Lotus co-owner Gerard Lopez has hit out at Formula One Management (FOM) – the company which owns the rights to the sport – for the way they run the business side of things.
Lopez described their approach as “archaic” and bemoaned the lack of a “genuine marketing department” as well as their view of social media, which Bernie Ecclestone has previously described as “pointless”.
He believes they’re actually damaging the sport which has seen declining audiences in the majority of its key markets.
“TV ratings are declining steeply whereas the show on track is exceptional,” Lopez told French magazine Auto Hebdo.
He also blames FOM for the difficulties teams like Lotus have in attracting sponsors, despite companies wanting to be associated with the series.
“F1 is the only activity offering a global platform likely to attract world companies,” added Lopez, “and yet, there seems to be some sort of blockage.
“Why do these potential sponsors never make the leap when they are not really undaunted by the amount [of money] requested in F1? What’s holding them back?
“Is it because of the sport’s archaic management and organisation?”
Lopez has often spoken out about the way the sport is being run and how smaller teams are treated. He, along with Force India’s Vijay Mallya, challenged Ecclestone, FOM and the sport’s owner, CVC Capital Partners, over the distribution of television revenues last year.
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