Pitpass dot com has a good article on the problems besetting Daimler Chrysler, particularly in America, and the possibility of a sale of Chrysler. The chances of this having a knock-on effect in F1 are quite high in view of the parent company’s involvement through McLaren. If a manufacturer gets into difficulties in the real world, it will not be long before any investment in F1 is regarded as unnecessarily expensive and short on returns.

To shareholders and bean counters it means diddly squat that the team won two rounds of the World Championship. They want to see the success of title victories pay off on the showroom floors and forecourts.

It is an excellent example of how the dominance of the manufacturers in F1 has changed the sport completely. Note that I said “the real world” up there – which is the place that car manufacturers live. Formula One has never lived in the real world before – in contrast, it has always been the realm of fantasy and dreams, a glorious world where the trials and troubles of reality can be forgotten for a while and legendary feats performed by gladiators in fireproof suits and sexy helmets.

The entry of advertising into this fantasy realm was the first chink in F1′s armor. With costs rising, the teams needed a source of money and the advertisers were happy to provide it. Fortunately (and probably because this coincided fairly closely with the restriction of tobacco advertising – F1 was a convenient loophole through the new regulations), no-one looked too closely at the figures to see if they were getting a decent return on their investment – the names were on the cars and the theory was that this was enough to sell the product.

But the manufacturers are a very different kettle of fish. Forget all the nonsense about F1 providing useful developments relevant to road cars – manufacturers have their research departments and do not need F1 to test their theories. They are there purely to prove that their products are better than anyone else’s – a marketing exercise that must show results or be excised from the balance sheet.

And, if the company experiences financial difficulties in the real world, the first thing it will do is try to cut costs. The millions spent on F1 with very little tangible return will stand out like a sore thumb just begging to be cut off. At which point, the company will leave F1.

In throwing in its lot with the manufacturers, F1 has tied itself to the ebb and flow of the real world. When car markets are buoyant, F1 will prosper with entrants and money; but, let the bottom fall out of the market and F1 will find itself in deep trouble, lacking participants and saddled with a formula designed for a more affluent era. The real world can be a cold and pitiless place at times.

The powers that be seek to offset this danger by presenting F1 as the leader in achieving low emissions – the sport that cares about the environment, indeed. If they can achieve this shift in public perception, the manufacturers will stay in for the benefits of being seen to care about green issues. Mighty Max has decreed that the majority of the public now see global warming as the major issue confronting mankind and that F1 must take note and follow the trend.

The problem is that it is a trend. In previous decades it was overpopulation that was going to end the world; then it was nuclear holocaust, then another ice age. When the present hullabaloo over global warming peters out through lack of solid scientific evidence, another threat will be invented by the alarmists and F1 will be left looking rather foolish.

The point missed by everyone is that F1 is a part of the entertainment industry. Oh, lip service is given in that the FIA are always looking for ways to improve the show and increase the audience; but the implications are not understood at all. Entertainment is essentially escapist – a fantasy world through which we can escape the real world for a while and indulge ourselves in pure, irresponsible bliss. By tying the sport ever closer to the harsh realities of the real world, Max forces us to remain in that uncomfortable environment and the possibilities for escape disappear.

Formula One is set to become a responsible, serious and relevant exercise in public relations. Which might help to improve its image in the eyes of the general public, although far more likely is that nobody will notice. And the lifeblood of the sport, the fans, will drain away as the races become just a huge advert for the car manufacturers.

Entertainment has become one of the most important industries in the world because we need it. Escape for a while is a necessary part of modern life because, for the vast majority, the daily round is meaningless and boring. And what better entertainment can there be than immensely powerful engines ripping through the fossil fuels, daring young drivers competing at the limits of human endurance and skill, and finely tuned projectiles in bright colors hurtling around a difficult track?

It’s a great show as long as you let them get on with it.

Ferrari grab the best times at the second session of testing at Barcelona and suddenly everyone thinks they are the team to beat again. It’s like Andy Warhol’s fifteen minutes of fame – first McLaren, then BMW and now Ferrari. Any bets on which team will be favorite next?

What it really means is that there is very little to choose between a lot of the teams. Alonso reckons there are five in with a chance of winning GPs: Ferrari, McLaren, Renault, BMW and, although still a little behind the best, Honda. To that list I would add Williams and Toyota. Red Bull has been disappointing to date and we can only presume that Toro Rosso will be more of the same since they will be running a very similar car. And Super Aguri and Spyker have their sights set a little lower than race wins this year at least.

That leaves a lot of teams in the running but of one thing we can be sure – the numbers will thin out once racing starts in earnest. Some of those who show well now will fade in the heat of competition and unexpected weaknesses will appear. The problem is in working out which of the contenders will maintain the challenge throughout the season.

The big three have an advantage in this through experience; we expect them to do well because they always do. Sooner or later the old order must change, however, and the chances of it happening this season are very high. BMW are looking like the team that could upset the apple cart. The car has been consistently good at all the circuits so far and the drivers and team members seem focused and quietly efficient. Their moment may have arrived rather earlier than Mario Theissen expected but, if they can build on early successes, they could be in with a chance of a championship.

We have seen a lot of change over this off season and big changes usually bring about re-shuffling of established orders. In 1979, the year ground effect spread to everyone, Lotus failed to capitalize on Chapman’s invention and were nowhere, while Williams emerged as top rank contenders for the first time. The fact that Ferrari managed to squeeze out a last gasp championship that year might be a good omen for them in 2007 but I doubt it. This time around, they are the team that has had more change than any other.

1979 was also the year that Ligier won the first two races with their JS11 and looked the team to beat, only to fade away as the season wore on. Could BMW be the Ligier of 2007?

Pitpass dot com has an interesting article about the sale of Donington Park to a consortium calling itself Donington Ventures Leisure Limited (DVLL). This leads to speculation that Donington, with its improved facilities, might mount a serious challenge to be the venue for future British GPs.

It takes me back to 1993, when Donington hosted the European GP. At the time, there were thoughts that the circuit was too small to put on a decent F1 race but events proved everyone wrong. Thanks to the weather and the genius of Ayrton Senna, the race turned out to be one of the all time greats.

As a result, we all have fond memories of Donington as a GP venue and this must surely aid DVLL in any move to steal the British GP from Silverstone. But the most telling aspect will inevitably be facilities. Pitpass seems to think that Silverstone will never be able to compete in this area and they may have a point. The BRDC, owners of Silverstone, just don’t have the money to build luxury facilities like those on offer in the tiger economies of Asia.

Things have come a long way from the days of rickety toilets and greasy food served from a caravan. The average race goer expects to be cosseted with the latest advances in hygienic amenities; or so we are led to believe. And the standards for acceptance as one of Bernie’s elite circuits just keep going up and up, while the tracks become ever more standardized in the quest for safety. It’s a brave (and boring) new world.

It is not that I think Donington should not have a GP; more that I would be sad to see Silverstone go. Apart from being a good circuit, it has history on its side and that means atmosphere. Which wasn’t enough to save Brands Hatch, of course, and many other famous circuits on the continent. Surely it is about time that more factors than facilities were taken into account in this business of selecting GP venues. If the FIA is so concerned about entertainment value, it might be an idea for atmosphere and setting to be considered as well as fancy grandstands and ablution blocks.

The greatness of the Nordschleife was not just the length and variation of the circuit – it was also the brooding forest that surrounded the circuit and gave it atmosphere. Monaco survives only because its setting is so steeped in history that its demise is unthinkable. And we all react with horror to the thought that Spa might be taken from us yet again. Circuits become part of our memories, reminders of great races we have witnessed, places that speak of famous names and events, deeds of courage and superhuman skill.

Silverstone is not one of the most atmospheric circuits yet it has its share of memories. It remains one of the GPs that we look forward to, not just for the renewal of competition but also because it has that aura of tradition.

The Art of F1

A few days ago, someone expressed surprise when I listed the subjects of my various websites and blogs. Apparently, to have interests in writing, F1 racing, art, music, romance, astronomy and exotic cars is pretty weird. Well, today I found out that I’m not alone, at least in the art and motor sport thing.

I was wandering through the F1 sites and blogs, not really looking for something to write about as I don’t usually post on Sundays, when I came upon Car-a-Day by Rob Ijbema. This is a blog in which Rob has set himself the gargantuan task of painting a motor sport picture every day – he is on day twenty and still going strong.

Now, I used to paint a bit myself so I know the commitment and hard work that Rob has signed up for in going for his goal. It’s worse than juggling a dozen blogs on unrelated subjects and trying to remain sane at the same time. But Rob demonstrates not only incredible stamina in carrying out his task, he has talent too. He is not fobbing us off with hasty and ill-executed stuff just to keep to his timetable – his paintings are filled with movement, passion and verve, showing a deep love for and knowledge of his subject.

Formula One actually has a long tradition of attracting accomplished artists and some of the better known artists’ work sells for considerable amounts of money these days. In my opinion, Rob’s paintings can compete with any of these and better many of them for expression. Have a look at his blog and enjoy his work, bookmark it and return every day, that’s my advice.

And, if you have a few banknotes lying around and don’t know what to do with them, why not make a start as an art investor?