I saw the race in Rome on TV, I appreciated the effort and commitment of the drivers and I don't find the criticism of the category justified at all. Whether it's diesel or push petrol, it's always about competition, always about skill and risk. That's why I appreciate and applaud the drivers who get involved, invent overtaking on tracks that have little track. So I do not accept these criticisms, as I do not accept them on the lack of noise. It's electric, what do you want me to do? But have those who criticize ever seen an F.2 turbo this year? In fact, heard, just to say. At the racetrack now the noisiest are the Porsche Cup and the GP3 the rest goes unnoticed.
It's the price to pay for technological development that has taken a certain direction, but noise or not the effort of those who drive is always that, say that are boring races in F.E. means having forgotten the trains of F.1, so for me it is pretextous to criticize the category. We are shocked because it is a marketing product. In fact, it is and also of the highest level, otherwise the manufacturers would not have given up the World Wec, red Porsche and Audi, or they would have thrown themselves into the fray as DS and Jaguar if there had not been a valid marketing plan to support.
In this Jean Todt and Alejandro Agag, who has worked on it from the beginning, have done an excellent job, from applause to open scene, also because going to run in the center of Rome is not a thing of every day, as it is not to do in St. Petersburg, Montreal, Montevideo etc.
The plan is interesting, we talk about the future even if today that future is ridiculous for the performance of the car, for the fact that you have chosen road tires (imagine with a slick racing with more grip battery life?) for having preferred a futuristic line (and the car of next year is futuristic really) even if at the level of aerodynamics is useless. But it gratifies the eye with something different that does not remember other categories. That's marketing too. It is not what it is today, but they are the precursors of what will be or could be the future. In this perspective, the Houses wanted to invest.
For Porsche and Audi racing in the WEC meant throwing away every year 100 million a head here with a plan of 10 million, including promotion, show up around the world and sell advanced technology research. Be careful, I said they sell because the cunning was to make a total monobrand. Batteries and electric motors Williams and McLaren, chassis Dallara former GP3, Michelin tires. The paint is free and the sponsors as well. The rest does not touch you. What brings a Porsche or a Jaguar of technology you do not know, the brand you see well, but also Alfa Romeo or Infiniti have their mark in F.1 and so?
Having said the positive aspects of the category, the implications are that this communication at the top is managed by clever and prepared people, see the various press officers of the F.E. and those who take care of the PR and filming, on the other hand, the Houses that participate have amateurs at the crossroads. The traditional PRs have no idea how to communicate with the sport, they have planned invitations to the big leagues in Rome and complained that they have paid 1500 euros each pass. In F.1 for less than 5000 you don't miss the gate... When you ask about what they communicate, they tell you about the beauty of the electric, which have models in the price list. Yes, but we can't care less because we know that not selling a pipe you have to have a model, otherwise you're cut off.
There are those who, like Renault, wanted to present their electric range on Friday, the day before, but then send everyone home two hours later, losing the race. "But you know the passes cost dear ..." and then the invitations are reserved for friends of friends, acquaintances etc. Not the fault of Renault, which by the way goes out of the scene, but if you look at the highlight of Jaguar and the list invited, in addition to scrapping cars and diesel fuel perhaps would be the case to scrap even those who work, badly, communication and PR because they do not understand anything about sport, have no idea who are the insiders and are limited to bloggers, influencers or other paying maybe under the desk to see a twet or instagram with the classic picture "how much I know cool near this car".
Thanks for your attention!
