It is an inevitable phenomenon that a sport called "Formula One" is emerging (or has already emerged?) from a pure sport convention to entertainment, just like any other sport events such as the Olympics and soccer. In fact, F1 sport has produced racers whose annual incomes rank at the top of many world professional sports persons. Unimaginably large sums of money are transacted for the TV broadcasting rights between major sponsors. Supporting network businesses such as PR, broadcasting and publishing have also been established. Ever since the US took an interest in the sport, I am convinced that a great number of people in related businesses are delighted to receive the benefit from this involvement.

Is F1, however, truly recognized as entertainment like the film industry? Certainly F1 racers are idolized like movie stars and actors, and their team managers play roles similar to that of movie directors. Since both events make profits from the audience who pay for the entry tickets, it may be no exaggeration to say that F1 is an entertainment or show business. As a matter of fact Hollywood is now established as an entity with an enormous influence on the film industry that cannot be ignored. In Europe (or should I say anywhere other than Hollywood), on the other hand, there exist film industries who dismiss the over-the-top commercialization and criticize the lack of art in Hollywood films. Just as European film stake holders take advantage of Hollywood, so will the European-born F1 continue to use the American superpower... with determination to maintain its status one step away from its influence.

The Formula One has pride in its history and status that rank in a different league from motor sports in Japan or USA, which have become giant nations of motor vehicle mass production, also supported by the fact that the F1 technology in machinery production is too advanced for the American or the Japanese to copy at the moment. Beside the fact of the F1's ever increasing flurry of festivity each year, the devoted technicians regard the F1 no more than a field for their technology competition as they chase the one-hundredth second faster speed. For their pure child-like enthusiasm to compete in producing a car that can run faster than any others, the box-office proceeds or broadcast rights has no significance. This is another point which shows the difference between a country that produces things that can sell and one that creates things that are good.