Why do you still watch F1?
- Thread starter Brogan
- Start date
I can't see the clip above because the work computers won't let me view Youtube clips but I'm guessing that's Villeneuve / Arnoux ?? Am I right 
I watch it because I like it. In fact I'm a bit obsessed with it.
Been watching since I was a 10. 30 years of fun, never missed a race.
There are issues with the sport, but that has always been the case. A lot of people look at the past with rose tinted glasses on.
Things were different, not better. Many thing now are better. Some are worse.
If I do gripe it's generally about street tracks, pay tv and Bernie, but I'm mostly happy. In my opinion F1 just needs some tweeks, most of which would happen if Bernie left. But even without tweeks I still like it and will keep watching.
Been watching since I was a 10. 30 years of fun, never missed a race.
There are issues with the sport, but that has always been the case. A lot of people look at the past with rose tinted glasses on.
Things were different, not better. Many thing now are better. Some are worse.
If I do gripe it's generally about street tracks, pay tv and Bernie, but I'm mostly happy. In my opinion F1 just needs some tweeks, most of which would happen if Bernie left. But even without tweeks I still like it and will keep watching.
Many millions of F1 fans feel the exact same way about their chosen driver in the modern era, yet for some reason this is considered an immature, uneducated, and unenviable way to enjoy the sport from some rather vociferous quarters.
The most common argument I hear these days is that the cars are too advanced, too technological, too complicated. There are several well known journalists that constantly decry the inability/unwillingness of the sports current power brokers to try and relay to the public just how incredible these machines are in literally all aspects of performance. These cars would completely obliterate any other 4 wheeled vehicle on the planet, and they get faster every week. It's an absolute pity that these achievements are not celebrated to any meaningful degree.
Il_leone
World Champion
I watch F1 because as Murray Walker said
"Anything can happen in Formula One and it usually does!"
i) You might get some boring races but there will be some thrilling ones along the way
ii) the driver psychology and mind games - you separate the men from the boys that is why interteam battles are great
iii) the cars - you have to appreciate the time invested to design and build an F1 car which goes fast especially if it looks nice too then again you will get a few dogs to remember as well
iv) the engine manufacturers - you will remember them for supplying powerful engines to the teams that were successful
v) Don't care about football like I use- the mismanagement by the FA every time they try to handle the media and national team issues even appointing managers
Fed up with overpaid footballers who can't even string a simple pass together and resort to booting the ball and then you hear about them partying and notching a blonde on their bed post whilst driving a flashy car and think they are untouchable
vi) Fed up with the club I support - run by the person by a chairman who has seen about 8 managers in 15 years and even makes a hash of getting the new stadium for the club
Has unrealistic expectations for every manager he hires when they have little control of the transfer policy and then happily stabs the manager in the back because they are not good enough even though they can get the club in the top 5
vii) Fed up with cricket . I can't believe how English cricket is run by a bunch of muppets and snobs . The way they have handled Kevin Pietersen the last 12 months or so has been disgraceful
"Anything can happen in Formula One and it usually does!"
i) You might get some boring races but there will be some thrilling ones along the way
ii) the driver psychology and mind games - you separate the men from the boys that is why interteam battles are great
iii) the cars - you have to appreciate the time invested to design and build an F1 car which goes fast especially if it looks nice too then again you will get a few dogs to remember as well
iv) the engine manufacturers - you will remember them for supplying powerful engines to the teams that were successful
v) Don't care about football like I use- the mismanagement by the FA every time they try to handle the media and national team issues even appointing managers
Fed up with overpaid footballers who can't even string a simple pass together and resort to booting the ball and then you hear about them partying and notching a blonde on their bed post whilst driving a flashy car and think they are untouchable
vi) Fed up with the club I support - run by the person by a chairman who has seen about 8 managers in 15 years and even makes a hash of getting the new stadium for the club
Has unrealistic expectations for every manager he hires when they have little control of the transfer policy and then happily stabs the manager in the back because they are not good enough even though they can get the club in the top 5
vii) Fed up with cricket . I can't believe how English cricket is run by a bunch of muppets and snobs . The way they have handled Kevin Pietersen the last 12 months or so has been disgraceful
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Dartman
Pole Sitter
I've watched F1 and other forms of motor racing since the 60's, parents didn't have a TV or a car until I left home, started at Brands Hatch when I had my own car to take me. Racing is racing, whether F1 or any other form of on track racing, yes you get wheel to wheel tussles but they are rare at the front, breakdowns weren't. the cars to day are ( or were, until this year) reliable, so what do you want to see, the most reliable with deep pockets disappear into the distance, the cleverest with deep pockets disappear into the distance. There has always been wheel to wheel down the grid, as has been the front runner at the back for various reasons fighting through, the safety car can make the most boring race entertaining ( depends if your favoured driver/team wins or loses from it). What is and was boring ( thankfully no longer the case) is viewing a leader all on his own circulating the track, I watch F1 for the racing as a whole not just the favoured few with the deep pockets. My real worry about F1 is the driver standard, there's nothing worse than a slow car driven by a slower driver with his country's oil company paying for his weekend away, that doesn't help talent.
Drivers from lower formulae do not make the best F1 drivers always, history is littered with them, Tiff Needell, Johnathon Palmer, Bruno Senna and Nelson Piquet jnr to name a few, yet others from way down the ranks have been extremely quick. F1 evolves and has periods in the doldrums, it does pick itself up, the 1500cc formula of the 60's wasn't the fastest, highly unreliable,but great racing, then the doldrum of the early 3litre formula until the |Cosworth V8 appeared.
Yes I will watch it, there is some great racing all the time but not always at the front, you're supposed to be a racing fan, then an F1 fan, not a racing "A" lister fan, if that's your forte you're in the wrong sport, try Strictly
Drivers from lower formulae do not make the best F1 drivers always, history is littered with them, Tiff Needell, Johnathon Palmer, Bruno Senna and Nelson Piquet jnr to name a few, yet others from way down the ranks have been extremely quick. F1 evolves and has periods in the doldrums, it does pick itself up, the 1500cc formula of the 60's wasn't the fastest, highly unreliable,but great racing, then the doldrum of the early 3litre formula until the |Cosworth V8 appeared.
Yes I will watch it, there is some great racing all the time but not always at the front, you're supposed to be a racing fan, then an F1 fan, not a racing "A" lister fan, if that's your forte you're in the wrong sport, try Strictly
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I still enjoy the spectacle, even though my preferred driver is tootling round at the back, slower than my wife in a car park.
I find the soap opera side of the sport compelling, and despite being of the opinion that there are things that proabably should be changed, I tend to be a little ambivalent to them on the whole.
Part of that I feel is that I have only ever seen F1 live in 98, and that was a test day at Silverstone, as I cannot justify the expense of attending a GP, so the whole thing of where the races are does not really bother me too much, as long as I can look back after the race and say "I enjoyed that" which I mostly can. I would echo the sentiment too, that I can distinctly remember a few races per season going back a way, and generally I do not believe that I enjoy racing now any less than I did 10/20/30 years ago.
I do moan about F1 quite a lot though, in the same way I moan about most things. I like to moan. I'm good at it! I am also good at being wrong about things!!
I find the soap opera side of the sport compelling, and despite being of the opinion that there are things that proabably should be changed, I tend to be a little ambivalent to them on the whole.
Part of that I feel is that I have only ever seen F1 live in 98, and that was a test day at Silverstone, as I cannot justify the expense of attending a GP, so the whole thing of where the races are does not really bother me too much, as long as I can look back after the race and say "I enjoyed that" which I mostly can. I would echo the sentiment too, that I can distinctly remember a few races per season going back a way, and generally I do not believe that I enjoy racing now any less than I did 10/20/30 years ago.
I do moan about F1 quite a lot though, in the same way I moan about most things. I like to moan. I'm good at it! I am also good at being wrong about things!!
I suppose I keep hoping that the next race will be a return to proper racing. One car racing against another and between teams. That team orders will disappear and all drivers will be able to put the hammer down.
It could happen.
I have already stopped getting up really early for the early races though.
It could happen.
I have already stopped getting up really early for the early races though.
I think age plays a part in our experiences and views of F1. I'm 10 years older than Hamilton so Senna was my hero growing up watching F1. Hamilton was in nappies when I was watching Senna in the black and gold Lotus. My mum absolutely idolised Jim Clark. When I was old enough, she gave me the Daily Express from the day after Jim Clark died. She'd kept it since 1968 to give to her children.
What highights our views is the modern information age. It colours our perceptions of the sport because we look for the views of others, to agree or disagree with. I dread to think what these pages would have looked like throughout the 88 to 90 period for example. They would have gone into melt down daily with the rants between Team Senna and Team Prost.
In other ways, this site keeps me watching F1. When I wasn't posting for a while, I kept thinking to myself "I wonder what they're making of that on CTA?" I think all of us value the opportunity to exchange views and opinions. Yes it's hard at times, especially when it appears that people are unshakeable in their beliefs that their hero can do no wrong. Or when others fail to acknowledge different points of view even if they may not agree with them. I admire the ability of all of us to defend our corner using stats, reasoned argument and the wealth of knowledge we have about our chosen sport. I hate when it becomes an exercise in picking apart peoples views without making your own point clear. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar as the saying goes.
As I said near the top, Hamilton or for that matter Vettel, Alonso or Ricciardo etc are not my generation of F1 drivers. All of the ones I admired a great deal are gone. Senna, Prost, Mika H, Herbert, and Damon Hill to name a few. That doesn't stop me wanting to enjoy what todays drivers do. I still think Heikki Kovalainen was hugely underated and I want to see Will Stevens in a proper car.
First practice in Bahrain is a few days away. Getting excited already !!! Come on Manor !!!!!
What highights our views is the modern information age. It colours our perceptions of the sport because we look for the views of others, to agree or disagree with. I dread to think what these pages would have looked like throughout the 88 to 90 period for example. They would have gone into melt down daily with the rants between Team Senna and Team Prost.
In other ways, this site keeps me watching F1. When I wasn't posting for a while, I kept thinking to myself "I wonder what they're making of that on CTA?" I think all of us value the opportunity to exchange views and opinions. Yes it's hard at times, especially when it appears that people are unshakeable in their beliefs that their hero can do no wrong. Or when others fail to acknowledge different points of view even if they may not agree with them. I admire the ability of all of us to defend our corner using stats, reasoned argument and the wealth of knowledge we have about our chosen sport. I hate when it becomes an exercise in picking apart peoples views without making your own point clear. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar as the saying goes.
As I said near the top, Hamilton or for that matter Vettel, Alonso or Ricciardo etc are not my generation of F1 drivers. All of the ones I admired a great deal are gone. Senna, Prost, Mika H, Herbert, and Damon Hill to name a few. That doesn't stop me wanting to enjoy what todays drivers do. I still think Heikki Kovalainen was hugely underated and I want to see Will Stevens in a proper car.
First practice in Bahrain is a few days away. Getting excited already !!! Come on Manor !!!!!
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The answer to the question is that you never know when the spirit of Jean-Louis Schlesser is going to turn up. Never has a team won all the races.
In the most dominant seasons in my memory:
In the most dominant seasons in my memory:
- Montoya and Schumacher Schlessered each other in Sepang to let Ralf win
- Schumacher caused his only defeat in 13 Schlessering behind the Safety Car in the Monaco tunnel
- The Mercedes simultaneously Schlessered their electronics at Montreal
- Ericsson Schlessered into the gravel trap to give Vettel a tactical advantage in Sepang
Incubus
Champion Elect
I still watch itt because I like it.
Sure there are a few problems with it because of a number of reasons but then again there were problems in past eras too, for different reasons.
Currently there are problems becase we don't have full-capacity-grids, there are less teams than there were in past eras thereby limiting the number of opportunities for young drivers to break in, and remain in F1, and some of cost-cutting measures adopted through the recent past have had the precise opposite effect.
Sadly though you can't just look at it from a motor racing point of view. You have to look at it from a global point of view. In a world dominated by cyber communications there are far more cost-effective methods for major companies to raise their profile than by paying eams a fortune for the right to put stickers on a couple of cars that might get a TV screenshot every now and then.
Sure there are a few problems with it because of a number of reasons but then again there were problems in past eras too, for different reasons.
Currently there are problems becase we don't have full-capacity-grids, there are less teams than there were in past eras thereby limiting the number of opportunities for young drivers to break in, and remain in F1, and some of cost-cutting measures adopted through the recent past have had the precise opposite effect.
Sadly though you can't just look at it from a motor racing point of view. You have to look at it from a global point of view. In a world dominated by cyber communications there are far more cost-effective methods for major companies to raise their profile than by paying eams a fortune for the right to put stickers on a couple of cars that might get a TV screenshot every now and then.
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snowy
Champion Elect
I have seen a number of GP's on the tele, every one since 1990 and a whole host stretching back to the early seventies. Fundamentally F1 hasn't changed, it has always had boring races, it has always had dull characterless drivers, politics and controversy. The difference today is that we get so much information, so many interviews, speculations and darned lies, that our own imagination, romance and sentiments are drowned out. There is far more truth, wisdom and virtue in what is unspoken, unknown and on a blank page than will ever be spat out by reality. Fortunately every so often reality spits out a truly meaningful and auspicious occasion, Bahrain 2014, Austin 2012, Istanbul 2010.
F1 only needs a few minor tweaks to create my idea of motorsport heaven, they'll never happen but I am allowed to dream.
F1 only needs a few minor tweaks to create my idea of motorsport heaven, they'll never happen but I am allowed to dream.
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I still think the biggest thing F1 has lost is unpredicatabliity. Not just who will win but just in general. Because of the advances in technology and the 'so many engines' per season rule, far more cars finish now. I can remember sitting with fingers crossed that a driver's car would make it to the finish. These days, even with the hyper complex engines we have now, finishing is the norm not the exception. All of the races we quote above, and that keep us watching were unpredictable.
snowy
Champion Elect
Lewis Hamilton's car failed on numerous occasions last season and his team mate punted him out of the race, there was Canada, there was Silverstone, there was Singapore.This all happened just last season, there was a lot of nail biting and gnashing of teeth in my household...
I think numerous may be stretching it a bit. Twice at the start of the season and the famous first corner punt.
Olivier
Race Winner
On a one man crusade to put the DNF back into F1
The first TV I ever bought with my own money had to have teletext so that I could see how the qualifying had gone in F1, back in the days when the races weren't even shown live let alone qualifying and practice. I think I mentioned before that I once listened to the Long Beach GP on AFN on short wave rather than wait for Muddly to give us the benefit of his wisdom on the highlights the BBC would shown on a Monday night.
Incubus
Champion Elect
Nah, its Imola 2005
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Strictly speaking we didn't get to see that battle either. (remember ITV-gate?
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