How to fix F1's unworthy launch season

With Formula 1 pre-season testing in the offing, my wife and I decided to make a weekend of the trip, booking into a centre-city hotel in order to take in Barcelona and surrounds before she departed on a late Sunday flight. I would then move on to a bed-and-breakfast closer to the circuit for this week's four F1 test days.

Fortunately we booked early, when the prices were reasonable. Colleagues who left it late were stunned at the cost (and non-availability) of rooms; ditto rental cars and flights.

The fact is, F1 had again left its final choice of test venue and dates so late that most hotels and car renters were overbooked - the simultaneous Mobile World Congress having got its act together sooner, as always.

In the airport terminal, flags and banners announced the congress at virtually every turn. The arrivals area was a sea of name placards, all emblazoned with MWC logos. You could also register for it (a four-day event, starting Monday) inside the airport, at one of 17 such accreditation booths scattered about the city.

All this, three days before the official start of MWC.

When we checked into our hotel the first requirement was, as always: "Please ensure the room has strong WiFi; I'm here to work."

"Yes, sir, we upgraded our WiFi especially for MWC delegates. We hope you enjoy the congress."

"Actually I'm here for F1 testing ..."

"Oh, F1 testing? At Montmelo? Is it on this weekend?"

I had a similar conversation at the B&B, 10 miles away from the circuit, and again while purchasing a mobile sim. Given that Spain has two F1 drivers in Fernando Alonso (a double world champion) and Carlos Sainz Jr (to many, up there with Max Verstappen), the opening tests ahead of a much-anticipated season should surely be higher in the consciousness of the local hospitality industry.

That hoteliers had no clue about eight days of testing at the Circuit de Catalunya is not their fault, for they should have been better educated by F1's stakeholders. Wherever one drove during the weekend, one saw people bearing MWC and tech product logos. F1 presence - zilch, zero, nothing.

It can, of course, be argued that MWC is massive - but F1 should be too.

Last week was F1's launch week. Williams released renders of its FW40 the preceding Friday, but Monday through Monday there was a flurry of sheet-tugging across the UK, in Switzerland and Italy, and, latterly, Spain. Some teams elected to go the virtual, internet-based route, others even permitted the media to witness the unveilings in their bases or at circuits. Haas, after releasing images of its new car on Saturday, held a photocall shortly before testing started on Monday morning, in the pitlane.

The essential difference between all the unveilings was the colour of cars and sheets. For the rest it was same-old, same-old: "Best driver line-up we had access to, XYZ has settled in well"; "We'll see where we are in Melbourne"; "We have to move up one championship position, that's the target"...then it was time for four photoshoots: drivers with/without helmets, then with team execs, finally with the addition of Mr/s Sponsor.

The first time I attended an F1 launch was back in 1998, and can attest that the formula has not moved on in two decades. True, there were no virtual launches back then, but the amount of stage originality has not moved on one iota.

I visited MWC (2016 attendance: 101,000) on Monday, and can verify the global interest in what is one of three such congresses held annually. My reason for visiting was the Connected Car seminar - with particular reference to motorsport, convened by Formula E boss Alejandro Agag, during which Roborace launched its car.

The overall amount of razzmatazz was startling - greater than generated by all of 2017's flaccid and unimaginative F1 launches combined.

Next week is the Geneva International Motor Show, the first such European event of the year. Check out the show's website: no fewer than five pages of premieres (as launches are dubbed in the Land of Cuckoo Clocks) are listed - all of which will take place during the opening day.

True, some premieres refer to facelifts and/or tuner specials, or model variations - descriptions that also suit F1 cars during periods of regulatory stability, or when evolution rather than revolution is favoured - but the Geneva show features genuinely new models, too. And then there are the Detroit, Frankfurt and Tokyo Motor Shows still to follow this year.

What do these motor shows share from a launch perspective? They assemble all newsworthy models under one roof, and stagger the timings such that anyone interested in all of them can attend all of them.

Now imagine Liberty Media gets F1's act together and unashamedly borrows some ideas from these events. Rather than have all the teams launch their cars individually across Europe, Liberty should organise a festival ahead of the opening test session, at or near that venue.

Using this year as an example, the plan would be to gather all the teams together in Barcelona, stagger launch times over Saturday and Sunday, with the reigning champion being last to unveil; have the drivers about all weekend signing autographs and putting in appearances; organise technical and sporting conferences open to the public; have teams put on technical displays; and host F1 charity balls or F1 Rocks or whatever on Saturday.

Don't stop there, either: incentivise Joe Public to attend the full week by making an experience out of testing; provide Q+A sessions, proper, informed commentary, and pit walks. Open memorabilia stands, sell decent refreshments at fair prices, and offer tickets and information on upcoming grands prix, wherever they may be scheduled. Make it the F1 season-opening event for fans from across the world - but, above all, publicise it globally.

In short, take over the city by ensuring every hotelier and car rental desk knows F1 has hit town for a week.

Back in the days of tobacco sponsorship, when brands milked every drop of exposure they could generate for obvious reasons, and during F1's manufacturer era, launches were lavish events. Still, in 2009, the last of the manufacturer years, Toyota and Renault co-ordinated their pre-test launches at Portimao, and talk was that the following season would bring a composite approach by all FOTA members.

It all came to nought. Within a year most car companies exited F1, then two years later FOTA was dead - and so was the concept. There is, now, hope for resurrection: Liberty's stated objective is to make every grand prix a "Super Bowl" event, and the incoming commercial rights holder could do a lot worse than start with launches and testing.

F1 launches provide a glimpse of the future, yet the very concept, and its execution, is rooted in the past. There will be cries that lavishness costs money, but here is betting that F1's traditional failure to reach consensus on testing dates/venues until all alternatives are fully booked costs loads more. Plus, most of the costs of the event could be recovered from entry fees to launches, seminars and sessions and testing.

Liberty Media's marketing delegate Sean Bratches is in Barcelona this week to observe proceedings. Let us see whether as he is as disappointed with F1's anodyne approach to what should be a cause for celebration as the fans are.

Maybe his (five-star) hotelier even enquired as to whether he was visiting Barcelona for MWC...