Brought to you by TheJudge13 contributor Mattpt55 – the best in FIA Press Conferences looked at slightly irreverently
Ever wonder what the drivers and team principals really think at the pressers? Wonder if the Telly left anything out? Now you can find out yourself in the all new #TJ13 Feature Presser Notebook ready for you to peruse at your leisure. Enjoy. Like technical documents, too, but can’t find them anymore on the FIA site? Worry not, just check out the #TechF1 series published before each Grand Prix, right here on #TJ13.
Drivers Presser US Grand Prix
I actually like Lewis’ last sentence the most in the whole press conference:
“More performance is what we always want [from tyres] and I think [Pirelli] got to make a bit step if that’s going to be the case.”
Everyone can have his or her own conclusions about that 😉
with any luck, we will not see the rain come down so hard that we will not see Max and Carlos perform their fearless warrior heroics of Sochi – can I say unlike the rest of the fearful monkey on a string driver wimps and sponsor/financial guided accountants wrongfully described by media as viable sporting “Teams”…??? just sayin”!! 🙂
“Getting black urban kids interested in F1”
You can’t imagine the questions these guys come up with. I hate political correctness but what’s this? Is it some strange form of PC overcompensation? Or is it patronizing?
I think this question is diotic too.
I also am not surprised that it’s in America where such a question is asked in such a way.
The paradigms, to me, are all fucked up.
“How do we target one type of ethnicity in a specific socio-economic area?”
Stfu, dick brain.
How is it idiotic when that one ethnicity is not visible in any form of motorsports on the international level?
Nearly every other ethnicity is represented, so if you take out the obvious and Mardenborough, where are the others?
…Response pending…
I’ve got to take my kid to swimming training.
Topics that will be covered:
– The global population, ethnicity splits by no’s & their proportional representation in F1, as well as top level international motorsports. You’ll find the Chinese are the most “hard done by”.
– Analogies on the strength of particular counties at grass roots level in particular sports. eg NZ and Rugby.
– The reverse-racism fallacy and the paradigm that’s being propagated here by the questioner.
– The way that question should’ve been answered by the drivers.
See you soon.
How idiotic is it for you to believe only one ethnicity is not being represented while contrarily saying ‘nearly every other ethnicity is represented’?
I’ve a response that’s turned out to be very long relating to this issue.
Upon considering the context, the content, the audience and the fact it’s an F1 comments section, I won’t post it.
It’s not the place for it, and I don’t know how to respond moderately on such matters. Succinct writing has never been my strong point.
Ya’ll (urban lingo?) don’t want a lecture from me.
I stand by my original comment but i won’t venture too far off the F1 beaten path.
Peace,
WTF
Yes, it’s a sensible marketing question, as the journalist was describing an important demographic group.
The marketing problem that the question touches upon is real. One could argue that same question could have been expanded out beyond this narrow demographic in at least three different directions…
1) expand this demographic racially, “How can we create enthusiasm in urban American for F1?” (which opens question to all races in that demographic)
2) expand demographic economically, so question instead is “…in black America…” (to open question to include suburban, and rural black America, as well as wealthy, and upper middle class black America, too
3) or open question beyond F1 to motorsport in general, “…create enthusiasm in urban black America for motorsport?”
In any case, the question as is remains valid as that demographic group has significant cultural influence, and hence marketing influence, on the rest of the US and the world. So if F1 were to succeed in marketing to urban black America, it would be big victory. And if success was realized in this demographic it would make it possible to successfully market to other demographics as well.
The responses of the drivers were interesting. I like Ricciardo’s “lads-y” response. Red Bull’s motorsport marketing appear to lead the way in that regard, so he know of what he speaks.
Lewis’ response was more interesting, as he had just completed a PR gig (for Epson) at the local K1 Speed indoor karting facility there in Austin on Wednesday with some kids. Mercedes and Epson had pics of him talking to the kids in the pits there, and then Lewis and the kids all hopped in the karts for some track time together. Lewis mentions that in passing only, but then touched upon of the difficulties of getting into karting.
The reason I found those comments from Lewis interesting is for what he did not say. These arrive and race indoor (and outdoor) tracks are cheap and easy at ~$20 / race or less. In addition, most such tracks have some sort of competitive league racing also. Most cities have such a track. If a person has some talent, it becomes apparent very quickly at such tracks. Local talented racers are found in the monthly local league competitions that most such tracks have. These tracks are an easy, affordable stepping stone into motorsports. More importantly, whether a person is blessed with some natural talent or not, the experience of putting on a helmet and driving a racing vehicle on a race track is a very quick way to gain big appreciation for what is happening at the very top level of motorsports in F1. The basics remain the same from top to bottom… speed, courage, throttle, brake, steering, tire grip, chassis dynamics, etc.
So it’s not Lewis’ fault that he doesn’t mention that because no one else in F1 is taking advantage of these readily available connections between arrive and race karts and F1. It seems to me that not only should Bernie’s FOM organization, and Todt’s FIA organization emphasize this common accessibility to motorsports, but also the marketing departments of the teams as well.
Here’s a guess. Lewis’s dad got him into karting. This takes two or three things it appears that urban black kids don’t have: a dad in their lives; the money to do karting; transportation to go karting–it’s not gonna be downtown where they are. Also, they have to know, somehow, about racing. TV: F1 racing is on at odd hours, not always on the same channel (NBCSN, NBC, and CNBC; COTA Qualy and race on one, FP2 and race-delayed on another). NASCAR is widespread, but it’s not near inner-city urban areas, and neither are Indy cars or F1.
“little russian”?!? Did he really call Kyvat that?
yes
Should’ve done that last race 🙂
On a completely different note : given the imminence of Hurricane Patricia and what happened last year in Japan, will we see common sense prevail and a cancellation of the race (and possibly next weekend’s race) if conditions are too unsafe ?