Hill: Formula One must not forget its purpose.

As the new season fast approaches, British Racing Drivers' Club president Damon Hill has warned the FIA that Formula One is playing a perilous game if it continues to alienate fans and turn away viewers.

The 1996 world champion claimed the sport was in danger of heading down a very rocky path indeed unless it rapidly addresses the cause of the issue that over the past number of years has seen erstwhile supporters turning away in their droves. He said although motor racing was undeniably a multi-billion pound business, it nevertheless retained an essential duty to put on a show.

"I think there's a balance that has to be struck between the business of motorsport and the reason the sport exists," the 46-year old stressed. "It exists up to a certain plateau for the people who want to participate in it, but there's also the entertainment factor. A good driver loves to entertain and go out there in front of big crowds."

Hill said with stars such as Jacques Villeneuve and Eddie Irvine having departed the fray, grand prix racing was rapidly losing the maverick characters that for decades have been the sport's heart and soul, adding it was running the risk of begetting an assembly line of faceless automatons.

"In Formula One now, you see the trend of restraining drivers' personalities in favour of the corporate sponsors they are representing," he continued. "When I watched Formula One as a kid, I didn't care what the sticker on the side of the car said. I simply wanted to support my favourite driver. It's very easy to forget that everything is paid for by the 350 million people who turn on the TV, and if they are not turning on then there's a problem."