Ecclestone urged to rev up the excitement

SILVERSTONE chiefs are pleading with Bernie Ecclestone to improve the spectacle of Formula 1 or risk losing its soul – despite the fact that the Northamptonshire circuit is expecting recordbreaking figures this year.

The 2015 race at the venue will be the fifth in a 17-year deal currently at £11.5 million a year, a figure that will rise year-on-year.

The circuit’s managing director Patrick Allen revealed Silverstone are over a quarter up on sales figures for this year’s grand prix when compared to 2014 and believes attendance records will be broken.

But he also wants to see the competitive nature of Formula 1 improve if circuits around the world are to maintain their current figures and called on Ecclestone and the sport’s governing body to make changes.

“We need some help from the FIA and Formula 1 Management in terms of the rules to make it more exciting,” Allen said.

“What we are seeing in Formula 1 is something of a procession and how interesting is that to watch?

“We need to make it a more closely-fought event rather than a technical contest. Fans don’t want to watch someone looking at a data screen – when it gets to that we have lost the very soul of the sport.

“It is great to have the Lewis Hamilton factor. When Lewis wins every week how long will it be before people say it is too predictable?

“The drivers themselves would say we need help with that. We need the noise back in my opinion and the whole atmosphere needs to come back to the fore.”

When asked whether the opinions of a circuit would be taken into consideration, Allen replied: “It is a plea rather than an influence. People who can influence it are people like the FIA and FOM who are running the show.”

Mercedes, and in particular reigning world champion Hamilton, are once again at the front of the grid – with Ferrari and Williams only able to fleetingly get within their sights.

And Allen feels the essence of great drivers is something being lost in an ever-increasing technological age.

He said: “I wonder sometimes if it is the technical director who should be on the podium and not the drivers – it seems you could put anyone in the cars and win the race.

“When you have (Max) Verstappen coming straight in from F3, how hard are they to drive?

“In terms of driving, it would be nice to see a bit more of a competitive edge to things.

“You don’t see it in Formula 1 and I wonder if the product is right.”