GPDA to launch global fan survey

2015 Monaco Grand Prix

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The Grand Prix Drivers’ Association is to launch a global survey to canvas F1 fans’ views about the state of the sport.

Jenson Button revealed the plans during today’s FIA press conference ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix.

“I think the fans are very important, their opinions, and that’s exactly why the GPDA has a global fan survey which will be announced tomorrow at five thirty,” said the McLaren driver.

“I think it’s massively important because we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the fans,” he added. “It’s a sport that needs fans, we have millions of fans around the wall and it’s always interesting to have their opinion, to see where they think the sport is, to see where they think the sport can go.”

“Obviously we all have our own ideas which is great and I think the sport is in a good place right now but there’s always room for improvement, as there is in any sport, especially a sport that’s always changing like Formula One in terms of technology and what have you. I think it’s really important and interesting to see how it goes.”

The Formula One Strategy Group recently announced plans to reintroduce refuelling and substantially increase the performance of cars in response to concerns about declining F1 viewing figures.

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    Keith Collantine
    Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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    29 comments on “GPDA to launch global fan survey”

    1. Do you want F1 to be a spec series like GP2?

      HECK NO!!!! No, just more mechanical grip, more noise, more fan access, less gimmicks, less aero wake and less Bernie.

      1. I should clarify, that was one of the questions that is in the new F1 Racing Magazine survey, not the GPDA one.

        1. @countrygent, I also just took that survey (from http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/119058). I wonder what the outcome will be on the DRS and refueling questions.

      2. +1, no need for a survey, you´ve summed it all.

      3. Did you make sure to write those things in the comments at the end of the poll? Not sure if anyone will actually read them, but I used all but three of the 250 words.

        1. Michael Brown
          20th May 2015, 21:12

          I want teams and tracks to get a bigger share (or a share at all) of the money F1 generates, and I want a more assertive leader that doesn’t allow the teams to veto any decisions that could be beneficial to the sport.

          Is Jean Todt and effective FIA president? No
          Should Bernie Ecclestone run F1? No

          1. Yeah, I put exactly those two. I think the track money should be shared such that those in the most trouble get the most, e.g. Hockenheim over Abu Dhabi

      4. Sorry but more noise doesn’t help to produce better races.

    2. Sensible decision.

      I’d like to see the following questions:

      1. Should refueling de reintroduced?
      2. DRS: yes or no?
      3. Tyres: more durable compounds (able to be pushed for 50% of the race) or high deg tyres (current short stints tyres) ?
      4. V8s or Current V6 Hybrid?

      4.

      1. 5. What should we do with Bernie? more money/knighthood/kick in the plums (delete as applicable)

      2. I don’t think we should be allowed to choose between engines with different numbers of cylinders (at least if we do then we should be allowed to choose from v12s to four cylinder engines). I’d prefer we simply got a choice of, max number of revs, number of turbos and the number of exhausts we wanted on a V6 engine. The sport has chosen to downsize, I think we should respect the changing times and stick with V6 hybrids.

        1. @williamstuart I have no idea why there should be a compulsory engine-design from the rules. A fuel-limit would be enough to downsize, maybe some more lines to make sure engines don´t explode or electrocute someone, that would be enough. The number of cylinders should be open.

          1. There has to be a balance to the open-ness of the rules and making sure that the sport seems to have some direction and purpose. I think it is good that the sport has these V6’s, it shows the sport has good intentions to any potential investor. If there were such open rules no one would go with small capacity more efficient engines because it is harder and therefore more expensive to get a lot of horsepower. Manufacturers that might have been interested in the sport (hypothetically) will be turned off because the engine they would want to run would be rubbish compared to the competition.

    3. Sounds like a great plan, and also that the GPDA is getting equally as sick with the constant rule changes as the fans. Hopefully they take inspiration for the F1 Racing Magazine survey, though I doubt it’ll include a “should Bernie still run F1” question :)

      1. Or Jean Todt…

    4. Good. Even if such survey will probably lead nowhere… But at least we’ll all have the chance to give our views and relieve some of the rage we have inside when we watch something we don’t like :P

      1. Unfortunately no views can be passed threw this survey. It’s really horrible. I took it but i was unable to express threw it how i believe many things should be.

    5. I think asking fans is just going to create a mixed bag of responses with no clear direction. F1 needs strong leadership making sensible regulations & we don’t have that currently & asking the fans isn’t going to help that.

      My biggest disappointment in F1 since 2009 has been that Jean Todt has been completely ineffective in doing anything. His hands off more democratic approach has created a power void in which nothing gets done because nobody can agree on anything & there’s nobody there to say ‘Right were doing this & if you don’t like it tough’.

      1. Aditya (@adityafakhri)
        20th May 2015, 17:46

        exactly. with current composition of ever whining Bernie and Red Bull.. political mind games from Mercedes and Ferrari, no formula will be suitable enough without stern direction from ruling federation.
        but yeah, FIA is no longer act as a real sporting regulation maker.

    6. haha So, who’s looking forward to them doing the opposite to what we vote for?

    7. Q: Would you quit watching F1 if Ferrari would quit?
      This one is a difficult question. If Ferrari were to quit right now, I would probably quit watching F1 by the end of the year so basically this an yes from me, but if 2017’s changes would be brought to 2016 I might stick around for another year to see, whether F1 has redeemed itself or not.

      1. @andone89 Without Ferrari, there is no F1 (maybe a shadow of F1 survives a few years, without really being F1). Without F1, you can´t watch F1. Quite simple.

        1. Without Ferrari there is no F1. Pfff..please. Only Ferrari fans say that.

          That why i want Ferrari to leave F1 for a few years. Is not that i prefer F1 without them competing on track but i just want it to happen only so everyone can see that the show will still going on and finally be spared of all this bullshιt.

    8. The single biggest issue I have with F1 now is the appalling TV coverage in the US. There are many more issues I’d love to address in this survey – how does one get access to the survey???

    9. Q: Would you quit watching F1 if Ferrari would quit?

      No, But I would quit watching is refueling came back.

    10. It’s a sport that needs fans, we have millions of fans around the wall

      The pay wall? :)

    11. I believe that F1 should seen to be the ultimate in engineering.
      Set the class Parameters, max engine size and a maximum budget.
      Let innovation, desire and passion influence teams.
      Then let the game begin.
      Ken E.

    12. Sad they didn´t ask about different desing in helmets.

      Is a good survey, a little long, and in spanish it have some problems with translations.

    13. The survey shows what interests the drivers, lots of questions about sponsors, branding, etc, none about aero, few about other technical issues. I think this survey is not really about the fans opinions of the sport, it’s about how to make more money. They all want to be paid like Lewis.

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