Giving up on F1
Discussion
I've been a F1 fan since I was about 10 and became a massive fan, not missing a race since I was 16. But now at the age of 40 I think I've fallen out of love with the sport. For the last few years I've often found myself hoping for a good old fashioned exciting race and I always find myself waking up on the sofa with the race ended and all the pundits waffling away.
So this weekend I tried something new, and wandered into the Worldsuperbikes on Eurosport. My god it brought all the old feelings from the F1 back to the surface. It was so refreshing seeing the man and machine racing, that I've missed. All the different riding styles, different lines into corners, a totally mixed up grid (not all the teams pretty much 2 by 2), different bikes with different qualities. The Ducati's been absolute bests and overtaking everything on a straight. And then a Yamaha rider Toprak having to out brake, come into a corner on one wheel and pivot the bike round. It was amazing and for me it's confirmed that F1 has got so boring. Even with the introduction of things like DRS and curs over the years it's still boring as hell.
This is one viewer that has made the switch.
Goodbye F1
So this weekend I tried something new, and wandered into the Worldsuperbikes on Eurosport. My god it brought all the old feelings from the F1 back to the surface. It was so refreshing seeing the man and machine racing, that I've missed. All the different riding styles, different lines into corners, a totally mixed up grid (not all the teams pretty much 2 by 2), different bikes with different qualities. The Ducati's been absolute bests and overtaking everything on a straight. And then a Yamaha rider Toprak having to out brake, come into a corner on one wheel and pivot the bike round. It was amazing and for me it's confirmed that F1 has got so boring. Even with the introduction of things like DRS and curs over the years it's still boring as hell.
This is one viewer that has made the switch.
Goodbye F1
You're watching some awesome racing in WorldSBK this season, although Bautista has romped away at almost every circuit until Most at the weekend. Even so, the last few years have seen some epic racing. As you say, it's very much more obvious what difference the rider is making and watching the bikes at Most through the left-hander at turn 5(ish) on a full drift and opposite lock was super impressive.
Sadly after some similarly epic year MotoGP seems to be making the same mistakes F1 did with lots or aero added to the bikes creating dirty air for those following and later and later braking meaning the races are become more processional. Still not the bore-fest that is F1 but I hope the slippery slope is avoided.
Like you, I used to be a huge F1 fan, up until the late 90s. I've tried to watch F1 races in recent years but it holds absolutely no appeal. The "racing" is dull/artificial (DRS) and the whole thing seems soulless. This weekend I turned to see Webber, Chadwick and another person discussing the up-coming race and even that was a boring conversation and so I turned it off.
Sadly after some similarly epic year MotoGP seems to be making the same mistakes F1 did with lots or aero added to the bikes creating dirty air for those following and later and later braking meaning the races are become more processional. Still not the bore-fest that is F1 but I hope the slippery slope is avoided.
Like you, I used to be a huge F1 fan, up until the late 90s. I've tried to watch F1 races in recent years but it holds absolutely no appeal. The "racing" is dull/artificial (DRS) and the whole thing seems soulless. This weekend I turned to see Webber, Chadwick and another person discussing the up-coming race and even that was a boring conversation and so I turned it off.
For the first time in a lot of years I had to stop watching F1 about 6 races ago. It is really just a few fast cars following whoever has the best car this year. Tried to watch that electric formula thing on TV but that was like watching a whistling traffic jam. So can anyone recommend racing that is not over burdened by stifling regulations. That I can watch on TV without a sky sports subscription.
I started recording it, checking the result and watching it if it was interesting after Canada. Haven't watched a whole race since.
We (the OH and I) took up Indycar in Covid lockdown and are hooked.
It's not as polished, some of the tracks are low rent and it's all a bit yee-haw sometimes but the racing is close and unpredictable and the cars are nicely simplistic whilst still being fast.
I will unashamedly admit that on the May weekend with Monaco and the Indy 500 on the same day, I was looking forward to Indycar much more.
We (the OH and I) took up Indycar in Covid lockdown and are hooked.
It's not as polished, some of the tracks are low rent and it's all a bit yee-haw sometimes but the racing is close and unpredictable and the cars are nicely simplistic whilst still being fast.
I will unashamedly admit that on the May weekend with Monaco and the Indy 500 on the same day, I was looking forward to Indycar much more.
I'm not there yet but my GF is probably going to be there sooner rather than later. This weekend it was the ridiculous penalties on top of the actually racing "action" that had her done with the sport.
I agree there's a lot more competitive racing out there in various formulas, it's just finding one that's as easy (I say that with a pinch of VPN salt) to watch as F1.
Superbikes has always been brilliant whenever I've caught it and I have no ability to ride a bike at all yet can still fully appreciate the skill involved.
I agree there's a lot more competitive racing out there in various formulas, it's just finding one that's as easy (I say that with a pinch of VPN salt) to watch as F1.
Superbikes has always been brilliant whenever I've caught it and I have no ability to ride a bike at all yet can still fully appreciate the skill involved.
World Superbikes has been amazing for a number of years, although this year the Ducati was running away with the championship, a top rider on the best bike was winning nearly every race, sound familiar?!
However, the organisers, a few races ago, started to lower the rpm limit on the Ducati and increase it on the Yamaha and Kawasaki, just very gradually 250rpm changes and it's now brought the Ducati back towards the next two fastest riders. The Ducati is still fastest but races are no longer a foregone conclusion. It's been a very elegant way of closing up the front of the field, would it work in F1? For me, it's what I would like to see.
However, the organisers, a few races ago, started to lower the rpm limit on the Ducati and increase it on the Yamaha and Kawasaki, just very gradually 250rpm changes and it's now brought the Ducati back towards the next two fastest riders. The Ducati is still fastest but races are no longer a foregone conclusion. It's been a very elegant way of closing up the front of the field, would it work in F1? For me, it's what I would like to see.
When you say a good old race. When were you talking about? Even if you count the RB's there is still fantastic racing throughout the field in F1. Gasly's pass on Albon as an example from this weekend. I can appreciate Max's skills out front and I can appreciate someone hustling a Haas around with little reward.
If you ignore RB, the field has never been so close.
Not sure I want to go back to the Hamilton/Merc era, though Rosberg added something, deffo not the Schumacher/Ferrari era when there was over 4 seconds between Schumacher and the Minardis. Yes the Mansell days were great but the unreliability and laughable professionalism by todays standards would make it impossible viewing.
If you ignore RB, the field has never been so close.
Not sure I want to go back to the Hamilton/Merc era, though Rosberg added something, deffo not the Schumacher/Ferrari era when there was over 4 seconds between Schumacher and the Minardis. Yes the Mansell days were great but the unreliability and laughable professionalism by todays standards would make it impossible viewing.
AD 21 killed it for me in terms of being an avid viewer but I still have a fleeting interest in what’s going on a follow drivers like LH, LN & OP. But the format confuses me no end sometimes especially sprint race weekends.
There’s qualifying for the grid proper on one of the days. Then there’s another race/quali/sprint or whatever and then the actual race grid goes back to the sprint qualifying. This is very confusing for those that are not following the format avidly.
The speed of the RBR is also just ridiculous in a cost cap, engine freeze environment. The rest can’t catch up so we’re stuck with the prospect of one team sweeping the board. When the commentator said that MV has won 40 races already I nearly fell off my chair. 40 races!?
There’s qualifying for the grid proper on one of the days. Then there’s another race/quali/sprint or whatever and then the actual race grid goes back to the sprint qualifying. This is very confusing for those that are not following the format avidly.
The speed of the RBR is also just ridiculous in a cost cap, engine freeze environment. The rest can’t catch up so we’re stuck with the prospect of one team sweeping the board. When the commentator said that MV has won 40 races already I nearly fell off my chair. 40 races!?
Muzzer79 said:
I started recording it, checking the result and watching it if it was interesting after Canada. Haven't watched a whole race since.
We (the OH and I) took up Indycar in Covid lockdown and are hooked.
It's not as polished, some of the tracks are low rent and it's all a bit yee-haw sometimes but the racing is close and unpredictable and the cars are nicely simplistic whilst still being fast.
I will unashamedly admit that on the May weekend with Monaco and the Indy 500 on the same day, I was looking forward to Indycar much more.
I’m the same. The only reason I haven’t cancelled Sky sports yet is Indycar. We (the OH and I) took up Indycar in Covid lockdown and are hooked.
It's not as polished, some of the tracks are low rent and it's all a bit yee-haw sometimes but the racing is close and unpredictable and the cars are nicely simplistic whilst still being fast.
I will unashamedly admit that on the May weekend with Monaco and the Indy 500 on the same day, I was looking forward to Indycar much more.
Muzzer79 said:
I started recording it, checking the result and watching it if it was interesting after Canada. Haven't watched a whole race since.
We (the OH and I) took up Indycar in Covid lockdown and are hooked.
It's not as polished, some of the tracks are low rent and it's all a bit yee-haw sometimes but the racing is close and unpredictable and the cars are nicely simplistic whilst still being fast.
I will unashamedly admit that on the May weekend with Monaco and the Indy 500 on the same day, I was looking forward to Indycar much more.
I have been to the Indy 500 (twice), it was so cool.We (the OH and I) took up Indycar in Covid lockdown and are hooked.
It's not as polished, some of the tracks are low rent and it's all a bit yee-haw sometimes but the racing is close and unpredictable and the cars are nicely simplistic whilst still being fast.
I will unashamedly admit that on the May weekend with Monaco and the Indy 500 on the same day, I was looking forward to Indycar much more.
ChimpanZoe said:
I left after Abu Dhabi 2021 ,a farce of a finish .
That was the catalyst for me too. Haven't watched one since. The World super bikes are always entertaining. That said, it's been a brilliant class since the mid 90s. Hearing Keith & Julian shouting FOGGGYYYYY......was always a treat. The racing is just as frantic now.
Le Mans / WEC in Europe returns decent racing, particularly this year as all the big names are coming back.
If we're in confessional mode though, I've started to really enjoy some of the NASCAR racing this year, particularly the bigger Tri-Oval tracks.
Not actually missing F1 at all. There are plenty more options out there that just feel like more genuine racing.
So, did you give up on it in the 90s when McLaren were sweeping the board, or Williams? What about in the early 00s when Ferrari were hoovering everything up?
I really don't understand this need to make such absolute, public proclamations of the abandonment of something that you've been enjoying for so long.
Formula 1 requires a depth of understanding and appreciation to levels few other sports call for. Surely that would have registered by now? Some seasons are great. Others are not. And I've said this several times, like all sports, F1 can be entertaining but should never be entertainment.
I really don't understand this need to make such absolute, public proclamations of the abandonment of something that you've been enjoying for so long.
Formula 1 requires a depth of understanding and appreciation to levels few other sports call for. Surely that would have registered by now? Some seasons are great. Others are not. And I've said this several times, like all sports, F1 can be entertaining but should never be entertainment.
StevieBee said:
So, did you give up on it in the 90s when McLaren were sweeping the board, or Williams? What about in the early 00s when Ferrari were hoovering everything up?
Depends who you are asking?Personally, no. I didn't have a problem with that. I don't really have a massive problem with it now either.
Regardless of how partisan fans might like to grumble, there will always be dominant teams in cycles..there has to be or the bar will never rise.
The "turn off" issue I have from F1 2021 is akin to a football cup final being decided in the 90th minute by the ref awarding a penalty to one team when the foul was committed in the centre circle.
I got bored during the Schumacher era, bored during the Hamilton era and starting to feel that boredom again.
For the time being I may start tuning into the highlights and free up my Sunday afternoons. Maybe when the winner is a bit more varied i'll tune in.
Although knowing me, i'll be watching next race live
For the time being I may start tuning into the highlights and free up my Sunday afternoons. Maybe when the winner is a bit more varied i'll tune in.
Although knowing me, i'll be watching next race live
StevieBee said:
So, did you give up on it in the 90s when McLaren were sweeping the board, or Williams? What about in the early 00s when Ferrari were hoovering everything up?
I really don't understand this need to make such absolute, public proclamations of the abandonment of something that you've been enjoying for so long.
Formula 1 requires a depth of understanding and appreciation to levels few other sports call for. Surely that would have registered by now? Some seasons are great. Others are not. And I've said this several times, like all sports, F1 can be entertaining but should never be entertainment.
Personally I've always sat down to watch a race, excited that something unpredictable might happen, but the most unpredictable thing that might happen nowadays in F1 is there is a overtake. Most overtakes seem to happen in the pits or time penalties. I really don't understand this need to make such absolute, public proclamations of the abandonment of something that you've been enjoying for so long.
Formula 1 requires a depth of understanding and appreciation to levels few other sports call for. Surely that would have registered by now? Some seasons are great. Others are not. And I've said this several times, like all sports, F1 can be entertaining but should never be entertainment.
You might be miss understanding that I've been enjoying it for so long. I think the last season I loved was when Button won with Brawn.
Yes I'm no expert in F1 cars, technology and what goes on behind the scenes, I just want to watch a good race.
I've spent all my spare time today trying to get my head round WSBK, and yes looking at results on paper (like the F1), it does seem one sided. But unlike the F1 the entertainment is unbelievable, I was jumping off the sofa yesterday and couldn't sit down a few laps in. I saw more overtakes and challenging for positions in 1 race than I'm going to see in a season of F1.
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