Dull

[ramilas1]

What appeals to me about the Pirelli situation is that it is fair, in the sense that all the teams have the same product to work with and the same access to it (secret testing notwithstanding) but crucially, they don't have control over it. This, coupled with the characteristics of the tyres, means that teams have had to widen their narrow performance windows to give themselves some flexibility with tyre usage, bringing the optimum within closer reach of the less well resourced teams - not necessarily over a season, inevitably, but at least for specific cars at specific races.
.....
In my ideal world, having the tyres as an unpredictable factor should allow other areas of the car to be opened up for development, and hopefully next season this will happen with the engine and ERS, if nothing else. Thus over a season, the team that does the best job collects the cups, while we retain the week-by-week uncertainty of who is going to be fighting for the win.

Thanks Galahad that sums up what I've been thinking most of this season while silently fuming at so much vitriol against Pirelli.

As a bit of a sports fanatic (real ones not show-off exhibition type ones) I don't recollect many 'dull' events in my past viewing.

Austria v W Germany in the 1982 World Cup developed into one as soon as the Germans scored - 1-0 suited both to qualify.
..... and Indianapolis 2005 wasn't exhilirating, but that wasn't the fault of the six drivers who took part.

 

[Hamberg]

I want equality across all teams (DRS penalises the driver ahead), same rules for qualifying tyres across the whole grid and to never hear Hamilton being told not to race, Vettel being told to hold position and Button asking if he should defend.

Monaco may be considered dull but I saw a couple of wow moves on Sunday and I'd rather have a couple of those than 50 breeze pasts. Besides which when you have a track that is largely considered driver over car how can you not want it there?

Ban pit car radio would be a very simple way to throw it back on the driver - only in emergencies such as double waved yellows/black flag worthy damage should it be allowed. Warning drivers how some are overtaking, what tyres they are on, what delta times to chase and the whinging about other drivers unfair moves is too much (unless it's Kimi, he can stay).

I don't like tyres that can't go over a bit of debris without blowing up but I agree everyone is in the same position so need to work with it. We saw the same situation in the first half of last season.

 

[Hamberg]

Force early retirement on Adrian Newey and Sam Michael to do compulsory 3 month secondments during each season at Red Bull, Ferrari and Lotus.

 

[Road of Bones]

Shiny cars being loud and going (fairly) fast - what's "dull" about that?

I would argue that when people use the word "dull" to describe a race, what they really mean is that it was disappointing for them on some level - be that a lack of competitive overtakes, or a failure of a favoured team/driver to perform to expectation, or an untroubled lights-to-flag victory, perhaps.

Once armed with the opinion that the spectacle has become "dull", then it is remarkably difficult to "un-dull" (or perhaps we should suggest "brighten" here) the show to the satisfaction of all parties - be they the teams, the fans or the governing body.

I will confess to experiencing intense frustration, disappointment and occasionally even fury at the current version of the F1 show we are given, but I accept that for all the Canada or Suzuka 2011 delights, there must be a leavening dirge of Winfinger lights-to-flag exercises, and interminable Horner interviews talking about how chuffing marvellous his team and drivers are. Them's the breaks!

It doesn't stop me watching every race, in the expectation that just possibly McLaren will get it right one weekend, or Jenson will pull off another of his 14th-to-victory races, or that Vettel might crash and break his obnoxious finger, or whether Kimi will drop out another delicious soundbite, or indeed that Rosberg will stomp all over a race and make everyone else look rather amateur...I don't think I could ever describe it as "dull" in that respect.

 

[teabagyokel]

I suppose the last three years have taught me one thing - when most races are good, no-one appreciates the average; but when most races are shit, the average stands out.
Some of the races some have been bitching about would have been 10/10 in 2005.

 

[Titch]

It's always good when your favourite driver wins, but it's dull when he wins without a challenge. A good race is when there is some racing. The best racing, at least for me, is when it's at the front. Two maybe three, drivers fighting it out in a really close battle until they cross the line and the flag drops. It has you on your feet screaming at the TV, ( or hiding behind the sofa, because you can't bear to watch) or actually at the circuit, screaming at the drivers. ( No sofas there though). Now that's exciting. It's what I always hope for, doesn't happen much though.

 

[MCLS]

Nurburgring 2011 was a brilliant example of that with Hamilton, Alonso and Webber

 

[Hamberg]

I actually quite liked it when Hamilton went down to 4th at Monaco. I enjoyed that race more watching great driving than if they'd carried on the procession and he finished 2nd.