New Ferrari team boss Maurizio Arrivabene wants the sport to put on more of a show... and that includes the sound.

Considering the Maranello outfit has had more changes of team principal in the last year than your average bottom of the table football team, one might have thought that new boy Maurizio Arrivabene would be taking a low profile approach, or simply concentrating on the (not so minor) task of turning the team's fortunes around.

Instead however, he is following in the footsteps of former company president, Luca di Montezemolo, in calling for a radical rethink in terms of how the sport sells itself to fans. Then again, with his background in marketing, courtesy of his time with (Marlboro manufacturer) Philip Morris, and his long association with the sport, perhaps he is someone the powers-that-be should be listening to.

"Formula One needs to be more spectacular," he told the team website, reacting to similar comments made by Niki Lauda. "I believe that the risk he evokes of the sport losing fans is something that has unfortunately already happened.

"By 2017, I too would like to see cars that win over the fans, with cars that they can get closer to and that are aesthetically more appealing, maybe even producing a noise that gets your hair standing on end, like that produced by a heavy metal band. That was what it was like back in the day when Niki was racing and I was an enthusiastic fan, clutching my general admission ticket.

"However, I don't think a simple evolution is enough in this case," he admitted. "Instead, a real revolution is called for, with significant and radical changes. By that I mean more power, higher speeds, not necessarily involving the use of more fuel, but definitely applying a cost reduction to those components that are of little interest to the general public.

"Being closer to the people actually involves taking F1 to the people, possibly holding the Thursday driver press conferences and team presentations of a Grand Prix weekend, outside the circuit in a public area. That way, the cities that host the races could provide the arena for a presentation of the drivers and cars, in a properly managed event.

"I have long felt that the real competition to F1 today, in the sense of it being a show, comes from a variety of forms of entertainment, not least from the internet, including racing video games. It is up to us to provide something better and to download a new format for Formula 1 as soon as possible. How likely are we to do it? I know it wouldn't be the usual way of going about things, but a global survey on the internet and via the TV companies would give us a real idea of what people want. In fact, even in this area of sport as entertainment, we should follow the trend of demand driving what's on offer."

Discuss.

Chris Balfe

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Paul C, 26/01/2015 20:42

"Competition from racing video games? Most of my F1 racing games look and sound better than the 2014 race broadcasts."

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2. Posted by Steve Campbell, 26/01/2015 1:31

"Can't comment on Austria Ro - but I sat at turn 4 of the 2012 Indy 500 and it was one of the worst experiences ever. 1 1/2 hours to get out via the buses.....genuine 1950 facilities, the most disgusting cattle troughs of a bathroom I've seen at any event EVER, circus style food vans (read - old portable kitchenettes serving fatty or fried crap - perhaps corporate hospitality is better.

There is NOTHING the Indy 500 could offer modern sporting venues....."

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3. Posted by yeyox, 25/01/2015 18:17

"Mr. Lung Cancer should fix first the Ferrari mess - if he can - and then "rock" F1 mess."

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4. Posted by testa rossa, 25/01/2015 10:36

"Pff The teams always complain and forget they are part of the rule making ..they agreed when the rules where made even Ferrari, complain about spectators getting less but agree when Bernie sells tv rights behind decoders so only the old fans keep watching and no new one's discover F1 on opeen channels .
Top teams don't want cost caps so no new teams has a change to bring in new talented drivers .
I do not take al this blah blah serious anymore.

"

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5. Posted by Ro, 24/01/2015 18:29

"Tony B Lair, I sooo agree with you !!! But doesnt Arrivabene look a bit "iffy" to you ??? I hope he does pull the rabbit out of the hat cos Ive always been a Ferrari fan and to see them last year in such dire straits wasnt nice. Now the engine freeze has been lifted they should come up with a stonking engine ! I always owned Ferraris, and what makes them sooo brilliant is the engines !"

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6. Posted by Tony B Liar, 24/01/2015 16:33

"If you want a rock n roll soundtrack in F1 try bringing back the old V12s from the 70s & 80s. The Alfa V12 always sounded like it was about to have a major mechanical failure. The Matra sounded like it already had!! Now that was a noise to make your hair stand up on end (and I had some then too!)"

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7. Posted by Ro, 24/01/2015 16:29

"Yes, Indy is faster, and as one lucky enough to go to last years Indianapolis, and as a spectator I was looked after and ENTERTAINED...went to Austria, and felt totally ripped off. Food, grandstand, entry fee and parking???? then 3 hours to just get out of the circuit. F1 has a lot to learn from Indy !"

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8. Posted by imejl99, 24/01/2015 11:27

"As Posted by Steve Campbell, I agree.

Take the pressure of the promoters, go for lower race hosting fees, make ticket affordable for average Joe to take kids to the track. For family of 4 to spend race weekend at the track, it takes small fortune for refreshments, snacks, souvenirs, getting there, accomodation... Make it affordable. Youngs won`t care that much for the sound, or power unit, or aero. They will just be hooked in, future fan base."

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9. Posted by GrahamG, 24/01/2015 8:43

"We all want a better show and more people watching and there is some sense here. It's actually dead easy, get rid of the rules which make it more expensive (millions per tenth in aero, complexity in engines for the sake of it, I wonder if making engines last for umpteen races actually makes them more expensive) and also make difficult to watch and follow for the average viewer (daft tyre rules invoking so-called "strategies", limitations on running because of all the restrictions around. Everyone would pound around on Friday and Saturday if there weren't restrictions on engines and tyres and gearboxes and people .... etc.
Also, want to reduce the viewer coverage by 70% ... easy, more races on Sky and less on terrestrial channels. Look at the numbers on sports which have sold out for the money, slow decline in new spectators and loss of existing ones.
Graham G"

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10. Posted by Vinicius, 23/01/2015 22:25

"Some people insisting to say that IndyCar is quicker than F-1. Oh god."

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11. Posted by lockup, 23/01/2015 21:32

"Some AC/DC instead of Sky's bland theme tune would be great. Otherwise it seems Maurizio is blissfully unaware that Pirelli are expecting the other teams to be THREE SECONDS a lap faster this year, up to the old V8 speeds.

If you make them much faster they won't be able to overtake on existing tracks. Then, hmmm, taking the event away from the circuit on Thursday, to a venue with, lemme see, NO RACING? Maybe they'll ask the drivers to do a twirl? "

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12. Posted by Steve Campbell, 23/01/2015 21:13

"Some interesting points, more likely attempting to promote some rule changes to get Ferrari back to the front - but I guess you can't blame him for that.
What really needs to happen is a change of direction at the top - i.e, Bernie needs to go. He should have gone a long time ago. His interest appears to be nothing more than financial (in fairness, it probably always was - but is now so evident we see horrendous decisions like heading to Korea and Valencia, yet risk venues with traditional support (how last years Hockenheim race had empty stands is a case study in what is wrong with F1 - German reigning 4-time champion, new turbo engines, empty seats.....). Largely due to massive ticket prices (due to ridiculous sanctioning fees to hold a race), average sound of the new engines, new turbo cars several seconds slower than predecessors, F1 trying to compete with the WEC with the 100kg race fuel rule and fuel rate flow etc etc etc.

What is the problem? Money. Its ALWAYS about money. Those making the influential decisions are making decisions for financial gain, not sporting gain. The pity is this is a short term view. Medium to long term viability and profit will be achieved by gaining new support at the ground level. Its like mobile phones and gaming - give them the phones or the console, and the consumer will buy the rest. Reduce the barrier to entry, and succeed with a viable medium (to long) term strategy. Reduce sanctioning fees, cap GA ticket pricing, move into the 21st century by utilising social media and you (tongue in cheek) might even fill the stands.

But what would I know - I'm not a billionaire."

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13. Posted by Ro, 23/01/2015 20:51

"Im sorry but if it wants it to "rock" , hes in the wrong business. The way the engines and the was they are restricted makes a mockery of what all the fans know as "F1". The engines are a joke ! Expensive and you will NEVER see one (or its derivative) on the road. They should be in endurance racing. F1 is the pinnacle, the most power, the most noise, the fastest on earth. Indy is quicker, and they sound better. Come on F1 teams, put pressure on the FIA, or you will just disappear, together with all the audience figures."

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14. Posted by MrShadow, 23/01/2015 20:37

"Regarding engine noise. I remember the Renault RS01 in its first year. It made much less sound as the Ford or Ferrari engines, and nobody even complained as it impressed in a very different way.
As I have not visited a race in a long time I would not know if you can currently distinguish the engines by sound. In those day you surely could tell. "

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15. Posted by MrShadow, 23/01/2015 20:32

"What he forgets is that 90% (or more) of the people following F1 will not visit a track but see it on their TV or internet. And that makes any discussion on sound useless, as sound was never spectacular when watching.
A spectavular show comes much more from less stringent rules than from making the engine noise louder."

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Arrivabene wants F1 to rock

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