Is That The Sound Of Televisions Being Turned Off?

[Kicking-back]

Originally posted by camcartfan
....until the white flag.

The what?

[Hazza]

In american racing, they wave the white flag to the field on the last lap.

White Flag = One Lap Left.

[Mattracer]

Pretty dull race, but impressive from Ferrari nontheless.

It's hard for them really because everone expects them to win even those of us who hate them/MS so whn they do dominate they are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

I suppose the retirement questions will increase now, not because he is off the pace but as DC said, they 're rubbing everyone's noses in it.

[Kicking-back]

Originally posted by Hazza
In american racing, they wave the white flag to the field on the last lap.

White Flag = One Lap Left.

I know that, but they don't do it in Formula One, hence my mentioning it.

[Adam43]

Originally posted by Mattracer
Pretty dull race, but impressive from Ferrari nontheless.

This is a sport, frankly the people turning off are probably people who don't really get it anyway. The only way for any sport to overcome this is introduce artificial means of keeping the cars of similar performance. Do we want that? If so I suggest maybe F1 isn't the sport for you.

Ferrari (at Melblourne, it remains to be seen if this is the same elsewhere) produced the goods, the rest didn't. I see nothing outrageous about this situation and look forward to Malaysia to see if they will repeat it despite the differences.

Originally posted by Mattracer
I suppose the retirement questions will increase now...

The jounros keep asking the retirment questions (and when Michael isn't around they ask another driver about it!). Michael keeps responding to them - he "loves F1". Do they not beleive him or so they just have short attention spans.

I'm not sure that the Journos are helping the matter with the intolerance of Ferrari's pace either.

[Mattracer]

Originally posted by AdamAshmore
This is a sport, frankly the people turning off are probably people who don't really get it anyway.

If so I suggest maybe F1 isn't the sport for you.

You talkin' to me?

Don't worry, I'd never turn off, ever. I might lapse in and out of light sleep during Barcelona every year but am on duty everywhere else.

[Hazza]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
I know that, but they don't do it in Formula One, hence my mentioning it.

Oh, okay, sorry

[Adam43]

Originally posted by Mattracer
You talkin' to me?

nah, just generally

[Damon]

While not the best race in the world it could have been far worse. I enjoyed it and was glad I got up. Just because the battles are at the sharp end doesn't mean they aren't there. I do agree with what Martin said towards the end though. Turning F1 into an endurance race is very very wrong, the level to which Ferrari slowed up at the end was horrifying when we consider that F1 is meant to be a sprint. Those in charge need to look long and hard at the one engine rule, if it means that the second half of each race is reduced to a field of cars limping home then it needs to be ditched as fast as possible.

[Hazza]

Damnit, I wish we hadd've gotten the ITV feed, atleast it is still better than the CART International Broadcast

[slicktoast]

FERRARI runs away...and I just might too! YAWN...

[Gt_R]

You do...bye! *kidding*

Bernie had for years pushed for rule changes to suit whichever team he hopes to see for the next WDC. Before Ferrari ended their WDC drought, Bernie is actively campaigning for Ferrari wins.

Now,Bernie wants a new team to rule and what he does is getting rules changed to in theory suit Williams/Mclaren/Michelins every year (from the points, to testing, even to hot tracks that suit Michelins).

May i request that those who want a planned show instead of a reality race please turn to WWE, CART or something else...at least they don't have Ferraris there which is an additional bonus for Ferrari-bashers.

[Down F0rce]

Since when was CART a planned show? :confused:

[Sodemo]

I don't understand Martin's sentiments regarding F1 becoming an "endurance", it never has been and it wasn't today.
If Micheal had Montoya or Kimi breathing down his neck with 5 laps to go he would not have backed off, it was only because Michael was a minute ahead of everyone he backed off.

[Fogelhund]

Originally posted by AdamAshmore
This is a sport, frankly the people turning off are probably people who don't really get it anyway. The only way for any sport to overcome this is introduce artificial means of keeping the cars of similar performance. Do we want that?

If so I suggest maybe F1 isn't the sport for you.

I find this statement troubling.

Let's face it, the numbers of hardcore fans, will always be outnumbered by the casual fans. The complete dismissal of these people disregards that this is an expensive sport, that needs an audience to pay the bills.

As someone who has been watching this sport for over thirty years, I "get it". This is like the movie Groundhog day. Sure there was some interesting bits midfield, but absolute boredom up front. Whilst it is unlikely that there is a single person here who would propose "Touring Car" equalization, this kind of domination (if indeed this is a harbinger of things to come), is not what anyone wants.

I sincerely hope that somebody pulls up their game, and gives Ferrari a run for their money, at least makes it interesting. But honestly, race 12 comes along, and this type of domination carries through to there, with the odd suprise... and Ferrari appears to have it in Practise and Q again... how motivatational is it to get up at some ungodly time to watch races in Europe? At that point, the start might be worth watching, and dropping by the telly every half hour or so, but no more.

As far as Ferrari bashing. Hardly. Ferrari has done a great job, and are a great team. It would matter little if this was Ferrrari, McLaren, Williams.... dominanting, particularly over a long period of time. Domination isn't all that exciting after a bit.

Hopefully Malaysia et al, turn up a different plot.

[Wrex]

Thank you Adam for bringing some sanity to the thread. For those no longer interested - dont let the door bang you on the ass on your way out.

Thank god Frank and Ron wont throw in the towel as easy as some of you. Williams will pull it together, and I dare say coffee will be imported in bulk for the late nights ahead at McLaren.

BTW, where were these complaints when JPM wiped the floor with everyone at Hockenhiem last year?

[Knowlesy]

There was a period of time last year when Ferrari dominated.....look how good the championship turned out to be in the end!

[Gt_R]

OOh...you mean last year's Hockenheim aye? The one Monty ran away with...that's a BRILLIANT display of individual skills and team excellence...outright exciting and the best race of the year, if not the decade! Just becos the winner's not driving a Ferrari, doesn't have Schumacher in his name, and the driver had it easy!

Cute huh, some people?

Yeah, i agree with Adam and Wrex here. The end of misery is just at the push of a button. Nobody's stopping those who complain.

[Adam43]

Originally posted by Fogelhund
I find this statement troubling.

Please be troubled because I don't disagree with anything you say.

I don't want 'touring car', as you put it, style equalisation although I found the race less than riveting (the odd JPM move aside).

However, don't you think the reaction has been a little OTT for the first race of the season?

It is firstly a sport and surely the talk should be primarily about what happened (i.e a fantastic Ferrari display) not that it is in trouble when something natural happens? The majority of F1 races (ever) have been like that one. Best car goes quickest ahead of everyone else and wins.

In no sport do you get 'classic' events every time and the race on Sunday was no different to a normal game/match/race in any other sport IMHO. Sometimes the best dominate because they are better at it than the rest! If you try to fight against that (for whatever reason) you remove the whole point of doing it in the first place - which, for me, would make it far more dull. Maybe I don't 'get it'.

[alesi95]

After 30 laps had to way up watching the rest of the race against going to bed. I nomminate my bed as winner of the 2004 Austraillian Gp.

[Sherman]

At least Massa tried to make it interesting with is over-the-limit racing! Pity we couldn't see more of his race before it all went kaputt. As for Ferrari, surely we knew before that they were phenominal? Im just happy that there are now a lot of good racers with good cars. Ferrari's dominance cannot last with JPM, Button, Webber and Alonso hot on their heels. Bring on Malaysia, or at least some races at more reasonable hours!!

[L-B]

Originally posted by AdamAshmore
This is a sport, frankly the people turning off are probably people who don't really get it anyway. The only way for any sport to overcome this is introduce artificial means of keeping the cars of similar performance. Do we want that? If so I suggest maybe F1 isn't the sport for you.

OK fine but I'm still turning off if its the same at Malaysia and I get it...

[Try Hard]

I think Brundle hit it on the head..

"I hope its a bad day for Michelin..."

Fingers crossd this is the case.

Personaly, the race was boring (hey i dozed off at about 4am...), and to be honest a prolonged period of domintation IS boring, hence when another driver (alonso, monty) dominates it is treated as a great drive, cause everyone expected the other team to do so...

I don't like it, but i can't fault the fact that ferrari were fast, and the other teams have a fair amount of work to do.

Heres hoping for Sepang
Ed

[JAG]

For the first time in 10+ years I did not tune into the GP. I see I missed nothing, once again.

F1 is in danger of becoming a complete and utter bore. I'll watch any motorsport short of oval racing, yet no longer give a damn about F1. Sad but true.

I see no immediate improvement in the situation. We will have to wait until 2006 when the totally new regs are due to be implemented (much less downforce/new engine regs etc.)

And for all those claiming that the situation will improve, wasn't this supposed to be the year when the Williams, Maclaren etc. were supposed to take the fight to Ferrari.

Or was this just more hype from the F1 media machine, desperatly trying to get people interested in a sport that is on the brink of self imploding.

And I do get it.

[Sodemo]

Mclaren are in worse trouble than Williams thats for sure.
Montoya was just about equal with the Ferrari's pace on saturday qualifying and it was only a mistake at the chicane that put him back half a second.
If you look at the split times Montoya was virtually identical in the first sector, then lost a tenth in the second sector, then lost 4 tenths at the chicane.

I am confident that if the temperatures were more like saturday the Michelin boys could have done a better job.