I never thought it would happen...

[DNQ]

I never thought it would happen...but I think I am beginning to prefer CART over F1. I suppose it is a combination of F1 being boring (no overtaking, Schumacher always winnings, hardly any cars), and CART being exciting (overtaking, speed, big grids, etc..)

I still like F1, but I think CART may just be favourite. Are there any other 'former f1' fans on this forum?

[R]

*Hand raised*

Yes! F1 was my first love in motorsport, back in the days when Senna, Prost and Mansell were the greats (full grids too, and fierce qualifying to even get on it). In the mid-90's (either late 94 or early 95) I watched my first CART race (it was called IndyCar back then, before the "split" that founded the IRL). It didn't take long until I realized that CART was a lot better entertainment (for all the reasons you mentioned), in F1 the FIA was screwing up the circuits, then they started screwing up the cars (especially those blasted grooved tyres). I think it was in 98 that I first realized that I actually prefered CART over F1 all round. F1 may have glamour and a glorious history, CART have the racing.

[jb]

R, you got it covered! but CART (or IndyCar) has some great history too (esp when those foreigners came over from F1 to run the 500, ha ha)

[angst]

Another hand up here. Having watche F1 avidly for mumblemumble years I have not been able to bring myself to watch them this year. I have lost all inerest and patience with the machinations and politics of F1. There is no racing, no displays of drivers expressing themselves behind the wheel. It's ****. CART on the other hand has close racing throughout the field, power slides, overtaking. I'm an absolute convert. F1 leaves me cold, CART is what I remember F1 being, only closer.

[bella]

forgive me father, it is about 18 years since i last confessed.

i really gave up on f1 after the race when ferrari got chucked out, and then reinstated in 1999. i strayed to cart, and the first full 500 miler i saw was fontana 1999. not a good way to start, but the racing had me hooked.

i still watch f1 for montoya and saint fernando (He Can Do No Wrong), but it's not my favourite kind of motorsport anymore.

welcome into the fold, brother. we welcome you.

what?! 20 hail marys?!

[Liz]

I too have about given up on Bernie's XF1 - I watch it while I'm doing other things, just to see how Ferrari manages to win this week, and to see if my boys are doing anything the race director feels worthy of actually showing (usually, being lapped).

But since they got rid of big fat cars and big fat tires and big fat turbos, I have lost interest in Bernie's XF1 and discovered that they are alive and well in Champ Cars.

Besides, there are not nearly enough Brazilians in XF1.

[Jay]

I still watch F1 for the first lap. There is still, in my opinion, nothing that equals the suspense before the four lights go out in Formula One.

That is why I am highly in favour of standing starts for Cart road races. Then I would have no reason to watch F1 at all!

[Neil C]

I share most of the above complaints about F1, but to me it is still the epitome of the sport.

[Airhead]

Yes F1 is the pinacle of motorsport, but aren't Champ Cars addictive? I have watched for 10 years and followed it closely for five or so. It gets better and better.

You even learn to love the ovals.

[mtpanorama]

I would have to agree. F1 went down hill and rather boring when they banned the turbos and those big tyres.Bring back all that horsepower and we might have some action.
CART racing is the one for me now. The first race i remember seeing was at cleveland airport (awesome track)
and the lead changed that many times in the last few laps you couldnt keep count. Deferan was going to win but he speared off and Zanardi came through the feild to take the win on the last lap. After the chequered flag Michael and Alex decided to do a little wheel banging. Excellent stuff. I still have that race on tape and watch it every once in a while. Ive been a Cart convert ever since

[R]

I remember that race. Zanardi led, then he was penalized for an infringement or another, and made his way from around 20th place to take the win. Brilliant stuff.

[Shaun]

For years I have been a fan of Formula One, that was untill I came across Champ Car racing, now I have been converted and there are many friends and colleagues who feel the same.Everyday I watch as the Rockingham Motor Speedway is built and I can say that it looks a real nice piece of work.The only thing spoiling it is the background scenery of flat field and buildings in the distant. All we need now are some mountains like in Mexico and it will be complete. Anybody know where there are any cheap mountains that can be picked up and moved to Corby?

[jamie928]

I was also an F1 fan first. The first race I attended was the US GP at Watkins Glenn. I was lucky enough to see the likes of Jackie Stewart in a Tyrell, a very young Emerson Fittipaldi and Mario Andretti race there to name a few. I first got hooked on Champcars when my favorite driver, Emmo, came out of retirement to race in CART. I still watch F1 but no longer get up to watch the races at 7:00 AM, I tape them .
Fittipalidi has made me a full convert to the CART series. Where else can you see drivers race all over the world on 4 different kinds of tracks and never know who will win on any given Sunday?
BTW Shaun...very nice website..I saved it in my favorites and EMailed the link to all the CART fans I know.
mtpanorama...That was Andretti and Robbie Gordon who decided to bang wheels on the cool down lap at Cleveland if I remember right.

[Wrex]

I'm still slightly in favor of F1, but I'm not sure why. I started a thread http://tentenths.com/forum/showthrea...&threadid=7639 talking about the possible "conversion". I love both series for different reasons.

And it was Alex Zanardi's racing that got me watching CART. He was sensational. I was massively disappointed with his form in F1 - and lost alot of bets.

Visit this thread and tell me what you think.

[kuchi]

Well I must admit that cart is sometimes more exciting that F1, but the racing level is not as big. It is good to have different winners, yes, but it is also fun to watch a lot of teams battling for the second place like in F1.

[djb]

For me it is like apples and oranges, as I enjoy both, I take the differences for differences, the goods for the goods and the bads for the bads, and refuse to balance one against the other.

I would have to say though that the openness of Cart is appealing, whether in the possible winners, the variety of track types to master, the whole (sometimes) lottery of fuel strategy and yellows, and even how the drivers speak in less than hermetically sealed circumstances, it all appeals and gives a more human feel to the whole affair when compared to F1. (mind you, I still got up in the middle of the night to watch Malaysia)

[DanFlag]

Hey it happened to me too, I got more interested in another series, well not CART sorry, but still, after having been webmaster for Bertrand Godin (www.godinracing.com) in 1998, I fell in love with FIA Internation F3000 Series.

Why?

Because it's more fair! Everybody has got the same car (Lola B99/50), they all got the same engine (Zytek), and they all got the same tires (Avon), so I guess it's more of a competitive sport than just big bucks!

Anyway, enough about my new passion, F3000, you can learn more about it in my website here:
http://www.f3000.com/

Here's a treat for you CART lovers, my pictures from Toronto 2000
http://www.danflag.qc.ca/2000/toronto/

[Liz]

Now if we could just get some decent coverage of Champ Cars in the media! We get coverage when there's a race or when something awful happens, and that's about it.

I'm getting more interested in sports car racing too, as there are lots of different types of cars and the price is very low and the pilots are friendly and accessible. None of which applies to XF-1.

Bernie claims 53 Billion people watched XF-1 last year. Since the Earth only holds about 4 billion of those, where is he getting the rest of the audience?

[SevenGrain]

Originally posted by kuchi
it is also fun to watch a lot of teams battling for the second place like in F1.

More like third place... Ferrari or McLaren drivers took first and second place at every event in 2000.

[bobdrummond]

DNQ, If you think watching the CC races on TV is better than F1, try going to one as a spectator. That'll really show you what you've been missing.

I went to the Belgian GP in '99 and the Gateway Champ Car race in 2000. The Champ Car race was fantastically better. Instead of being treated like pond-scum at a GP, in the Champ Car paddock, you can literally touch the cars.

Mandatory engine supply rules and customer chassis for F1, anyone?

[JoMiSaP]

I have tried to be infidel to F1 with CART, NASCAR, GTs even with rallying, but I always keep returning to F1. The standing starts are really exciting and the qualifying too.

Anyway, I really enjoy a CART or NASCAR race.

I wish the USA GP would take place in the WHOLE Indy circuit and not the "thing" they have managed to design.

[Andy Roberts]

Same here! I used to love F1 but as soon as Mansell switched to CART in 93 I have been hooked. I still watch F1 mainly because its F1 and not for anything else. You can 90% of the time pick the winner before the race weekend and almost certainly after the first lap. How many times have we heard Murray say "he'll have to wait for the pitstops to make his move", only when they have just got round the 3rd corner! PAH!
Champ Cars are by far the better cars and racing. Stuff F1. Who needs it..... Over-rated follow the leader. (except for Montoya cus hes the DADDY!)

AndyR
www.ar-racing.co.uk

[Liz]

And Montoya is looking more and more as if he'll erase the idea that Champ Car piliots are also-rans and wannabees.

When TGF broke his leg in 1999 he said he had "seen the other side." I think he saw it again in Brazil!

[carbonfibre]

Originally posted by Liz
And Montoya is looking more and more as if he'll erase the idea that Champ Car piliots are also-rans and wannabees.

Hmmmm? I thought Jacques had already answered that issue. Then Alex Zeronardi comes along and undoes JV's success.

I like both F1 and CART. I don't see any need to choose a favorite, because it's just more racing to enjoy. I am always somewhat baffled when people feel compelled to favor one over the other. They are totally different types of racing, with similar looking cars. I like them both.