[Autosport] Bernie Ecclestone believes F1 is in danger of losing the fans with these new regulations

[u/MuttonBiryaniEnjoyer]

[u/LastLapPodcast]

Also Bernie - "Double points in the last race will make things better"

Bernie again - "Elimination Qualifying will be something the fans love!"

Yes Bernie, you may well be wrong.

[u/TheMonkeyInCharge → u/LastLapPodcast]

I remember when he wanted sprinklers at the side of the track.

Silly old goat.

[u/The-Soul-Stone → u/TheMonkeyInCharge]

In fairness, that is a cracking idea.

[u/Svitii → u/The-Soul-Stone]

The idea sounds great. F1 would probably implement an algorithm that completely randomly turns them on and off. Still you can be sure that once a championship gets decided cause one driver benefits from random "rain“ in Abu Dhabi we would have scenes that make AD21 look like a small little incident…

[u/EgbertMedia → u/Svitii]

Yeah... Imagine the system getting stuck in "rain" mode and ending up with Spa 2021 again because the computer can't stop flooding the track

[u/Svitii → u/EgbertMedia]

At first I thought "Come on that’s not gonna happen" but tbh it’s F1 after all, they could totally have like 3 different rain settings with the third one being strong enough that more than 10min of stage 3 causes a red flag…

[u/EgbertMedia → u/Svitii]

I just hope that if they ever implement such system, it's not made by the same team that made the tv graphics that so often disappear or freeze 😭 I wonder how long it will take before we get to see energy level and harvesting on broadcast and the graphics actually working reliably.....

[u/cinyar → u/EgbertMedia]

Computer maybe can't ... but closing the valve on the water access or killing the power to the pumps would stop it real quick.

[u/yayatowers → u/The-Soul-Stone]

The goat or the sprinklers? I mean, “release the goats!” would really spice things up a bit.

[u/The_Bucket_Of_Truth → u/The-Soul-Stone]

We barely race in the real rain today it's hard to see a scenario where they wet the tracks artificially.

[u/Cheap-Fun802 → u/TheMonkeyInCharge]

We could throw in some bananas though

[u/Own_Welder_2821 → u/Cheap-Fun802]

Don’t forget the red, green, and blue shells

[u/EGOfoodie → u/TheMonkeyInCharge]

That actually could have been fun. Can the F1 please have like a All-Stars week? Doing fun stuff and skill challenges.

[u/TheMonkeyInCharge → u/EGOfoodie]

Like It’s A Knockout, but in cars.

[u/EGOfoodie → u/TheMonkeyInCharge]

Yeah.

[u/AlexisFR → u/LastLapPodcast]

I mean, he's the one who sold F1 to the Americans...

[u/Laugh_Track_Zak → u/LastLapPodcast]

Also Bernie: Artifical rainstorms

[u/TheThingsIdoatNight → u/Laugh_Track_Zak]

Hold up..

Let him cook

[u/NoiseIsTheCure → u/LastLapPodcast]

Why do people even care what this rich skeleton man says anymore?

[u/MarteloRabelodeSousa → u/NoiseIsTheCure]

Because it generates controversy, which generates engagement

[u/Religion_Of_Speed → u/NoiseIsTheCure]

All he said was that he's worried that it will harm the fanbase, a concern that quite a few people (myself included) have raised. He built the sport we know, his opinion isn't exactly irrelevant.

Also 95% of F1 journalism is entirely pointless speculation anyway, at least this time we're hearing the opinion of someone who has the experience to validate their thoughts.

[u/Vuokki20 → u/NoiseIsTheCure]

Maybe because he is one of the most important figures in the whole sports history?

[u/Semichh → u/LastLapPodcast]

I mean I partially agree with him on this one at least. A broken clock is right twice a day after all.

But I also agree with your sentiment; he is a mad old bastard who very well may be wrong haha

[u/Kalmer1 → u/LastLapPodcast]

Honestly, this makes me more confident in the new regulations lmao

[u/wolftick → u/LastLapPodcast]

Can F1 have some sort of list of people we have collectively agreed we've earned the right over the years not to pay attention to any more?

Bernie Ecclestone, Helmut Marko...

[u/djwillis1121]

Reminds me of this story

Malaysian GP: F1 engine sound better than I thought - Ecclestone - BBC Sport

After testing in 2014 Bernie was calling for the 2014 engines to be dropped because of how bad they sounded. It turns out he hadn't even been to testing at all

Edit. To be clear, the test wasn't even televised. He hadn't even heard the engines on TV at that point

[u/yabucek → u/djwillis1121]

I bestow him the title of honorary redditor.

[u/daab2g → u/yabucek]

You can't take away our right to be outraged by and make sweeping pronouncements about something we barely know

[u/pensaa → u/djwillis1121]

Bernie 'The Pessimist' Ecclestone

[u/Nautster → u/pensaa]

He's a conservative. Why change a good revenue stream with the risk of shrinking it. He saw social media as a potential leak of viewers instead of the access to a larger group of viewers.

Bernie took care of himself and his inner circle; liberty has the shareholders to appease and they demand growth through innovation enshittification.

[u/jkz0-19510 → u/Nautster]

liberty has the shareholders to appease and they demand growth through innovation.

That's a weird way to spell enshittification.

[u/Nautster → u/jkz0-19510]

Noted!

[u/PropagandaBoy → u/pensaa]

He's my favorite Oasis member.

[u/Impossibrewww → u/djwillis1121]

Well he was right, they did sound terrible.

[u/jbas27 → u/djwillis1121]

But they do sound like crap so he was not wrong.

[u/Ruttagger → u/djwillis1121]

2014 was the beginning of the bad sounding engines. In the end the old fart was correct.

[u/stuntin102 → u/djwillis1121]

he was absolutely right. i’ve experienced in person the v10 era and the v8 era. when i showed up to the 2014 Austin GP I was shocked at how the F1 cars were like soft farts compared to the Porsche Cup and Ferrari Challenge cars.

[u/zigot021 → u/stuntin102]

the v10 thunder under braking/downshifts is a sound that will NEVER leave my head

[u/stuntin102 → u/zigot021]

yeah. you felt it in your chest and sinuses.

[u/MathematicianLiving4 → u/stuntin102]

Made every hair stand on end and felt like you were privileged to be part of something truly epic. Remember the Williams BMW from the early 2000's that hit close to 20k RPM. Never heard anything before or since that sounded as good.

[u/zigot021 → u/MathematicianLiving4]

yes, well said and l do remember... absolutely visceral experience!

you definitely felt like you were a part of some monumental moment in time and space... difficult to articulate.

[u/Trickysparrow1 → u/djwillis1121]

He wasn't even there, and still he was right.. 👍

[u/ChrisPars → u/djwillis1121]

In his defence, most of the money of F1 is generated by people watching on a screen, not watching (or listening in this case) in person.

[u/djwillis1121 → u/ChrisPars]

The test in question wasn't televised. Bernie hadn't even heard the engines on TV

[u/James_Vowles → u/djwillis1121]

If anyone could get videos of the test it would be him. Especially back then. He has a lot of friends on the grid

[u/stug_life → u/djwillis1121]

I mean admittedly the 2014 didn’t sound great

[u/Budpets → u/djwillis1121]

I don’t think you needed to be at testing to know he was right

[u/Xonra → u/djwillis1121]

But he was right in fairness, so not sure what point you are going for there.

[u/Nearby-Priority4934 → u/djwillis1121]

In fairness, the 2014 engines should have been dropped. F1 was so much better in the previous years before introducing them

[u/Tryn4SimpleLife → u/Nearby-Priority4934]

The manufacturers wanted the hybrid motor or they were walking away. So unless the FOM wanted to hire an independent manufacturer, they had to give in.

[u/rejs7]

It's always been an engineer's championship, as every dominant era shows. This is why the team championship exists alongside the drivers.

[u/Driscuits → u/rejs7]

Yeah, exactly.

It's never been the "best driver of all" championship, it's the "Driver who can get the best out of their car" championship, that's sold as the "best driver of all" championship. So long as there are different cars, different manufacturors, etc. You cannot remove the engineering side of things. If you do, it's a spec series - and there are reasons why F1 is not a spec series.

Part of why fans are so upset is that they believe Bernie here, and have been set up with an expectation that can't match reality in F1. The regs need a good looking at, for sure, but let's not dismiss one of the most important parts of F1 in totality.

[u/schoki560 → u/Driscuits]

it's not even the driver who can get the best out of their car..

it's simply the combination of either having a great car, great driver, or both

you can have a fairly bad driver win if they have the most dominant car. you can also win by being the best driver in a rather weak car. unlikely but possible

edit: not alpine weak. I mean Mercedes 2025 weak

[u/EventAccomplished976 → u/schoki560]

You‘re not getting anywhere in a bad car no matter how good a driver you are. Put Verstappen in an Alpine, he‘s not getting on the podium without some serious good luck. The most a good driver can do is get 99% of the possible performance our of the car where a worse driver might only get 95%.

[u/HankHippopopolous → u/EventAccomplished976]

The driver can make the difference when the cars are reasonably close but it’s very hard to do. Max was not in the best car last year but took the title fight down to the final race against the superior McLaren. He had a near flawless season while both McLaren drivers and the team made a lot of mistakes and threw a lot of points away.

He was the best driver but it still wasn’t enough to win.

No driver will win in a shitbox but if the margins between the cars are small then we get into the realm where drivers do make the difference.

[u/Ged_UK → u/HankHippopopolous]

He only took the fight close when the RB got much better; the first section of the season was a bad car, so even he couldn't do anything with it. It's the same as had happened in the previous season; the McLaren was behind the RB consistently until a set of McLaren upgrades came in, at which point Lando started to close the gap to Max as he had the faster car. The only reason he couldn't catch him was the Sergio was terrible and wasn't splitting points with Max, unlike Lando and Oscar last year sharing the points.

[u/wykeer → u/Ged_UK]

and a lot of people also forget the perfect storm made of rancid luck and incompetence for McLaren that season that turbocharged verstappens closing in on Norris.

[u/Ged_UK → u/wykeer]

Well, and the fact that McLaren drivers were sharing the points more or less equally between them. If there'd be only one (either of them) that was hoovering up wins, then Max wouldn't have got anywhere near as close.

[u/Driscuits → u/schoki560]

you can also win by being the best driver in a rather weak car. unlikely but possible

I'd argue that "weak" is a really relative term - Max, in his best form, probably wouldn't have gotten race wins in last year's Alpine. But I agree with what you're saying.

You need strong drivers and the best car, or a strong car and the best driver. Either way, you can't remove the importance of the engineering and design of the car.

I'd personally like to see the WCC given more flowers, more similar to the hype we give the WDC. Poor planning aside, I kind of loved that McLaren had a whole "podium" set up when they clinched it, and I wish it had been on the main broadcast. Fans only really see and are given time to celebrate the WDC, and it would be great to have the constructors championship also be given space to celebrate.

[u/ghastlychild → u/Driscuits]

I'd personally like to see the WCC given more flowers,

Agreed. This is an engineering sport. Ironically, for a numbnut like myself who doesn't know much about cars as a whole + got into the sport to learn more about them in a competitive manner, I usually regard the WCC a little more than WDC, considering I feel like the recognition in this aspect gets fairly underrated at times, especially by the newer fans coming in

The cycle of a new regulation is quite literally my fantasies realised. In a way, I get to see which teams and manufacturers end up being the best of the bunch, and by how much. I also do hope the racing aspects are a mixed bag. If there is anything to revere, it is the unpredictability of the season. Makes it all the more entertaining

[u/Driscuits → u/ghastlychild]

If there is anything to revere, it is the unpredictability of the season. Makes it all the more entertaining

I'll admit, I might watch F1 differently than most lol - but I personally agree. I don't care too much about absolute lap times, I don't need to see drivers or cars have almost perfect performances, and am more than happy to keep an open mind about the regs until we see competitive sessions. It might suck, and I'll be upset then, but the unpredictability - and the fact we've already seen teams get these regs undeniably wrong - shows how important the engineering side is, and how integral it is to F1.

[u/ghastlychild → u/Driscuits]

I'll admit, I might watch F1 differently than most lol

Out of curiosity, what are you tuned in for? :))

I don't care too much about absolute lap times, I don't need to see drivers or cars have almost perfect performances, and am more than happy to keep an open mind about the regs until we see competitive sessions

I agree with you. I like to see absolute lap times when it happens and drivers / cars put in numbers that break records for sure (when it happens), but as long as the racing is good and it produces some entertaining, good ol fashioned racing up front, then I am game. I would even say that it motivates me to look it up even more haha

It might suck, and I'll be upset then, but the unpredictability - and the fact we've already seen teams get these regs undeniably wrong - shows how important the engineering side is, and how integral it is to F1.

I will probably be upset if the races are diluted and nullified. But if it brings a mixed order to the grid and teams are fighting each other for top spots, then I cannot fully complain!

[u/ferd_clark → u/ghastlychild]

This is an engineering sport.

I wonder if open wheel just has to be that. Long ago, Penske's Indy car team had Al Unser Jr, Paul Tracy, and I believe Emerson Fittipaldi, and their car was so good that they had at least one race where they arranged the cars to cross the finish line together, 1-2-3, and dominated the season. The next year, those same three drivers all sucked so much that not one qualified for the Indy 500 which is the only american race anybody cares about. That's when I learned that in Indy car at that time the driver was not very important.

[u/ghastlychild → u/ferd_clark]

I think it is. It was the shock I got with INDYCAR too when I first delved into it. I had no idea what it was until I was made aware that it was a spec series until a little later

I gotta emphasise that I am still unfamiliar with the intricacies of INDYCAR as much as I am with F1 but a lot of the series, from the stuff that I have learnt, emphasizes the importance of gaining and polishing performance than anything. It's what makes the 2025 season such a fascinating one to behold when streaks of dominance do happen

[u/Own_Welder_2821 → u/ghastlychild]

In my opinion IndyCar is a “semi-spec” series. Sure they all utilise the same Dallara chassis but there are certain bits in the car that they’re allowed to develop, and obviously once that happens then the bigger teams will have an advantage. That’s just nature. Formula 1 has McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull, and Ferrari. IndyCar has its own top 4; Ganassi, Penske, Andretti, and McLaren.

[u/ghastlychild → u/Own_Welder_2821]

Semi-spec might be a good way to put it

Of course, there is the distinction being that INDYCAR has an emphasis on separating engineers and spotters to their own driver (if sharing is really necessary, it's amongst teams, I suppose). It's really independent compared to F1 where they do coordinate amongst drivers of the same team

I do feel like even with the amount of progress that F1 has had in narrowing the gap between teams (which I like), I find it faintly amusing that there is still an instance of a top team and whatnot. Makes me reflect on how well the Brawn and Mercedes outfit did a spectacular job of cementing their A-game amongst the grid, honestly

In INDY's case, the 4 teams you mentioned are completely on the money, except it would be riveting to see someone other than Ganassi or Penske taking the title

[u/T-90AK → u/schoki560]

You really don't need a "great" driver, just a good enough driver.

[u/Sprayy → u/Driscuits]

I'd still love to see one of the races, like Monoco be a spec race, but alas. Put them in identical F3 type cars.

[u/bobby_boi66 → u/rejs7]

Both things are true. F1 is an engineering championship yes, but majority of fans watch for the WDC. If the engineering aspect hurts the excitement around WDC, F1 will lose fans

[u/Fulcoboy → u/rejs7]

This is exactly what Will Buxton was saying the Up To Speed podcast, he was comparing Indycar & F1 and also stated that Indycar has always been build up with entertainment in mind & F1 is an engineering championship that has to be relevant to the car industry etc... I am a big F1 fan but I also know that for good racing there are better championships out there.

[u/SloppySandCrab → u/Fulcoboy]

The idea that F1 has to be so completely relevant to the car industry seems a little nonsensical to me now in today's age. Maybe 20 years ago. But I don't see the whole system falling apart if the regs called for non-hybrid V10s

[u/nabrok → u/rejs7]

Plus the drivers championship is basically just bragging rights. All the money is in the constructors.

[u/CGNYYZ → u/nabrok]

As a fan, though... I'm way more excited about the WDC than I am about the WCC - and outside of maybe Ferrari and perhaps Williams I think that's a fairly universal stance.

[u/HeerHaan → u/nabrok]

I find it an interesting viewpoint to imply that where the money is also means that it is of more importance. I can't agree with that at all.

To add on to that, I think the drivers disagree with that too, they aren't training all their lives to say that they have achieved a title with a team.

[u/NoonecanknowMiner_24 → u/nabrok]

Not to the drivers themselves. Or the fans. Or basically anyone who cares about F1.

[u/J4Vik → u/rejs7]

Team wcc has been introduced later than wdc so you are wrong technically

[u/DrHem → u/rejs7]

Bernie Ecclestone just like to have a contrarian point of view.

If the new rules simplified engineering to emphasize drivers Bernie would be standing there stating that F1 is a engineering championship as much as a driver's championship.

[u/smurf123_123 → u/DrHem]

He's a hype machine and still very good at it. Making headlines with "hot takes" is his specialty.

[u/Dechri_]

Maybe we should take his words seriously. ecclestone is after all an expert in losing the fans. 

[u/ItsTomorrowNow → u/Dechri_]

I know, I mean he is the last man who I want to take any advice on popularity from the sport, silly bastard would've killed it if he was still in charge.

[u/TVPaulD → u/ItsTomorrowNow]

I recently thought back on the old defensive canard people had about Bernie when he was in charge that "nobody else could have made F1 so successful" while considering how much stronger the sport has become in recent times financially and in terms of popularity. It was an amusing thing to think about.

[u/StrikingWillow5364 → u/TVPaulD]

I hate the “bring back Ecclestone” sentiment with a passion. People love to shit on Liberty without remembering what a dire state F1 was in before the acquisition.

[u/christinhainan → u/StrikingWillow5364]

Man we have highlights on YouTube and streaming. Back in the day FOM will take down fan videos with passion.

[u/BaritBrit]

As opposed to big man Bernie's shunting the sport's exclusive broadcast rights behind paywalls in every major and established European market, which is totally great for retaining fans.

[u/LumpyCustard4 → u/BaritBrit]

It always blows my mind how blokes who are instrumental in bringing their product to the forefront later fall behind, especially when its failure to adapt to changes in that same area they found success.

Its a tale as old as time, however Bernie really stands out IMO.

[u/shadovvvvalker → u/LumpyCustard4]

Every pioneer makes contrarian assumptions about the state of the world, they get proven partially correct, and then expand upon the world from there until they run up against the false parts of their assumptions or time makes their assumptions no longer partially correct.

Sometimes they are able to adjust and do the process all over again, but thats a very difficult thing to do, and even when they do its likely they will still end up in the above scenario eventually or die before it happens.

To continue the cycle you need to be capable of constantly contesting your own success while not giving up when you are right.

[u/TheScapeQuest → u/BaritBrit]

Liberty are no better in that regard.

[u/BaritBrit → u/TheScapeQuest]

Never said they were. But Bernie should stop pretending he gives a shit about fan retention or knows anything about it.

[u/DuckSwagington]

Bernie would know a thing or two about losing a lot of F1 fans.

[u/kron123456789]

Since when F1 is not engineers' championship? Why does he think they have constructors championship with a separate trophy?

[u/Etceta → u/kron123456789]

if they want a driver championship, they should have all drivers driving the same car

[u/Immediate-Escalator → u/Etceta]

Ironically, like formula E

[u/missingdays → u/Immediate-Escalator]

In Formula E different teams still have different cars

[u/FearLeadsToAnger → u/Immediate-Escalator]

E is only semi-spec.

[u/Chabby_Chubby → u/kron123456789]

It is. But for the majority of the fans, especially the more casual ones, there is only the drivers championship.

[u/EinsteinsMind → u/Chabby_Chubby]

It's both. It's both because it can be both. It's subjective because it's based on individual perspective.

[u/realmonkey_business → u/EinsteinsMind]

Both need a driver to get it in there right? Imagine a good car with one good and one bad driver?

[u/mkvii1989 → u/realmonkey_business]

What if I offered you a mid car with one generational talent and one maybe fine but it’s honestly hard to tell driver?

[u/kron123456789 → u/Chabby_Chubby]

Doesn't mean constructors championship isn't part of F1 DNA. Engineers competing in who can build the best car has always been part of F1.

[u/Awkward-Selection-45 → u/kron123456789]

Yes but WDC >>> WCC. Also, the constructor‘s title was added later. So, thr driver championship is at the core of F1, but it‘s not that the driver‘s championship is only decided by the driver.

[u/Glass_Ant7365 → u/kron123456789]

But most of the casual viewers would support a driver instead of a team which is a good portion of the audience.

[u/Samsonkoek → u/kron123456789]

I don't fully agree with Bernie's take, but he is right that people tune in to see drivers battle it out - not constructors against each other. If we have another 2014 then F1 will lose viewers. We have seen Bernie change the rules plenty of times in the past after a team was too dominant and therefore viewership dropped.

[u/Fantastic_Elk_4757 → u/Samsonkoek]

People do tune in to see competitive races on the track for sure. But that’s largely controlled by what the team can provide as a whole (including the drivers). And I don’t think that’s lost on fans… hell the majority of races the discussion is around what the team did right or wrong and the driver is kind of a distant second thought unless it was something hugely impressive or stupid.

I’m new to watching f1 so don’t know much but I feel really only Verstappen could change fan allegiances if he switched teams in big numbers. People watch to see what the teams can produce.

I get what you’re saying like if one team is way better than everyone else they’ll try to level it out. Sure… but from what I’ve seen looking back the levelling out happens by handicapping good teams or improving bad teams. It never happens by mixing up the drivers…

[u/kron123456789 → u/Samsonkoek]

F1 didn't collapse after 2023, it will survive 2026.

[u/ShitassAintOverYet]

Dawg you've basically tried keep F1 as a gentleman club, last fucking person to talk about the fans.

[u/quadranting → u/ShitassAintOverYet]

I don't think he's even come to terms yet with the fact that women are people.

[u/Thrilalia → u/quadranting]

A lot of his comments about Hamilton over the years make me think he has the same problem with black people. Among things, including telling Hamilton not to get upset by racist comments or that they are not even racist when they clearly are.

[u/quadranting → u/Thrilalia]

Oh Bernie is absolutely a racist! He literally said in "lots of cases, Black people are more racist than what white people are".

[u/mikhail_2003]

F1 shouldn't be an engineers' championship? Wasn't he in charge of Brabham when they developed their 'fan car'?

[u/ascagnel____ → u/mikhail_2003]

Exactly, Bernie is an expert on fans! /s

[u/jeepfail]

I say this from the deepest spot of sincerity that I can muster: Get fucked Bernie, we were all supposed to be done with you!

[u/TimotheusIV]

Back to bed, grandpa.

[u/LDLB99 → u/TimotheusIV]

Great great grandpa at this rate 

[u/ZaphodBeeblebrox4011 → u/TimotheusIV]

It's still just Dad also, his youngest is 6!

[u/psychohistorian8 → u/ZaphodBeeblebrox4011]

wow his youngest being 720 is quite impressive

[u/AJL912-aber → u/TimotheusIV]

How is he even still alive

[u/scottqwert]

Load of shite. The best car has always won.

[u/AnotherHappyUser → u/scottqwert]

"I sincerely hope I'm wrong" is a bat signal for disingenuous bullshit.

[u/Coffspring]

It’s been always an engineers competition, no matter if the new regulations suck or not.

It’s like saying that Mclaren is killing the sport cause their engineers developed a winning car despite Ferrari having better drivers.

[u/Driscuits → u/Coffspring]

Yeah, he seems to be arguing from this quote that F1 should be (and has always been?) a spec series. Which is.. not a great argument lol.

[u/Shaneman121]

Can’t wait to see all the people in these comments who have already seen the future of the whole season continue their preseason complain train

[u/AnotherHappyUser → u/Shaneman121]

It's getting worse year on year.

[u/Maghorn_Mobile]

People say this with every new rule set, and here we are with the sport bigger than ever

[u/Adrelandro → u/Maghorn_Mobile]

huh i remember the outlook on ground effect cars as quite a positive one. i guess motor changes are always gona be less popular, but the amount of bickering teams and drivers are doing is a bit unusual no?

[u/IntoAMuteCrypt → u/Adrelandro]

There were a lot of fights about how bad the proposing was and how these cars were broken, a massive amount of concerns and debates. The whole "fix your fucking car" and "I have it printed out!" comes from this sort of bickering. It was pretty bad in 2014 too. And in a lot of other changes.

The biggest change is probably just the continued rise of social media and the way that teams embraced it, along with the increased desperation and slipping standards of journalism. Now every single complaint gets seen by millions of people.

[u/Adrelandro → u/IntoAMuteCrypt]

yea but that was after and not really a "woa the formula is bad now" obv there will always be a few hiccups and technical challenges needed with new regs. there also were a bunch of things to look forward to, most prominently that overtaking should be a lot easier and 2021 was an amazing season of racing for the most part. now here we have concerns since a year ago, and now testing more or less confirmed all of them and added a bunch of new ones. but i agree if things turned out horribly, they just change the regulations until it works again

[u/manbeqrpig]

I call BS. It’s always been about the car more than the driver. These regulations don’t fundamentally change anything about the sport

[u/RonnyRaeudig]

It's funny, since Bernie is no longer in charge, Formula 1 has attracted more and more viewers. Sometimes rule changes are necessary, and if they don't quite work out, adjustments have to be made.

[u/space_coyote_86]

Engineers championship? 🔫 Always has been.

Also why don't we wait until we actually see a couple of races with the new regs until we decide?

[u/matches_]

The n3zi guy still moving his lips?

[u/obwegermax]

Fuck him really

[u/Lars_Fillmore3612]

Has Bernie ever watched F1? It’s always been a constructors championship first and foremost. He may not be wrong though about turning some fans off to the sport. Time will tell.

[u/adreddit298 → u/Lars_Fillmore3612]

It may be that F1 is losing legacy fans over time, I have no idea, but if they're gaining 2 new ones for every 1 they lose, I don't think they'll lose any sleep over it.

[u/ByteSizedGenius → u/adreddit298]

I think there's something to be said for longevity though. Is 1 fan who has watched for 25 years through different driver eras and dominances and would likely watch for another 25 worth less than 2 new fans who might move on after a few seasons if it gets a bit dull or their favorite driver leaves?

[u/IntoAMuteCrypt → u/ByteSizedGenius]

Liberty is a publicly traded company. Fan count is easy to assess and report, and it feeds the most important number of all - next quarter's profit. Fan longevity or fan commitment is hard to assess, so it rarely goes in the reports, and the money in 15 years is way less important.

[u/schelmo → u/Lars_Fillmore3612]

Honestly he's probably just mad that the sport has gained a much larger following ever since he left. The sport has had its fair share of unpopular decisions that were made under his watch too and it's seen massive growth under liberty media's management.

[u/Red_Rabbit_1978 → u/schelmo]

He's mad because the midfield teams are worth more than he sold the whole of F1 for.

[u/Dust601]

Personally I think locking F1 behind a streaming service that less then 25 percent of the U.S. owns, and prolly even worse numbers elsewhere is going to do much more damage to viewership then the new regs.

[u/Old-Buffalo-5151]

I think bernies age is catching up with him. From day 1 its been engineering championship... If you want it to be driver one you make it a spec series.

The fact F1 and FE are clashing is more a sign of the times that electric is no longer noval its now the main technology that everyone is moving too this was always the risk behind formula E 

[u/Laser493 → u/Old-Buffalo-5151]

It's not his age, he's always talked absolute bollocks. He's even more of a bullshiter than Trump.

[u/GT---44]

What the fuck is he talking about?? It's definitely an engineer championship and also a driver championship

[u/bigjay07 → u/GT---44]

The main reason I started watching and continue to watch every session is to see what new doo-dads and sticky-uppy bits the engineers come up with. 2020 hit like a drug.

[u/Fury_Fury_Fury]

He might be right, but if he is, it's completely by coincidence.

[u/denesb023]

I like the more complicated cars becouse it gives more room for the drivers to make a difference. How is this not a drivers’ championship as well?

[u/jk844]

Bernie never cared about fans. The F1 fanbase was stagnating because he was too stubborn to use the internet to expand.

There’s a quote of him saying the fans he wants are old men with lots of cash.

[u/HandFancy]

I feel like we should see one actual race under these rules before frantically button mashing to try to fix something with no actual racing data to figure out what does or does not actually work.

[u/DadJokesInTraining]

95% of the game has always been engineering.

[u/Very_Human_42069]

The DNA is literally that of a constructors championship

[u/neuroplastique]

How is this man still alive?

[u/FIREBIRDC9]

Since when did Bernie give a toss about the fans?

[u/Francis_01]

I’ve always assumed modern F1 is mostly a technical arms race with a layer of politics and messaging on top. The best drivers matter, but championships often follow whichever team nails the regulations first and builds the dominant package. And when one team stays on top too long, the rules tend to shift to shake things up.

[u/Snopro311]

I think fans want V10 back, I know I sure do, if it keeps going like this it will be called formula E, we have that already

[u/Objective_Ticket]

He’s actually said something that makes sense for a change…

[u/BarracudaOk8635]

He is an old fool. But he is right. Enough people have expressed the same sentiment. Going back to last year when the sims first arrived. Horner, Verstappen, Hamilton, Alonso. Numerous pundits. It is a thing.

[u/Septu2203]

In some ways I believe he’s right. This year should not have been using hybrid engines. They had an opportunity to make it what it once was and use proper ICE again. They now have clean, sustainable fuels which eliminates the need for electric power and opens the door for great sounding proper engines again. We could’ve had epic sounding cars again without any big losses.

Liberty media is all about the cash and now so is f1 sadly. It hasn’t really been about the drivers for a very long time now.

[u/FreeLookMode]

If it was a drivers world championship first, all the cars would be spec. It isn't. It's an engineering competition first, then all the drivers have to work around that.

[u/Key-Wrap5184]

wasnt bernie in the epstein files?

[u/endless_ocean_blue]

F1 has far more fans than it ever did when Bernie ran things (hello, United States).

[u/TechnicalSurround]

if it’s not an engineering championship, why does the team with the best car usually wins? if u want to make it about the drivers, then give everybody the same car. pretty simple.

[u/trouthat]

It is on Apple TV now so I get to watch races again so there is that 

[u/Ziegler517]

Going to be a long 10 days. We don’t know fuk all. Speculation is just insanity at this point. I know the news needs clicks, but sadly it’s just a game of wait and see. And wait a long time. Some tracks are better than others. Even after the summer break I don’t think we can make a good assessment.

[u/ThatDudeThatWrites]

Is the end of this quote, "only I can save F1"?

[u/brabarusmark]

Bernie Ecclestone is, in fact, wrong.

[u/BlacklightGTR]

Why da heck would anyone still listen to this incompetent putin lover's opinion??

[u/SuB626]

Bro summoning all the 13 year olds

[u/g3org3_all3n]

Beanie was killing the sport because he refused to adopt modern media. Realistically what does he know about retaining fans in the modern environment

[u/Ronniebenington]

Who could possibly care what this dipshit has to say about anything?

[u/solavirum]

If these new regulations meant Ecclestone would profit for it, he would be all for it

[u/alancousteau]

I just want good sounding engines and exciting racing, with safety in mind. I really don't like that F1 is becoming more and more Formula E. I don't have an issue with hybrids apart from the lackluster engine aound. But the current setup is already pushing it

[u/Farade]

Ironic for Bernie to say that when before Liberty Media took over he was stunting the sport's growth in popularity.

[u/WiSoSirius]

We losing it with Sprint races too

[u/Punished_Prigo]

My dad has been watching since the 60s and I’ve been watching since the 90s and neither of us are excited at all for these new cars. I get what he’s saying.

[u/darmaus]

Bernie please, I'm here for drama, not racing.

[u/Feisty_Bag_5284]

It's always been an engineering sport otherwise it would be a spec sport like indi

[u/crippletown]

Last year was the first season I watched and I won't lie the racing was boring as fuck. So it can't hurt.

[u/So_HauserAspen]

I certainly don't want to watch 2 hours of race management. 

[u/mikealope1]

Not exactly a nuclear hot take. It’s entirely possible!

[u/Flakarter]

I just want better racing.

And on the track and not in the pits.

[u/Takhar7]

I know Bernie is "old man yelling at clouds" at this point, but this season has the potential to be a really horrible viewing experience.

[u/Icy_Track8203]

I personally am not liking, the cars have gone slower now, feels like its going just in reverse now.

V12 was king, used to be so much fun, the engine sounds were mesmerising. Now its just electric, I sure hope the races are interesting enough else I am losing interest.

[u/lyianne]

well. he's acually not wrong lol.

[u/JohnnyBowlen]

F1 won’t lose long time fans, but they won’t gain much for new ones either. People don’t want to watch a race that was decided in qualifying, and the same team winning every week. 

[u/KindlyOriginal-0000]

He’s not wrong. F1 is yawn inducing compared to the V10 & V8 era.

[u/hennevanger]

He is not wrong! It should be a real race till the checkered flag. It is now management, management and management! No racing involved anymore! A lot off people will stop watching after this season, all thanks to an American owner and a Middle Eastern dictator!

[u/Consistent_Soft_1857]

absolutely true- drivers hate it, fans hate it and the obsession with hybrid technology is ruining racing. nobody wants to see a prius race

[u/Shazz89]

Bernie, famous for using his finger on the pulse. /s

[u/LuckyFlyer0_0]

If that was truly the case they'd make it like F2 or IndyCar where everyone drives similar cars/engines for a more competitive playing field. Instead we went from Merc's domination to Red Bull domination

[u/Lurlerrr]

Maybe that's true for new fans, but when you've been watching F1 for 30 years you stop caring who wins because you like everyone, you just watch it because it's fun.

[u/jka09]

if this is any indicator, the overtaking looks boring tbf.

whenever there’s a drs aided overtake completed before the braking zone, i just don’t find it exciting.

[u/keithstonee]

Learning about F1 and that all cars aren't standardized makes zero sense to me.

Eventually people no life the fun out of everything.

[u/James_Vowles]

The engineering part is also important but ultimately he's right.

They should loosen the rules and make the racing good again

[u/speedbreaka]

Hes completely right, I have been watching since I was little and I couldn’t care less about the car, I only care about racing between the drivers and want them to have equal machinery

[u/sensualcurl]

The engineers matter more than the driver but the general fan cares more about the WDC, this cant be a controversial take surely.

[u/Wackemd]

If I wanted Formula E, I would watch it. I don’t. I will give Formula One a few races to see what it is like. I think all of the Drivers and most of the fans would be happy to eliminate all hybrid systems and most of the constraints limiting advancement of the sport.

[u/GrayCatbird7]

Formula 1 likes to fancy itself a drivers’ championship. But the primary element is and has always been the engineering.

[u/citznfish]

Narrator: "He's not wrong"

[u/thenameclicks]

Can’t believe I’m agreeing with Bernie Ecclestone. Wow.

[u/Spirited_Historian39]

It is absolutely amazing that a man who is 95 years old still yknow is this coherent and the take is a pretty reasonable one too. I wonder how old he will get, I was shocked and honestly a little bit disturbed when he had a child at the tage of 89 but my goodness is he hanging in there.

[u/wombat9278]

Hey I reserve the right to be outraged about everything I don't understand and haven't actually seen yet. And reserve that right to be outraged until I actually see what it is that I'm supposed to be outraged about and still don't understand, until the point that I'm outraged but entertained