Originally Posted by Stuart C (Post 34769749)

I don't know, but it's not only about selling cars. It's also about getting the sponsors names into as many countries as possible.

Also, there is the cost of hosting a race. Singapore and Bahrain can afford to do so. Can the european countries who aren't hosting one afford to? Can any of the countries hosting one afford to host two?

Originally Posted by sherer (Post 34769811)

that does seem to be the problem FOM \ Bernie just seem to want to get as much money as they can so they turn up in places no one wants to go and with no fans there at all.

What would be better is to have most of the series in Europe \ US \ South America and then during the winter they can run the same cars in Asia \ Middle East as the Winter Championship open to new \ young drivers only. They get more revenue and can then lower the race hosting fees

Originally Posted by hedgie (Post 34769849)

No No No you have spoilt a rational argument by using Bernie and the phrase "lower the...... fees" together. Does not compute !

Anyway is the winter series thing what A1GP is all about with races from October to May. Trouble is trying to get fans to engage with it as a concept.

http://www.a1gp.com/About/WhatIsA1GP.aspx

Originally Posted by hedgie (Post 34769849)

No No No you have spoilt a rational argument by using Bernie and the phrase "lower the...... fees" together. Does not compute !

Anyway is the winter series thing what A1GP is all about with races from October to May. Trouble is trying to get fans to engage with it as a concept.

http://www.a1gp.com/About/WhatIsA1GP.aspx

Originally Posted by hedgie (Post 34771361)

Dont get me wrong I agree with what you are trying to suggest..:)

It would kill A1GP though. Another option would be to allow the GP2 teams to run the cars in the winter, that way the F1 teams could focus on the build and test on the next cars.

Originally Posted by sherer (Post 34771385)

Yes it would kill A1GP but what would the public rather watch A1GP or a F1 Winter Championship ?

My theory was to have it centrally run and employ all the F1 test teams to tun the cars so people who have lost their jobs will now have a job. You could then have the F1 teams running with their new cars during the practice days so then the people who pay to go get to meet the F1 drivers plus those in the winter championship. You could expand the GP2 Asia series to run with it and then add in GP3 series

Originally Posted by Turkey Machine (Post 34772284)

Considering A1GP's a dying series anyway due to admin incompetencies, late payments to teams and abandoned races, I think F1 in the winter has a much better chance of being more successful series. :)

The twilight races is a terrible idea, especially in Malaysia because it accelerates the chances of a race being stopped for good early on. Last weekend's race was the 5th time in 60 years of F1 that half points has been given out instead of the full whack because a race has been halted for good early (other times are Spain (Montjuich Park) 1975, Austria 1975, Monaco 1984 and Australia 1991). Even in the monsoons of Japan 1994 they did a 2-parter, but had the race been a couple of hours earlier in the day this weekend, they'd have done 56 laps and been wet on the podium.

Originally Posted by Stuart C (Post 34769654)

The amount of channels is not really that relevant. The main problem is that (for sponsorship reasons), F1 needs a lot of viewers. This isn't gonna happen if the countries with the largest potential audiences are in darkness when the races happen. The hardcore fans will happily stay up, and some others will happily record it to watch later, or use services like iPlayer, but they also need the viewers who might just glimpse it while channel surfing.

Originally Posted by Flyboy (Post 34775960)

P.S. And Aunty, if you are watching, please, please, please give us F1 on HD!

Originally Posted by Kymmy (Post 34776042)

This has been answered a few times and in multiple threads...

HD for this event is out of the BBC's control apart from the British GP, that's because the main race feed is supplied to the BBC by whichever broadcasting company ha the rights for that countries GP. None of these feeds are currently in HD so the best the BBC could ever do is upscale the picture..

It will though be interesting to see if the BBC does do HD for Silverstone