A dissuaded punter writes

Sir,

If FISA is happy with the degeneration of Formula One racing into a vast, money-consuming advertising campaign, so be it.

We can (and do) spend our time watching more varied racing. What the advertisers themselves might ponder is that for many spectators, the shady dealings (and thoroughly unsportsmanlike behaviour) which punctuated the series in 1992 have backfired on them. Negative associations have indelibly linked two car manufacturers, one petrol supplier, a brewery and a camera manufacturer with products I just won’t want to buy.

Like many, I am a typical consumer of all of these. The various company’s shareholders may eventually wake up to the fact that they are alienating potential customers, and attempt to bring back order, but there is plenty of research to indicate that a disenchanted punter is one of the hardest to pull back.

The sad fact is that, as a medium, Formula One racing will not have that ability, and the money will go to other sports.

Is that progress?

John Purser, Suffolk.