Viewing figures anyone?

[nomy]

Following Sundays....erm....'race' and all the excited responses from people watching such an enthralling ...erm...'race' does anyone have the viewing stats for the UK over this or other seasons, and indeed anywhere else? Money talks and all that, so if viewing figures are down (surely they must be), the sponsors will be getting jittery.

Nomy.

[Aysedasi]

What worries me is that the viewing figures may not be down.

Perhaps we have some kind of mass brainwashing taking place here.....

[Glen]

Worldwide figures are up, or so I've read.

Why is everyone talking like all races are like Hungary? Bloody short memories - the race previous was a corker, and therehave been several other stand-outs this year, especially Bahrain and Monaco. Figures even for Hungary may well be up, since most people would not know in advance that any one race was going to be dull.

And now we're on to Spa - all racing fans will tune in for that, surely. And who wants to miss Monza - fantastic spectacle. Or the Chinese race, which looks a promising layout. Or Suzuka. Or... you get the idea - not all circuits are like Hungary.

[KevinS]

I'd like to add France to the list of good GP's this year... lot of overtaking there, not just Rubens taking Trulli's podium spot in the last turn...

I can't wait for Spa... Monza... and the new track, China.
I hope it rains in Spa, we've seen some great racing there in the past, especially when rain messes up qualifying too. (Like 1995... and I was there :P )

[Adam43]

Originally posted by Glen
Why is everyone talking like all races are like Hungary? Bloody short memories

Also don't forget, Webber is a has-been because he spun and Montoya and Button were out-qualified so are past there best.

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by Glen
Worldwide figures are up, or so I've read.

Why is everyone talking like all races are like Hungary?

I guess some people would say they've taken to removing their rose-tinteds more often this season.......

[schumifan]

every year we hear that viewing figures are down only to read at a later date that the're up. by about 5 per cent this year i believe. anyway what real f1 fan,regardless of who you support,would miss a race,it's like breathing.also i agree there have been some great races this season.and how can seeing and hearing those gorgoeous cars ever be boring!

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by schumifan
every year we hear that viewing figures are down only to read at a later date that the're up. by about 5 per cent this year i believe. anyway what real f1 fan,regardless of who you support,would miss a race,it's like breathing.also i agree there have been some great races this season.and how can seeing and hearing those gorgoeous cars ever be boring!

To be fair, I used to think that way, schumifan, so I can hardly criticise you for feeling that way now. I'm afraid the sound of the cars just aint enough to do it for me these days...... (then again, if I was able to go to a few of the races, perhaps I'd think differently). Pracying for a wheel nut to stick in a Ferrari pit stop is really beginning to fill me with gloom and despondency......

Put it down to my age.......

[schumifan]

i,m sorry,i get a little over enthustic when it comes to f1,particulally anything thats red and going fast.put it down to exitement,i'm off to monza in a few weeks.

[Glen]

Aysedasi

So, did you not enjoy any of the races so far this year then? Perhaps you should take your rose-tinteds off so you can see the obviously very enjoyable races that we have been having. No season has ever yielded a cracking race every time - this year has had a few dull'uns of course, Hungary being the nadir.

We've had a sprectrum this year ranging from Monaco and Hockenheim at one end and Barcelona and Hungary at the other - why do you only refer to the dreary races? Are you just determined to see and describe F1 in a negative light because you don't like who is winning?

[schumifan]

maybe i should also learn to spell,or type,damn spellcheck!

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by Glen
Aysedasi

So, did you not enjoy any of the races so far this year then? Perhaps you should take your rose-tinteds off....

I have.

Are you just determined to see and describe F1 in a negative light because you don't like who is winning?

Yes and no - or no and yes. I haven't enjoyed much F1 this year, t'is true, but then I probably have too high expectations. I'm not at all determined to see and describe F1 in a -ive light - I think that right now it manages to do that all by itself.

True enough, I don't care for seeing Michael win every race, although I would find that easier to accept (applaud and enjoy) if he had some serious competition from time to time..... But I also accept that having little or no competition is hardly his fault.....

I guess what I should say is, don't mind me. If you find what is served up to you entirely palatable, indeed, at times positively tasty, that's great. But not everyone has the same tastes and just like everyone else here, I reserve the right to be picky with my food (and cantankerous......... )

[schumifan]

glen,i agree f1 is enthalling regardless of who's winning,but imagine if minardi won at spa,we'ed all have a heart attack!apoligies,minardi fans,just joking,you're one of the hardest working teams on the grid.

[Nordic]

The viewing figures will contine to rise as more counties, like China now have access, and theres a fair few people there.

In the USA the TV figures are smaller than a tom & Jerry cartoon, in Europe it has not grown.

F1 can still put on a good show, but to me thats all it is now, a show, there is no sprit, no heart or passion.

[schumifan]

no passion!have you ever been to a grand prix!

[ralf fan]

If anything viewing figures are up... more countries are broadcasting hence more people are watching...

F1 has used ferrari merhandising to promote itself... if you ask some of the newer fans of f1 most of them say that they started watching because of ferrari or Michael Schumacher

[006_007]

Originally posted by schumifan
anyway what real f1 fan,regardless of who you support,would miss a race,it's like breathing.

I agree to an extent. I will not miss a race. However it is getting more and more difficult to drag myself out of bed at 5am to watch one of the parades live when I can watch a recording of it later on at my leisure. It was not that long ago when the excitement of F1 would keep people restless the night before the race, happily getting up and flicking on the TV.

The way F1 is heading now I sure am glad I have the option of recording for later viewing and fastforward through undesireable sections of the race. BTW it took me 6 minutes to watch the Hungarian GP! (OK that is a bit of an exageration)

[Glen]

Aysedasi

I put too many questions together there, so you managaed to avoid answering the crux point - have you enjoyed any races this season?

If so, why dwell on the negative?

[006_007]

Love the signature ralf fan.......

[BootsOntheSide]

The percentage of enjoyable races this year has been higher than 2002, that's for sure. I didn't really expect Hungary to be any good, especially after Ferrari swept qualifying. Not sure why I wasted my Sunday afternoon on it....

I believe TV figures as a whole are up, but this is mainly due to countries such as China and India having increasing interest, as well as a slight rise (abut still millimetric market share) in the US. In Europe, the change has depended on success of local drivers - Spain has seen a big rise, for example.

[Nordic]

no passion!have you ever been to a grand prix!

Between 1965 (the year I born) and 1988 I never missed one, seen a few since and been to a couple of test days if that helps, so yes I do feel able to judge.

Have you been to anything but F1?, Have you ever been able to wander up to a F1 car at a GP in the pit lane on the evening before a GP? Have you every been in the pit lane during a GP? have you ever talked to the crew? When was the last time anyone but the top 3 or 4 teams stood a chance of winning?.

Your right, F1 in the days of old was far from perfect, to many drivers died, many races were predictable, but it was had passion,.

[GP Racer]

All sports lack the passion of 20-30 years ago, and F1 is no different, IMHO.

I remember baseball players that would have played the game for beer money, race car drivers that drove 2,3, or even 4 races a weekend! And I remember when all Olympians were amateurs. That was passion!

Those days are gone forever, lost in a sea of money. The only winners today are the lawyers, agents, greedy owners, and the sports stars themselves. They've ruined all sports, they've sold there soul, and yeah, the passion is surely gone...

Sorry for the rant!

[touringcarnut]

I think its not about passion, its about complete lack of any real competition... I've been putting my rose tinted numbers on, and watching races from 1991, and saddened by how much more competition there is, and general race excitement.

Don't get me wrong, a grand prix is a great thing to attend, but at a grand prix there is more to the event than just the race itself.

When you watch it on TV, it is pretty much the bare bones of the race, so the 'passion' doesn't quite transpose if the race is less than exciting....