Perhaps I did not express myself well. Of course I don't want any deaths - I am Brazilian and Senna's death hit me hard and long. But I believe the ensuing maniacal emphasis on safety has neutered races to such an extent that many of the early champions probably wouldn't be able to race today - or, if they did, they would be punished constantly for reckless driving. (Some, like the amazing Nigel Mansell, would likely be banned from the tracks altogether.) I haven't seen a memorable manoeuver for years – possibly since Schumacher, the last of the greats. If you remove danger entirely from racing, you are left with today's "cars-on-rails" situation, when position changes among equals too often depend on engine failure or take place during pitstops. Like someone said before, F1 nowadays is only interesting in the rain, which makes things a bit more unpredictable.
My Problem with Modern F1
- Thread starter Davide Nativo
- Start date
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- Tags
- f1 formula 1 formula one
Perhaps I did not express myself well. Of course I don't want any deaths - I am Brazilian and Senna's death hit me hard and long. But I believe the ensuing maniacal emphasis on safety has neutered races to such an extent that many of the early champions probably wouldn't be able to race today - or, if they did, they would be punished constantly for reckless driving. (Some, like the amazing Nigel Mansell, would likely be banned from the tracks altogether.) I haven't seen a memorable manoeuver for years – possibly since Schumacher, the last of the greats. If you remove danger entirely from racing, you are left with today's "cars-on-rails" situation, when position changes among equals too often depend on engine failure or take place during pitstops. Like someone said before, F1 nowadays is only interesting in the rain, which makes things a bit more unpredictable.
The worst thing about modern F1 are the posts about "How modern F1 is bad and how the old F1 was gud".
Matheus Machado
Talking Door Racing
Two considerations:
First, the fans don't make drivers earn fortunes. The massive investment and sponsorship due to the complicated rules and outrageous media exposure does it.
Second, all you mention is still there in local motorsports and karting. But everyone chooses to support F1 and big championships. Very nice people involved in those and even more people would participate in if it had more visibility.
Can't we just appreciate the fact we have amazingly fast cars and lower categories that are faster than F1's in the "good times" were?
First, the fans don't make drivers earn fortunes. The massive investment and sponsorship due to the complicated rules and outrageous media exposure does it.
Second, all you mention is still there in local motorsports and karting. But everyone chooses to support F1 and big championships. Very nice people involved in those and even more people would participate in if it had more visibility.
Can't we just appreciate the fact we have amazingly fast cars and lower categories that are faster than F1's in the "good times" were?
I went to Indy this year to see IndyCar and paid $150.00 to stand on the outside of the pitlane, behind the fence. (Got to talk to Robert Wickens!) I talked to him through the fence. If I wanted to be on the other side of the fence and shake his hand, that would have cost me $1,500.00. Go figure. But this is what it is now. It's ALL about the money. Milking the fans for all they got. Unless you're Beyoncé. Then you get invited and given a free pass to hang out in the luxury suites. Makes a lot of sense.
Matheus Machado
Talking Door Racing
I was reading a local magazine report from the 1992 san marino GP. The Mclarens had won against everyone by over a lap and the positions didn't change the whole race. If anything end of rules era seem to bring some cars closer, but the natureof F1 doesn't favor overtaking at all.
Emerson Meyer
Keep Fighting
The worst thing, actually, is the same trash talking over and over: "do you wanna see dead pilots all around?"
Thank god, we have the thrilling Formula E
Fat-Alfie
Premium
I don't think that the deaths, accidents, engine failures or tyre blow-outs were what made racing more exciting in the past, but rather the possibility that any of those things might happen and change the course of the race. No-one wants to see any driver hurt or (even worse) killed, but the knowledge that they are out there risking everything made it fascinating to watch.
Knowing that the drivers are (rightly so) infinitely more safe than their predecessors were, and that engines very rarely fail (and even then the failures seem controlled with the pit wall sensing a 10% increase in something or other and a call of 'Box now!') takes away a huge amount of the anticipation for me.
It's the same as watching qualifying when the TV commentators tell you that they think a driver will need a 1:38.4 to get through to the next round, even before the session has started. Why tell us that and spoil what little is left of any sense of anticipation?
But please, don't for a second think that I am advocating more deaths and less safety in F1 - just the 'sense' that it is more dangerous than it really is, or even more unpredictability, if that makes sense.
Knowing that the drivers are (rightly so) infinitely more safe than their predecessors were, and that engines very rarely fail (and even then the failures seem controlled with the pit wall sensing a 10% increase in something or other and a call of 'Box now!') takes away a huge amount of the anticipation for me.
It's the same as watching qualifying when the TV commentators tell you that they think a driver will need a 1:38.4 to get through to the next round, even before the session has started. Why tell us that and spoil what little is left of any sense of anticipation?
But please, don't for a second think that I am advocating more deaths and less safety in F1 - just the 'sense' that it is more dangerous than it really is, or even more unpredictability, if that makes sense.
Great write Davide, totally agree with you.
That photo of 1992 season is very representative, it's in my opinion the last year of an old F1, after that year has started the "electronic era".
Before the V10 equalization I remember that I could recognise the cars from their sound: that growling V8 Ford and screaming V12 Ferrari, and such different tech philosophies.
That photo of 1992 season is very representative, it's in my opinion the last year of an old F1, after that year has started the "electronic era".
Before the V10 equalization I remember that I could recognise the cars from their sound: that growling V8 Ford and screaming V12 Ferrari, and such different tech philosophies.
I am 51 years old. (born in 1967 )
I used to be a great formula one fan and even if I can not remember since then, I began to look at every race when I have been about 10 years old.
I can for example perfectly remember the fatal accident of roni petterson, so I am sure at was in front of my TV at the age of 11 looking at formula one.
I can perfectly remember seing my heroes at the Paul ricard track , like Senna on the lotus renault approaching the "Signes"curve at full speed , ....
This passion kept on growing until about year 2005, then declines for different reasons from then.
I have not look at a race for about 5 years. I am a big fan, but the pay per view system (no free TV to look at Formula one in france anymore ), the exotic races , the all system has killed my need to look at that circus.
But it is about the same for some other series.
As a kid, I went every year to look at the "Rally de Monte Carlo", which take place in my birth area.
I have seen and remember well all of these crazy cars, from the Alpine A110, lancia stratos, ...then the Group B and legendary pilots at their wheels.
Some of them died from their passion, but it was insane in all aspects.
The public could stand everywhere, ....
Today, it is just different. I don't go anymore to look at rally.
Again, I went every years from about 1980 until 2000 to look at the "24h du Mans" race.
I have seen epic battles on the track , with fantastic monster as the porsche 962, the sauber , the mazda, the Jaguar, the peugeot, the rondeau, and fantastic pilots, flying mercedes and others on the straight, .....
At that time no chicane, the public could go everywhere, insane speed and noise (The growl of the sauber, the scream of the mazda, the screams of english guy looking at the Jaguar, union jack everywhere, ...).
Who can forget the first passage after the start of the "silver arrows" Sauber armada , standing a little after the Dunlop bridge without chicane??
With the time, the cars became like in formula one, robots driven from the pitlane (I exagerate).
I don't make the pelerinage anymore. I am in love with le mans, but I am not ready anymore to make the trip .
It is not the formula one.
I think the technology itself ruin the all thing. It costs a fortune (even racing a GT3), needs hundred of engineer. For that you need huge sponsor, who come with their own pilot to represent the brand, .... it is like a death spiral, in all discipline
)I used to be a great formula one fan and even if I can not remember since then, I began to look at every race when I have been about 10 years old.
I can for example perfectly remember the fatal accident of roni petterson, so I am sure at was in front of my TV at the age of 11 looking at formula one.
I can perfectly remember seing my heroes at the Paul ricard track , like Senna on the lotus renault approaching the "Signes"curve at full speed , ....
This passion kept on growing until about year 2005, then declines for different reasons from then.
I have not look at a race for about 5 years. I am a big fan, but the pay per view system (no free TV to look at Formula one in france anymore ), the exotic races , the all system has killed my need to look at that circus.
But it is about the same for some other series.
As a kid, I went every year to look at the "Rally de Monte Carlo", which take place in my birth area.
I have seen and remember well all of these crazy cars, from the Alpine A110, lancia stratos, ...then the Group B and legendary pilots at their wheels.
Some of them died from their passion, but it was insane in all aspects.
The public could stand everywhere, ....
Today, it is just different. I don't go anymore to look at rally.
Again, I went every years from about 1980 until 2000 to look at the "24h du Mans" race.
I have seen epic battles on the track , with fantastic monster as the porsche 962, the sauber , the mazda, the Jaguar, the peugeot, the rondeau, and fantastic pilots, flying mercedes and others on the straight, .....
At that time no chicane, the public could go everywhere, insane speed and noise (The growl of the sauber, the scream of the mazda, the screams of english guy looking at the Jaguar, union jack everywhere
, ...).Who can forget the first passage after the start of the "silver arrows" Sauber armada , standing a little after the Dunlop bridge without chicane??
With the time, the cars became like in formula one, robots driven from the pitlane (I exagerate).
I don't make the pelerinage anymore. I am in love with le mans, but I am not ready anymore to make the trip .
It is not the formula one.
I think the technology itself ruin the all thing. It costs a fortune (even racing a GT3), needs hundred of engineer. For that you need huge sponsor, who come with their own pilot to represent the brand, .... it is like a death spiral, in all discipline
There is a reason for the saying "good old days" and that is because it is human nature to forget the bad and focus on the good - perhaps some primeval mechanism to keep us leaving the cave to hunt the mammoths despite the fact that last week one's brother/father/cousin was killed doing so.
It is the same with F1.
We have forgotten the farcical USA GP where only a handful of car ran because one of the two tyre
suppliers couldn't guarantee their tyre would be safe. Ditto for all the deaths of our heroes, and the fact in the 70's and 80's only half the field finished the race with the other half blowing up, and the fact that there was very little overtaking in the 80's and 90's, etc., etc.
However, if you want access, need to touch the cars and talk to the drivers, etc. then start coming to historic races - great people, fantastic iconic cars, unhindered access, wheel to wheel racing, etc.
And best of all Historic F1 runs at some fantastic old tracks - Brands Hatch, Dijon, Zandvoort, Mosport, etc. and at that meeting there will be grids of Formula Juniors, 1960's sports cars, 1970's sports prototypes, etc.
It is the same with F1.
We have forgotten the farcical USA GP where only a handful of car ran because one of the two tyre
suppliers couldn't guarantee their tyre would be safe. Ditto for all the deaths of our heroes, and the fact in the 70's and 80's only half the field finished the race with the other half blowing up, and the fact that there was very little overtaking in the 80's and 90's, etc., etc.
However, if you want access, need to touch the cars and talk to the drivers, etc. then start coming to historic races - great people, fantastic iconic cars, unhindered access, wheel to wheel racing, etc.
And best of all Historic F1 runs at some fantastic old tracks - Brands Hatch, Dijon, Zandvoort, Mosport, etc. and at that meeting there will be grids of Formula Juniors, 1960's sports cars, 1970's sports prototypes, etc.
F1 always had it's dull and brighter moments. Anybody forgot when Shumi ruled and gathered 3 WC's in a row? Many races where not that thrilling to watch.
Last week a young guy got me impressed like in the "old" days.
Last week a young guy got me impressed like in the "old" days.
they need to sort the tyres out for starters, every race is a one stop now, there's not the strategy aspect to F1 anymore, we need proper soft, medium and hard compounds and more pitstops
less dependence on aero would help too, apart from that the racing side is very good, we have 3 world class drivers all in different teams, would be nice if the teams were a bit closer performance wise and only way to help that would be to start either capping financially or moving more towards spec series but they are slippery roads to go down
less dependence on aero would help too, apart from that the racing side is very good, we have 3 world class drivers all in different teams, would be nice if the teams were a bit closer performance wise and only way to help that would be to start either capping financially or moving more towards spec series but they are slippery roads to go down
Andy_J
I hate Race cheats ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
I still love F1. Love watching it. Love the build up. Love the atmosphere. Yes I do wish for the freedom to have new teams and different cars with anything goes mentality. Break the design rule up a bit. Get noisy smelly engines back and allow alcohol and tobacco advertising again. But that's just me.
And it needs to be "free to air" too, right across the world.
And it needs to be "free to air" too, right across the world.
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This year is the first year where I have not watched any of the races live. I have given up on the series as a "must watch". Its largely a drip drip reduction in my enthusiasm, every change that they have made in the last 20 years has eroded away my interest in the "sport", the Halo for me was simply the straw that broke the camel's back.
My list of gripes i'm sure aren't that different from any other people's;
- Tarmac run off everywhere
- Horrible looking cars
- Horrible sounding cars
- DRS fake racing
- Boring tracks
- Moving away from free TV
- Ugly Halo
- Drivers that complain about everything "track is too wet", "track is too bumpy"
I hear that F1 is looking at a race at Zandvoort, well you may as well throw that track in the garbage after F1 has finished ruining it. Thats all I see F1 as now, a roaming self-important circus that goes around ruining classic race tracks.
My list of gripes i'm sure aren't that different from any other people's;
- Tarmac run off everywhere
- Horrible looking cars
- Horrible sounding cars
- DRS fake racing
- Boring tracks
- Moving away from free TV
- Ugly Halo
- Drivers that complain about everything "track is too wet", "track is too bumpy"
I hear that F1 is looking at a race at Zandvoort, well you may as well throw that track in the garbage after F1 has finished ruining it. Thats all I see F1 as now, a roaming self-important circus that goes around ruining classic race tracks.
I miss 3 important things in modern f1 :
- fuel management as it is an essential part of racing to me, remember cars short of fuel just few meters before or beyond finish line. The way the drivers had to manage acceleration/gearing to save fuel and pit stop strategy were way more challenging/interesting IMHO
- v10-v12 engine sound : it was so impressive to hear these symphonies when cars passed near by
- I want grid girls back
- fuel management as it is an essential part of racing to me, remember cars short of fuel just few meters before or beyond finish line. The way the drivers had to manage acceleration/gearing to save fuel and pit stop strategy were way more challenging/interesting IMHO
- v10-v12 engine sound : it was so impressive to hear these symphonies when cars passed near by
- I want grid girls back
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Almost everything wrong with F1 can be blamed on 2 words...."aero grip". Reduce that and the cars can race closer in the corners, negating the need for nonsense like KERS and DRS. Then we could have more exciting tracks back not the stop/start 90 degree crap of modern F1 tracks. People blame tilke but he's designed some amazing tracks outside of F1s crappy corner needs. Aragon is superb.
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