F1 circuits need a change of attitude

When the German Grand Prix was dropped from the Formula 1 calendar last week, it was proof that a rich heritage in the sport means precious little these days.

Germany has hosted an F1 race every year since 1960, with only two nations - Britain and Italy - having held more. And for 12 years between 1995 and 2006, the country even hosted two in one season, at Hockenheim and the Nurburgring.

F1 was big business in the country back then, with seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher capturing the heart of the nation.

The Schumacher glory years enabled two German races to prosper © LAT

But those glory days have long gone, with Hockenheim attracting just 52,000 fans last year - compared with 120,000 at Silverstone - amid a drop in interest.

Sebastian Vettel's success at Red Bull and Nico Rosberg's ascendance to title contender with Mercedes failed to have the same draw on the public as Schumacher.

Hockenheim tried to change things, taking the axe to the long straights that swept through the forest in a bid to create a smaller track with a stadium atmosphere, but it didn't have the desired effect.

And with the expense of hosting a race every year becoming too high, Hockenheim and the Nurburgring were forced to alternate to keep the grand prix on the calendar.

It was supposed to be the Nurburgring's turn to host this year's race, but talks with its new owners collapsed during the winter over - you guessed it - money. Hockenheim stepped in, but then withdrew as it felt it didn't have enough time to organise the event.

And so there will be no German Grand Prix this year, reducing the calendar to 19 dates and creating a period in the summer when there will be just one race in seven weeks.

When the French Grand Prix dropped off the schedule in 2008, it was hoped the country where motor racing began would find a way back. Seven years later, it remains absent.

Now F1 has watched another stalwart of the calendar drop off, with no guarantees that it will ever return. How did it get to this?

It's not cheap to host an F1 race. Russia, for example, reportedly pays £25 million per year for its grand prix. And although iconic circuits like Monza, Spa-Francorchamps and Silverstone pay slightly less because of their history in the sport - while Monaco pays nothing because, well, it's Monaco - there's no shortage of new countries queuing up to pay that price.

China, Bahrain and Abu Dhabi have joined the fray with multi-million-pound venues in recent years, and Azerbaijan will make its debut in 2016 with a street circuit in Baku.

The sports-viewing landscape has changed, too. Fans have access to more TV coverage than ever before, with tablets and phones and the sophisticated data that's available on them providing a 'smart' second-screen experience.

Silverstone is trying to overhaul its ticketing and pricing structure for fans © LAT

Throw in the constant stream of news on the internet combined with the rise of social media and fans can get a supreme race-day experience parked on their sofa.

F1 also has stiff competition from other sports. On the weekend of July 4-5 this year, British fans have the option to go to Silverstone for the grand prix, travel to Wimbledon to watch a spot of tennis or head across the Channel to catch the Tour de France. Wait a few days and they can watch the first Ashes Test in Cardiff or the Open Championship golf at St Andrews. Now that's some choice.

So how do you convince people to come to a motor race that lasts just 90 minutes? That's a challenge that has faced Silverstone - which doesn't have the benefit of government funding - in recent years, with the venue almost losing the race to Donington Park in 2008. Two years ago, Silverstone had the third most expensive race-day ticket on the calendar, behind only Brazil and Abu Dhabi. However, changes are afoot.

"We want to make the British Grand Prix a four-day festival," says Patrick Allen, who replaced Richard Phillips as Silverstone's managing director in January. "It's no longer just about Sunday's race. We need to make sure there's entertainment for fans both on and off track.

"We can't have an arrogance that says, 'We are Silverstone so come and give us your money'. We can't operate like that. The culture in the business needs to change. The fans need to get a better deal."

At the heart of Silverstone's new business model is families, with children under 11 allowed in for free. Meanwhile, there's a change in ticketing strategy, too, with prices being chopped across the board and a focus on getting people through the gates.

"The risk is that you might not get the volume," says Allen. However, for now, it seems to be working, with ticket sales up 30 per cent compared to this time in 2014.

Earlier this year, Silverstone cut general-admission prices on 1000 tickets to £99 and sold out in 22 minutes. It extended the offer until the end of the day and Allen says the circuit sold another 6000.

Alongside the racing, fans will have access to more entertainment off-track, including fairgrounds, a giant ferris wheel and a Thursday night concert, as well as the traditional grand prix afterparty.

They've got some way to go to match Singapore - who this year have Pharrell Williams, Maroon 5 and Spandau Ballet headlining their concerts - but it's a start.

Other races, such as the Japanese Grand Prix, set up autograph sessions for fans on the Thursday, while Suzuka tickets also include a five-day unlimited-ride pass for its on-site Motopia amusement park.

And Austin - well-versed in hosting live music festivals - hosts concerts on every day of the race weekend, organises Q&A sessions with drivers and opens up the circuit after the race on Sunday so fans can walk around it.

Fairground passes are thrown in as a bonus with Japanese GP tickets © LAT

Of course, one size doesn't fit all. It's unreasonable to think that packing the schedule at every race is a way to attract the crowds. In Malaysia, fans won't hang around all day, but by keeping the ticket prices low - the cheapest race ticket is around £13 - it remains an attractive option.

One solution would be for F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone to share more of the sport's revenues, which amount to around £1.5 billion, and perhaps reduce race fees to help promoters.

But assuming that's not going to happen, circuits must continue to put a greater focus on tailoring experiences to their individual locations and managing ticket prices and entertainment accordingly.

They can't just charge people a lot of money to spend the day sitting in a grandstand on hard plastic chairs with very little else to do, and then get frustrated when nobody turns up.

Had the German Grand Prix organisers played the long game and thought more about their paying customers and how the world has moved on, they might still have an event - and maybe a profitable one at that.