F1 » The Way It Is: An open letter to Bernie and Max

Well done GK, what an excellent piece of editorial.

Shame that F1 won''t be in North America, it used to be such great fun attending Montreal then Detroit, then more recently Indy.

I know for a fact that the motor manufacturers want to be back in North America as soon as possible but as BCE rules the roost there''s no telling what will happen.

Aren''t we supposed to be going to India, Russia, Korea and a whole host of other God forsaken countries, what a bloody shambles!

I agree, what a refreshing piece from a bloke who knows what he's talking about, how on earth Bernie and Max have been allowed to run F1 in the way they have, God only knows!

As the guys above said, great article.

F1 isn't about the racing anymore, hasn't been for a long time. It's about money, in particualr lining the pockets of those who run it.

It's not about the circuits, it's about the facilities around the strip of tarmac. Who cares if the track is featureless and dull as ditchwatcher as long as the drivers have crystal toilet seats to sit on.

And it sure as hell isn't about the fans. Who needs 'em when you have goverments and weathly business men chucking millions of pounds at you. It more than makes up for the half empty grandstands at most of the middle east races.

Screw F1.

I think this is probably the best F1 related article I've read in years. It perfectly sums up how pathetic this "sport" has become recently

who is gordon kirby?? whoever he is, i am sure that BE will not pay the slightest attention to him. how on earth did BE, who was basically bankrupt in brabham days, come to be such a dictator in the sport. i suppose that WE alowed him to. it is a pity that someone in authority does not stand up to him and take the premier racing series away from him. maybe the bank that control a lot of the F1 shares, will decide. in the current climate, to dump them. maybe the redbull boss would buy these up and bring fresh air to F1. any ideas what the fans can do????????

Richard, you are right.
But in the end who gives a monkeys what the fans want? Who cares how far you have to travel? Who cares what the accommodation, infrastructure etc is like.? Who cares whether they RACE on circuits, in the pits or just play follow-my-leader fot two hours?
Bernie and Max are making money, that''s all that counts

Perhaps MM wil have time to read this during his next session with the hoockers and BE on his next flight to Asia............They should read it twice and feel guilty!!

Well said. Will it change anything? Nah. I went to each USGP at Indy including the tire fiasco year. After that ugly episode, it became clear that the only thing BE and MM care about is $$. Follow the money. Trouble is, I think F1''s success is built on tradition: the heavy weight of the past glories, deaths and triumphs. And there is precious little tradtion in the new tracks, no soul if you will. Of course, someday all the new tracks will find out the truth but by then the Bernie and Max Travelling Medicine Show will be down the road.

Probably back in the US and Canada.

The only thing that I can see that GK left out of his letter is that tthe racing circuits of the Mid/Far East (with the exception of Suzuka, Fuji and Singapore) ore) are all ANTISEPTIC Hermann Tilke billiard tables offering no challenge to the racing teams or drivers!

Gil

Excellent article Gordon, Thank you...