The Growing Popularity Of F1 As A Sport

It is doubtless that this year gifts related to the world of F1 will be extremely popular. But what has caused this growing love of F1 motor racing, after years in the dark, ridiculed by many as a dull procession of cars that had little or no excitement throughout the entire season.

This however has changed in recent years; since a young Lewis Hamilton strapped himself into a McLaren car at the Australian Grand Prix the world has been captivated by an exciting brand of racing that goes some of the way to explaining why F1 gifts will be so popular this year.

At the final race of the season this year, Brazil saw what has been regarded as the most exciting finish to an F1 season for decades; if the race was not a close run affair, the driver's championship certainly was.

Millions of avid Formula 1 fans as well as many newcomers saw the young British racer, Lewis Hamilton, in a last lap drama that came down to the final corner take the championship. Understandably, F1 is now extremely popular in the UK and as a result gifts related to Hamilton, McLaren and Formula 1 will all sell well this Christmas and in the new year.

While Hamilton's exploits are dramatic, exhilarating and exciting his success cannot be the deemed the only reason F1 has experienced a growth in popularity. The work of Formula 1 executive Bernie Ecclestone has meant that the sport is finding new markets in the Far East and Asia. Particularly the 2008 season will be remembered as the first that contained a night race.

Not only did this race bring a new element to the sport, but also raised its profile in Singapore and also gave European audiences a far more convenient viewing time. These reasons are only part of the equation concerned with the increased sales of gifts, clothing and merchandise items.

It is not purely through entering new international markets however that the sport has experienced increased popularity. The F1 chiefs have been acutely aware that the developments in terms of aerodynamics and engines have in some cases made the sport less exciting. This is due to the fact that modern aerodynamics throw out so much 'dirty air' that it is next to impossible for cars to overtake each other.

As a result alterations and restrictions to aerodynamics are to be introduced next season to further enhance the work of regulators to make the sport more exciting. Additionally, the removal of traction control, brought in this season, and the reintroduction of slick tyres next season has and will make the sport a true spectacle.

Naturally having the first British champion since Damon Hill has meant gifts and merchandise have experienced a considerable growth in sales. This young racer could well be at the first stage of a complete domination of the sport, equalling or bettering the exploits of the last great champion Michael Schumacher.

This however will be counterproductive for F1, the reason the 2008 season has been so exciting has been down to the contest between the two Ferraris, Hamilton, the BMW of Robert Kubica and in the later stages the resurgence of Fernando Alonso as a championship contender.

One thing is almost certain, if these drivers and manufacturers can produce a championship like the one that has just passed, hordes of fans will be buying F1 gifts, clothing and merchandise all year long.

Motor sport expert Thomas Pretty looks at the reasons behind why F1 gifts will be popular this Christmas and in the new year.

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