19 January 2012 11:36
Interview / Salvador Servià, Circuit de Catalunya General Manager By Raymond Blancafort
Salvador Servià, former driver, former businessman, former senator and current Circuit de Catalunya General Manager, has been 'putting out fires' for the past 72 hours; the fires that were set by the words of Andreu Mas-Colell, Minister of Economy at the Catalan Government (Generalitat de Catalunya), stating that the Catalan Government might reconsider the future of the F1 and MotoGP Grands Prix in Montmeló.
Where you surprised by the Minister's words?
No, I wasn't, because they are in line with what the Catalan President Artur Mas said early last year: GPs guaranteed for two years and reassessing everything for 2013. What surprised me was the interpretation made of his words, as if the 2012 events would be in danger, and they are not. Maybe it is because we have politicians who tell the truth about things and we are not really used to it.
It is obvious that many European racetracks are reconsidering the future of F1. What is happening?
It is the result of a model and of certain circumstances. As regards F1, the fee increases every year and in recent years the income is decreasing, due to the decreasing number of spectators. Race tracks depend on the sale of tickets and services to balance the accounts of a GP and nowadays there is no balance.
How is the Circuit trying to react?
As regards the GPs, we are trying to attract more spectators, especially in F1. Comparing the record figure achieved in 2007 with 140,000 fans coming out to the racetrack, and last year's 78,000 attendants, there is a loss of more than 40%. It is evident that if the number of fans keeps on falling and the costs keep on rising, there won't be any feasibility. It is a bit different in motorbikes. The number of fans has dropped as well, but more moderately, no big drops. There is more stability. And the costs are different. That shouldn't be a problem.
How many spectators would be needed for F1?
I'd like to talk about 100,000, but this is a relative figure. There is a difference between selling 50,000 general admittance tickets or 50,000 grandstand tickets. What we have to be aware of is that the 140,000 spectators in 2007 were something atypical, possibly unrepeatable. But talking to the responsible people at the Government, I have defended that we could stabilise around 100,000 spectators. I am optimistic and I think that it is feasible. I obviously believe in what I am defending!
A clear target, but what are you planning to do in order to achieve it?
We are not planning anything now; the race is in four months! We have been working on it for a long time already. We have applied aggressive sales policies. For example, we started to sell tickets earlier and with an attractive 20% discount. We had good results and the presale is working better than last year. And we are making special efforts in other markets such as Russia, the Nordic countries or China, in coordination with the Tourism Department of the Catalan government. These are countries with a huge interest in the 'brand' Barcelona. They want to visit Barcelona, and if we manage that only a few of them visit the city coinciding with the GP, it will be an important achievement. We do also collaborate with hotels, who will offer tickets for the GP in their special packs through the Internet, as they do with other events and interesting sites. And we have designed a campaign for France, as they will have three drivers but no Grand Prix.
Talking about drivers, the Circuit has lost a local hero, Jaime Alguersuari. Do you think you will feel it?
Sure we will. But I am still confident that Jaime will be able to be somehow at the races, because he deserves it. And we will have Pedro Martínez de la Rosa. He obviously doesn't have a car that will allow him to be on the front, I don't think so, but he is a charismatic driver and has a lot of followers, too. It's different in motorbikes: there are several Spanish riders and they are usually in top positions.
And Alonso will be there, of course.
Yes. If Fernando and Ferrari do a good job in the first few races, it will be of great help. There are a lot of Alonso and Ferrari fans. If they had started last season with similar results to those achieved towards the end of the season, it surely would have had a repercussion in the box offices. So I hope that this year's Ferrari will be very good.
We have talked about the GP, but the Circuit is more than that.
Yes. The Circuit is a company that has a full year activity. In 2012 we will have one race more than in 2011 and, what is more important, we have more activity days contracted. There is not a single day left. This will help to balance the accounts. Despite the alarm raised, I am sure that we will keep both Grands Prix. I am very optimistic, but, above all, I believe in it.