Home  Journal A Proper Place For F1?
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Written by Mark Talbot
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Friday, 23 March 2007 |
In recent years, new venues have been added and traditional venues lost from the F1 circus that Bernie Ecclestone sends around the world. Like the Roman gladiator games in ancient times, an F1 GP is seen as a favour to a city – fought for politically and financially.
So what should we, as fans, be asking of a modern F1 host?
This is a look at where the GP’s are and whether or not they are in the right place. Although spurred on by my recent visit to Melbourne, I will try and look further afield too.
So what did Melbourne do to upset me and set my mind thinking? To start with, and unbelievably, they sent marshals to remove our banners. Early Friday morning five or six banners had been set along the front of the Fangio Grandstand, opposite the SAF1 garage. This is a perfectly normal thing, and they were properly secured – mine was even secured by a passing friendly marshal earlier.
At my protestation, the marshals removing them escalated the issue up the command chain. They citied the rule book which apparently forbids any ‘advertising or promotion’ of any kind. I am a calm person and explained that just as a football fan has their scarf, an F1 fan will often have a banner. I tested their logic of advertisement or promotion and pointed out that the banners were simply statements of support – no web address or invitations to buy or join anything appeared on them. I explained that if they wanted to join our fan club, it would cost nothing and they would receive nothing in return.
The escalation went all the way to the top – the matter was referred to the Australian GP Committee! Thankfully, the Chief Marshal had recommended that the banners stay, based on previous excellent behaviour by the resident Taku fans, and the AGPC agreed – they could stay.
How was our victory to affect the rest of the fans though? Could they have banners on their sections of fence? No. The blanket ban remained – no banners allowed (except ours).
You might think that this is a silly reason to want the GP removed from Melbourne, but it is just a symptom of a greater illness within the city. The GP is hosted by a group of people that set the event up like a big school fete. My 400mm camera lens is almost banned (only the fact that it is a 100-400 zoom saves me, on a technicality apparently). Fans and the general public alike are treated like children during the four days, and political correctness goes mad. A Ferrari fan is told that he cannot carry a Ferrari flag into the area as it would incite racial tensions. Every road crossing within Albert Park is manned by a hoard of marshals just in case people cross while a car can be seen nearby. In the city, tram doors cannot close until a marshal holds their arms out to stop people being crushed (?) by the closing door.
I am a safety professional, and I applaud any venue looking after their attendees – but it should be proportional to the risks and not impede on the enjoyment of them. Being treated like four year olds is not a good state of affairs for an F1 fan.
Melbourne does not enter into the GP spirit at any point. In Monaco and Montreal (the other two city venues) the whole place lights up and becomes an F1 venue. In Melbourne, it simply happens alongside normal city life. It feels as though the AGPC doesn’t want to interrupt anyone. At 8pm Albert Park is like a ghost town – everyone has been expelled from the site – presumably because it is past our bed time. The same time in Monaco and the place is just coming alive.
Melbourne is peculiar in that those organising and marshalling it thrive on the rule book. It is an opportunity for them to control people. I and many other fans resent that completely. It is time that they reassess their ability and appetite to host the F1 GP.
So how does this bode for the future? Singapore has been spoken of as though it is a done deal. I shudder. A state where chewing gum is punishable by a public beating is probably not going to be a venue that the Tiffosi and other fans are going to be able to express themselves at …
Bahrain has built a wonderful facility in the desert. Great. Any fan there at 8pm will be sharing the experience with a few insects and nothing else. It is bizarre (excuse the pun) to be there and watch the whole place switch off. A mad rush for the air conditioned transport back to a town waiting to fleece you at every opportunity. My hotel room was booked and paid for in full when they realised that this was F1 weekend, and demanded an extra $1,000 (USD) for the three nights! They cancelled the booking when I refused to pay the extortion. Taxi drivers switch off their meters and want to charge you $10 regardless of where you want to go … often five times more than they would be able to charge by meter.
Formula 1 used to be a sport – I realise that those days are long gone, but for the fans a GP is supposed to be an opportunity for enjoyment, often exuberant enjoyment of speed and technical excellence and of team achievements.
It is about time that Bernie and others took a little time to see what their policies are doing for the fans. Whilst the big fat cats are enjoying a ball or two in five star hotels, what are the fans doing?
I personally would not return to Melbourne for a GP. I will not visit Singapore. I want to feel wanted and appreciated when I spend thousands of pounds and hour after hour of my time travelling to a venue. Without us travelling, the stadiums will be bare. See Sepang this year for what that will mean to the sport. There is already political trouble brewing as grandstand seats remain unsold.
Melbourne has a monopoly on a vast continent and the fans of Australia will probably continue to suffer as they do because it is their only opportunity to partake of the gladiator circus that Bernie sends. I think they are the third class citizens of the empire. If they could taste Monaco or Monza or Suzuka they would cry at what they have.
Pass it on, Melbourne. Think twice about Singapore Bernie. Give the fans a break and let us enjoy uninpeeded what we pay an arm and a leg to watch.
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