The financial interests of the big companies that advertise in competition cars, can more than the will of the public following a sport that increases the volume of money at stake year by year.
It sounds unfair, but it's real. Competition is not only on the track but in the offices. Vested interests around motor sport mean that categories are formed, conformed and developed on the basis of profit objectives. Let us study quickly and carefully, the situation raised. A category of motorsport is a company, which manages suppliers, service providers, exhibition points and end consumers.
Advertising comes into play here; the champion car always promotes its suppliers of electronics, lubricants and fuels, tires, etc. To say, for example, that Shell is the lubricant of Ferrari, or that Firestone supplies tires to Ford M.C., turns out to be a very good selling argument.
The pilots are the link between the audience and the show. That is why it is of vital importance that they have the ability to attract spectators, share with them their achievements, involve them deeply in order to keep them aware of everything related to the environment: team changes, rivalries between drivers... this translates as: achieving good attendance at the races, selling merchandising, rating for In turn, the category is committed to giving rise to the professional growth of its members, pilots, team owners, sports and administrative directors, etc.
The circuits chosen, and their geographical location, are another critical point. The choice will be given, among other factors, by the performance of cars, tracks appreciated for being considered traditional in a region and demographic segmentation of the consumer market.
The type of circuits makes the type of show to offer, always considering the technical characteristics of the cars in question. I will cite an example: 7 years ago the CART series adopted a type of rear spoiler used only in superovals. At speeds between 350 and 400 km/h it generates a turbulence flow so important that it leaves a vacuum space behind the vehicle, as a consequence the chasing car sucked the forward one leaving fired to the front.
One race had more than 50 changes in the tip over 200 laps. Part of the attraction is also accidents. The CART runs on both oval, street, permanent and semi-permanent circuits, ensuring that all possible expectations of a highly diversified public are met.
It's not just a matter of advertising contracts, nor speed is everything. Impressing spectators with fast and above all sophisticated cars is one of the keys to attracting enthusiasts. Formula 1 catches the eye of sports motorsport enthusiasts. It is considered the leading category in technological advancement, however, as a sports show it is sincerely very poor.
By the end of the nineties the CART category reached its peak. It had excellent pilots and technical resources. He came to threaten F1 in terms of audience levels. Today, it agonizes in every way. It is the result of the advancement of the Indy Racing League, a category that has a lower weight, but that gives out very large prizes.
The IRL flirted with chassis and engine manufacturers, captivated them with promises of good publicity and lots of dollars for every race won. Thus, companies such as Honda and Toyota abandoned the CART and their contractual commitments, to benefit from the advantages of participating in a new venture that generated expectations of evolution in the category.
Theoretically, all the manipulation and interests at stake should help the various categories grow and evolve. In some cases this is the case and the results are really satisfactory for everyone involved. In others, it is concluded that evolving can be very detrimental to the category, putting its existence at risk. Categories such as National Tourism in Argentina, are proof of this. Class 1 competes to reach 2, and simultaneously 2 to catch up with 3. Big mistake. Promotional categories, where young talents are placed, must function as trampolines. He ascends from one to the other, to the extent talent allows.
© Adrián Blanco 2004 — Prohibited the total or partial reproduction of text and/or images without explicit written consent of the author. —