FIA survey results

[Wizzo]

The FIA has announced the results of its latest survey, conducted in league with AMD. The federation's press statement said that 91,000 fans (about the same last year) took part in the survey and that 66% of these fans thought the reintroduction of tyre changes was an improvement and that 73% of them believed the qualifying structure was an improvement which resulted in 51% of them watching more of it.

The need for technology was once again underlined by 91% of the fans believing that F1 is an important showcase for technology but once again 88% saying that more emphasis must be put on driver skill and 86% saying that improving overtaking remains the most important element of racing.

The survey included a number of new aspects this year, including some fairly blatant market research relating to F1 Racing magazine, a partner in the survey and the publication that runs a Max Mosley column each month.

The survey does reveal that Michael Schumacher is the most popular driver. More interesting given that Michael will soon disappear is the fact that Kimi Raikkonen is the second most popular (albeit with only 17% compared to Schumacher's 28%). Jenson Button was third with 8% and Fernando Alonso next with seven percent. Ferrari was voted the most popular team with 30%, compared to McLaren's 21% with Renault and Williams next with 8% each.

Fans want to see more car telemetry, more on-board camera shots and want to hear more pit to car radio. A shocking 80% want to see more interviews with drivers. 

[Monty]

The FIA survey is a joke. The questions are structured with a pre-determined and very restricted set of probable outcomes. I don't know any fan that supports tyre changes or fuel stops they are just tolerated because without them there would be no change of race position. If the FIA allowed a free choice I'm sure what fans would really vote for is 'racing' with overtaking and no interuptions. How this can be acheived is another matter.
As for Schumacher being popular!!? Good, yes. Popular, never.

[romephius]

I tend to disagree with you monty, tyre changes and pit stops in general are in almost all forms of four wheel racing, not only do they add an unstable element to the races they help display the support teams skill as well as the drivers restart ablilities.  As for the popularity of Schu, even in the small town I live in, of the people that are into formula 1 most of them like him.  But hey it's just a thought.  And the survey is certainly biased, however if there are certain options in that survey that are even mildly appealing to us and the fia take notice, then i think as fans we can say that we have influenced the sport, even if only in the minutest way.

[Monty]

Everybody has their own opinion and I'm not looking to start a war of words but I'm convinced you are wrong. I used to race (karts, tin tops and very low single seat fomulae). The basis of a race is to prepare your machine for the circuit and conditions then use your driving skill to beat the others. Apart from endurance racing (where in most cases the pit stop has a fixed time to avoid affecting the race) pit stops ruin the race for the driver and the spectators. The only reason they were reintroduced to F1 was because overtaking had become impossible.