To be fair I think they did. OK they where not competing at the front but they where a great way for rookies to get a seat. Danny Ric started F1 in HRT (OK so Red Bull paid). F1 is forgetting it's roots, remember the 107% rule in quali? Liberty are doing what they are doing for a single reason - money - nothing to do with history, sport or the fans. It strange to actually think F1 under Bernie was better!!! That said I think the budget cap was a good idea. I might be doing a lot of Red Bull aero engineers a disservice but Adrian Newey has too much experience Without him a new set of aero rules might shake things up. Only 2 weeks to testing!!
The thing to remember about HRT, Caterham and Marussia is that they joined under the promise of a budget cap which didn't actually happen for another decade. Plus the prize money distribution cut off at 10th place. F1 is theoretically in a much better place for an 11th and 12th team to perform respectably now. The double edged sword here is that those same two points have made it impossible to start a new team. Suddenly all the existing teams are money spinners regardless of how rubbish they are and have functionally formed a cartel to protect their newfound profits.
If this actually matters, then I expect F1 to force the sale of Haas and "VCARB" imminently. Neither team has any ambition to be competitive, so by F1's logic they don't deserve a "franchise". F1 desperately needs a good season, it's quickly running out of goodwill.
The determination that they "don't add value" seems utter nonsense given the amount of "races" they are cramming into the US. If there is commercial value in racing in the US, how can there be no value in a true US constructor and engine supplier? This is a boys club who don't want to give up a piece of their pie and don't want a brash American in their midst. F1 has lost it's soul and this began decades ago when Bernie and Max started inviting in manufacturers, and independants were encouraged to sell up or be left behind. I'm sorry, but this is a sport, and not every team is going to bring value all of the time. But they deserve the chance to compete, and I don't think it's remotely reasonable for other teams to be determining the value or worth of another. I'll stick to Indy first and foremost. It's still pure racing with a soul. F1 is nothing but a money spinning circus driven by greed and in inflated sense of superiority that bleeds it's fans dry at every turn year after year fails to deliver an entertaining product.
I still come back to, what does not sufficiently competitive mean? If they’re expected to come in and compete quite quickly with the lower midfield, then yes it seems harsh to not offer them a place. If they are going to spend years even getting close to the back of the grid then it’s a whole different story. At least with the Marussia/HRT/Caterham thing they were competitive with each other, so there was some interest in who would be last, or on top out of those three each week. Each was also a “plucky underdog” which gives a positive narrative angle. This Andretti team is squarely pitched as “Team America”, if they are perpetual and obvious losers, it’s pretty obvious it’s going to have a negative effect on the new found American audience. I also expect there’s a healthy degree of scepticism as to whether the GM involvement is real/sufficient or just a carrot to try and prise the door open and the contextual rejection needs to be seen through that lens. I totally get the context and difference to F1’s past, but the sport has evolved into something much more professional and I can’t think of any other top tier sport where you can just come and compete without proving your performance first?
This just goes to prove that they don`t want F1 to be anymore than 10 teams. The only way to get in is to buy an existing team.
Thing that really frustrates me is that fans / supporters etc , lots want good racing , excitement , battles ……….. Those days are pretty much gone and I doubt if they will be back . It’s as clear as day to me ( as others have said ) that we real fans of the sport , are just the **** on the end of FIA & Sadly F1’s shoes .
hmm, last real new team is Haas, and they've been **** forever, and had to resort to bringing a hopeless Russian oligarchs son in as a driver.
Christian Horner being investigated by Red Bull over "serious allegations of inappropriate behaviour"
Given what Helmut gets away with, whatever it is I wouldn't anticipate Red Bull actually taking action unless it's particularly terrible. The info that is out there is a bit ambiguous, so probably best not to speculate though.
Maybe the helmet has got something on him and wants him gone ? I got the impression they weren’t so pally towards the back end of last season .
