British F3

[Mocko]

Originally from the keyboard of Reynard

The typical gate for a BTCC meeting at Snetterton is about 20,000. Then you've got all the revenue from the merchandising stands, burger vans etc. It would be hard not to lose money in that situation - at worst you'd be breaking even, and that's unlikely. In contrast, there probably weren't more than 2000 people at Snetterton for the F3-GT meet just a few weeks later. There were no merchandising stands at all and only one burger van for the whole circuit. Try telling me that would make a profit?



Originally from a 76 and R racing fuels advert after the British GP

Virtually EVERY current F1 driver has previously raced succesfully in one of the leading national F3 championships. These Championships are all extremely tough, well supported (!) and very difficult to conquer, but no other F3 championship has produced as as many F1 World Champions and GP winners as British F3! The racing is fierce, extremely competitive, usually only fractions of seconds covering the top 10 in each class!


So why on earth is British F3 getting such a pitiful public support. With the pending Euro F3 the bosses behind the British series better be doing some real sweating because if their not then the future isn't looking so bright.

F3 racing is brilliant, in my view it's the best single seater racing in the world and with such a good history I'd hate to see it spin down the pan. I saw a Thruxton race (by pure chance) on TV and it was BRILLIANT.

I hope Alan Gow does some serious butt kicking and the series organisers do some serious finger out of bum pulling because the crowds are too slim for a series that has good reputation.

Your thoughts?

[Reynard]

The bottom line is that no matter how good the drivers in F3 are, public interest will always be with a series like the BTCC.

All the drivers (well, all most all) are household names and your average bloke down the pub follows the BTCC because he sees cars out on the race track that look like the one he's got in his drive. He would almost certainly follow a driver and/or team because of its similarity to his everyday motor - that's what the popularity of the BTCC is based on and that's why the fan base is so large.

F3 is motor racing for the real enthusiast rather than the casual spectator. The drivers change from year to year, so to know anything about them, a person watching F3 will likely have seen these drivers in Formula Ford and Formula Renault as well and be able to rate them as good or bad. F3 also has the issue of drivers coming in from overseas who have no previous record here in the UK. As a result, there is no constant factor as regards to a driver support base as everything is so transient - a typical F3 driver will spend no more than two seasons in the category and sometimes not even that.

F3 certainly provides good competitive racing and certainly the driver who walks away with the championship at the end of each season will be a force to be reckoned with - assuming he then finds a way of furthering his career. It is not an easy championship to win - a friend of mine is a former British F3 champion and he has told me as much. But even he, talented as he is, could not quite use the kudos of being a British F3 champion to further his single-seater career. He ended up moving to touring cars and has driven nothing but saloons and sportscars since.

A recent problem that is also devaluing F3 as a whole is the recent trend of drivers who have moved to F1 without having driven an F3 car in anger - coming into Grand Prix racing straight from the junior formulae. F3 - once the traditional stepping-stone on the road to F1 is now in part becoming obsolete as drivers look to find alternative routes to the top. The Dallara-Nissan series based in Spain is fast becoming a viable substitute, particularly since it is pitched at a level halfway between F3 and F3000 and provides a good step up in power increase over Formula Renault, say.

F3 has always had the problem that the cars have too much grip and not enough power ñ a few years ago they changed the air restrictor specifications to increase engine power by some 20%, but it hasnÃ*t done much and unless something drastic is done about the technical regulations governing F3 to bring it into line with current trends, the participation in the series will gradually drop away. Admittedly the regulations for the scholarship cars have worked out well because the scholarship championship is doing well and the top drivers in the older cars are mixing it in at the front of the grid.

In the late 1990s, the typical grid was only 15 cars ñ last year it was nearly double that at most rounds, but how long can this continue in face of more attractive alternatives?

The idea behind the Powertour (2000-2001) was a good one, especially putting the F3 and GT series on the same bill along with a good quality support package. Before then, gates at F3 meets were abysmally small - I went to one at Snetterton once where there were probably no more than a few hundred spectators at best. It is no different on some of the old season reviews that I have. Powertour improved that considerably by making the whole experience spectator-friendly (structured autograph sessions, marching bands, stunt aircraft etc), thus making it appeal to the casual racegoer.

But from the end of 2001 there has been a lot of restructuring of motor racing at the national level. Whatever the politics behind that were, the result is that Powertour and the concept behind it was pulled, the Porsche Cup moved to the TOCA package and at one point, even the TVR Tuscan Challenge was going to strike out on its own again. The resultant F3-GT package (from last year) seemed to take a step backwards in terms of marketability and as a result, both F3 and the British GT championships have suffered. Although gates at an F3-GT meet are not as low as pre-Powertour levels, the interest is just not being generated among the general public.

The only time the F3-GT package got any decent publicity were the three Super Weekenders when they raced alongside the TOCA package. Although it was deemed a success, there is to be no repeat this season. Back in the mid to late 1980s, the British F3 championship and the BTCC ran on the same bill - not every round, but say roughly 70% of the time. It guaranteed good exposure to F3 to those who would not normally go to a race circuit specifically to watch what is the UK's premier single-seater championship. Surely if it could be done back then, the same can be done now.

If TOCA and FOTA (the body regulating F3 in the UK) don't wish to run on the same package, then something else needs to be done to raise the profile of F3 in the UK.

[Hamness]

Touring cars have nearly always pulled in good crowds for the very reasons Reynard has put forward. I managed to see 3 GT/F3 meetings last season, namely Silverstone, Combe & Snetterton. The marketing boys at Combe had obviously done their jobs very well because, as in 2001, they had a 20,000+ crowd (the weather was cracking on both occasions though) whist spectator numbers at Silverstone & Snetterton were ludicrously small. The racing on offer was basically similar, so where have all the crowds gone. I have been a regular visitor to Combe since 1970 and I must admit to loving the place. They always attract good crowds to all their club meetings, but where did all the extra faces come from for the GT/F3 meetings ? I also see that in the Motorsport News annual review Combe were awarded 2nd. place in "Best Meeting of the Year" only being beaten by the Goodwood Revival.
Mr.Strawford & his team must be doing something right.

[John]

I think the points amde by Reynard are very accurate - I do not follow F3 as much as I do other forms of motorsport, this is for a number of reasons including the fact that there isn't as good-a-TV coverage as there might be - used to be on at a fairly sensible time on a Saturday morning (11-12 kind of time) but it now seems to be on at 7am and I dunno about other people but I tend to still be asleep at 7am on a Saturday.

There is also the fact that the drivers keep changing. This is the point of the championship so Im not complaining - if the same drivers were in it year after year then it would be working. Just mean that its hard to form ties with drivers as they move onto F3000, F1 tests or F1 proper. This isnt helped by the fact that the media coverage isnt as good as other championships - there was a big section in Autosport last week - but it still didnt really tell you whos who etc.

I also have to admit to being one of those statistics that went during the Powertour period and not before or since. This is partly due to the fact that I was only able to spare time for one race weekend last year due to what I was doing at uni (and I chose to go to the BTCC) but also because there is much less information that I see about when and where F3 is on. Therefore the points made about marketing are very true.

By the sounds of it C.Combe have marketed the event very effectively (I dont know what other events they have but I would have thought F3 was one of the most high profile events) and the effects are pretty clear to see.

If other circuits did the same then the championship would have a lot more interest, presumably there would be more / better scheduled TV coverage and a greater presence on the net, in magazines etc.

Like most things its kind of a vicious circle. Maybe the guys who've moved on to bigger and better things (eg Sato, Davidson in recent years, and the likes of Burt, Coulthard et al.) could become involved and somehow raise the profile of the series - especially as there is now increased competition from other series.

Think the point about Joe Public being interested in touring cars because they can relate to them is very true, but it seems at the minute F3 isnt appealing to (or being suppoted by) those people who should be there (ie those who are into motorsport on more than a casual TV veiwing level) - which is reflected in the stats quoted at the start of the thread.

[redshoes]

Reynard, I have to disagree. Powertour wasn't a good idea. It had some interesting concepts but ultimately doomed to fail. First up it wasn't responsible for bring F3 and GT together - they had run together on a semi-regular basis for some years previous.

As you correctly say F3 is never going to draw the public in on it's own. F1 hype aside the same is true for most if not all single seater categories. GT could, and argueably should, have built a following but one hour multi-class endurance races are not the easiest thing in the world to get into for the casual spectator. Without the general public and casual spectators what you had was a string of inovations which actually alienated many regular race goers.

For a start the shortened race programme which started at lunchtime and was all packed up by 4pm - not what many people saw as great value for money. Marching bands? yeah whatever :rolleyes: perhaps you'd like cheerleaders waving pom-poms at every corner. Stunt display? Well fine if you can actually see them. Take Donington for example - stand near the pit straight and you can enjoy the sight of Terry Grant spinning his Legend (just in case you missed it at every other race this year), yet for most of what few specators there were who were overlooking the Old Hairpin they got 10 minutes of nothing on track and inane "oh isn't that great" comments over the PA.

There were some good points. Radio Powertour and the pitlane reporter were a nice idea, although hardly a inovation, but try to get someone who has at least some personallity and half a clue what they are talking about. And whilst we're on the subject of radios please don't bump up the price of the programme by a pound then tell me I can have a 'free' radio. I've already got a proper radio and a whole shelf full of freebies, can't I just have a programme at the normal price and then you sell the radios for a pound to anyone who wants one.

I realise that I'm a regular at trackside anyhow so Powertour wasn't aimed at me but I have taken friends who are exactly the sort of casual (read F1) fan Powertour was trying to attract and it did nothing to encourage them to return.

[Alan]

Well guys - maybe F3 and BTCC aren't existing for the same reason.

Let me put it like this - is the BTCC there as a commercial exercise first and foremost and is F3 there as a means for drivers to get to F1?

Is the fact that crowd numbers at F3 are relatively disappointing of any great concern to the guys in F3? Or would/will they continue to exist anyway?

There is a lot of emphasis placed on crowd figures at a TOCA event so it seems to be important to the organisers.

Another thought - should F3 support BTCC regularly, to get better coverage and then have a better structure surrounding these two and maybe the GT championship.

An article by Alan Gow in the back of Autosport a couple of weeks ago made very interesting reading. It did hint at some fairly major changes being necessary in British Motorsport in the next few years if it is to survive and prosper. We may not all like the outcome of those changes when they happen but it does appear that change is needed.

Now - who moved my cheese?:D

Note all above just for provoking thought - comments?

[Reynard]

Redshoes: I can see what youÃ*re getting to with respect to Powertour, but thereÃ*s a few things that IÃ*d like to debate with you. I didnÃ*t say that Powertour was a good idea (it had some glaring flaws) ñ I said that the idea BEHIND it was a good one. ThatÃ*s a different thing entirely. Unfortunately the original implementation left a lot to be desiredÖ

When Powertour was first introduced in 2000, I didnÃ*t go to any of the meetings just for the reasons that youÃ*ve outlined. I didnÃ*t think it would work either. To put it in perspective, I did BTCC and Premier Package (TVR Tuscans & Formula Palmer Audi) in 2000 but no F3 and GT despite being a big enthusiast of both series. I was not impressed by the prospect of a shortened race programme, but some people I spoke to who are just casual race goers said they liked it because there was far less hanging around waiting for things to happen (of which there can be plenty at regular race meetings), there was stuff to keep the kids happy etc.

In 2001 I did try Powertour ñ not because I was finally convinced to go by those who thought it was a good idea, but because a friend of mine (the former British F3 champion I mentioned previously) happened to be racing in the British GT championships, and so I took the opportunity to watch him race at the circuits that are relatively local to me i.e. Snetterton, Silverstone and Brands Hatch (I hadnÃ*t discovered Rockingham yet). I was pleasantly surprised following the horror stories IÃ*d heard about Powertour 2000Ö

Typical raceday in 2001 was from 11 till 6 with open pit lane / paddock autograph sessions from 9:30 till 10:30. Unless there was a major incident necessitating clean up and barrier repair, the programme ran slickly from start to finish, culminating with all the podiums done together at the end of the day in the paddock rather than some unreachable place in the pit lane as is the norm. (As a press photographer I can get around that these days, but thatÃ*s beside the pointÖ) To be honest, I didnÃ*t care about the bands, stunt displays and such ñ I was usually found prowling around the paddock looking for photos. And the GT night race finale at Silverstone was certainly a memorable occasion.

While you say that F3 and British GTs ran together on-and-off before Powertour came into being, that was more off than on as I seem to recall. Typical supports for F3 between 1997 and the start of Powertour was BMW Plus 4 series, various types of production saloons, 250 cc Karts and motorcyle sidecarsÖ And for a £15 ticket? Value for money ñ I think not.

At least Powertour was responsible for pulling F3 up by the bootstraps and getting it better publicity, a bigger and broader trackside audience and a good quality support package; Porsche Cup, TVR Tuscans, Ford Fiestas, Caterhams, Mini Miglias & Se7ens etc. It may be club racing, but it was top quality club racing in comparison to the mediocrity on offer in previous years and well worth the ticket price even without F3 and GTs. Like the TOCA Package before it, Powertour did at least make people sit up and take notice of a primary championship ñ two in this case ñ with a good quality and consistent support.

Certainly last year, crowds were down at Snetterton compared to 2001 for F3-GT, but they were still a considerable improvement on pre-Powertour attendances. In other words, something worked, and if as Hamness says that Castle Combe can drum up the publicity for F3, something must have been right. But the bottom line is that F3 (and GT) is racing for the enthusiast rather than the casual racegoer, and hence the appeal of the BTCC. Alan certainly has it right in saying that the BTCC is an exercise in making money while the objective of F3 is to get drivers into F1 and it is difficult to compare the following of two championships with a completely different brief.

He is also correct in saying that F3 isnÃ*t overly bothered in the smaller crowds otherwise it would have caved in a long time ago, but then on the flip side, every race driver enjoys plying his trade in front of packed grandstands. Why shouldnÃ*t people come and see some of the best young talent? ThatÃ*s what I enjoy about Formula Three and it is a crying shame to see top quality racing being played out in front of one man and his dog.

However, FOTA still has a lot of concerns to address about the championship outside of the publicity problems. As IÃ*ve said before, drivers are now missing out F3 in the climb to F1, so the basic objective of the championship has been devalued. Issues with the technical regulations have also been a problem in the past and the current economic climate isnÃ*t helping either. Things have improved considerably since the mid to late 1990s when grids were depressingly small, but whoÃ*s to say it wonÃ*t go back to that?

If the changes that Mr Gow hints are needed are to be brought into effect, it had rather be sooner rather than later, or we risk irreparable damage to F3 and to our other major national championships i.e. BTCC, GT and ASCAR.

[redshoes]

If by 'the idea behind PowerTour' you mean "lets get some more spectators" then I don't think anyone will argue with that being a noble aim. It the "let's get more spectators by doing..." idea that didn't work.

Can't say I've been to that many F3 meetings prior to Powertour but I do remember seeing at least a couple of GT/F3 meetings at Silverstone. As I recall many of the PowerTour supports (Mins, Supersports) were already semi-regulars on the GT bill

I did maybe half the Powertour meetings in 2000 but only one or two in 2001. In their defence they did learn from their mistakes and change a few things in the second year. You mention 11-6 racedays, let me quote from the programme from the first ever Powertour meeting. Race 1 started 13:00, race 5 ended 17:00. Five races in 4 hours, now there's value for money for you!

[Racefan_uk]

I'll give you the main reason that the BTCC gets more punters through the gate than the F3/GT meetings, it's because Octagon (BMP) plough shed loads of money into promoting the BTCC because they have a vested (read: monetary) interest. They don't with F3 and GT's. The PowerTour and times since it was discarded with has always had to produce its own PR and promotion, with very little budget.

You are also up against manufacturer support with the TOCA package, there have only ever been a small amount of manufacturers within F3 and GT's. They are also usually small manufacturers (especially GT's) so they don't have the multi-million pound promotional budgets that the Touring Cars do.

Pound for Pound, the F3's and GT's put on a better show than the Touring Cars, I'm not saying the racing is any better, but the feeling in the paddock is a great deal better at a F3 meeting.

If Honda (Mugen) or Renault put in vast amounts of money into F3 it would be just as popular because it would get the promotion. This year will be better because more things are hopefully being done.

It is right what it says on the posters though, British F3 has produced more F1 regulars than anywhere else, it can't be that bad a series, can it?

Also, have you noticed that BTCC drivers have nowhere else to go once they get to the BTCC? F3 drivers have F1 or Champ Cars to aim for and a bigger stage, a world stage. If I were a Touring Car driver I'd be aiming for the ETCC and want to be the best driver in Europe, not just Britain. What do you think?

[John]

Some good points raised there - to answer your question at the end about Touring cars, its slightly different to single seaters because there is now no world championship as such. As you say there is a Continental championship (ie the ETCC) but on the whole it tends to be national series like the BTCC, STCC etc.

If I were a touring car driver I would probably aim to either be the champion of the series considered the 'best' (which in the 90s was likely to be the BTCC) or aim to be the champion of a number of series (eg as Aeillo and Beila did).

Were a 'World Championship' type series introduced into touring cars that would see the national series turned into a stepping stone to that - which would mean that drivers would not hang around for long (the champion would rarely be defending his crown, in the same way as F3 operates). In this respect I don't know if a Word Championship would therefore be such a good idea, especially at a time when there are fewer teams than would be hoped for. What do others think?

[Reynard]

Originally posted by Racefan_uk
If Honda (Mugen) or Renault put in vast amounts of money into F3 it would be just as popular because it would get the promotion.

Renault put quite a bit into F3, particularly with Fortec and the Renault Driver Development programme, while Honda have a similar relationship with Carlin Motorsport.

The manufacturer support is there within F3, but it is only publicised within motorsport rather than being an external programme with the resultant promotions in the public domain. Both Honda and Renault, together with the two teams involved, use their respective schemes in order to fast-track drivers towards F1 - Takuma Sato is the classic case in this instance.