Whitmarsh: F1 should cater more to fans

He acknowledged that Formula One is an entertainment business and that hardcore fans would benefit from increased broadcasting of information such as pit-to-car radio transmissions, current fuel loads, and strategic data.

"I think for us to maintain and develop our fanbase we have to make better use of Formula One as an asset," he told the winners of an autosport.com/KangarooTV competition this week. "Those of us that are involved in it have not yet done a good enough job to provide the fanbase with the information and insight to the complexities of our sport.

"There are enthusiasts that are interested in the gladiatorial contest of the drivers, like Kimi Raikkonen v Lewis Hamilton wheel-to-wheel, there are those that are interested in the team game and the competition of McLaren v Ferrari, there are those that are interested in the technological battle, and there are those that are fascinated by the tactics and the strategy going on over a race weekend.

"The more we can reach out and educate the people who are watching it, the more they can enjoy it. There will be some fans who are not interested in all those things, and in some senses these factors get in the way of a straightforward and simple interpretation of the event. But the reality is that within the fanbase there are a lot of people who find that fascinating. And understanding that is something we need to do a better job of."

Whitmarsh believes that the strategic analysis provided by Kangaroo TV for fans at circuits are a great first step, but suggested that the teams should be less secretive about their race strategies and also give more information about the current situation with their cars during a race.

But they would be reluctant to give up any information which might aid their rivals, such as in the Turkish Grand Prix this year where McLaren had to change Lewis Hamilton onto a three-stop strategy because he was struggling the rate of wear of his front right tyre.

"We knew there was a problem, obviously, and we held that back because ultimately we were racing Ferrari and we didn't want them to know how we were going to conduct the race," he added. "There is a balance, but historically we would not have made any radio transmissions available and now we volunteer that, so there is quite a change of culture going on.

"We have to overcome some of the delight that the technicians have in this secrecy. Inevitably we are right to try to retain some of this, but we are in the entertainment business and we have to credit our fanbase that they are interested.

"I think what F1 has to get better at is providing the proportion of the fanbase that wants it with that extra data and information. Year by year you have to try to create more interest, and the more insight they have, the more they are intrigued, and the more they're likely to come back next time.

"Those of us who have the information in front of us get used to it, but if you find yourself in front of a television without it, Formula One isn't as interesting."