Zak Brown: "no Merecedes or Ferrari engine for McLaren in 2018"

Ok, I'll entertain this.

They've got their findings, and now leave en masse. Time to make it a sport again then is it not?

 

None of which has anything to do with Mercedes and Ferrari refusing to supply McLaren with power-units in 2018!

 

The future of F1 rests with the FIA, with the influence of Liberty perhaps.

I have my views about Liberty: I don't think they will work in the interest of the sport.

They look to me like a company that is more interested in the developing the commercial side, than preserving the ethos of the sport. I may be wrong.

So, I expect them to create more razzamatazz like it happened in London, longer GP weekends, more races, push for a bigger audience, extract as much income they can from media, etc...

But at heart, I don't think they will answer the wishes of purists like you by preserving traditions, etc... Liberty may even steer F1 towards a cheaper specs series like Indycar to keep the cost down and ensure teams participation.

They are in it to make money, and probably they will turn up to be more ruthless than Bernie ever was. At the moment, it's still the honeymoon period, but they will reveal their goals before long. Just watch how they will deal with the redistribution of money, Silverstone, pay-as-you-watch TV, etc...

 

They might as well leave F1 for a while then. And Honda should stay away for about 20 years.

 

In 10 years F1 will be FE. Audi, BMW, Porsche, Mercedes, Jaguar, Renault are already committed to electric car racing. All manufacturers, pushed by the government, are rushing to develop all-electric cars. F1's hybrid cars are just a stop-gap. We should be glad that Formula E still has humans in the cockpit.

 

FE will be FE. IMO a heavy push will come from the petroleum companies to make F1 run on hydrogen and develop that instead.

 

They won't make it a spec series, that's for sure. But they will make the sport bigger than ever, they will grow the audience and they want louder, better engines. They've got very exciting plans, FIA in the end makes the rules but it's up to them to see the other side.

With the ''threat'' of Formula E and the manufacturers interest in that series, F1 has to be different and especially cheaper. Reducing costs significantly, yet keeping speed high, the biggest audience etc is key. It's far cheaper to sponsor some **** on the internet then sponsoring F1, it doesn't even make sense any more...and without the manufacturers (only one we can really guarantee being there till the end is Ferrari), F1 has to rely on garagistes. And none of them can afford the current formula.

Personally I believe they'll do the Hydrogen thing, their big sponsors will be the petro companies. This will entice manufacturers back in also.

 

To be fair the whole thread doesn't, because Zak Brown said ''Ferrari and Mercedes do not want to help us with the engine''. They never said they won't supply...Mclaren/Honda wants them to help but they won't. A very different thing

 

''Zak Brown has suggested Mercedes and Ferrari are unwilling to provide Mclaren with a 2018 Engine....''

Seems very clear to me.

 

The main problem with F1 is their ridiculous charges; it's basically a sport for the rich now. And it's not worth paying (or even watching) anymore. Hopefully it'll be saved before it's too late.

 

I think you hit the nail on its head here.

Not only the attending spectators are made to pay through the nose, but now most TV viewing is paying too. Hence the declining audience. Many people don't think F1 is good value for money.

 

+1 agreed. Though it's been like that for a while now. The post 2008 rules didn't help in the slightest for costs for teams in fact it made it worst in my opinion when considering that the big teams could spend as much as they can on perfecting the aero hence costs have sky rocketed to the point where nobody else can be competitive. In my opinion fia ruined alot of other completion to try to complete with the big teams. I definitely think a massive rethink to the media response, regs, and ofcourse rules. Not to mention the stupid pay to view tv and having prices of tickets having nobody execpt for the deepest of pockets to attend races. I definitely think a rethink needs to happen soon or f1 will start fold on itself.

Liberty media will need to do something to prevent f1 from failing or else they will likely unload it and the future of f1 will become uncertain.

 

Its that way with all major sports today. Baseball used to be a great family event because it was not terribly expensive. I'm shocked today with what tickets cost to games.

 

It's as expensive as you want to make it.

Take the Spa GP for instance. 160 Euro for general admission for all 3 days. I did Spain last year, 250 euro for great grandstand tickets, saw cars for a very long time for all 4 days. Could've gone to the testing afterwards, too, but I refrained from doing so. A parking (right at the gate) was only 20 euros for all days in total. Kids under 16 got a free ticket (1 each per ticket)

F1 only comes once a year, so I don't find it a huge deal. Considering a pint costs me £4.50 in my local, if I drink 1 pint less for each pub visit (average 3x a week) I've paid for the ticket in 12 weeks. Wimbledon ticket for the final day is £190, starting price! I don't think from the very top of those grandstands you can barely see the player, let alone the ball being hit!

That said yes F1 needs to change the costs, especially regarding teams. They can't afford it anymore.

 

According to link at the start of this thread: McLaren claim Mercedes and Ferrari don't want to help with 2018 engine | F1 News

The headline states: McLaren claim Mercedes and Ferrari don't want to help with 2018 engine

and then it goes on to say:

Zak Brown has suggested Mercedes and Ferrari are unwilling to provide McLaren with a 2018 engine because they "like us where we are".

So based on the link, this thread is actually about Mercedes and Ferrari not wanting to supply McLaren with engines for 2018, and has nothing to do with them refusing to help Honda (which would be against the rules anyway).

 

Still too costly for the average Joe Public.

 

Back to McLaren and Honda -

I think there should be no doubt that Honda is not giving up. The big question is, will they be able to keep Alonso?

I say they will.

 

Biggest question will they challenge for the wcc or even the wdc before the new rules come into effect. I think nope unless they make huge gigantic leaps which I doubt they can at the pace they are.

 

Lol hell no they don't. The guy is a beast. Puts up the fastest lap and pulls in a 6th place in that turd this weekend

 

Probably means that Macca still knows how to make a good chassis. Add a decent PU and they push Red Bull.

 

Correct. It is not that expensive. Not much more than a NFL game or Nascar race

 

Honda is officially their only choice. McLaren will have to deal with it until the next engine formula, which I believe will be more simple, then they can take their shot.

 

+1 and if back at Ferrari - Vettel would be abused by him and he'd destroy Kimi if Vettel was not there. FA is the best driver on the grid. It doesnt matter that he switched teams. His skill is a set above others. If Mclaren want to be remotely competitive you keep him.

 

Yet, there is now the rumour that Honda would supply Toro Rosso next year, leaving Renault to supply McLaren.

I think Honda's recent form came too late for the McLaren management. There is no trust between them anymore. Announcement soon, I hope.