Kunal looks forward to the 2014 season, but can¹t seem to fathom the thinking behind some of the new rules.
Happy New Year’ and a ‘Happy New Season’ to all our readers. Having said that, given the rule changes for the 2014 season, there’s no guarantee that it’ll be a good year for Formula 1 fans. No, I’m not referring to the engine and powertrain changes, but the ridiculous sporting regulations that the FIA announced to ‘spice up’ the championship artificially (yet again). And, do excuse me for starting the New Year on a negative note.
Much of the technical changes are understandable, as the sport is keen to attract manufacturers back by creating a platform that offers an opportunity to transfer technology back to road cars. And I’m guessing that’s why Honda has chosen to make a comeback to the sport with McLaren in 2015.
But a quick read of the sporting regulations, and the changes incorporated, would have you convinced that the FIA is hell-bent on driving fans away from the sport! Penalty points and five-second grid penalties are two of the not so major, and quite acceptable, changes introduced with an emphasis to curb driving offences (watch out Lotus drivers). However, the BIG change that has me annoyed and upset (and I’m not alone) is the decision to award double points for the final race of the 2014 season (the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix). I’m still unable to fathom the reasoning behind this ridiculous decision!
I may be averse to change, but I agree that Formula 1 needs to undergo changes to keep fan and viewer interest high. But it seems as though Formula 1 is unaware of where its problems lie. Are egos getting in the way of what fans expect, as opposed to what they’re being offered? And doesn’t Formula 1 use ‘social listening’ tools to understand its fans better? What about fan and consumer surveys? If you’ve followed Formula 1 for a few seasons, the answers to those questions are fairly obvious – and the big failure in execution was when the Formula 1 Strategy Group was formed without the inclusion of the teams’ marketing personnel.
Formula 1 is a technical sport, and while it evolves every few seasons on the technical front, it needs to evolve on the marketing front as well. The result of being disengaged and staying still is the inclusion of gimmicks like DRS and highly degradable Pirelli tyres. Needless to say, it’s extremely hard to come to terms with the fact that the winner in Abu Dhabi this year will score twice the points of the winner at Spa, Monza or Monaco. Sigh!
Anyway, since my mother taught me that you should begin the New Year on a happy note, I should also tell you what I will actually be excited about as the season begins – driver announcements (4 seats remain as I write this), car launches, and the first pre-season test in end of January. And, of course, the much hyped and awaited Alonso vs. Raikkonen battle.
Sahara Force India veteran, Adrian Sutil, will look to extend his Formula 1 career by a few years, and will occupy one of the cockpits of the illustrious Sauber F1 Team – after all, driver experience is welcome going into the complex 2014 season. Sahara Force India, on the other hand, welcomed the super-talented Nico Hulkenberg back to the team, alongside Mexican Sergio Perez – a line-up that’s been touted as the third best on the grid after Mercedes and Ferrari.
All eyes will also be on how Daniel Ricciardo performs alongside quadruple champion, Sebastian Vettel, while rookies Kevin Magnussen and Daniil Kvyat will look to find their feet in their respective teams.
While the rule changes may not bring much joy, I am happy to see yet another classic circuit make a comeback – in the form of the Red Bull (formerly A1) Ring. Also, the sports marketer in me is curious to see how Russia will take to Formula 1. Will it go the Singapore or India way?
I look toward the 2014 season with mixed feelings. At told, I hope that Formula 1 is a winner above all else!
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