Bernie Says Lights On! Or It's Lights Out For Oz

[pabloh20 1]

For a casual fan who skips thruough the race, it being on live will make him see more of the race, than going online to f1.com or any other site to just check the result on who won... The time in UK for the races is around afternoon right... Which i though used to be a very comfortable time when i was in Uk earlier.. Most people in UK are up by then and thus have a better chance of watching the race than if it was on later...

F1 is a niche sport?? The 06 Brazil GP had 154 million viewers who watched some part of the race and 83 million watched the whole race. I can't find the stat for Brazil 07 but i am sure it wouldn't be that far off... I think i read somewhere that F1 was the 3rd most watched sport... but i could be wrong on the last one..

yeah with regards to a night race you are proably right with it being a novelty for a few years and then back to normal

It's a comfortable time, AJ, but it's not a peak viewing time, at least, not as far as I understand it. Peak viewing time is a bit later, generally more around tea time onwards. I think the Brazilian Grand Prix is more in the peak viewing time, being about 5ish, if I remember rightly.

Sorry, I was more referring to a niche sport in UK terms, as there are more popular armchair viewing sports here. Just to give you an idea, though from different eras of tv viewing habits, 18.5m of us UKers watched the 1985 World snooker final on a Sunday after midnight and 10.6m UK viewers watched the 2007 Brazilian Grand prix (which was on at peak time) and that's the highest viewing figures for F1 since 2000, so they tell me. Also, the number of viewers per race increased 40% from 2006 to an average of 3.3m per race, because of the Lewis factor.

[Rainmaster 7]

A decent compromise, Bernie should take.

Australian GP could start later in 2009

By Jonathan NobleMonday, March 10th 2008, 08:11 GMT

Australian Grand Prix organisers are ready to move the start time of their race back to 5pm next year in a bid to appease Bernie Ecclestone's demands for a later start time.

With Ecclestone adamant that the Albert Park race should become a night race, or risk losing its F1 contract beyond 2010, Melbourne chiefs are ready to offer a compromise.

With this year's race starting at 3.30pm, one-and-a-half hours later than normal in a bid to capture more of the European television audience, grand prix organisers are ready to move it back a further 90 minutes next year.

Australian Grand Prix Corporation Chairman Ron Walker said on Monday that if this year's move proves a success, then he will happily move it back further for 2009. It comes with organisers adamant that they will not switch the event to a night race.

Walker said: "If starting the race later this year increases the television audience around the world, as we believe it will, we'll seek a 5pm start for the 2009 race.

"That will mean a 7am start time for the television coverage in Europe, finishing at about 8:40am; a 6am start time in the UK, finishing at about 7.40am; and an afternoon start and finish across the Asian continent where there are potentially hundreds of millions of extra viewers."

"All this can be achieved without any additional infrastructure costs."

A 5pm start for the race would still ensure the race is completed before nightfall, which means there will be no need for the expensive lighting systems that organisers do not want to pay for.

[mikathegreat2 2]

Why be bossd around by an almost pre-historic man! You're right he is a prick, just because Albert Park is a street race does'nt mean it should be held in the night, I'm not surprised if ykick or aussief1 started a protest outside the FIA HQ right now!

[Wez 0]

A decent compromise, Bernie should take.

Yeah, I agree! Delaying the start sounds good to me!

[Eric 0]

The subject of night racing. It looks cool, but after a race or two it loses novelty.

Day-to-night transition races, however, are pretty cool sometimes. The changing temperature and track conditions make it fun, and I guarantee if there weren't so many fake debris cautions in NASCAR and those races had long green runs, they'd be really entertaining. I'd love to see a day-to-night transition race in some other series, but only one.

[Fed up 0]

"That will mean a 7am start time for the television coverage in Europe, finishing at about 8:40am; a 6am start time in the UK, finishing at about 7.40am; and an afternoon start and finish across the Asian continent where there are potentially hundreds of millions of extra viewers."

Still too early I'm afraid. Who gets up at 6 a.m on a Sunday morning

[Eric 0]

Still too early I'm afraid. Who gets up at 6 a.m on a Sunday morning

Fans who care about the sport and like me, can't stand watching things on DVR/tape/whatever. If the Super Bowl was on at 4 AM on Wednesday, I'd watch. Even if the Patriots, my favorite team, weren't playing.

[Quiet One 15]

Still too early I'm afraid. Who gets up at 6 a.m on a Sunday morning

Means I will have to stay up until 3.a.m. to watch the same race...so don't complain!

European races are aired at 8 a.m. here, and it must be worst in California (around 4-5 a.m.?)

I never complained, though. So I think all this time of race thing is a lot of whinning from Bernie to conceal yet another greedy demand. I understand how important money is, but when money is all that matters, you killed the sport.

I've found that most sports I know a little about (and that mostly applies to football, tennis and F1) started as amateurish in the late 1800's/early 1900's. Then the cycle went slowly up as profesionalism aided their growth. They reached their golden era between 1950 and 1980 (approx). After that profesionalism started to become too much to maintain the perfect misx between adventurous carelessness and profesional commitment and started a decline that extends until now, where it is all about profits and none about entertainment (tennis still maintaining traces of entertainment, though).

It is a gross painting and very subjective, I know, but perhaps some more knowledgeable members can express better this idea?

[Eric 0]

European races are aired at 8 a.m. here, and it must be worst in California (around 4-5 a.m.?)

5 AM, and if you want pre-race, 4:30.

Not like anyone wants pre-race since the pre-race show is centered around Peter Hamilton, I mean Windsor.

[Rainmaster 7]

What Eric said. I mean come on, that's a good compromise in my opinion. You can't always have it all, think of other people.

[HandyNZL 1]

Why be bossd around by an almost pre-historic man! You're right he is a prick, just because Albert Park is a street race does'nt mean it should be held in the night, I'm not surprised if ykick or aussief1 started a protest outside the FIA HQ right now!

All of us "downunderers have done that already...however they were all asleep at the time.....

Still too early I'm afraid. Who gets up at 6 a.m on a Sunday morning

Pussy.....at least its SUNDAY morning...not MONDAY morning (i.e. have to go to work in a few hours kip) like here in NZ. We get US and Canada at 7am Mon, Euro races 12pm/midnight Sunday/Monday, China/Japan/Australia 5pm-6pm Sunday evening

What Eric said. I mean come on, that's a good compromise in my opinion. You can't always have it all, think of other people.

Hear hear...get that man a beer!

[aussief1 4]

Why be bossd around by an almost pre-historic man! You're right he is a prick, just because Albert Park is a street race does'nt mean it should be held in the night, I'm not surprised if ykick or aussief1 started a protest outside the FIA HQ right now!

Good idea

Still too early I'm afraid. Who gets up at 6 a.m on a Sunday morning

I hope your joking with that comment mate

What Eric said. I mean come on, that's a good compromise in my opinion. You can't always have it all, think of other people.

Exactly

We Australians and Kiwi's never complian about getting up in the early hours of Monday mornings to watch a GP I feel it's almost an honor to do so, such is the love of mine for the sport.

[goferrarigo 0]

It's a comfortable time, AJ, but it's not a peak viewing time, at least, not as far as I understand it. Peak viewing time is a bit later, generally more around tea time onwards. I think the Brazilian Grand Prix is more in the peak viewing time, being about 5ish, if I remember rightly.

Sorry, I was more referring to a niche sport in UK terms, as there are more popular armchair viewing sports here. Just to give you an idea, though from different eras of tv viewing habits, 18.5m of us UKers watched the 1985 World snooker final on a Sunday after midnight and 10.6m UK viewers watched the 2007 Brazilian Grand prix (which was on at peak time) and that's the highest viewing figures for F1 since 2000, so they tell me. Also, the number of viewers per race increased 40% from 2006 to an average of 3.3m per race, because of the Lewis factor.

About the peak viewing time your probably right, but having it in the afternoon would get much better response than having it early morning...

Yeah but Bernie got his new cash cow in UK and wants to milk it well. Thus everything has to be perfect for him, unless Kimi/Nando or someone else outshadows him (unlikly)

The main problem i think that why Europe gets the preference over Austrailia is the bigger market... Adjusting the time to europe gets Spain, UK, Germany (th 3 big race watching countries) on a nice time, therby increasing viewership...

[rodders47 2]

well for me I just "Record" the race to hard drive, turn off the sports results on radio/Tv and watch when convienent.

I am an Aussie, Maybe the European's cant work out how to do that !!!!!!

Bernie SUCKS IMO

[pabloh20 1]

About the peak viewing time your probably right, but having it in the afternoon would get much better response than having it early morning...

Yeah but Bernie got his new cash cow in UK and wants to milk it well. Thus everything has to be perfect for him, unless Kimi/Nando or someone else outshadows him (unlikly)

The main problem i think that why Europe gets the preference over Austrailia is the bigger market... Adjusting the time to europe gets Spain, UK, Germany (th 3 big race watching countries) on a nice time, therby increasing viewership...

I understand, what you are saying, AJ and you are probably correct in what Bernie perceives to be 'right'.

Also, what puzzles me is the timing. I understand he wants to milk the Lewis cash cow, that makes sense, yet why has he never tried to change the times of races to suit European viewers when Schumi was racing, or Alonso was winning. Is it purely down to opportunity, or something else, or has he completely lost the plot?

well for me I just "Record" the race to hard drive, turn off the sports results on radio/Tv and watch when convienent.

I am an Aussie, Maybe the European's cant work out how to do that !!!!!!

Bernie SUCKS IMO

It truly is amazing what they teach you in prisons these days

[elgo 1]

Still too early I'm afraid. Who gets up at 6 a.m on a Sunday morning

My schedule for Oz:

Thursday: 23.50 free practice1

Friday: 03:50 free practice 2

Sat: 00:50 fp3

03:45 quali

Sunday:4.30 pre-race

5.30 race

Which means I'll have to get home at 4:00 on saturday!Now that is a sacrifice.

Btw,I might be too freaky,but I think I'll watch all the practice sessions!

[mikathegreat2 2]

Read on the bus tday in a free newspaper that the Oz GP Association are targeting a 5pm race in Australia for next season to keep European fans, Asian fans & Bernie happy!

[Eric 0]

There are too many people who like F1, and to say the European fans are any more important than any other fans is stupid. Start the races at whatever time the track promoter feels is best for the race, and if anyone has a problem with watching it on TV, too bad for them, don't watch it.

[Rainmaster 7]

Read on the bus tday in a free newspaper that the Oz GP Association are targeting a 5pm race in Australia for next season to keep European fans, Asian fans & Bernie happy!

Really? I think someone should post an article about this.

[Eric 0]

Really? I think someone should post an article about this.

[BradSpeedMan 6]

Sydney willing to host F1 night race

Sydney has counted itself as still in the hunt to snatch the Australian Grand Prix from Melbourne.

Even though Bernie Ecclestone recently dismissed the famous Australian city's positioning for the event, the F1 boss might be interested in new claims that Sydney would be prepared to consider a night race.

While the race's current paymasters have categorically ruled out Ecclestone's demand for floodlights at Albert Park, New South Wales state premier Morris Iemma has promised to look into installing the infrastructure at the Sydney circuit Eastern Creek, which is currently a venue of the A1GP series.

"It's not a blank cheque, but it could be held at a place like Eastern Creek, obviously with modifications," Iemma is quoted as saying by Melbourne's Herald Sun.

"If Formula One is looking for a night race then Eastern Creek could be converted to suit them," he added.

Melbourne based major events minister Tim Holding, however, played down the prospect of a successful Formula One bid by Sydney.

"The proof of the pudding is in the tasting," he said. "They have to secure some events and people will take them seriously after that."

www.f1-live.com

Just imagine.... The most glamorous sport in the most beautiful city in the world... I hope I'm just not dreaming about it....

[Fed up 0]

Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone says the Melbourne organisers' offer to move the race start time back to 5pm from 2009 will not save the event.

Ecclestone is adamant that the Australian Grand Prix must become a night race if it is to retain its place on the calendar beyond 2010.

He does not want European audiences to have to get up in the middle of the night to watch live television coverage, and is urging the Australasian rounds to fall into line with the new Singapore GP and run under floodlights.

Goodbye Melobourne, hello Sydney

[pabloh20 1]

Sydney willing to host F1 night race

Sydney has counted itself as still in the hunt to snatch the Australian Grand Prix from Melbourne.

Even though Bernie Ecclestone recently dismissed the famous Australian city's positioning for the event, the F1 boss might be interested in new claims that Sydney would be prepared to consider a night race.

While the race's current paymasters have categorically ruled out Ecclestone's demand for floodlights at Albert Park, New South Wales state premier Morris Iemma has promised to look into installing the infrastructure at the Sydney circuit Eastern Creek, which is currently a venue of the A1GP series.

"It's not a blank cheque, but it could be held at a place like Eastern Creek, obviously with modifications," Iemma is quoted as saying by Melbourne's Herald Sun.

"If Formula One is looking for a night race then Eastern Creek could be converted to suit them," he added.

Melbourne based major events minister Tim Holding, however, played down the prospect of a successful Formula One bid by Sydney.

"The proof of the pudding is in the tasting," he said. "They have to secure some events and people will take them seriously after that."

www.f1-live.com

Just imagine.... The most glamorous sport in the most beautiful city in the world... I hope I'm just not dreaming about it....

I'm afraid you are Brad, there's just not going to be a GP in Liverpool.

There were several concerns to the organisers, but the chief problem was that the skilled and highly trained F1 pitcrews would be shown up. They can change tyres and refuel a single car in approx 8s or so, a Liverpool gang can remove the wheels and fuel of all 22 cars in between the end of the parade lap and the lights going out.

[BradSpeedMan 6]

I'm afraid you are Brad, there's just not going to be a GP in Liverpool.

There were several concerns to the organisers, but the chief problem was that the skilled and highly trained F1 pitcrews would be shown up. They can change tyres and refuel a single car in approx 8s or so, a Liverpool gang can remove the wheels and fuel of all 22 cars in between the end of the parade lap and the lights going out.

good one

[The Rumble Strip 0]