Bad Formula

The news that the BBC is going to drop Formula 1 is most welcome.

Most BBC programmes cost 7p per viewer per hour, Formula 1 costs £1 per viewer per hour. That is not a commercial rate. Indeed, it seems to indicate that Formula 1 is being overpaid ten times over for its rights in the UK - a figure that was kept from the people paying for it until this week.

For the BBC to take this niche on was sheer madness. Two million males are interested in this 'sport', which largely seems to involve a very fast two hour procession.

Now it needs to go to the same place as WRC - a corner of some premium sports channel.

But the BBC dabbling in this highly unethical 'sport' leaves a lot of questions about decision making at the world's most profligate public broadcaster.

On the other hand, I suspect F1 will become the first ostrich sport. That is, a money generator that will have its ability to generate revenue decimated by piracy because its leaders have ignored the influence of Internet piracy.

Formula 1 has busted its flush in the UK and is now going to be decimated globally by pirates, and the owners and investors seem totally unconcerned..