Meet the men tasked with dragging Formula 1 into the digital age. One is well-known to racing fans, while the others... well, the others are American. Here’s their plan
THE ringmaster is gone. After four decades as the seemingly immovable, omnipresent overlord of the Formula 1 circus, Bernie Ecclestone’s ruthless rulership has finally been ended in the kind of bloodless coup he was renowned for orchestrating.
Overtaking the octogenarian at the front of F1’s executive grid is an Anglo-American management triumvirate – hired by new owners Liberty Media to maximise its latest, $8 billion acquisition by reinvigorating the sport and reversing waning audience numbers.
In plain English that means the trio’s real task is to drag Formula 1 kicking and screaming into the 21st century. One of them, Ross Brawn, is well-known to motorsport fans. The others? Well, the others are American businessmen.
But don’t fret that Formula 1 is headed for a diet of Big Macs and crappy comb-overs. For all their faults, Americans know how to do sport. Basketball games are more like concerts and involve fireworks and staff who race around and shoot you with shirt cannons. And then there’s NASCAR, which, despite racing on boring, circular tracks, regularly attracts crowds of 100,000 plus. F1’s new leaders are already talking sense about new TV deals, online streaming, greater fan interaction and simplified, less convoluted rules to promote harder and closer racing. This could be the change that Formula 1 needs.
SO, WITH Ecclestone demoted to back marker status with a token ‘chairman emeritus’ advisory role, Chase Carey assumes Ecclestone’s CEO title and adds the chairman’s role. Handlebar-moustached New York native Carey was a long-time lieutenant of Rupert Murdoch, having helped set up both Fox News and Fox Sports.
Fellow American Sean Bratches – previously a key architect behind sports network ESPN – holds the commercial reins to improve F1’s off-track performance.
This story is from the April 2017 edition of Wheels Australia Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 2017 edition of Wheels Australia Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
ROUGH DIAMONDS
GO OUT AND SEE AUSTRALIA. BUY ONE OF THESE AND YOU'LL MAKE IT HOME TOO
WORK IN PROGRESS
WHEN YOUR LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON IT, DON'T TAKE ANY CHANCES
RABID RESPONSE
EVEN IF YOU'RE PULLING IN THE FINANCIAL HORNS, YOU WON'T NEED TO COMPROMISE ON FUN
PREMIUM BLEND
HERE'S HOW TO ENJOY CHAMPAGNE ON A VAGUELY BEERY BUDGET
GO LARGE, SAVE BIG
WE BRING YOU A SELECTION OF LARGE FAMILY SUVS THAT ARE UNLIKELY TO BREAK THE BANK
MIDDLE CLASS
THE AUSSIE FAMILY DREAM USED TO BE A QUARTER ACRE AND A PICKET FENCE. NOW IT'S A LITTLE MORE MODEST
SHORTY AWARDS
VALUE FOR MONEY CAN BE A RARE COMMODITY AMONG SMALL SUVS. HERE ARE THREE THAT ANSWER THE CALL
MID SIZE MAX VALUE
THE MEDIUM RANGE SECTOR IS THE VERY DEFINITION OF GETTING ALOT OF CAR FOR YOUR DOLLAR
HATCH MATCH
WANT A HATCH THAT'LL PUT A SMILE ON YOUR DIAL SECOND TIME ROUND? TRY THESE...
MODE ΤΟ ΤΟΥ
PORSCHE'S LATEST HOT 911 IS THE NEW FRONTIER FOR ON-THEFLY CHASSIS ADJUSTABILITY, OFFERING THE DRIVER A WORLD OF CONFIGURATION - BUT IS IT WORTH THE HASSLE?