F1 Promoters Talk Move to IRL

[cosworth151]

Ron Walker, chairman of the Formula One Promoters’ Association, says that they may switch to IndyCar. The problem, once again, are F1's current mewing kitten cars.

“The sound is a disgrace. When the car comes down the straight you can’t even hear it. Now you have got every promoter worried that it’s going to turn fans away,” Walker told The Independent. “ You will find promoters dropping out. They will go and get an IndyCar race or something like that to keep the fans.”

“We may as well go and buy an IndyCar race for $3.5m [£2.2m]. It would be hugely louder,” says Walker. “It would be a drastic change to switch to IndyCar but we cannot go on like this.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/motor-racing/exclusive-f1-warned-it-is-facing-fan-revolt-over-silent-engines--the-sound-is-a-disgrace-9213265.html

[Jericoke]

I would LOVE to see IRL and Formula One form a partnership of some kind.  In the past 'Indy Cars' were just imported F1 cars, I don't see why we can't go back to that.  I'm sure that the F1 teams would love to supply chassis to American teams to help defray costs.

And from a PR point of view, who wouldn't love to have genuine Ferraris running at the 500?

The only stumbling block would be the USGP itself, but I don't think it would be too big a problem.  (And of course sorting out the engine rules.)

[Scott]

He's posturing of course.  Most Europeans and Asians have never even heard of the IRL.

With Bernie's attacks, Dieter's threat, and now Walker and the FOPA posturing, I wonder if this isn't a finely tuned and orchestrated attack on Jean Todt, or perhaps even the FIA as a whole.  Just sayin...these three guys are buddies and their attacks on the FIA regs has come about all within the last week.  Wonder where they all had dinner last weekend? 

[Jericoke]

He's posturing of course.  Most Europeans and Asians have never even heard of the IRL.

With Bernie's attacks, Dieter's threat, and now Walker and the FOPA posturing, I wonder if this isn't a finely tuned and orchestrated attack on Jean Todt, or perhaps even the FIA as a whole.  Just sayin...these three guys are buddies and their attacks on the FIA regs has come about all within the last week.  Wonder where they all had dinner last weekend?

Ah... but while the races are legally 'FIA Formala One' races, they're just called 'Grand Prix' races.  Local casual fans will show up for the spectacle of a Grand Prix, and be equally happy if IRL provides it instead of the FIA (the USA has a history of Indy Cars taking over former FIA 'Grand Prix' events with success).  Serious race fans would probably understand the reasons behind the switch, and still be happy if it's Ferrari, McLaren et al turning laps.  Only the local autoclubs who get a cut of FIA money will be peeved.  (I have no idea how large a group this is, or how influential they are.)

I do think it would be quite ironic if this happens (I know it's just talk), and IRL succeeds where CART failed.

[Scott]

You are assuming of course that suddenly F1 would be supplying IRL chassis?  Would that be on an IRL budget? 

Sorry.  Good old days area gone.  No chance IRL will have anything to do with F1 and vice versa.  They are on different planets.

[cosworth151]

That's the point. The promoters want to rid themselves of the kitten cars. At least IRL's minivans are larger displacement and not so drastically rev limited.

Once again, the FIA have introduced rules that are absolutely poisonous to the growth of the sport. 

[Jericoke]

You are assuming of course that suddenly F1 would be supplying IRL chassis?  Would that be on an IRL budget? 

Sorry.  Good old days area gone.  No chance IRL will have anything to do with F1 and vice versa.  They are on different planets.

1)  I don't seriously expect this to happen.  All the same, it's not impossible.  So I'm just having some fun with the idea.

2)  I'm suggesting that IRL change the rules to be inline with 'F1' (they're more flexible at IRL than the FIA.  Kind of the point here).  'Grand Prix' teams would be allowed to sell chassis to IRL teams.  I don't know the economics of actually manufacturing an F1 chassis vs a DW1 chassis, but it would help defray F1 costs, even if they're sold on an IRL budget.  Right now an F1 team designs a chassis that does 20 races total.  That R&D cost wouldn't have to change, and suddenly goes from being used 40 times a year to 100+. 

[Irisado]

Smoke and mirrors.  It won't happen at all.  Formula 1 and Australia are synonymous with each other, and it's still far too popular in Australia with the fans.  Ron Walker often makes critical comments about the sport, but doesn't follow them through.  This strikes me as being another one of those occasions.

[Jericoke]

Smoke and mirrors.  It won't happen at all.  Formula 1 and Australia are synonymous with each other, and it's still far too popular in Australia with the fans.  Ron Walker often makes critical comments about the sport, but doesn't follow them through.  This strikes me as being another one of those occasions.

You're telling me that Australians wouldn't watch Alonso and Kimi racing Ferraris against Riccardo and Vettel in RBRs at the Australian Grand Prix if it was under the auspices of the 'International Racing League' instead of 'Formula One'?

Fans want to see the best.  They're fickle, and don't really care who puts on the show, just so long as the show is put on.

(Still assuming that IRL can provide the stage for an F1 calibre show, which I am for the sake of argument, not any real world knowledge.)

[cosworth151]

The Surfer's Paradise race usually drew good crowds. And remember, F1 isn't putting on an F1 level experience any more, either.

[Scott]

You're telling me that Australians wouldn't watch Alonso and Kimi racing Ferraris against Riccardo and Vettel in RBRs at the Australian Grand Prix if it was under the auspices of the 'International Racing League' instead of 'Formula One'?

Fans want to see the best.  They're fickle, and don't really care who puts on the show, just so long as the show is put on.

(Still assuming that IRL can provide the stage for an F1 calibre show, which I am for the sake of argument, not any real world knowledge.)

Well wait a minute...you're basically talking only about taking the FIA out of the picture and inserting the IRL management to run F1 then? 

I think they would be way out of their depth running F1 with the current teams and their leaders/management.  Politically, legally and of course financially, I don't think the IRL has the depth to deal with those teams.

What about the schedule?  Run the IRL winter schedule and then switch to European and Asian rounds in the spring to fall?  12 month racing?  Sign me up!!  But of course the whiners would be the teams who don't like doing 20 races, much less 40. 

[lkjohnson1950]

I believe, if you follow all the ins and outs, the IRL is sanctioned by the FIA. They would by unlikely to lead an uprising against them. Besides, Todt says he's not married to the current rules:

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20140324/F1/140329924

[Jericoke]

You're telling me that Australians wouldn't watch Alonso and Kimi racing Ferraris against Riccardo and Vettel in RBRs at the Australian Grand Prix if it was under the auspices of the 'International Racing League' instead of 'Formula One'?

Fans want to see the best.  They're fickle, and don't really care who puts on the show, just so long as the show is put on.

(Still assuming that IRL can provide the stage for an F1 calibre show, which I am for the sake of argument, not any real world knowledge.)

Well wait a minute...you're basically talking only about taking the FIA out of the picture and inserting the IRL management to run F1 then? 

I think they would be way out of their depth running F1 with the current teams and their leaders/management.  Politically, legally and of course financially, I don't think the IRL has the depth to deal with those teams.

What about the schedule?  Run the IRL winter schedule and then switch to European and Asian rounds in the spring to fall?  12 month racing?  Sign me up!!  But of course the whiners would be the teams who don't like doing 20 races, much less 40. 

Actually I'm imagining sidestepping both the FIA AND FOM.

I'm not suggesting that the current IRL leadership is up to the task, but I am suggesting that both the IRL and the F1 Teams have enough in common that they really could put together something special.

I'm also not suggesting that IRL forsake American races to take over the F1 calander, nor merge the American and International calanders together into 40 race monstrosity (though that would be cool).  What I imagine is having two independant circuits (IRL and 'Grand Prix') that use the same technical rules.  This would allow F1 teams to have customers for their chassis designs.  It would allow engine suppliers to spread R&D costs over a larger base. 

I know this isn't really what Ron Walker is talking about.  He just wants the 'Americans' to show up with their noisy cars.  (He's not aware that IRL has just as many wishy washy rulings along the lines of Riccardo's)

[Irisado]

You're telling me that Australians wouldn't watch Alonso and Kimi racing Ferraris against Riccardo and Vettel in RBRs at the Australian Grand Prix if it was under the auspices of the 'International Racing League' instead of 'Formula One'?

That's not what I was referring to.  I was referring to IRL replacing Formula 1 as the race of choice for Melbourne, which won't happen.

The hypothetical scenario that you've outlined also won't happen.  It might appeal to some fans, but Formula 1 as a brand is far more popular globally than IRL.  The IRL brand would run the risk of devaluing the product in my opinion.

(Note that I have nothing against IRL, but it wouldn't mix well with Formula 1).

Fans want to see the best.  They're fickle, and don't really care who puts on the show, just so long as the show is put on.

I think that this is true of some fans, but not all.