In the round-up: Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff says the team will be reorganised, with more staff put on rotation, if the 2021 F1 calendar includes 23 races as expected.
What they say
Wolff said some team members will “unfortunately” have to attend every race, but others will not:I think you need to trust FOM to take the right decisions. Clearly, Formula 1 has always been a big business in the same way it has been great entertainment and trying to find the right balance between oversaturation and exclusivity is the key question they need to ask themselves. We need to rely on their expertise.
Obviously on the income side, we all share the income side, the teams even to a larger degree. The teams also share have the burden of all the logistical costs and the travelling to those various places, and that is substantial.
The toll on all the humans that are part of this travelling circus is getting heavier and heavier every single year with the amount of races that we add. We started with double-headers, and that was not great fun, having people away from their families and then we’ve come to triple-headers and next year we’re having two triple-headers and a bunch of double-headers. So there is no easy solution to that.
I believe that we the teams have to adapt to the situation in a way that we can’t possibly have all the same people travelling to 23 grands prix. There will be a core team that unfortunately needs to do it, but we have to reorganise ourselves back at base in terms of regeneration time for these people in terms of the framework and set-up we can provide to these people to make it in some way cope-able. Because I think that that could be quite difficult physically and mentally.
Quotes: Dieter Rencken
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Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
My job in 60 seconds 👊 Meet Ryan, Composite Paint Technician for the Team! 🎨
Which job do you want to see us cover next… 💭 pic.twitter.com/leHBQya6sR
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team (@MercedesAMGF1) November 7, 2020
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Links
More motor racing links of interest:
Update From Bahrain International Circuit On 2020 Race Plans (Bahrain International Circuit)
"This year’s Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix and Formula 1 Rolex Sakhir Grand Prix will take place predominantly without spectators. There will, however, be a limited number of grandstand seats allocated for the races for families of frontline health workers and first responders in Bahrain, to recognise their incredible contribution and commitment in responding to the pandemic in the Kingdom."
Palou adapting quickly to his new ride at Ganassi (IndyCar)
"It’s crazy to be able to look at Scott (Dixon)’s data, look at it, hear what he thinks about the car and testing and talk about all of that with a (six)-time cup champion. We also have (three-time Indy 500 winner) Dario Franchitti there to look at what everybody on the team is doing and to look at the data. It was really cool and awesome to be working with these big names."
FIA launches integrated sustainable energy tender for the FIA World Rally Championship (FIA)
"For the first time ever, applicants are invited to bid for three specific lots in relation to the supply of sustainable energy for the FIA World Rally Championship from 2022 to 2024."
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Comment of the day
Part of the reason next year’s calendar is likely to get longer is because of the addition of a race in Saudi Arabia, which has prompted much criticism from readers:
This grand prix doesn’t take place for the people. It doesn’t take place to promote unity. It doesn’t take place for the world to find out and/or send a message against the many wrongdoings of the Saudi regime.
It is funded by the regime, and it exists solely to promote and further legitimise the regime, make no mistake on this. If history for other events are anything to go by, it will be spearheaded by “positive” messaging straight from the regime to show us how progressive Saudi Arabia is becoming. How welcoming to women they are now.
But will it stop any of the atrocities the regime executes on a daily basis? Will it release the wrongfully imprisoned? Will it change anything for the LGBTQIA people in Saudi Arabia? Will it change anything for Jews, Christians, atheists, in Saudi-Arabia?
Formula 1 isn’t there to bring international scrutiny to the country, Saudi Arabia’s regime wants legitimacy, international legitimacy for its regime. F1 is being paid to go there by the regime, not to liberate the country, but to legitimise the regime.
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AGSI
8th November 2020, 0:15
@COTD
Spot on right there with their intentions. But if one looks at most advertising in F1, particularly via Big Tobacco, petroleum and alcohol, they all were doing the same thing in an advertising point of view. Paying the sport to legitimize a regime, a regime on ones body (tobacco/alcohol) and environment (petroleum) once those products are consumed.
This needs to be taken with a wide berth, and not as an extreme point of view. Just a simple comparison in what advertising boils down to in the sport, and how this is ‘advertising’ by the Saudi government is just part of how F1 has used it advertising in the past to promote whomever was willing to pay for the exposure.
Aussie Rod (@aussierod)
8th November 2020, 1:08
COTD is spot on.
Tristan (@skipgamer)
8th November 2020, 4:05
But it matters not, nobody in F1 cares, time and time again they say they are not there for politics, they will go for the racing wherever they are told to.
They’re not paid to have a conscious. They are just there to be sold to the highest bidder.
EffWunFan (@cairnsfella)
8th November 2020, 4:47
I would tend to agree. Although, such is the nature of the topic, it is difficult to say that those with an opposing view are ‘wrong’.
People seem keen to point out the deficiencies – or worse – of other countries, regions, or regimes where F1 is staged, and I think it is good to highlight such things in order to educate us all. Surely though. we cannot operate at one extreme or the other. That is we cannot boycott every location that has any dubious credentials whether past or present. Nor would it be morally reasonable to disregard absolutely any and all unquestionable acts against humanity/the planet etc.
So…… someone is left with the unenviable task of ‘drawing a line’. And immediately above and below that line will be candidates that many will believe should be on the opposite side.
Ultimately I agree, as already stated, with COTD. Perhaps in the past I may have believed entities such as F1 could operate in a sort of “moral immunity’ bubble, but times DO change, and individuals and corporations are being urged to have a wider understanding of our actions, and our impact on the world around us.
It’s not up to me, of course. And whilst it may seem I am not allowing others to draw their own line, I wouldn’t expect ‘everyone’ to come out and state they are against this particular event, however it does rather surprise me to see people are actively for it.
@HoHum (@hohum)
8th November 2020, 5:36
Reform and religion make for a mess, the prince is heading in the right direction (mostly) even though the religious powers have to have their bloodlust sated, perhaps having F1 there will help to reduce the influence of the religious police which, like the royals, depend on general acceptance by a majority of the population. “slowly slowly catchee monkey”.
Mecket (@meck)
8th November 2020, 6:06
@hohum, I think your statement is exactly what the regime wants to achieve, and also aims to promote by organizing a GP. However, this is completely wrong. In reality, the political situation is, if not worse, at least as bad as it has always been over the last years. The ruler, MSB, is performing a PR campaign to LOOK more moderate, i.e letting women drive cars, but in reality the regime is oppressing as before. For example, minorities are discriminated, and all possible opposition brutally oppressed. In addition, we have the SA war in Yemen as well as questionable sponsorship of islamist groups in other countries.
The GP there will only serve in this PR-campaign to make SA look like it’s going in the right direction and thus legitimizing it. Therefore, I see it much more questionable than going to other countries on the F1 calendar.
@HoHum (@hohum)
8th November 2020, 21:27
@meck, entirely agree, power is never given up easily, but if the people get more freedoms, no matter how slowly, they too will not give them up easily.
EffWunFan (@cairnsfella)
8th November 2020, 4:52
I should note that my agreement was with @aussierod however my tardiness posting makes it appear otherwise.
Understeer (@abdelilah)
8th November 2020, 1:33
@aiii so in this case we should cancel the US grand prix for all the atrocities it committed in Iraq ? French grand prix the 1.5 millions (at least) of Algerians killed for just defending their countries (I’m not even talking about the colonies) ? Russian grand prix for what it did in Chechnya ? The German grand prix for the millions of lives killed in WWII ? stop the hypocrisy already !
Robert
8th November 2020, 2:25
@aiii, @abdelilah, I’m not saying you guys are right or wrong, but there is an important difference in your statements. @abdelilah, all your examples are in past tense.
Understeer (@abdelilah)
8th November 2020, 2:42
China isn’t in the past tense although not mentioned here, the list goes on, what I’m shedding light on is the double standards when it comes to defining human rights, or regime legitimacy, when you see how black are mistreated in the us (they’re humans by the way) and how Saudi Arabia is dealing with the opposition I can clearly see that one issue is being more forgiven than the latter, the us is still killing people directly or indirectly but nearly no one is making such remarks of oppressions, by the way I hate the Saudi regime as much as I hate the US regime.
waha
8th November 2020, 4:43
Your argument is usually termed whataboutism, and isn’t usually well respected. But if you want to keep going down that path then you might need to keep listing other countries shameful acts to try and balance out the war in Yemen, financial and political support of terrorism, public execution of minors whose confessions were obtained by torture, mafia style interference in neighbouring countries (kidnapping the Lebanese PM for example)…
ALuv4Fun
8th November 2020, 5:57
@abdelilah It would be very beneficial for everyone if you did your research and got your facts straight before making statements about how blacks are mistreated in the US and how they are killing people directly and indirectly. Hate solves nothing and if you take just a little bit of time away from F1 forums and research what’s really happening in the US, you might still hate the leadership of the US (it’s not a regime) but you will quickly realize that your statements were incorrect.
Having made those statements, I think F1 management needs to be very careful with choosing venues. I don’t think politics has a place in F1 but if FOM doesn’t give consideration to which countries, etc that they sign deals with, trying to make the new engine regulations relevant will be the least of their problems.
Tony Mansell (@tonymansell)
8th November 2020, 11:56
Its like a Trump style denial. You dont back anything up you just contradict what he said. Back it up or put up.
kenji
8th November 2020, 1:54
F1 is being used by the woke sensationalists trying to inject their politics into the plain and simple status of motor racing. As previously stated, by @understeer, to do this across the board using the same set of parameters there would only be a much reduced number of races held. Politics should be banned from F1, end of story. It has no place and there are a multitude of alternate venues to prosecute their case. Leave F1 alone. Arrive, race, depart.
Jay Menon (@jaymenon10)
8th November 2020, 15:18
Yes, you’re right….but where’s the fun in that ?
Haha.
I don’t see why there’s so much noise about this. F1 races in places that are similarly questionable, so what’s the issue? I mean if you really want to dig into it, one may argue that even places as glitzy as Singapore to be contravening human rights of foreign workers, or their own citizens who can be held indefinitely without trial.
…just saying you know.
F1 is in the business of money, they go where the money is. Nobody forces us to pay money to watch this. I’ve often wondered why I watch it, but I still do, because I can’t remember a life without it.
Tambeau (@tambeau)
8th November 2020, 15:38
Yep, just use a demeaning term and it shuts down all conversation or disagreement. It’s like a teenager calling their parents fascist for imposing a curfew.
Then again you may be a teenager, no way to tell, but to claim that politics should be banned from F1, is a very immature notion. Politics isn’t just politicians and speeches, it impacts on everything in life, from housing, food supplies, law and order etc to international treaties and wars.
To remove politics from F1 or football or the Olympics is akin to claiming that these things exist in a vacuum and they aren’t affected by or cause world events.
ALuv4Fun
8th November 2020, 6:00
@abdelilah I meant to write “how the US is killing people” not blacks.
Jere (@jerejj)
8th November 2020, 7:29
So similar to Monza, where only healthcare workers got admitted to the track area. I wonder, will they all be on the main grandstand, in which case only the screens on the pit lane roof would be on through the events or on another stand?
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
8th November 2020, 8:59
@jerejj That would be the most logical course, to just use the main grandstand. Especially as it’s the biggest.
Jere (@jerejj)
8th November 2020, 9:21
@alianora-la-canta Indeed.
frood19 (@frood19)
8th November 2020, 7:31
I’m glad Toto is addressing the idea of over saturation in this extended calendar. I’ve not seen anyone in the sport really comment on this much before now. I think there’s a definite limit to people’s attention spans and I’m sure 23 is too many races. Cramming them in by having these double and triple headers is even worse.
I recall the great title battles of the 90s and early 2000s (well, 2000, though 2003 was good too) and one of the reasons they were so engaging was that a narrative got built up over the course of the season, with increasing anticipation for each race as the season progressed. A regular 2-week gap between the races really served this well and 16 races was about right for the season: long enough to allow for ups and downs and some variety in the calendar, but crucially not so long that it feels like it’s dragging or that some of races become so similar to each other they’re like filler episodes in a mediocre American TV series.
F1 like many other sports needs to learn that less is more. Currently it feels like Liberty (and bernie/CVC before them) have tapped a vein and are just bleeding it dry without wondering if we like the taste of so much blood.
bosyber (@bosyber)
8th November 2020, 7:48
Well said, agree very much @frood19
Broke84 (@broke84)
8th November 2020, 8:01
23 is just too many races. I always felt 20 was the maximum and 18 was about perfect for me. My family has no issue with me watching f1 this year as there is little we can do under lockdown but increasingly over the years I am watching the replay on f1tv and not watching live as dad duties take precedence. When I was watching f1 in the mid 90s it was something to do with my dad, but a race every weekend takes some of the anticipation away, especially when it’s just bland Sochi, Paul Ricard like circuits.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
8th November 2020, 8:59
@broke84 I feel similarly. That I haven’t watched live since early 2016 putting me off Sky’s coverage makes it easier, calendar compression is still a problem because each race feels less special and results of seasons become telegraphed earlier than they would otherwise (there’s a difference between knowing who’s going to be 1st after 6 races if there’s another 12 to go compared to if there’s another 19, and the low development rate mid-season means it’s likely that – or something more extreme – will happen for every F1 season regardless of other regulation changes). This is especially true given that the same designer made or significantly influenced over half the races on the calendar, meaning the same attributes tend to be valued in cars.
Tony Mansell (@tonymansell)
8th November 2020, 12:02
So we’ve got the opinions of 2 people who don’t watch live F1 that its too much. Brilliant.
I quite like all the races and do watch every one live. I agree you get a natural dilution of their importance but its not just the number of GPs, the sheer weight of live sports on TV has diluted all interest to all sports since the 90s. I do feel for the team members who have to travel around, how they have any life is beyond me
Broke84 (@broke84)
8th November 2020, 14:55
@tonymansell. Reread my comment. I watch every race live but with 23 coming it is impossible to see them all.
Tony Mansell (@tonymansell)
9th November 2020, 11:25
@broke84
You re-read it
Broke84 (@broke84)
10th November 2020, 16:24
@tonymansell Fair enough, I meant to say that I am increasingly watching the replay. Not that I only watch the replay. My point is still valid though. Don’t get me wrong, me 15 years ago would take 52 races a year but it’s hard to find the time to see more and more. Plus this year I love the circuits and apart from Baku, COTA and the Mexican gp, I have little love for the newer races.
kenji
13th November 2020, 0:38
@ Alianora La Canta, I don’t know how you can do that!! Obviously you are a dyed in the wool F1 follower so how can you possibly go about your business knowing that an F1 race is underway and you are not watching ? I have been watching motorsport for a lifetime and although i’m supercritical of the current mess i simply could not, voluntarily, decide to not watch. It would be painful in the extreme. I am forever hoping to see some changes to the current hegemony and would be forever disappointed if i missed it when it happened [an unlikely event i know ] Nevertheless there are some highlights sometimes that create a frisson of excitement…enough to keep me coming back.
Ancient1 (@ancient1)
8th November 2020, 8:44
@frood19 – +1
Re: Masten Gregory R.I.P. – I realise this an F1 based site, but really feel his both Ford GT & Ferrari efforts, culminating in winning the Le Mans 24hrs, partnering none other than Jochen Rindt R.I.P., should be mentioned, particularly as was in that awesome Ford vs Ferrari period.
IVAYLO
8th November 2020, 8:55
Liberty is ruining Formula 1 with their boneheaded ideas of trying to appeal to the American audience. It’s clear they have a low opinion of them, too, considering that they continue to dumb down what is left of this competition.
Now it’s this moronic push to lenghten the season even when if anything it needs a shorter season. Do we want the championship decided before the summer break now? What is the point of doing 7 or 8 races with the championship decided. You’re just straining the teams and the audience. Cut the crap and cut the unwatchable races like Paul Ricard.
Personally, I’m going to make choices in what races to watch in the future, rather than suffering through the whole season.
STEVENHOLMES
8th November 2020, 15:05
It’s natural to want want more of something that we enjoy and that’s F1. When I started following the sport full time in 1977 there were what about 16 races for the championship. Now at 22,23 or more races per season the demand begins to double the effort and costs even much more for fans to be entertained.
This season the crew at Sky Sports have been SUPERB IN THEIR Covid coverage of Grand Prix. I’m just wondering if the pursuit of all these races begins to erode any chances for the bottom half of the grid. Bad cars and underfunded teams may disappear as the financial demand to perform at these levels week after week is almost impossible.
Too many races needs to be replaced by rotating the scheduled of nations year after year otherwise this could dilute F1 and both fans and most importantly the money behind the scenes may fade away.
Remember this, the success of the Olympic Games comes from the every fourth year concept as the build up and the focus of its importance. It has its moment and then it goes way. Interest wanes and then it begins all again. The point is if the Olympics suddenly added a bunch more Olympics every year, then by saturation, the importance of their event begins to diminish.
I think the drive for profit will eventually impact F1 in fan loss as too many events may bore the average fan. What’s the importance of it all when too much of a good thing becomes boring.
Jon
8th November 2020, 23:46
The covid season as given us glimpse of what f1 should be.
Sochi,Baku, Paul ricard , Abu dulprix are medico tracks at best compared to treats we have had this year.
As a long term f1 since late 80s I have all but decided to walk away and sports cars and other forms of racing because it as less gimics