Exciting championship vs exciting races

Which would you prefer?


  • Total voters
    26

Josephiah

Podium Finisher
Obviously, the ideal answer is "exciting everything", but if you were stuck with one or the other, which would you choose?

(Obviously, this is basically a 2010 vs 2011 question masquerading as something more interesting...)
 
I went with a title battle, kind of like last year, that said 2010 was the best recent memory season as each part of the season delivered big thrills and spills.

on the first option if it goes to the wire it means every race is exciting. The latter option lends itself to 2011 situation, good racing but just a boring one horse race.
 
We've had some really good races in 2011...and I hope it continues even if the WDC is decided by, say, Monza.

If you look back at 2010, you needed variable weather Qually and or Races in order to make a number of them interesting/exciting (eg Australia, Malaysia, China, Belgium, Korea).

There's been no rain in any Qually or GP this year...yet we're getting amazing races.

It's a no-brainer that we want 'exciting everything', but as a fan for 30 years, I always tuned in to see the actual races.

In years past, once the title was decided, everyone would go flat out because no one was worried about "driving for points" only.

Those races were, at times, more entertaining as a result.
 
I'll have the exciting races, thanks.

Even if this happens:
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We've had some really good races in 2011...and I hope it continues even if the WDC is decided by, say, Monza.

If you look back at 2010, you needed variable weather Qually and or Races in order to make a number of them interesting/exciting (eg Australia, Malaysia, China, Belgium, Korea).

There's been no rain in any Qually or GP this year...yet we're getting amazing races.

It's a no-brainer that we want 'exciting everything', but as a fan for 30 years, I always tuned in to see the actual races.

In years past, once the title was decided, everyone would go flat out because no one was worried about "driving for points" only.

Those races were, at times, more entertaining as a result.

The last line I definately agree with. The final race 1995 in Australia I always seem to remember for being a bit of a crazy fun race even though nothing was up for grabs.
 
I swithered a lot before answering my own question. I think (whilst I somewhat agree with Sarinaide that a close championship makes the races exciting) that on the whole I go for the immediate satisfaction of an exciting race. This year's have generally been genuinely exciting, even when I've been forced to follow along on live text and timing only.
 
Oddly enough, I voted without reading all previous posts and went for a multi-way battle for the championship.

Yes, I do like exciting races, but really don't want the WDC decided before half the races have taken place - apart from anything else, I think the drivers become demotivated (why risk your neck for something you can't win) and the track action decreases sharply.

This year has been extraordinary but 2010 wasn't too shabby - so would quite happily settle for a repeat of 2010, different WDC though please
 
... apart from anything else, I think the drivers become demotivated (why risk your neck for something you can't win) and the track action decreases sharply.

I don't know if the drivers look at it that way.

Firstly, they LOVE driving. Look at Kubica! He needed to race in the off season.

Secondly, they're being paid and the fans and sponsors are coming to see them perform...and the mechanics, team owners and engineers depend on their drivers to give it everything.

Often, mechanics bonuses are determined by where their car finishes in the races.

Further, if you're demotivated, the next driver will make mince meat of you and the team managers will take note.

There are a lot of drivers out there and not that many seats...and if you don't show up, you're likely to be shown the door, IMO.

But who knows...I might be totally off base.

James Hunt once said that if you're not on it every lap, you risk a shunt...and a shunt at 175 MPH is virtually the same as a shunt at 190 MPH.

What's the difference, he proclaimed.

Lastly, 80 percent of the grid know they "can't win"...but that doesn't stop the likes of Buemi from beating Alguersauri...or Heikki from out-qualifying Trulli 6-0...or of Kobayashi from giving it everything so he can get a better seat...or Di Resta from impressing Mercedes.

Cheers.
 
I'll take exciting races, anytime.

When it comes to the WDC, in the latter stages of the season, leaders in the championship all too frequently become "accountants", more interested in accumulating points than in going for wins.
 
That must hell Jo - no pictures, don't think I could do that :o
Working in a country where the internet connection isn't really up to video, iplayer is inaccessible, 5live F1 is blocked due to rights restrictions, and proxies are blocked - so yeah, somewhat frustrating at times! Still, back to the UK in time to catch Silverstone :)
 
A championship battle any day. I love watching exciting races, but unless there is excitment at the top as well as in the high to mid field, it is just a false economy. As I keep saying, this year is basically a re-run of 2004 with a few more overtakes behind the leader and the leader having a team mate who either has an inferior car or is just not good enough to be in that seat.
 
I go for exciting races any day - I'd kind of forgotten what it felt like until this season but maybe thats me.

Watched the Monoco GP with my Dad(the reason I got in to F1 in the first place) and have to say for the last half of the race neither of us could stay in our chairs we were that excited and were both shouting at the TV and the commentry team (my Dad has this issue with them saying p7 - whats wrong with 7th he says) especially when Vettel, Alonso and Button were all together near the end. The whole thing concluded with me throwing one of the sofa cusions at the TV when we found out they could change tyres on the grid though. Even though it left me feeling cheated it made me remember why I watched F1 in the first place and the whole time I was watching I didn't once think about the title race at all! so bring on the excitment I say.
 
I have to admit to going for exciting races. I'm not sure I agree with Rick's comparison with 2004 as Schumie just ran away with everything and, from what I remember, there was no serious challenge and not much racing down the field either. I think there is still a lot of racing to come this season and although Vettel has a "healthy" lead he's not uncatchable.
 
A very pertinent question.

I'd go for the exciting races every time. The same driver may have won five of the first six, but the last two I was on the edge of my seat, and since I've no strong allegiance to any one driver, seeing a victory that has been well-earned is what gives me pleasure.

What if F1, like Tennis, had no world championship as such, but was simply a series of races, with some inevitably having more status than others ('majors' if you like)? Would that make the drivers more likely to 'go for it' every weekend? I'm not necessarily advocating that, but I think it would be an interesting experiment (if only you could stop people calcuating their own unofficial standings!)
 
Ah, Mr Galahad, Sir, I not sure if it was a post on here or in "another place" but I suggested doing away with the Drivers Championship and having one race a year where whoever won got the equivalent of a "yellow" jersey and could call themselves Champion and all the rest were just races.

Or perhaps we break it down like TN23 suggested and have "National Champions", or a multi coloured hooped race suit for the winner of most street races (like the King of the Mountains) and a qualifying Champion (such as TBY calculates) or fastest lap champion which is equivalent to the green jersey (?) for the best sprinter.

Great minds think alike and fools rarely differ...

Problem is Tennis (and golf) still calculates a World No.1 but it's based on a rolling avergae I believe not just one season.
 
Hmmm, I'm not sure where I am on this issue.

Some of the races have been exciting this year, but knowing it's always going to be a Red Bull pole and win does diminish it somewhat.
Not because it's Red Bull, simply because it means everyone else is only fighting over 2nd place down.

The same applies to the WDC and WCC.
Having one driver or team walk away with it definitely lessens the excitement.

Not sure what to vote yet, I'll have to think on it some more.
 
Ah, Mr Galahad, Sir, I not sure if it was a post on here or in "another place" but I suggested doing away with the Drivers Championship and having one race a year where whoever won got the equivalent of a "yellow" jersey and could call themselves Champion and all the rest were just races.

Or perhaps we break it down like TN23 suggested and have "National Champions", or a multi coloured hooped race suit for the winner of most street races (like the King of the Mountains) and a qualifying Champion (such as TBY calculates) or fastest lap champion which is equivalent to the green jersey (?) for the best sprinter.

Great minds think alike and fools rarely differ...

Problem is Tennis (and golf) still calculates a World No.1 but it's based on a rolling avergae I believe not just one season.

I'm sure your thoughts influenced my own. Unfortunately once you have a championship I don't think you can get rid of it.
 
I have to admit to going for exciting races. I'm not sure I agree with Rick's comparison with 2004 as Schumie just ran away with everything and, from what I remember, there was no serious challenge and not much racing down the field either. I think there is still a lot of racing to come this season and although Vettel has a "healthy" lead he's not uncatchable.

I guess its true that opinions are like arseholes.. ;)

So, are you saying that Vettel isn't running away with it? I would love to see you justify that PoV. How many laps have there been so far this year and exactly how many have been led by Seb?
 
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