F1 has a virus it needs to cure

While there's been much chatter recently about the step forward that the new cars are going to make pace-wise in 2015, there seems little denying that it's off the track where Formula 1's biggest progress must come.

Last year was a bad one for the sport in this respect.

Despite a thrilling campaign that in years to come will be reflected on as a classic, it was hard to escape the cloud of negativity that shadowed F1's every move in 2014.

Like a virus, it swept through the paddock, infecting team bosses, drivers, the media - and then grabbing hold of fans.

The complaints about the new regulations, the lack of noise, the 'taxi-cab' racing, the falling television figures, the costs crisis and skewed financial distribution almost made the epic title battle a sideshow.

What it highlighted above all else was the lack of a coherent strategy with which to hit back at the doommongers: it's remarkable that F1 still doesn't have a centralised marketing department that's out there pushing the positives, doing its all to keep the current fans ever-more engaged and attracting new ones too.

F1 turned the arrival of teenage talent Max Verstappen into a controversy © XPB

As the new season approaches, it seems that little has changed, for F1 is again failing to drive its own itinerary and grab headlines for the right reasons.

Instead of stories about a mouthwatering title battle, what to get excited about with new cars, or potential new driver and team rivalries, the agenda has been dominated again by negativity.

The controversy over superlicences and the row over engine unfreezing that has got a returning Honda agitated are but two examples.

In fact, the biggest excitement has been generated by the prospect of 1000bhp cars and wider tyres - things that are probably not going to happen for at least two years.

But whose responsibility is it to change this situation? Ultimately, while teams have a role to play in ramping up interest and delivering good storylines, it's not their duty to sort out F1's wider failings. They are in this game to win; not act as a charity to make all of F1 better.

This is something that falls at the door of Bernie Ecclestone and F1's owner CVC. They have to accept that a bit of investment in marketing, which is surely small change compared with the money being taken out of the sport, will pay back dividends in increasing interest.

After all, the result will be bigger television deals and race promoters willing to pay more.

Last week, Sepang CEO Razlan Razali was in London to meet with Ecclestone. Part of their discussion was about a new Malaysian Grand Prix contract, but they talked too about what F1 can do better to help promoters in attracting a bigger audience.

Razali is well qualified to speak about where F1 is going wrong, for while the Malaysian GP has struggled to attract mega audiences, MotoGP's popularity at Sepang has gone through the roof thanks to its chief's eagerness to do all he can to promote the event.

Sepang's MotoGP event is a big success

There's the unified junior MotoGP ladder that means riders such as Marc Marquez arrive at the top level as heroes already. There's a packed racing programme at each event.

There's more freedom for circuits to lay on attractions and vending areas that suit their audience better. And let's not even start on the approach to social media.

Razali knows small improvements can go a long way.

"It's the role that Mr Ecclestone has to play," he says. "When we as a promoter pay so much to host that event, we want to make sure that the fans get value for money - and get to meet the drivers.

"It's like when a music concert comes to a country. As well as the artist performing, there are lots of promotional appearances, signing sessions and other activities to build the excitement up.

"The teams are so preoccupied with the race, or their sponsors, that they forget that us promoters need help. The commercial rights holder should help coordinate things with the teams to do more.

"We need to bridge the gap between the fans and the teams."

It's clear that F1 needs to up its game off track, and we can but hope that the new Promotional Working Group that met again earlier this week will help push things forward.

What's the downside to a bigger following, more-engaged fans and ramped-up interest? If there isn't one, then why is it not being done?