Getting tired of racing...

chernaudi · 6 Nov 2016, 06:52 (Ref:3685837)

Over the past few days, I've grown more and more dissatisfied with the motorsports landscape. Series becoming more and more spec, or being dominated with one way to do things to ensure success. Series becoming fashionable rather than relevant, series being too expensive for their ROI returns and how many fans they attract. And racing series relying on gimmicks vs actual racing.

To me, over the past 5-6 years, racing has lost a lot of what drew me into it in the first place. Maybe racing just isn't the sport for me anymore.

rich07 · 6 Nov 2016, 07:13 (Ref:3685845)

Didn't you post this earlier this week after Audi pulled the pin? Maybe I'm thinking of someone else instead.

I'm getting serious dejavu out of this post that's all.

If you're sick of spec racing etc you've ever looked into time attack or hill climb? There's not much spec there and thank goodness.

TzeiTzei · 6 Nov 2016, 07:33 (Ref:3685856)

Yes, we have noticed. Time to cheer up and maybe do something else.

ederss7 · 6 Nov 2016, 09:49 (Ref:3685912)

I fear for our future in general, and motosport is one of them. All sports I like have changed into something I don't like, so it's just a matter of time until I stop watching any kind of sport. Le Mans may be the only exception.

S griffin · 6 Nov 2016, 11:34 (Ref:3685934)

It's a shame a lot of the series are losing what made them special to begin with, but it's not all bad, there's some good racing out there, so I'll keep watching

Acid09 · 6 Nov 2016, 12:08 (Ref:3685937)

Honestly, I'm not even sure motorsports will exist in its current form 20 years from now.

Between all-electric vehicles, self-driving cars and other nonsense, I can see a lot of people lose interest in the sport. For me, the thin red line are all-electro cars...as soon as cars stop making a pleasing noise I'm out.

fieldodreams79 · 6 Nov 2016, 12:12 (Ref:3685938)

This time of year, I'm pretty much over motor racing of all kinds (perhaps because all the seasons are over) and I'm getting tired of many other sports in general as well. Oddly enough, I find the future of IMSA to be most fascinating, but I fear I'll be more interested in Bee farming and perhaps, knitting soon.

MaskedRacer · 6 Nov 2016, 13:09 (Ref:3685951)

Well perhaps the original poster feels this way as well because the season is near the end. But the excitement will get going again very soon as we get near the Roar before the 24. And then Dubai, Daytona, and Bathurst and quick succession.

I dont like how the biggest area of growth right now is a quasi spec LMP3 category. I do like that GTE is stable and strong world wide and that we have a great variety of GT3 cars. I dont like how the costs are increasing for that though. Which helps the P3 mentioned above. I think there is a bit of a battle right now going on for customers between GT3 and LMP3.

The Audi WEC withdraw does not bother me at all. A shakeup is needed in fact from that aspect. Especially because that 2016 Audi R18 was a very ugly car.

chernaudi · 6 Nov 2016, 15:07 (Ref:3685970)

With the WEC, I've gotten burned out because of rules I don't understand (EOT in LMP1, BOP in GT), having a love/hate relationship with the way the cars look (respect and love the tech, but hate the narrower LMP1/LMP2 cars, and miss the simpler lines and long tails of the LMP900 cars, even if there was a good reason to cut back on it from a safety standpoint).

Also, I feel that a lot of the creativity and innovation has been driven out of the sport in general. Either everyone is going spec, or everyone's gravitating to one solution because it works best and it's easier to imitate than find something new. But then again that's also the law of diminishing returns. All the "good" ideas have been tried at least once, and most have been done almost to death to the point where so many resources have to be spent to get less and less out of something in the end.

All I can say is that I've had more fun looking at the history of racing and reading up on that stuff, all pre-2014, than most of what I've watched and followed since 2014. Also, I had a lot more fun yesterday going up to Cleveland on a road trip with friends than I did watching any races this year.

Speed-King · 6 Nov 2016, 15:45 (Ref:3685990)

Quote:

Also, I had a lot more fun yesterday going up to Cleveland on a road trip with friends than I did watching any races this year.

Dude, that's the way it's supposed to be! Real life fun should always be better than watching a stream on your computer!

chernaudi · 6 Nov 2016, 16:03 (Ref:3685995)

I don't watch the streams. I usually watch on TV, but I've grown tired of that, to be honest.

Maybe I should just give up and do things that actually bring some joy into my life.

Akrapovic · 6 Nov 2016, 16:16 (Ref:3685996)

Yes, you should. If you don't enjoy it anymore then stop trying to enjoy it. Forcing yourself will end up hating even more. Its meant to be a hobby, and if a hobby isn't fun then it isn't really worth doing.

I finally dropped F1 after years of watching it out of habit. Now I'm much happier watching elms, WEC and Blancpain. If you don't enjoy any racing at all then find something you do enjoy.

Or take a break over the winter and see how you feel about the new look IMSA next year.

J Jay · 6 Nov 2016, 16:24 (Ref:3685998)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Maybe I should just give up and do things that actually bring some joy into my life.

Do it.

And I say this without any malice, scorn, pity or sarcasm.

Motorsport will change, and the fans it gains, retains and loses will change with it. We seem to be on the cusp of a particularly turbulent period, but I know that there's enough to keep me invested in endurance racing (i.e. watching more than "just" the big enduros) for next year and beyond.

There's enough pressure on most people's time to not be wasting what free time they have doing something they no longer enjoy. There's nothing wrong with leaving the table before you have nothing left.

Maybe it's just a break that you need - in which case I can relate after going back to F1 this year following a 3-year absence - but if the new year rolls round and you still feel like your support is a chore then stay away until the joy returns. If that means you don't return to motorsport, so be it; it's your life and your time, so it should be your passion.

Nothing lasts forever.

Speed-King · 6 Nov 2016, 16:31 (Ref:3686000)

Quote:

We seem to be on the cusp of a particularly turbulent period

Gleefully looking forward to that, actually. Seems like I sometimes like the politics of racing more than the actual on track product.

Maelochs · 6 Nov 2016, 16:49 (Ref:3686005)

Quote:

Originally Posted by J Jay

Maybe it's just a break that you need - in which case I can relate after going back to F1 this year following a 3-year absence - but if the new year rolls round and you still feel like your support is a chore then stay away until the joy returns. If that means you don't return to motorsport, so be it; it's your life and your time, so it should be your passion.

Maybe you will come back with renewed appreciation .... I took a summer off, mostly, and enjoyed WTSC a lot more when I gave it a second try. or maybe, you will find something new and better which will give you the emotional and rational fulfillment racing once did.

Quote:

Originally Posted by J Jay

Nothing lasts forever.

But six hours Seems like forever if you don't enjoy the on-track action.

Seriously, "forever" is really, practicably, "your lifespan," and that is ridiculously short even for the longest-lived of us. Don't waste time.