I’d be in favour of either casa de lana’s idea of dropping mid-season testing entirely or turning it into mid-week non-championship races (held at tracks not used for the championship). Other than that, I don’t think you have to do anything to make Friday more exciting – it’s exciting enough as it is.

If we have to think about the show, how about making Fridays more interesting for the TV viewers? Those who actually attend will continue to do so and any amount of wacky races is not going to add to their numbers. The TV broadcasters should be thinking in terms of using the day to get much more in-depth coverage, to draw viewers in, educate them and so allow a greater appreciation of the race itself.

Why not concentrate on one team per Friday? Let Mr Whitmarsh use his influence to get the teams (including his own) to allow a TV crew full access on a Friday. So we could see the sessions from Williams’ point of view at one GP, sit in on team meetings, get to know Nico and Kazuki as people and not just drivers, meet the mechanics, the tyre guys, etc. Then we could move on to McLaren at the next race and so on.

We are constantly being told that NASCAR allows the public access to its drivers and so maintains interest in their series; let F1 take a step beyond that and let the fans get to know the whole team.

How about discontinuing the pre-event testing that allows teams to collect data and dial-in the cars a week or so before the Grand Prix? These official FOM Tests in my mind are the reason teams do very little running and almost no developement work over the 3 days of the Grand Prix. So why not discontinue these separate tests and allow unlimited running and unlimited tyres for the Friday “Test” sessions.

Not only would it provide more for the fans attending the race, it would provide the media with something worthwhile to report and talk about.

Just an idea…

Therefore, is spicing up the Friday really worth it? In fact, why don’t they just drop it? Perhaps have more feature races, GP2 or whatever…?

because almost no-one would buy tickets.

at least i wouldn’t pay to watch gp2. especially when you have wsr which is free.

also bernie makes money out of friday tv. probably not that much, but who, other than motorstv, who would pay to broadcast a feature race?

…or more likely by reading Oliver’s blog

You the man, Greg, you the man!

Great comments so far. One thing I did want to mention in the post but didn’t get around to was the very fact that on Friday, most European’s (so, Bernie’s key market, apparently) are at work between 9am and 5pm. Therefore, is spicing up the Friday really worth it? In fact, why don’t they just drop it? Perhaps have more feature races, GP2 or whatever…?

Personally, if it isn’t a rainy day, I’m not likely to be in front of the TV set on Saturday, and even then, if there is a decent movie on, I’ll probably be watching that instead.

Would anything meaningful on Fridays get me to watch? Probably not. Like most folks, I work during the day and then go out on Friday night for a bit of fun. I’ll catch up on the Saturday morning sports shows (…or more likely by reading Oliver’s blog.)

I don’t like Haggis’s suggestions because that sort of thing would just over-complicate matters and the race-fuel qualifying rules are arcane enough as it is.

we also enjoyed friday at silverstone this year too. again it was a relaxing start to a long weekend.

race weekends should build to a crescendo, why try and hit people the minute they walk through the gates?

If we must have prizes, I agree they should fit in with the weekend.

The fastest lap on a Friday gets:
1) a “bye” into Q3 (thereby at the very least saving sets of tyres), or
2) the right to choose race fuel, regardless of the fuel level in qualifying (i.e. the same right as those drivers whose qualifying ended in Q1 and Q2) – although this would in effect mean that the fastest on Friday would be given pole position,

or (if I may be mischievous)
3) a “Get out of jail free” card which allows one chicane to be cut in race (or unsafe pit release if that is your bag), or
4) to choose a steward for the remainder of the weekend.

Fridays are for just three things:

1. For the on-site fans to wander around, enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of the race cars at different corners, hang out behind the pits, people watch, visit the booths, get some swag.

2. Have something to watch on TV when you’re too sick to go to work and/or doing laundry.

3. For the media to report on the silly extras of the F1 circus, without being hampered by on-track action that may have real consequences.

I know, many of you will say, but the “silly extras” are what’s wrong with F1 today. I’d say au contraire, these are what sets F1 apart from the others, the controversies, the soap operas, the glamour of it all. If it was all just competition, it’ll be just another racing formula with cars on steroids.

As for qualifying, i like the way it is now. It creates drama from start to finish and makes everybody work all the time. The one part i don’t like is that silly rule to make Q3 cars keep their fuel load for the race. I want to see the pole-sitter qualify with the fastest time of the day, and i want to see the fastest driver/car on the pole, not the lightest-fueled.

You want more interest for F1? Get rid of all those aerodynamic parts that cost a ton of research and make passing harder and that the average fan can’t relate to anyways. Clarify all the racing rules to the tee, fire the current crack-smoking stewards they got, and get back to pure racing.

Consistent stewarding? Clear rules? Better engagement with the fans? Improved racing? More teams? All far more important matters.

If FOTA is going to duck the more important issues and prioritise unimportant stuff like this then they aren’t going to be much use.