Just let F1 die!

[Fax]

Jesus what a joke!  Spent the most wasted two days of my life at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend.  I have no idea what I was watching but it sure as hell wasn't Grand Prix racing.  f**k*ng safety cars, single car qualifying,  popping and farting around a huge over-sized scalextric track....what a pile of crap!  Sorry, don't know what I was watching but as I said, It wasn't F1.  The crowd reminded me more of an international NASCAR event.  The real purpose of the weekend was to see who could wear the tackiest team clothing, perhaps to disguise the fact fact that the on-track action was absolute sh*t.  The fans?  Well because your a Montoya fan you can't be a Schumacher fan...you suck!  Again all a bit too NASCASR-ish for my taste.
Just dig a hole and bury F1, Grand Prix racing is dead and I have no idea what to call this bullshit that took its place.
People kept babbling on on about the great Michael Schumacher...who has he beaten?  The Mid-Ohio ALMS round is this weekend...excuse me while I go to Mid-Ohio and watch real racing.
John

[bird]

I beg to differ. Quite strongly in fact.

Each to their own tho.

[Brad Zarse]

And indycar is different?

at least the F1 boys do something more interesting that just go round in a big circle.........

I dont think F1 is dead,  it has simply lost its way - IF YOU TRIED WATCHING the rest of the field - that means discounting Schumacher...there is actually some pretty close racing going on - unfortunately Mr Schumacher doesn't realise that watching him win every other week is boring.

To be fair,  F1 should never have gone to the states - Americans just DONT understand....its like football - or "soccer" - the most beautiful game in the world - but yet, Americans still argue that FOOTball is played with your hands......

I think this illustrates why they wouldnt understand F1!

[bird]

I'm in partial agreement with Brad, altho being a staunch Schumi fan I personally have no problem with watching him win week in week out.   He's the Man Utd of F1 tho, I totally understand this.

Last weekend's race had so much going on that the ferrari one two was a minor part of the proceedings, so even for the die hard Schumi haters there was some entertainment.

F1 isn't dead - it's fully alive and kicking butt.

* bird curbs her enthusiasm for fear of waffling on forever.....

[Ferrari Spider]

I'm with Bird, although not a schumi fan, Ferrari really have got their act together, its up to the other teams to raise their game to this level, not put in artificial slow-ups.  

How about this, is this fair, we play Portugal soon, they think we are too good so they ask for Rooney to be dropped so they have more chance of winning.  Thats happening in F1 and the other teams still can't beat the Reds.

As F1 fans you should be asking about why can't front line teams like Williams & McLaren mount a credable attack with all the talent and money they are spending.

[Mr. Rick]

He's the Man Utd of F1

I think that just about says it all!!

Used to love F1. First watched on a regular basis from the 1980 season. Cracking stuff. Never missed a race (in the days when mostly all we got was highlights) but always got me glued to the screen whatever. Turbos vs normally apsirated etc., fascinating! Real hairy tracks, not Scalextric stuff as Fax so brilliantly put it!

Sorry bird but what we get these days is a poor comparison. Super dooper technical wizardry maybe but boring as feck. And the merchandising mentality and my driver is bigger than your driver type stuff serve more to keep me away too. Thank feck for Le Mans!

[Abs]

Have to agree with Ferrari Spider here, it is upto the others to raise thier game... it would be interesting to see how the season panned out without all of the driver aids/electronic wizardry (which I believe is being spoken about).

In my mind you have the best driver and team as a combination, but surely someone should be able to get close??

It's lucky that we don't walk away from all sports that are dominated to use Birds example with Man Utd (spit!) winning everything a few years ago the premiership would have struggled if the football fans went the same way.

Feel a little better after that, time to get back in my shell

[Andy Zarse]

One wonders what racers like James Hunt or Gilles Villeneuve would make of today's little circus?  

I have to say, it's not the drivers who are at fault IMO, a racer is a racer is a racer. There is some real talent out there in amongst the also rans, and I can't see how this is different to any other era. And yes MS is one of the all time greats. No, it's the technology that is to blame for giving us the procession we see on every other sunday. I want to see drivers driving, cars sliding, people making mistakes without having a computer to keep them out of the gravel. I remain to be convinced that the new changes wef 2006 will make any difference. But even Bernie 'n' Max admit fans are being short changed. I know it sounds a bit "in my day...etc " but it really was exiting stuff up to about 1990. I don't expect the average schoolboy (or girl) fan to appreciate this point, but objectively, I defy anyone to argue with this.

Also I despise the monsterous amount of corporate horse sh it involved. It's all become a worldwide advertising campaign, to flog internationally branded bollox to people who can't really afford it, but who aspire to a lifestyle. Fine, if that's your thing, but count me out thanks very much. Asprey my ar se!

[gibberish]

Super dooper technical wizardry maybe but boring as feck. And the merchandising mentality and my driver is bigger than your driver type stuff serve more to keep me away too. Thank feck for Le Mans!

I'll second that sentiment Rick.  F1 has become tooooooo boring.  Fecking procession.

[Steve Pyro]

I never watch it, would rather mow the lawn  

In most major sports nowadays (F1, football etc) the £ notes (or $ or euro etc) rules the show.

This is one reason why all these new F1 circuits are being built in the Far East and the Middle East - there's loads of sponsorship cash floating around just waiting to be soaked up.

Take a visit to your local sports shop and see how much those replica soccer shirts are and all that Ferrari cack that's for sale to the unsuspecting punter with his increasing pile of disposible income.

At the other end of the scale, you have the poorer motorsports that manage on contigency sponsorship and a bit of money from the friendly hardware shop on the high street to keep racing.  Have a look at the sponsors names on the side of some of the drag racing vehicles next time you're at Santa Pod and see who you recognise.

[Stu]

Would still like to see a F1 car do a Le Mans lap for a comparison.

[jpchenet]

Would still like to see a F1 car do a Le Mans lap for a comparison.

Even better, see how long one would last for over a 24 hour period. As they said on RLM last year, the LM 24 Hour is like a whole Grand Prix season in one race!!

[saveloy]

Andy I agree with you, would just like to add my views.
a lot of the problems with F1 surely has to be caused by, refuelling, tyre changes, aerodynamics.
the dullness and inaccessability is the corperate money, team secrecy.
Ferrari, not that i'm a fan, can't be blamed for their success, it's up to the others.
 A lot of teams have hundreds of millions to work with so the problem lies there surely

[Brad Zarse]

My point is that if you STOP watching Schumacher - and watch the rest of the field,  some of the racing is fantastic.

I think we have a situation where Schumacher has the money and backing of a HUGE marque - they must pour ALL of the Ferrari profits, and most of the Fiat profits into that team.  Subsequently they have the very best in strategists, engine technicians, designers, drivers and preparation techniques.

They have got to where they are on merit - they attracted Schumacher to a challenge, and do remember that the first few years with Ferrari were pretty dismal for Schumacher.

It is up to the others to catch up and discover new talent - therefore maybe it is worth "capping" the earnings of technicians etc, so that the opposition find it easier to keep hold of thier talented technicians.

The same is being done in Football with the introduction of various financial consteraints on wages etc, and also the introduction of the need to pay compensation if you take a player who is under 24 (ala pompey scummers STEALING Jamie Ashdown )

[Nobby Diesel]

Every sport on earth has evolved over the last 20 or so years. It's only natural. Some evolution will be enjoyed and embrassed by the fans, some will not.
Look how football has changed - Predator Boots, light match balls etc etc.
Rugby - video refs, difficult to grab fabrics for the shirts etc etc
Motor racing is no different. The crux of the matter is hat in F1, you have the coming together of the best equipment and the best competitor in the same team. It's up to the other players to notch it up.
If some teams spent a little less on the corporate prawns, and mpore on R & D, things may slowly change.
Things will change, but probably too slowly to maintain my interest much further.

There is a simple solution here. If you don't like it, then don't attend, watch or by the sponsors product. In time this will filter through.