26/11/2010
NEWS STORY
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Talking of mugging, we thought we'd make our readers privy to an e-mail exchange that took place earlier this week.
It's not all puff, the fact is that despite a rocky beginning - do you remember that clunking old ColdFusion monstrosity back in 2002/2003 - Pitpass has established itself as the leading fully independent F1 news website.
Now we're not saying we always got it right, far from it, but we tried. Where others went for sensationalism, hype and outright PR, we sought to stick to facts and honesty. If it was a rumour we said so.
More than anything, we wanted to get at the truth behind the stories that affected our sport. Also, while not wanting to force opinion on our readers we did want to get them thinking.
In Abu Dhabi, a well known inhabitant of the paddock told Mat Coch: "Pitpass is the most feared (F1) site on the internet." He also said that Pitpass doesn't dance to the same tune, and how people come into his office and say 'have you seen Pitpass', and he never knows what to expect.
We know from our correspondence with them - all of it remaining off the record as promised - that this goes to the very top of the sport, we are respected and trusted.
However, every now and then something happens which shakes your faith in a sport you have followed through thick and thin, in my case since the mid-1960s. You ask yourself, 'is this where my sport is really heading', 'is this what it's really all about'.
We don't want to cause embarrassment to any one in particular, after all, they were no doubt acting on orders. Then again, where have we heard that line before?
Anyway, on Wednesday morning, bright and early, we received the following:
I have two favours to ask:
1: Please, take out all GP2 and GP3 logos from your website: unless FOM authorised it, you are not allowed to use them... You could be in trouble
2: I am very surprised that you did not use Bruno Michel's interview regarding GP3. Could you please reconsider and find a bit of space for it? Thanks a lot in advance.
Our immediate response was:
We thought that by using the logos and linking directly to the official sites we were playing exactly by the rules - after all, what do we gain.
Every day I get a little more sick of this sport.
Their follow up:
I am sorry about this. It's not our rules... Logos belong to FOM and it is part of my job to make sure that logos are used properly. I know you only meant well.
What about Bruno's interview?
Our response:
I know it's not you. I fully understand.
As for FOM, using the logos doesn't benefit us at all, and as I said they link directly to the official sites - or at least they did, we have now removed them.
If FOM want to be so precious they can stick their logos and the series' where the sun doesn't shine.
As an example, the last post in the GP2 section on our forum was Sept 21, such is the interest the series attracts amongst our readers. We have always tried to cover GP2, GP2 Asia and GP3 because - other than the fact we enjoyed them - it was important for our readers to see where the next generation of F1 drivers is coming from.
FOM has to understand that GP2 needs the money from sponsors and they, like the teams and drivers, need the publicity. By adopting this sort of stance, FOM is actually damaging the series, not that they really care.
So there you have it. By using the official logos that link only to the official sites and do not benefit us in any way, we are warned that we could be "in trouble". Oh, and by the way, can you please publish a puff piece Q&A in which the head of the GP3 Series tells everyone how wonderful it is.
If it were not for Pitpass and a couple of other F1 websites, fans, especially casual fans, would think that everything in the sport is hunk dory. After all, when was the last time you ever read a hint of scandal or any form of investigative journalism on the official website? Then again, other than the live timing, pictures and video why would you visit it?
This totally blinkered attitude is what really threatens the sport. As the powers that be grovel at the feet (and worse) of the rising economies, they lose sight of what made this sport great - and therefore bankable - in the first place.
The last line in the diary of comedy actor and raconteur Kenneth Williams read; "Oh what's the bloody point?"
I couldn't have put it any better.