Formula 1 loss of 175 million viewers in the last six years. (Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
Excitement Lewis Hamilton became world champion for the third time did not attract the attention of the world public. When coupled with the news of conflict Valentino Rossi cons Marc Marquez happened almost simultaneously with the success of Hamilton steal the title, Hamilton defeated.
A story about an abandoned F1 fans is actually obsolete.
At the beginning of the season, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) reports that F1 has lost 175 million television viewers in just six years. In 2008, a total of 600 million pairs of eyes watching the action Hamilton getting a world title for the first time, while the number dropped to number 450 million when Hamilton earned a second in 2011.
The main problem in the affairs of F1 broadcasting rights is not getting a place in Asia and South America who are holding the world population, while the country F1 fan base in Europe began to lose interest.
Italian television RAI released data that there are only three million Italians who watched F1 in 2014, while in 2000 this value could reach 11 million.
In England also occur in similar terms. Singapore GP in 2015 recorded the lowest number of viewers in the United Kingdom throughout history, and even the number of viewers can be rivaled by viewers Rugby World Cup between New Zealand and Argentina.
If the rights become fresh blood for the sustainability of the sports industry, then all indications F1 is now increasingly moving to the brink of death.
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Various methods are used by F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone and also officials (FIA) to reverse the wheels of fate, ranging from applying the double points system in 2014, limiting the development of the machine when the current season, until recently, almost removing the radio message.
But in the end, the attractiveness of the F1 it will depend on one thing: the action on the track. And, the 2015 F1 season failed to provide an answer on that.
2015 F1 season ended as it began, and as he walked along the seasons: duo dominated by Mercedes, Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
Of the 19 pole positions available, only one that can be achieved by non-Mercedes driver that is when Sebastian Vettel getting pole at Singapore GP.
In the actual race, Vettel only able to disrupt the Hamilton-Rosberg combination three times. In 15 other races (minus Abu Dhabi), the first podium is always controlled by Mercedes.
It should be considered that the dominance of one team is not new in the world of racing. In the era of Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna with McLaren in the period 1980-1990 was both very dominating. But not to make rider-another rider unable to deliver a shock at all.
Or, for example, when Vettel became world champion a second time with Red Bull in summer 2010. Although Red Bull alongside Vettel and Mark Webber dominant, there were four riders who compete for the world championship until the end of the season, namely Vettel, Webber, Fernando Alonso, and Jenson Button.
Lewis Hamilton get the world title three times in the spring of 2015. (Action Images/Hoch Zwei Livepic)
Through his column on BBC Sport, Hamilton highlighting one thing that no longer make the race interesting, that is a matter that is too rapid tire wear. According to him, this makes the rider can no longer accelerate the vehicle as tight as possible to overtake an opponent.
If tire wear means they must go pitstop so the opportunity to be overtaken opponent. This makes the riders are now heavily dependent on the team's strategy to determine the most appropriate time to enter the pit.
"Ideally, we do not need to be too dependent on the strategy; race should matter shrewdness on the track," said Hamilton through his writings in mid-November.
"The problem is, the condition of the tires will quickly run out and you can not approach the other car because the aerodynamics of your car will be disrupted."
The same thing was also echoed by other riders.
Fernando Alonso, twice world champion and one of the best rider of his generation, saying that he wanted to go back to the old times when the tires they could be used to attack the opponent.
The days are meant Alonso was pre-2011, or when it has not been a single supplier Pirelli tires Formula 1. Ironically, when the Italian manufacturer was awarded the contract as a supplier of tires, Pirelli specifically asked to design tires that wear out quickly so that more riders can overtake an opponent. The plan, which has now failed completely due to various reasons.
Indeed, many of the factors that makes the rider no longer able to shine on the track. In addition to tire problems, the ability of machines are much different from one team to another team also helped encourage the dominance of the Mercedes in two seasons back.
Race officials confused now seek answers to increasingly unattractive Formula 1, whether it's tire problems, differences in the ability of the engine, or fund the development of machines that are too different from team to team strong financial power while.
The fall of the big names
Although the action on the track did not bring many surprises, Formula 1 still leaves the drama outside the arena. F1 2015 season be a season when the big names began to fall and potentially disappear from F1.
Financial difficulties making Lotus team that has a long history in the world of F1 threatened to resign, while the combination of McLaren and Honda can also be said to be a total failure. Honda failed to provide a competitive machine for Button and Alonso so they repeatedly failed to finish in this season.
Another name that may be missing is the Circuit Monza, Italy, which is also experiencing financial difficulties to pay for the right to host the F1.
These problems have not been met after the completion of various designs to reduce the cost of engine development --sebagai highest load rejection tim-- often experience great teams.
Not only ended in silence, seemed to Formula 1 in 2015 also remains a serious problem. (CNN)
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