True Formula 1 fans step forward Please !

[Dhru]

I don't think the racing actually matters, because as long as the driver you're supporting is still in the race, whether he's leading or 21st and ten laps behind, you'll still continue watching just in case something happens to completly change the outcome of the race. Besides, I think that the nature of all Motorsports is such that there is rarely a straightforward race. Take the German GP for instance, if it was a swimming race would Barichello have stood any chance of winning?
But for all those racing purists, wouldn't you agree that forsaking overtaking for safety is worth the sacrifice?

[EERO]

Well, here I am walking back into a bar that has been a happy place to visit and I barely recognise the place.

It seems that some of the younger crowd don't know how to hold their drink. Neutral, may I suggest that you go home and sleep it off and come back to visit us when you can behave and drink like an adult.

I have been a Formula 1 fan for thirty years, my perspective does not allow me to define an "era" as a single season. Throughout my own experiences as a fan, there have been periods which I have really loved and others which have left me cold-I won't mention the latter as certain people here my consider me a certifiable loon-but I will say that despite the apparent predictibility of the past season, which was for me, not terribly exciting, the last 5-6 seasons have renewed my interest in the sport.
Each epoque in the annals of the sport has its good and bad sides. Yet for me the good continue to outwiegh the bad.

HOWEVER; This is not to say that there are not real problems with the sport and that it is in real danger of consuming itself with its own success. I remain optimistic about the possibilities for next season, but I am not optimistic that my hopes will ring true.

"In the good old days", on any given Sunday, a good portion of the grid had a chance to score well, maybe even win. Small budget teams not only won races, but challenged for the WDC. Driver had PERSONALITIES and didn't temper everything they said or did to appease sponsors.

Today,we have much more readily available coverage and information. I guess I can only conclude by listing my concerns and hopes.

What I worry about:
1) The rise of Factory supported Engine programs which has transformed into Factory supported Teams.
The Potential evidence of any success is limited as long as points are paid only through sixth place. As much as we mock Peugeot for their half-hearted efforts, there is some truth to the notion that they were playing for crumbs.

2) Factory engine deals limited to a single team jeopardize the continued viability of smaller teams.

3) Limited seats prevent the rise of more than one or two young drivers per season.

4) Despite the fact that I will be cheering Raikkonen on, I am worried that his inexperience could be a real liabity to ALL the drivers on the grid. I was wrong about Button, but...

5) I am worried that as Manufacturers leave the sport as they eventually will, that the infrastructure for F1 to continue will be lost- For instance, If DaimlerChrysler leaves F1, what happens to McLaren as Merc now owns a large portion?

6) Is it really in the best interest of the sport to abandon its long-term traditional European Fan Base in favour of future Asian and Mid-Eastern races? Perhaps the idea that The UK could ever lose it GP is farcial, but the fact that Bern and Max could even suggest it is worrisome.

I have more I could list-but basically I liked F1 more when it was about racing and less about business and politics.
That however, is reality and we aren't going back in time, so to answer Billy's original question, I am hopefull that:

1)DC will put his critics to rest and actually win the thing

2) That with Honda support, HHF will regain his form and win again.

3) That JV will hary and annoy TGF and win despite attempts to ram him off the track.

4) That BAR will support TWO drivers and let Panis show us how good he is,

5) I am looking forward to seeing how the Michelins perform- I hope Ralfie finally gets that first win and that the switch to French tires won't rob him of the momentum he has gained.

6) I hope that The Montoya God hits the ground running and gives everyone fits with his bravado and pure skill.

7) I am hopeful that at least seven different drivers(of the twelve or so who actually could)will win.

[Valve Bounce]

I am logging off to watch a more exciting sport - the Sydney test with the Windies. I as just wondering whether any other guys here would agree with me that today's game in Sydney is more exciting than an F1 race? Bye for now!!

[downforce]

Jenson Button's girlfriend is real cute!!!!...
er..and for 2001...ya,

1]hope Jacques or Ralf find that bottom step on the podium evry race.....Rubens+Coult dont deserve them at all.
2]hope Nick clicks.
3]hope Fisi finishes in the top 6 in evry race...
4]hope Michael makes "those" moves...

aaahhh...hope Ferrari ink those damn wings Red or Black!!

and finally hope i make it to Sepang.

[Marshal]

While I have to agree that the current Formula doesn't allow the expression that we'd like to see from the drivers, I'm still hugely optomistic about next season (I always am at this time of year). Here's what I hope

1) Newey has (slightly) screwed up the McLaren.
2) Ferrari take an invoulentary breather after last years exertions.
3) Michelins are sometimes better the Bridgestones.
4) The right tyres to have in qualifying are the wrong ones for the race.
5) Jordan, BAR, Williams, Bennetton and Jaguar all have their days in the sun.
6) At Indy, Schuey, Mika, Ralf, Trulli and Jacques are all still in with a theoretical chance of the title.
7) And finally, Max wakes up and smells the coffee, and bans refueling, diffusers, driver aids (again!) and semi-auto gearboxes, and lets them run on slicks, all for 2002.

[Dino IV]

mr. N. Tral,

It seems your father was that occupied fancying La Loren, he never found the time to explain you the expression ‘live and let live’. Maybe if you’re something of a F1 fan, you could find the time to stop wasting your money on breaking pool cues and buy a book on its history … prior to 1996. There’s not a book that won’t explain to you the way F1 transformed from a shoot-out between men of honor and pride and equal characteristic machinery to a commercial Moloch featuring billboards alive with rubber backbones in scale 1:1 RC cars. That should shed some light in the dark …

If you have a problem accepting F1 didn’t start in 1996 and the people along with that, who are full of pleasant memories of past era’s, you could at least try to respect everyone’s personal perception of his or hers favorite sport. Surely there are a lot of F1 fans around here that resent the latest generation of F1 fans, of which the majority thinks the sport is about the most money, the flashiest outfits, and the largest banners. For those youngsters drivers are just two-dimensional Barbie’s for interviews, auto- and photographs, cheered for if they happen to drive the best RC-car and widely unknown for any driving style or another typical driver’s virtue. A superficial approach for a very interesting sport I can’t appreciate if you really want to know, but I’d refrain to put anything up anywhere your baby-replica-overall. I know you don’t know any better and don’t have the slightest intention to change that approach of F1: you’re free to do so. Would be nice if you’d recognize the same freedom for any other fan around here …

[Peter Mallett]

I'm definitely a fan. But of all moptorsport not just F1. I have trouble with Nascar and Cart because I feel it's oval format and the use of yellows etc. makes for a false impression. However there can be no doubt that those two championships are entertaining. That's where F1 falls down at present (for me). It revolves around the politics and one person.

My hopes for next season?

BMW Wiliams, Benneton and Jordan improve their performance enough to impact the top two.

[Valve Bounce]

Well, I'm back. Seconds after I logged off yesterday, McGill got Brian Lara's wicket, then followed an exciting afternoon when he got the wickets of another 4 Windies to make it seven wickets for the day. It was exciting stuff - and I am seriously wondering whether F1 can possibly compete with ant test series between the Aussies and the Windies.
On a more serious note, I am saddened by the nagging concerning one agressive post. This is a happy place, and I really hope that once one moderator has spoken on this subject, we can all return to our happy format of a non abusive non insulting forum. As I have mentioned, I try to keep things light sometimes with a little humour, and I sincerely hope that no one even interprets any of my posts adversely.
Sorry if I tread on anyone's toes guys.

[Airhead]

Fair enough Valve Bounce, I also come here for entertainment and amusement. I can also appreciate that others take it a bit more seriously than I do. Or that perhaps I am just not that funny - no, that can't be it!

On another subject resulting from VB's response to my support of a football team that is always last, or near enough and the character that is needed to keep interested in the game. VB (love the alcoholic connection with the initials) it isn't St Kilda in Melbourne, but what are now the West Tigers in Sydney. I was/am a Balmain supporter. Imagine if you were second last in a competition and forced to merge with another team as Balmain did. Who to merge with? I know, Western Suburbs, the last placed team. I have not noticed any hybrid vigour as a result.

As for the 2001 season (back to F1), I hope for a resurgent Honda in either a BAR or Jordan. I hope the Prost situation settles down and some points are gained. I hope Jenson Button continues to impress at Bennetton and I wish that Ralf would go and..... no, that is probably anatomically impossible for one man to do that to himself.

[senna12]

EERO made some excellent points, especially with regards to factory engine programs choking the smaller teams. I think that one of the things that makes CART more exciting to watch is the fact that there are only a few chassis (Lola, Reynard or Swift) or engines (Mercedes, Ford or Toyota)to choose from, and most of the teams run some sort of combination of the above on mostly Firestone rubber. The cars run a lot closer together in CART. As far as NASCAR goes, unless you've stood in turn 1 at Talladega and watched 25 cars running 4 abreast inches apart and heading towards you at 200 mph, you can't really appreciate it!
On the other hand, watching some serious wheel bangin' in the BTCC is a real treat. Those guys take no prisoners!!! I love it!!
But anyway;
I hope full Honda support means a win or two for Jacques, and that he is dicing with TBC (the big cheese!) all year.
I hope Kimi doesn't get himself or anyone else in a bad way.
I hope Jenson doesn't suffer a sophomore jinx.
I hope Jordan does well, but not as well as BAR!
I hope all the changes in personnel, and the new factory, at Jaguar don't cost them a year of development
I hope the early test times at Prost weren't a fluke, but in Jan. its a new chassis and engine, so its hard to say.
I hope Juan Pablo turns out to be as good as I think he will.
I hope Ferrari and McLaren suffer reliability problems all year, so we can have a real championship battle in 2001
Well, thats a start....

[Valve Bounce]

Well, I was sitting in a Wesley's waiting room watching THE TEST, when an old chap came up, sat next to me and announced that he now hates cricket since Packer and Murdoch got their hands on the game, meaning that the game has gone professional in many countries. I got to thinking that the same has happened to Rugby Union, and Aussi Rules here in Australia. They no longer call them teams: they are franchises. Big money has come into many forms of sport in a big way because of the attraction of TV, particularly pay TV. If we go back to the guys in this post who loved F1 in the old days, they will probably remember that advertising on the cars were strictly verboten; for those who want to see what the cars looked like, I would recommend the film Grand Prix as well as The Racers starring Kirk Douglas which featured some fantastic shots of the front engined F1 cars. However, the world moves on, and F1 has moved on in a big way. Now, advertising is the name of the game. Just look at the cars, plastered all over with logos. I, for one, and glad that there are more factory teams in F1 now than three years ago. Now we have BMW, Benz, Honda, Fiat (aka Ferrari),Renault, with Toyota joining the fray next year. This will make for a more competitive field in the near future, and I am predicting the end of the two car domination for the past three years. No matter how we might like the good old times, they will never come back - that's life. BUT, the future may be even better, so lets not rent out garments and pull our hair out. We will see at least 4 different makes winning races this year, perhaps even 5. This can't be all bad, can it?? Sorry for the long post, guys!!

[EERO]

Bouncey, I agree with you that the potential is there for 5-6 teams to win in 2001. But the reality will probably be closer to the domination of the past season by just two teams.

I enjoy the fact that DaimlerChrysler, BMW, FIAT, Ford, Honda, and soon Toyota all support the support to the degree that they do. What concerns me is that as the Corporate Bean counters encourage the Corporations to divest themselves of their interests in F1, (And make no mistake, it WILL happen) that the sport will require several years to recover. The Can-Am and Trans-Am were killed or grievously wounded by the withdrawl of Factory teams in the early seventies. At Le Mans, the spectacle of the race waxes ands wanes with the whims of the factories' decisions to participate.

If F1 doesn't prepare itself for the eventual departure of the Factories, the sport will be in serious trouble


One of the factors which appeals to me about F1 in principle, is that the teams must build their own cars. Buying a chassis and arranging an engine deal as they do in CART may encourage competition, but it seems less pure in concept. Given the narrow constraints of the rulebook for F1, what we have are essentially the "same" car.

[djb]

VB and Amoffat, completely agree with you, I too, despite being disappointed with the thin edge balance of the cars today, still manage to watch every race, not always live mind you, but I still get every one in. I find that what balances out my neg. feelings towards F1, is watching the 500 GP's and WSB- wasn't McCoy just amazing this year, and Rossi getting his first win....I realize I'm getting off the F1 topic. This is not whining, as I said, I love watching the F1 races, but for real, straight, race-craft heavy races, the 2 wheeled stuff is much more exciting to watch. (and in 500, this season looks to be even more!)
Hell, it's human nature to complain, that's part of the fun of a forum like this, don't take it so seriously...

[TimD]

Wow! I spend a week on an offshore island - no mains electricity let alone a net connection - and I miss this duesy of a thread.

Well, I'll pledge my allegiances here. I'm of the old school. I've been a racing fan since I was knee-high to a hubcap. The first GP I actually attended was in 1973. And I for sure miss the good old days. (Oh, and the Cricket was brilliant, wasn't it?)

The concern I have is even more immediate than the threat of manufacturer withdrawal. Look at it this way, if you will. Approaching my mid thirties, I am approaching the peak of my spending power in this consumer society. Now, for the sponsors/manufacturers/FISA etc to know that their show is working, they need to see my money. And that of millions of others like me.

Now, while I tape the races religiously, as I have been doing for 20 years, I stopped buying the FOCA season review videos about five years ago. The most recent F1 miniature in my cabinet is a 1997 Villeneuve Williams. When Bernie's pay-per-view digital TV comes on stream, I shan't buy, because I'll be leaving a VCR to do the watching for me, while I am at trackside, taking in some real petrol fumes.

Because while motor racing absorbs the largest proportion of my hobby budget, I spent not one red cent on Formula One last season - or the season before it - or the season before that. And if the real diehards - the ones who eat sleep and breathe motor racing - are being turned off by the spectacle as Bernie is presenting it, then what hope for the long term survival of the sport?

Which would be a real shame, because I'm fond of it, and there's nothing I would love more than to be able to crow to the rafters when I see a great Grand Prix.


One other thought. Concerning past glories. Just because something is not of your time does not mean it is impossible to appreciate it. If I were true to my era, I would celebrate Hunt, Lauda, Stewart and Regazzoni over and above all who came before them. But enough people took the trouble to show me the cars and the drivers of yesteryear, and made them accessible enough for me to understand.

Which is why even now I will rate Tazio Nuvolari over Ayrton Senna, and Rudolf Caracciola over Michael Schumacher. I was born a whole forty years too late to see them, but it is easy enough to learn to appreciate them.

To end on a positive note. Whether it be a grainy newsreel, or a digital racecam, we are able to follow the greatest sport in the world. Motor Racing. In its technological peaks, we are privileged to see the most advanced engineering in the world. In its popular roots, we are able to stand at trackside and cheer for our friends as they put their hard-earned cash into racing and maintaining their own car.

That's worth celebrating. Just as I celebrate the 10-tenths site that gets us all together like this.

[Neil C]

If I didnt have this darn pool cue stuck in my throat, I would say that it is clear most of us define the "golden age" of F1 as the time that we fell in love with it. To some, Senna is a historic icon, to others he is a latecomer.

Now where did I put my body armor and 9mm? This could be more fun than the virtual parties we've had!

[Valve Bounce]

Wait a minute, Tim, I think that Aussi Rules is a better sport than F1. Gotta log off, the Windies are all out, and the Aussis are batting again. Somebody is gone!!