F1 too pleased with itself?

[seppefan]

With Bernie taking F1 to the highest bidder and empty grandstands to boot at some of the new races I wonder how long things can carry on as is. Monaco or Indy 500 to watch next weekend. Well the lucky ones will see both but I reckon I know which one will be the most entertaining. With US open wheel racing unified Bernie had better get the "racing " spectacle going in F1 if he wants to repay the debt on CVC's borrowings.

Yesterday Lorenzo came secong in the MotoGP race with two broken ankles. The drivers all had a laugh. Rossi stopped after winning and Nieto rode the bike back to the paddock with Rossi behind him. In F1 the winner cannot grab a national flag, do a doughnut or be anything but grey and boring. The MotoGP racing was fast and furious. Overtaking happened, yes its true. Watch Indy for that as well. F1 is loosing touch with reality and putting on a show that requires Mark Hughes to explain really what is going on.

I know many here will think I am talking rubbish but having followed F1 since I was six or so I have/had a deep affection which I am loosing. They are all so pleased with themselves that I am actually starting to find I care a lot less than I wanted.

At least I have the 125's, 250's, MotoGP, IRL, but if others start to think like this ( and many do ).

Just wait for a F1 sponsor to go to the IRL...and it will happen.

[F1boat]

On the other hand, in the DTM there is even less overtaking than in F-1

[Ranger]

With Bernie taking F1 to the highest bidder and empty grandstands to boot at some of the new races I wonder how long things can carry on as is. Monaco or Indy 500 to watch next weekend. Well the lucky ones will see both but I reckon I know which one will be the most entertaining. With US open wheel racing unified Bernie had better get the "racing " spectacle going in F1 if he wants to repay the debt on CVC's borrowings.

Yesterday Lorenzo came secong in the MotoGP race with two broken ankles. The drivers all had a laugh. Rossi stopped after winning and Nieto rode the bike back to the paddock with Rossi behind him. In F1 the winner cannot grab a national flag, do a doughnut or be anything but grey and boring. The MotoGP racing was fast and furious. Overtaking happened, yes its true. Watch Indy for that as well. F1 is loosing touch with reality and putting on a show that requires Mark Hughes to explain really what is going on.

I know many here will think I am talking rubbish but having followed F1 since I was six or so I have/had a deep affection which I am loosing. They are all so pleased with themselves that I am actually starting to find I care a lot less than I wanted.

At least I have the 125's, 250's, MotoGP, IRL, but if others start to think like this ( and many do ).

Just wait for a F1 sponsor to go to the IRL...and it will happen.

Improved 'racing' will hopefully be one of the benefits of the 2009 F1 regulations, so hopefully they will be more condusive to racing than the past few years' regs.

Other than that I agree with your post. Although MotoGP has to revert to no TC sooner rather than later. Whilst still head and shoulders above most racing series in terms of racing, going from 990cc to 800cc has been disappointing from a racing perspective.

[ShiftingGears]

My main problem with F1 is its propensity to go to boring circuits to try and solve the lack of passing instead of fixing problems inherent in the regulations of the cars. F1 needs more faster and twistier circuits - the driver's circuits.

MotoGP is great but I'm more into car racing. As for the IRL - haven't seen it. But Champ Car was great, especially some of their venues.

[ArrowsFA1]

I know many here will think I am talking rubbish but having followed F1 since I was six or so I have/had a deep affection which I am loosing. They are all so pleased with themselves that I am actually starting to find I care a lot less than I wanted.

Is it a sign of getting old? "Things aren't what they used to be" and all that? :

Having said that, there is an arrogance about F1 that leads it to believe its position at the top of the motorsport ladder is unassailable. That attitude, unchecked, may eventually prove to be its undoing.

[Knock-on]

Is it a sign of getting old? "Things aren't what they used to be" and all that? :

Having said that, there is an arrogance about F1 that leads it to believe its position at the top of the motorsport ladder is unassailable. That attitude, unchecked, may eventually prove to be its undoing.

I thought you gave up the notion of getting old years ago :

Compared to a few years ago, F1 is improving, slowly.

Lets hope it continues.

How will F1 win back the fans though because there is still a perception that it's boring which is criminal for a sport like F1.

F1 = Boring is like accusing Julian Clary of being straight

[aryan]

F1 is loosing touch with reality and putting on a show that requires Mark Hughes to explain really what is going on.

All subjective. The only thing that matters is TV ratings, and as long as the figures keep improving (which they have for the past couple of years) then there is nothing wrong with F1, from a business point of view.

having followed F1 since I was six or so I have/had a deep affection which I am loosing. They are all so pleased with themselves that I am actually starting to find I care a lot less than I wanted.

Something similar happened to me about football (soccer). I watched it passionately and eagerly since I was a kid, following all the national teams and clubs and crying tears of joy when Manchester United won the treble.

Then I suddenly found myself losing interest slowly but surely from about 2000. Now a days I barely know any of the modern players.

But that doesn't mean football has is worst than it was in the past century. Only that my taste has changed.

Something similar might be happening to you and F1.

[I am evil Homer]

Maybe Bernie's attitude is that for every European or "traditional" fan he loses, he gains 3 in Asia or the Middle East where he wants more GPs?

[BDunnell]

How will F1 win back the fans though because there is still a perception that it's boring which is criminal for a sport like F1.

I think this is probably the biggest problem for F1 in terms of its perception. However, there are other things at play, and being 'too pleased with itself' might be quite a good summation. Even leaving aside the dislike of F1 that some have developed for environmental reasons, I can understand why many are turned off by its conspicuous display of wealth and big business. This may once have been OK, but now it is starting to seem vulgar and arrogant. It certainly isn't glamorous in the proper sense of the word.

[ArrowsFA1]

This might be worth a read in light of this thread:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/67562

Briatore - "We never learn from our mistakes, we just spend more money."