Formula 1 racing

[ShinySideUp]

I stopped watching F1 in earnest a couple of years ago due to the processionary nature of the business and have largely stopped altogether now that Lewis Hamilton always wins by a large margin and by his politicisation of the 'sport'. Quite a few, if not all, of my friends and acquaintances have also stopped watching it as it is in their opinion dull and boring but is this a general trend wherein people have switched to motoGP, Superbikes or touring cars for their motor racing 'fix' or just in my little corner of Cornwall?

Have you finally given up on Formula 1 racing? If not, what keeps you interested when the commentators focus on the 'battle for 14th place' as it's the only part where two cars are close enough to be considered 'racing'?

Just curious. I used to love F1 but now...?

 

[user 6127]

F1 has been a procession for years. Its been a long time since it offered any real action on the track, week after week, consistently. Just think back to when Schumacher and Alonso dominated.

They have boring old 'heritage' racetracks, where modern F1 cars can't do anything. Think of Monaco, when did we last have an overtake of any substance there? 1982? France Paul Ricard is the same. Singapore is the same, but not heritage. There are some races where watching 5 days of test Cricket that ends in a draw provide more entertainment.

When the new Concorde agreement comes into place, it should mix things up a little bit.

Over the last couple of years, the mid field teams have really pulled themselves up, and are closer, but not close enough. The top 3 of HAM BOT VER is getting boring, and I think Liberty know this.

Im edging towards the F2 races nowadays. They defiantly have alot more action, overtaking and crazy 'lets just try it' dives up the inside.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

If you want entertainment try NASCAR. Being brutally honest it's the crashes that provide the attraction.

 

[AubMar]

Yes must agree, back in the 80's there was real racing with V10's and 12's, and even made all the right sounds - Advances in technology didn't help the sport, it just added more rules and regulations to slow them down - even banned the guy that used to almost do a dance on the finish line with the chequered flag - Yes watch a hive of bees foraging is more entertaining these days!

 

[drdrday]

Completely agree ShinySideUp! I'd been a huge F1 fan since I was a teen (as in never missed a race or qualifying for anything short of a family wedding, and even then would have to sneak off). Went to the British GP more times than I can count as well as Spa and Monza. About 5 years ago I completely gave up. It was a bit of a slippery slope to me becoming a non-fan. It just started to feel like there was too much messing around with changing the format. I hated losing fuel stops and tyre changes - in my opinion that ruled out a huge strategical side to the sport (that I really enjoyed) making it much more processional. I also missed the old qualifying format. I for one enjoyed the anticipation of waiting for all the cars to come out at the last moment, see who was bravest to leave it to the last second, or who timed it just right in wet conditions with the right tyres. Of course TV coverage was also a big factor in my lack of interest. There was the move to ITV (I hated adverts interrupting), changes of presenters and then the money grabbing loss of live coverage for all races unless you paid, the move to channel 4... The list goes on but I just don't even bother catching the results any more. I'm not interested if I can't enjoy watching the actual races.

 

[ShinySideUp]

I agree that the race tracks leave a lot to be desired. Monaco, as is mentioned, is a great spectacle for the Monegasques and certainly, COVID aside, puts a lot of money into the sport but oh dear, what a dull race this is. It is so narrow that if they gave me pole position in a modern farm tractor I'd almost certainly win and the race would be just as interesting.

 

[user 819]

I prefer TDF or cycle events where only tactics and human endeavour is the main difference, other wise it is motorcycle racing.

F1 is dull.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Well, it won't be long before people see sense at the wasteful burning of tons of hydrocarbon fuel, to say nothing on the damage to people's hearing for no real purpose, start investigating electric power and the whole scam could be changed to a kind of extreme dodgems

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Well, it won't be long before people see sense at the wasteful burning of tons of hydrocarbon fuel, to say nothing on the damage to people's hearing for no real purpose, start investigating electric power and the whole scam could be changed to a kind of extreme dodgems

How about sand yachting Emyr?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

How about sand yachting Emyr?

sounds good - it will keep the buggers out of the water

 

[Angry_Mob]

This was proper racing, more excitement in 3 laps than three seasons of F1. Was literally on the edge of my seat watching this.




I stopped watching Moto GP though, Marquez dominates now (although I believe hes currently out with an injury) and BBC lost the rights years back in 2013 so was never the same.

 

[ShinySideUp]

This was proper racing, more excitement in 3 laps than three seasons of F1. Was literally on the edge of my seat watching this.

I stopped watching Moto GP though, Marquez dominates now (although I believe hes currently out with an injury) and BBC lost the rights years back in 2013 so was never the same.

Marquez is indeed out of it but Motogp is still very good even if it's on BT Sport although perhaps nothing anywhere will be as close as that race was...unless you watch Moto3 where every single race is like that with sometimes 10 riders crossing the finish line with no more than a second between 1st and 10th!

 

[Swarm]

Speedway. Much better live, you never forget the smell.

 

[oliver90owner]

My view is that Hamilton could have won all the races this ‘season’ - had he not been bottled up by Bottas in those he missed out on. He is streets ahead of the rest, if he has clean air.

 

[ShinySideUp]

My view is that Hamilton could have won all the races this ‘season’ - had he not been bottled up by Bottas in those he missed out on. He is streets ahead of the rest, if he has clean air.

Unfortunately this does not make for good racing.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Speedway. Much better live, you never forget the smell.

Castrol R?

 

[buchaness]

fully agree, Moto gp and bsb every time, Loved F1 in its day bit thats long gone, too much wings and not enough actual racing

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Just boring even at the race track. The most exciting part of the whole experience is trying to get out of the car park to go home.

 

[Swarm]

Castrol R?

Castrol R is nice too. No, Speedway is Methanol and is something else. 500cc single cylinder Jawa, single huge gear sprocket and no brakes, four laps of excitement per heat.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Castrol R is nice too. No, Speedway is Methanol and is something else. 500cc single cylinder Jawa, single huge gear sprocket and no brakes, four laps of excitement per heat.

Years ago I lived in Coventry and used to frequent Brandon Speedway track on the stock car nights. One particularly entertaining evening saw a driver baulk one of the leaders and both cars ended up locked together off the track. Drivers got out and traded punches until the lights were switched off