Bernie: Senna's death was good for F1

McLaren Rulez · 19th October 2009, 13:11

Ecclestone choc in Brasile *"Morte Senna un bene per F1" - La Gazzetta dello Sport: Formula 1

Another forum translates part of this article to "Ayrton Senna's death was very sad, but in perspective it was good for Formula 1. Many people who didn't hear about it (F1) before started being interested in our sport because of the huge repercussions of his accident"

Thoughts?

svsantosh · 19th October 2009, 13:22

My very 1st F1 Race (I was 10) was this VERY Unfortunate race... Back then Cable TV was a premium and I was at my neighbour's since they had a Cable conn.

Since then I have grown on to have a life size Schumi's Squatting pose in my room and made him my demi-God. In many ways Bernie's comments are quite true and honest.

pranavt · 19th October 2009, 13:23

Bernie suffers from a very unfortunate disease. The foot-in-mouth disease.

sgiitk · 19th October 2009, 14:46

What I may add it that as far as I remember Senna was the last causality. So obviously they got their act together only after this tragedy which snatched away a person who was developing into the Ultimate F1 Driver.

RP_812 · 19th October 2009, 15:39

There are many ways of putting those thoughts into words.
Mr Eccelstone has put it down in the most incompetent and immature way.
Shame on him.!!!!

subscrive · 19th October 2009, 19:51

It is a rotten soul who uses or justifies or reasons anyone's death to advance sports - especially if the sports is of high stake.

pranavt · 19th October 2009, 20:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by subscrive

It is a rotten soul who uses or justifies or reasons anyone's death to advance sports - especially if the sports is of high stake.

Especially when the rotten soul is that of the sport's owner. He should go, along with Max Mosley.

naveenroy · 19th October 2009, 20:27

Bernie's chewing on his foot again - much alike his compatriot, the Duke of Edinburgh. What a fool to even talk about the death of one the greatest drivers in all time like this.

ph03n!x · 19th October 2009, 20:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by pranavt

Bernie suffers from a very unfortunate disease. The foot-in-mouth disease.

+1 to that- dont know if its the translation that is sounding so crude, but thatis what it is - CRUDE

gomzi · 19th October 2009, 21:12

It's most unfortunate to hear such a comment, that too from the Big E himself.

Yes, Senna's death caused a lot of interest in the sport, but it also got people watching it for the wrong reasons. At times i've heard people in sports bars saying that a race was boring because of no accidents!

The fact that sports bars are frequented by such "enthusiasts" is the reason I don't go anywhere near one on race days.

I happened to start following F1 from an year before Senna left and can state that the battles between him and Schumi was getting very interesting. The sport would have had a much higher spectator interest if these two had gone head-to-head for a few seasons longer, battling for F1 supremacy.

McLaren Rulez · 19th October 2009, 22:19

In fact, Bernie's statement probably has some truth. F1 did get a lot of publicity and I guess higher viewer ratings after Senna's death. And Senna's death did trigger a raft of safety improvements which may have saved many a driver since then. But typically, Bernie says it with as little sensitivity as he can manage.

Gansan · 19th October 2009, 22:40

May be this question should be posed to "The Professor"?

sgiitk · 20th October 2009, 09:29

I fully agree with his thoughts but not his language. He should have been more sesnitive and politically correct in his choice of words.

issigonis · 20th October 2009, 11:24

The problem in F1 ( as in any other spectator sport, cricket being a case in point for most Indians) is the perennial trade-off between popularity ( read money flowing in) versus the enjoyment of the sport from a purists'/aesthetic perspective.

The overwhelming majority of fans will be in, for superficial entertainment ( ref. ' F1 is boring as there are no accidents), rather than to watch outstanding driving skills required in defending a position, say, in a faulty car at the closing laps. Or most cricket fans would rather watch an agricultural hoick for a six by a batsman in a T20 or limited overs match rather than watch a highly skilled batsman negotiate a world class spinner through a maiden over in a first class/Test cricket match. [ Notice that I've not termed a T20 or a limited overs match as a 'cricket' match!]

You can't live without the Bernies and the Modis of the world, who have their own 'vision' of what the sport ought to be : unfortunately for the purists, the numbers ( profits) support them, the sport be hanged.

Regards

aaggoswami · 20th October 2009, 11:42

1) I am stunned by audacity of Bernie.

2) We know that Hockey is India's national game. India has lost and won many times. But how many of us watch India's hockey matches.

Can we say that India losing hockey match is good as more people will take interest in it ?
Hell, NO.

Can we say that losing Sachin is good for Cricket ?

3) These comments are coming for a person who was the best in wet. I think only Alain Prost was the man to give Senna a competition in wet.

We cannot say that person death's is good for sports. Schumi's car was rumored to be with electronics in the GP where Senna died. I am not against Schumacher, after all Schumacher is the man who gave perfect definition of what is " Professionalism ". His mother died a day before GP, but still Schumacher came back for GP and finished on podium ( IIRC, he stood first ).

But these comments on Senna are really bad and show how much low attitude people have got. And unfortunately, they are at the top.

PS : No offense meant to anyone. Just my views. And I am sorry for a bit harsh words, but IMHO, Bernie passing on these low comments is something very bad.

19th October 2009, 13:11	#1
McLaren Rulez Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Mysore Posts: 3,387 Thanked: 5,097 Times	Bernie: Senna's death was good for F1 Ecclestone choc in Brasile *"Morte Senna un bene per F1" - La Gazzetta dello Sport: Formula 1 Another forum translates part of this article to "Ayrton Senna's death was very sad, but in perspective it was good for Formula 1. Many people who didn't hear about it (F1) before started being interested in our sport because of the huge repercussions of his accident" Thoughts?
	() Thanks

19th October 2009, 13:22	#2
svsantosh Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Dubai Posts: 3,990 Thanked: 6,175 Times View My Garage	My very 1st F1 Race (I was 10) was this VERY Unfortunate race... Back then Cable TV was a premium and I was at my neighbour's since they had a Cable conn. Since then I have grown on to have a life size Schumi's Squatting pose in my room and made him my demi-God. In many ways Bernie's comments are quite true and honest.
	() Thanks

19th October 2009, 13:23	#3
pranavt Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,682 Thanked: 639 Times View My Garage	Bernie suffers from a very unfortunate disease. The foot-in-mouth disease.
	() Thanks

19th October 2009, 14:46	#4
sgiitk BANNED Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Gurugram Posts: 7,969 Thanked: 4,788 Times	What I may add it that as far as I remember Senna was the last causality. So obviously they got their act together only after this tragedy which snatched away a person who was developing into the Ultimate F1 Driver.
	() Thanks

19th October 2009, 15:39	#5
RP_812 BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 128 Thanked: 2 Times	There are many ways of putting those thoughts into words. Mr Eccelstone has put it down in the most incompetent and immature way. Shame on him.!!!!
	() Thanks

19th October 2009, 19:51	#6
subscrive BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 258 Thanked: 30 Times View My Garage	It is a rotten soul who uses or justifies or reasons anyone's death to advance sports - especially if the sports is of high stake.
	() Thanks

19th October 2009, 20:27	#8
naveenroy Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 1,511 Thanked: 1,253 Times	Bernie's chewing on his foot again - much alike his compatriot, the Duke of Edinburgh. What a fool to even talk about the death of one the greatest drivers in all time like this.
	() Thanks

19th October 2009, 21:12	#10
gomzi BHPian Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 798 Thanked: 236 Times	How very sad! It's most unfortunate to hear such a comment, that too from the Big E himself. Yes, Senna's death caused a lot of interest in the sport, but it also got people watching it for the wrong reasons. At times i've heard people in sports bars saying that a race was boring because of no accidents! The fact that sports bars are frequented by such "enthusiasts" is the reason I don't go anywhere near one on race days. I happened to start following F1 from an year before Senna left and can state that the battles between him and Schumi was getting very interesting. The sport would have had a much higher spectator interest if these two had gone head-to-head for a few seasons longer, battling for F1 supremacy.
	() Thanks

19th October 2009, 22:19	#11
McLaren Rulez Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Mysore Posts: 3,387 Thanked: 5,097 Times	In fact, Bernie's statement probably has some truth. F1 did get a lot of publicity and I guess higher viewer ratings after Senna's death. And Senna's death did trigger a raft of safety improvements which may have saved many a driver since then. But typically, Bernie says it with as little sensitivity as he can manage.
	() Thanks

19th October 2009, 22:40	#12
Gansan Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 4,534 Thanked: 5,540 Times	May be this question should be posed to "The Professor"?
	() Thanks

20th October 2009, 09:29	#13
sgiitk BANNED Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Gurugram Posts: 7,969 Thanked: 4,788 Times	I fully agree with his thoughts but not his language. He should have been more sesnitive and politically correct in his choice of words.
	() Thanks

20th October 2009, 11:24	#14
issigonis BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bombay Posts: 956 Thanked: 95 Times	The problem in F1 ( as in any other spectator sport, cricket being a case in point for most Indians) is the perennial trade-off between popularity ( read money flowing in) versus the enjoyment of the sport from a purists'/aesthetic perspective. The overwhelming majority of fans will be in, for superficial entertainment ( ref. ' F1 is boring as there are no accidents), rather than to watch outstanding driving skills required in defending a position, say, in a faulty car at the closing laps. Or most cricket fans would rather watch an agricultural hoick for a six by a batsman in a T20 or limited overs match rather than watch a highly skilled batsman negotiate a world class spinner through a maiden over in a first class/Test cricket match. [ Notice that I've not termed a T20 or a limited overs match as a 'cricket' match!] You can't live without the Bernies and the Modis of the world, who have their own 'vision' of what the sport ought to be : unfortunately for the purists, the numbers ( profits) support them, the sport be hanged. Regards
	() Thanks

20th October 2009, 11:42	#15
aaggoswami Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Vadodara Posts: 4,982 Thanked: 2,930 Times	1) I am stunned by audacity of Bernie. 2) We know that Hockey is India's national game. India has lost and won many times. But how many of us watch India's hockey matches. Can we say that India losing hockey match is good as more people will take interest in it ? Hell, NO. Can we say that losing Sachin is good for Cricket ? 3) These comments are coming for a person who was the best in wet. I think only Alain Prost was the man to give Senna a competition in wet. We cannot say that person death's is good for sports. Schumi's car was rumored to be with electronics in the GP where Senna died. I am not against Schumacher, after all Schumacher is the man who gave perfect definition of what is " Professionalism ". His mother died a day before GP, but still Schumacher came back for GP and finished on podium ( IIRC, he stood first ). But these comments on Senna are really bad and show how much low attitude people have got. And unfortunately, they are at the top. PS : No offense meant to anyone. Just my views. And I am sorry for a bit harsh words, but IMHO, Bernie passing on these low comments is something very bad.
	() Thanks