points system, supposedly to prevent more 17-year-olds driving but quelle surprise an age limit wouldn't do, it had to be something that accidentally nuked free-to-air Formula Renault!

anyway afaik if Liberty couldn't keep up with their $3bn debt F1 would be owned by the bank that made the loan. There's an article on PlanetF1 iirc. The bank would sell it, most likely to a Chinese outfit. I wouldn't mind i don't think, hopefully they could do ... complicated

[strad]

old saying: Careful what you wish for...You might just get it.

[izzy]

old saying: Careful what you wish for...You might just get it.

a Chinese owner would do it for money just the same as Liberty, but they'd do it smarter! They wouldn't be waiting, waiting, waiting hopefully but stupidly while the season ebbs away, with teams doing nothing and everybody earning nothing and not a single pandemic model suggesting they can have any particular race (that i've heard of anyway)

[Just_a_fan]

If you're not allowed to fly, how do you get to a race?
If the country won't let you in, how can you have a race?
If you could run a race it would most likely be sans fans in the stands so the promoters don't make any money so why would they run a race?

The first two are simply political decisions and can be reversed simply enough if there is political will. That requires some careful lobbying of a handful of governments.

The last point is perhaps trickier. Perhaps Liberty will have to share some of the TV money with them. If there are no crowds - and it's reasonable to assume "closed door" races - then the costs to the circuits are much lower, of course.

Heck, there's no reason why the rich three couldn't stump up a few million each to cover some of the cost to run a few races.

[izzy]

The first two are simply political decisions and can be reversed simply enough if there is political will. That requires some careful lobbying of a handful of governments.

The last point is perhaps trickier. Perhaps Liberty will have to share some of the TV money with them. If there are no crowds - and it's reasonable to assume "closed door" races - then the costs to the circuits are much lower, of course.

Heck, there's no reason why the rich three couldn't stump up a few million each to cover some of the cost to run a few races.

Yes exactly, Liberty would pay the circuit, so that they can have the TV and sponsor money and teams can have theirs

They don't have to fly anywhere, Silverstone is all fenced. Quarantine, gated community. Ferrari and AT and Pirelli drive from Italy, get on with it F1 !! We'd like to have 20 races at 20 different tracks but it's not actually vital

We'd all watch here, even if they weren't up for my swapping drivers concept (which would make it one of the great season imo)

[nzjrs]

old saying: Careful what you wish for...You might just get it.

a Chinese owner would do it for money just the same as Liberty, but they'd do it smarter!

That's racist mate.

They wouldn't be waiting, waiting, waiting hopefully but stupidly while the season ebbs away, with teams doing nothing and everybody earning nothing

Plan B, Bernie has retired unfortunately.

[3jawchuck]

Why not turn F1 into the wacky races, get them chasing a pigeon and dropping banana peels and turtle shells in front of their rivals. It'd be entertaining, that's all that matters, right?

[izzy]

old saying: Careful what you wish for...You might just get it.

a Chinese owner would do it for money just the same as Liberty, but they'd do it smarter!

That's racist mate.

It's not racist, Chinese isn't a race and nor is Liberty, babe

[izzy]

...

Meanwhile Toto is saying he "hopes" F1 might start in the Autumn https://sport.oe24.at/motorsport/Die-Le ... /424944135

[Just_a_fan]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/52198033

F1 is putting its staff in furlough and the bosses are taking pay cuts. The staff are going to be paid using the Government's (presumably the UK Govt?) furlough scheme.

I assume this is FOM who, in their last full account visible on https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/01545332 , had just over 450 staff at the end of 2018.

That's going to cost the UK taxpayer over a £1m per month based on a maximum payout for each employee of £2500.

[nzjrs]

Mercedes apparently increasing production of CPAP devices significantly. https://www.racefans.net/2020/04/07/mer ... hing-aids/ (and credit to racefans for not calling them ventilators unqualified)

[Jambier]

...

Meanwhile Toto is saying he "hopes" F1 might start in the Autumn https://sport.oe24.at/motorsport/Die-Le ... /424944135

And this is hoping there isn't a big "second wave" in autumn.

[Big Tea]

Mercedes apparently increasing production of CPAP devices significantly. https://www.racefans.net/2020/04/07/mer ... hing-aids/ (and credit to racefans for not calling them ventilators unqualified)

Currently, 40 machines that would normally produce F1 pistons and turbochargers are being used for production of the CPAP devices, and the entire HPP technology centre in Brixworth, Northamptonshire has been repurposed to meet this demand.

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/healthcare-engine ... p-dive-ucl