|
Overall I have been thrilled with it - fantastic racing, I love the concept and I have a NZL team to support. Plus the Durban and Indonesia rounds received great support with sellout crowds and attendance from those countries political leaders (opportunity to network is great for sponsors).
Disappointments would have to be:
a) The rumours of financial trouble. The danger is that potential sponsors will be put off by the rumours, regardless of whether they are true or not (and we can only speculate - the Sheik has no obligation to release financial information, what private company would?)
b) The German and Portugal rounds at the beginning of the season seemed to hastily put together and without promotion, disappointing considering the series was 18 months in preparation. Hopefully next season the series only visits circuits where there is going to be reasonable crowd support, e.g. Zandvoort where you would no doubt get an army of Jos fans.
c) TV coverage & lack of sponsorship in some European countries. However Europe is a crowded sports market, and I don't think A1 is wrong in concentrating on Asia & South Africa.
I am as nervous as hell about the China round, as an enormous amount of promotion has been done, however Chinese fans are new to motorsport and F1 awareness is much higher. Ticket prices are high and perhaps local fans will already have been to enough motorsport events (F1, MotoGP, V8 Supercars have already been). There are enormous grandstands to fill but A1 is fourth cab off the rank. Hope it works out.
|