Bringing F1 to SA too costly and unfeasible

Politicians – and their fellow travellers on the gravy train, sports administrators – love dreaming big. And lest you get the impression this is something peculiar to the current government, then consider the past.

Back in the 1990s, both Durban and Cape Town pitched to host the Olympic Games. Both were unsuccessful, which did little to dampen the self-centred national hubris of the Madiba years.

We were more successful in nabbing a world extravaganza with the World Cup in 2010.

It was an amazing boost for national morale and nation-building… but that euphoria wore off quickly and we effectively lost scores of billions of rands which could have been better used to combat poverty and reduce the gap between rich and poor.

That is the truth about these mega events: cities or countries which host them end up paying for years afterwards.

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Which is why South Africa simply cannot afford Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie’s populist project to bring Formula One motor racing back to South Africa, after an absence of 40 years.

It’s going to cost a fortune – which will never be recouped in terms of positive publicity and, theoretically, the boost in tourism numbers which accompanies that favourable marketing.

The licensing and associated costs of hosting a Grand Prix also far exceed the supposed boost for the economy, which will result from the visit of the F1 circus of teams and the media.

Then there is the reality – sorry, motorsport fans – that F1 is a minority elite “sport” which has very little “trickle down” impact on underprivileged communities.

Leaving aside some charity donations, the event will be way out of the reach of ordinary South Africans when it comes to ticket prices, too.

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Forget it, minister. Donate the costs of your planned Monaco trip – to pitch the idea – to a sports academy in a township…