Categories: F1 News, Reports and Race ResultsOpinion

F1 'can be a bit too precious' - Silverstone boss

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F1 "can be a bit too precious" and needs to improve access for fans, according to Silverstone managing director Patrick Allen.

Silverstone hosts rounds of both Formula One and the World Endurance Championship [WEC], with fans able to get in to the paddock at certain times to get closer to the teams and drivers. With pit lane access in WEC too for autograph sessions - something F1 offers to some ticket holders - Allen believes F1 could learn from endurance racing.

“The access that people have [in WEC], unlike Formula One, is second to none," Allen said at the Autosport International Show. “I think F1 can be a bit too precious sometimes and I think a bit more access for the fans who are paying good money to watch their heroes battle it out like gladiators on the track, [and] they want to get up close to these people.

“We used to do it in the past, [although] I don’t think we’ll ever get back to the Colin Chapman throwing his cap in the air as a Lotus crosses the finish line [access], but there should be an opportunity for fans to get close to the action.”

In order for Silverstone to be able to try and help fans gain more access, Allen said it comes down to Bernie Ecclestone's FOM changing its current approach.

"The only thing we [can do] is to lobby Formula One Management for that – it's under their control.

"If they took a leaf out of the WEC and let people get a bit closer it would be good for the whole sport and not alienate Formula 1 from its fan base. I think WEC is a great example of how to do that."

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.