My Views on F1

[Son of Bob]

The whole of F1 is turning into a bit of a joke now days. I have been an avid viewer since the late 70's and whilst I remain loyal to it now, it rarely provides the thrills I remember back in those days. It's become an over-governed technological freak show with all the suspense and wheel to wheel battling of a walk in the park with my daughters push chair.

 

We now have to endure an era where races are won and lost on how much a team has spent on the latest carbon fibre flicked up oddity to be born of their £50 billion wind tunnel facilty in Switzerland (or wherever). An era where drivers are positively discouraged from having the bare faced cheek to overtake someone anywhere other than in the pit lane and if they do, they'll be swifly punished with a time penalty. An era where the governing body unashamedly show favouritism to one particular team and somehow manage to get away with it, assumably because they are the governing body and no-one can question them.

 

It makes my blood boil and whilst Hamilton has his rough edges, he shows the balls and raw-driving talent that made F1 the amazing spectacle it once was. Punishing him for the first corner incident at Japan was a ****ing joke. No more, no less. The precedant has been set now and unless every driver who causes any sort of incident like that in the first bend is punished equally it will again show the FIAs prejudice.

 

The time penalties thrown around by the FIA are absolutely comical and soon it's going to get to the stage where F1 becomes nothing more than show jumping with wheels. It'll be a case of everyone finishing the race and then adding up their time penalties to see who the winner is.

 

It ****ing ****es me off I tell you...

 

Rant over and here's a glimpse of what F1 is all about for the younger amongst you. Think how many time penalties Arnoux would have got for this little tussle (obviously Villeneuve would be exempt due to driving a Ferrari).

 

And for what it's worth, Jeremy Clarkson is right. Gilles Villeneuve was the greatest driver ever in F1 and I don't mind admitting I cried like a baby when he was killed in Belgium.

 

[badgerx16]

The thing I can't get is why they have to use two different tyre compounds, when usually one sort is completely unsuited to the track conditions. What is the point of that ?

I think Bernie E is making up new rules each year, and p155ing around with the calendar, just to show how much power he has. Why stop Canada, ( ostensibly on the grounds of cutting travel costs ), but keep Brazil, ( which is a lot further away from anywhere else on the GP circus ). There have been ( not so ) veiled threats against the British and Belgian GPs, yet we get Valencia, yet another boring street circuit, and a race around a sandpit in middle east.

[Arizona]

I like some of the new Circuits, like Shanghai and Kuala Lumpor, but I still think we need to retain some of the older ones.

 

It's sad that Spa and Silverstone have both been threatened, when in reality they usually throw up some of the most exciting races of the season. Same with the Japanese Grand Prix being rotated between Fuji and Suzuka to keep Honda and Toyota happy, when Suzuka was already a brilliant race track.

 

Canada I can understand, in that it's miles away from any other track now Indiana has gone, and I'm not so sure Canadians are huge F1 fans. I'd rather we kept Brazil from a racing perspective.

 

Personally I think the Valencia GP can f*ck off. Street races are generally boring without rain. We have Monaco and Singapore, and Barcelona GP already in spain. I think the whole concept of a European GP is pointless anyway.

 

How long before we get a Russian GP do you think?

[Ponty]

The new Russian circuit is underway but the claim is that it won't be tendering a bid to stage a Grand Prix. Time will tell I guess.

[bridge too far]

I guess the FIA is looking to where the money is in future. Hence places like the Far East, Brazil, the Middle East at the expense of 'poor' nations like Canada, France (lost out today) and UK.

 

I don't care anymore and I've been a fan for decades too. I won't be interested again until fairness comes back into the sport - if it lasts that long.

[St Landrew]

I like some of the new Circuits, like Shanghai and Kuala Lumpor, but I still think we need to retain some of the older ones.

 

It's sad that Spa and Silverstone have both been threatened, when in reality they usually throw up some of the most exciting races of the season. Same with the Japanese Grand Prix being rotated between Fuji and Suzuka to keep Honda and Toyota happy, when Suzuka was already a brilliant race track.

 

Canada I can understand, in that it's miles away from any other track now Indiana has gone, and I'm not so sure Canadians are huge F1 fans. I'd rather we kept Brazil from a racing perspective.

 

Personally I think the Valencia GP can f*ck off. Street races are generally boring without rain. We have Monaco and Singapore, and Barcelona GP already in spain. I think the whole concept of a European GP is pointless anyway.

 

How long before we get a Russian GP do you think?

 

Pretty much my views too. I find it incredible in a motorsport where overtaking is so hard to do, that street circuit races are endured. They may appeal to some romantic idea of racing, but as entertainment they are very much a processional affair. The exception being Singapore, this season, where the circuit was almost as wide as a track. But even that race was rescued by the safety car. I know I'm in a tiny minority here, but I can't for the life of me think why Monaco has been persisted with, when it has produced some of the most mind numbingly boring races over the recent years. For me, a great race involves overtaking. Not one or two stop strategies, where a split second in pitting a driver, at exactly the right moment, means that he doesn't get stuck behind a slightly slower bloke for 22 laps and loses the race. You can have that too, but it should only be a bonus, not the main event. Next season, the parameters change once again, and it is to be hoped that overtaking will become much easier. Then even Monaco may become something to watch again.

 

Ecclestone can play with the circuits, p!ss people off, all he wants in his search for new and improved venues. But the trick is to make F1 competitive, exciting and fair. That could be done at Croft and Thruxton just as well as it can be done at new tracks in Russia. If the racing is close, and there is plenty of overtaking, Bernie won't be able to keep the crowds away. Experts can point to particular mitigating circumstances and reasons, but it's not really that Magny Cours was out in the sticks, or Montreal is too far away. F1 is expensive, often boring [and occasionally allegedly fixed, it seems] and people just won't turn up when the thrill is gone.

 

IMO, in the present economic climate there should be a realistic financial cap on the research and development resources spent to go with the new rules from next season, so that minor teams can compete properly. I'm not suggesting A1 motor racing, but at least it could be tried as an idea.

Edited 16 October, 2008 by St Landrew

[Ponty]

Please don't forget that, especially in the UK, hastily enforced budget caps will finish the careers of many people. The engine freeze put thousands of people out of work alone.

 

I don't see why a cap is necessary anyway. You might gain some smaller teams but you'll lose the big names who feel the sport has become diluted. It's all swings and roundabouts IMO.

[Arizona]

Pretty much my views too. I find it incredible in a motorsport where overtaking is so hard to do, that street circuit races are endured. They may appeal to some romantic idea of racing, but as entertainment they are very much a processional affair. The exception being Singapore, this season, where the circuit was almost as wide as a track. But even that race was rescued by the safety car. I know I'm in a tiny minority here, but I can't for the life of me think why Monaco has been persisted with, when it has produced some of the most mind numbingly boring races over the recent years. For me, a great race involves overtaking. Not one or two stop strategies, where a split second in pitting a driver, at exactly the right moment, means that he doesn't get stuck behind a slightly slower bloke for 22 laps and loses the race. You can have that too, but it should only be a bonus, not the main event. Next season, the parameters change once again, and it is to be hoped that overtaking will become much easier. Then even Monaco may become something to watch again.

 

Ecclestone can play with the circuits, p!ss people off, all he wants in his search for new and improved venues. But the trick is to make F1 competitive, exciting and fair. That could be done at Croft and Thruxton just as well as it can be done at new tracks in Russia. If the racing is close, and there is plenty of overtaking, Bernie won't be able to keep the crowds away. Experts can point to particular mitigating circumstances and reasons, but it's not really that Magny Cours was out in the sticks, or Montreal is too far away. F1 is expensive, often boring [and occasionally allegedly fixed, it seems] and people just won't turn up when the thrill is gone.

 

IMO, in the present economic climate there should be a realistic financial cap on the research and development resources spent to go with the new rules from next season, so that minor teams can compete properly. I'm not suggesting A1 motor racing, but at least it could be tried as an idea.

 

Monaco isn't about the racing, it's about going to a Casino with Girls Aloud after the race. Of course that doesn't mean a thing to anyone sat at home, but I'm sure Max, Bernie, Flavio et. al. just can't resist the chance to rub shoulders with the rich and famous in Europe's most exclusive city.

 

Regarding fans not turning up you are, rightly or wrongly, wrong, if that makes sense. Even in 2004 when Michael winning was about as likely as the sun rising, hundreds of thousands of people paid Thousands of pounds to come to a Grand Prix weekend. Even with all the bullsh*t politics going on and a lack of overtaking, people aren't going to stop going to F1 races. It's not like football, to some it's almost like a holiday. There are probably as many petrol-heads as football fans in the world and an F1 race is the world cup final every fortnight.

 

Please don't forget that, especially in the UK, hastily enforced budget caps will finish the careers of many people. The engine freeze put thousands of people out of work alone.

 

I don't see why a cap is necessary anyway. You might gain some smaller teams but you'll lose the big names who feel the sport has become diluted. It's all swings and roundabouts IMO.

 

Something needs to be done which will limit the budget enough for small independant teams to be competitive, but wont put off the big names.

 

Things like free tyres. I am not sure if they are free to teams at the moment, but surely the publicity gained from supplying the whole paddock with rubber (except Max's office) more than compensates for the cost of 520 (28 tyres x 20 cars?) tyres every other weekend.

 

I don't know who pays for what, it's just an idea. Another good one would be standardised parts, such as gearboxs and suspensions. Big names would still be able to show off who has the best aero package or most powerful engine, but the small teams wouldn't be bankrupt trying to shave a few grams off their wing mirrors every season.

[Ponty]

They just need to allow customer cars which are ineligible for WCC points. It would allow small budget teams to be driver focussed.

[St Landrew]

Why no replies about the lack of overtaking..? Or is that a done argument..? If so, the fans of F1 are a pretty easy bunch to entertain. They'll go wild if and when it starts to become the normality, rather than the exception.

 

As for the consistency of crowds, I beg to differ. Even back in Schui's time, the allegded bias wasn't anywhere near so blatant, even though the decisions seemed to go with Michael a lot of the time during his years at Ferrari. Anyone can eventually be cheesed off, especially if they don't wear a red cap with pride. All it takes is enough time and motivation. And F1 and the FIA seem to be making every effort.

[Johnny Shearer]

I say bring back the six wheeled Tyrell! (spelling?)

[Arizona]

Why no replies about the lack of overtaking..? Or is that a done argument..? If so, the fans of F1 are a pretty easy bunch to entertain. They'll go wild if and when it starts to become the normality, rather than the exception.

 

As for the consistency of crowds, I beg to differ. Even back in Schui's time, the allegded bias wasn't anywhere near so blatant, even though the decisions seemed to go with Michael a lot of the time during his years at Ferrari. Anyone can eventually be cheesed off, especially if they don't wear a red cap with pride. All it takes is enough time and motivation. And F1 and the FIA seem to be making every effort.

 

I don't think a lack of overtaking is necessarily going to put people off. There have been lots of very interesting races, most recently Singapore, in which there was very little overtaking.

 

No matter how biased the FIA appear towards Ferrari, there are enough Ferrari fans alone to keep F1 in the public eye. When I went to Spa a couple of months ago, litterally half the fans and merchandise stalls were Ferrari mad.

[No 2 to Maybush]

My take, FWIW. Bring back slicks, gearlevers, reduce downforce and drop refuelling. Cars to carry sufficient fuel to finish the race. Pitstops only for tyrechanges. Then we'd see how many of the nonces can actually drive a car properly and nurse it to the finish of a race.

[St Landrew]

My take, FWIW. Bring back slicks, gearlevers, reduce downforce and drop refuelling. Cars to carry sufficient fuel to finish the race. Pitstops only for tyrechanges. Then we'd see how many of the nonces can actually drive a car properly and nurse it to the finish of a race.

 

Well they are doing that, but I agree, bring it all back. Put the driver in the driving seat, so to speak.

[No 2 to Maybush]

I've a question - perhaps Ponty will know the answer. Do the cars still have bargeboards on their underside? If so, do they still have to be a specified thickness at the end of the race?

[St Landrew]

I don't think a lack of overtaking is necessarily going to put people off. There have been lots of very interesting races, most recently Singapore, in which there was very little overtaking.

 

No matter how biased the FIA appear towards Ferrari, there are enough Ferrari fans alone to keep F1 in the public eye. When I went to Spa a couple of months ago, litterally half the fans and merchandise stalls were Ferrari mad.

 

You've just proved my point Arizona. F1 fans are a pretty easy bunch to entertain. You must surely remember the days when overtaking was much more common, and not the exception..? It was much, much more exciting. I've fallen asleep watching some F1 races over the last 10-15 years, and it hasn't been because of incessant adverts, Steve Rider's or Jim Rosenthal's presentation, having had a couple of drinks, or my advancing age either. It's because it is processional and relatively unexciting. If British drivers weren't in the field I honestly wouldn't watch. LH and JB just about get me to turn the TV on and hope like hell it'll be better than the last race. Yes, there are some good races, but only relatively good, compared to the standard level over the season. Basically, F1 is still rather boring, and recently it appears to have been unfair, and boring. And the most interesting bit has been the curious penalties bestowed on various drivers, not the racing.

 

Perhaps I just don't like 4-wheeled racing that much..? But the BTCC manages to be exciting, even though the event is far lower key. But they overtake each other much more, so that could have something to do with it.

[Arizona]

I've a question - perhaps Ponty will know the answer. Do the cars still have bargeboards on their underside? If so, do they still have to be a specified thickness at the end of the race?

 

I believe they do, it's something to do with preventing the cars running too low and bottoming out, which is what caused the crash that killed Senna. AFAIK they have yet to discover a more effective way of doing this than measuring the wear on a bit of wood.

 

Sure Ponty can confirm this for us.

 

You've just proved my point Arizona. F1 fans are a pretty easy bunch to entertain. You must surely remember the days when overtaking was much more common, and not the exception..? It was much, much more exciting. I've fallen asleep watching some F1 races over the last 10-15 years, and it hasn't been because of incessant adverts, Steve Rider's or Jim Rosenthal's presentation, having had a couple of drinks, or my advancing age either. It's because it is processional and relatively unexciting. If British drivers weren't in the field I honestly wouldn't watch. LH and JB just about get me to turn the TV on and hope like hell it'll be better than the last race. Yes, there are some good races, but only relatively good, compared to the standard level over the season. Basically, F1 is still rather boring, and recently it appears to have been unfair, and boring. And the most interesting bit has been the curious penalties bestowed on various drivers, not the racing.

 

Perhaps I just don't like 4-wheeled racing that much..? But the BTCC manages to be exciting, even though the event is far lower key. But they overtake each other much more, so that could have something to do with it.

 

Well, I would have been 5 years old then, so no in all honnesty I don't remember.

 

The first race I can remember watching in full was the 1997 German Grand Prix, which was won by Gehard Berger. I have been a big fan of David Coulthard since he won the Italian Grand Prix a month later.

 

I have seen enough on youtube to know Senna was a driving God, but never saw him drive live on TV. Probably better this way, I don't know what I'm missing out on.

 

It's a shame McLaren didn't sign Button to replace Alonso. Reckon he'd have done at least as good a job as Heikki has this season.

 

Bike racing I've just never got into. I've tried watching races numerous times on TV, but it just doesn't turn me on, no matter how close the racing is.

[Son of Bob]

I believe they do, it's something to do with preventing the cars running too low and bottoming out, which is what caused the crash that killed Senna. AFAIK they have yet to discover a more effective way of doing this than measuring the wear on a bit of wood.

 

Sure Ponty can confirm this for us.

 

 

 

Well, I would have been 5 years old then, so no in all honnesty I don't remember.

 

The first race I can remember watching in full was the 1997 German Grand Prix, which was won by Gehard Berger. I have been a big fan of David Coulthard since he won the Italian Grand Prix a month later.

 

I have seen enough on youtube to know Senna was a driving God, but never saw him drive live on TV. Probably better this way, I don't know what I'm missing out on.

 

It's a shame McLaren didn't sign Button to replace Alonso. Reckon he'd have done at least as good a job as Heikki has this season.

 

Bike racing I've just never got into. I've tried watching races numerous times on TV, but it just doesn't turn me on, no matter how close the racing is.

 

I think Button would have done a much better job than Heikki to be honest. He's one of those drivers that will never realize his potential. His smoothness and understanding of corners is a joy to watch but he's never had the car to prove himself in. He always seems to make bad moves at the wrong time! I reckon if he'd been in a McLaren this year he'd have been challenging for the title as no-one has really stood out this season.

[Ponty]

Re. Bargeboards; strictly speaking a bargeboard is the aero piece in front of the sidepod duct (as sporting the Becks logo in Arizona's avatar). The piece you're referring to is given the highly technical nomenclature "Plank", and the answer is pretty much exactly as Arizona said. It doesn't prevent the car running low, and there was a lot of bottoming out at Singapore and at Eau Rouge at Spa, but it gives the scrutineers a measurable way of determining exactly how low the cars are running, to ensure they're within the legal spec.

[St Landrew]

Arizona, I know what you mean about motorbike racing. Funnily enough, I couldn't get into it myself until a few years back. 1] because you couldn't find it broadcast on terrestial TV [and no way was I getting SKY] and 2] I thought I'd left bikes back in my younger days, and I'd sort of grown up.

 

It was the first season the Beeb started broadcasting MotoGP, along with CH4 doing some other championships [british/World Superbike, etc..] that made me kind of stand up and take notice. There was also this feeling which hit me about the cornering of those bikes. I simply couldn't believe the angle of lean the riders achieved without falling off. You may think, so what..? But I was squirming in my chair almost shouting GET UP..! It became a bit infectious, and after about 3 races I started to become hooked. The presentation was just right [suzi Perry and Matt Roberts], the commentators [Charlie Cox and Steve Parrish] were excellent, and the racing was utterly amazing during the time I was just getting into it. Luckily, there was also this bloke called Valentino Rossi, who I'd heard about, who sometimes used to qualify quite badly, and then come through the field to win, or nearly win. And it was amazing to watch. OK, the racing has been up and down a bit, but mostly up, and watching MotoGP got me back riding motorbikes. I only wish I'd done it earlier, because I've been missing out on all this fun by being Captain Sensible, solely on 4 wheels, for the past 10 years.

[tommi]

Some interesting comments on here.... I hope you guys have filled in the fans survey?

 

http://www.ingf1racingmagazinefansurvey.com/