Motorsport magazine 'F1 is being ruined'.
Discussion
Remarkable to see the venerable Motorsport coming out with something as blunt as this.
We'll get to see how the tweaks affect things next weekend.
In the meantime, I am relieved that some respected figures in the sport are being honest, rather than burying their heads in the sand and taking the paycheck.
We'll get to see how the tweaks affect things next weekend.
In the meantime, I am relieved that some respected figures in the sport are being honest, rather than burying their heads in the sand and taking the paycheck.
The headline is clickbait; not that I would criticise a podcast - not the magazine, which is two words, Motor and Sport - for trying to get subscribers, but they don't want to do it too often.
The media should criticise F1 where there are aspects that are not helping the sport. There should be no argument about that, and it's a shame they haven't always done so. The FIA is trying, together with the teams and suppliers, to remedy some of the negative aspects of the new 2026 regs, the same ones that the FIA, teams and suppliers decided on. Why put the boot in with the word ruined when, it would appear, everyone involved accepts the need for change and has agreed on certain aspects? I mean, apart from clickbait.
On a positive note, there are battles all through the field, all through the race. Isn't that what everyone wants? The days of open DRS and disappear have disappeared. I thought DRS was ruining F1 as all it was there for was spectacle, the same thing we're getting now, but different. There have been frequent wheel-to-wheel battles that have lasted a couple of laps.
The F1 PH massive, including me I accept, was suggesting the new regs would mean one team would crack them and shoot off into the distance from lap 1. This hasn't happened. Merc eventually gets clear, but the changes have the potential of limiting this to an extent. Let's see shall we? I remember when new regs meant half the grid raced in a different competition. I'd suggest that was nearer to ruining F1.
I loved the turbo era. I had ear wax dislodged because I was up against the catch-fencing in one GP, but it tore F1 apart. The 87 British had only two cars on the final lap. (Memory a bit iffy - it might have been three.) F1 ruined.
The reg changes haven't been even finalised yet, but they are changes. Time was when the FIA, or at least the boss, wouldn't listen. He all but ruined F1. The press didn't speak out much.
The media should criticise F1 where there are aspects that are not helping the sport. There should be no argument about that, and it's a shame they haven't always done so. The FIA is trying, together with the teams and suppliers, to remedy some of the negative aspects of the new 2026 regs, the same ones that the FIA, teams and suppliers decided on. Why put the boot in with the word ruined when, it would appear, everyone involved accepts the need for change and has agreed on certain aspects? I mean, apart from clickbait.
On a positive note, there are battles all through the field, all through the race. Isn't that what everyone wants? The days of open DRS and disappear have disappeared. I thought DRS was ruining F1 as all it was there for was spectacle, the same thing we're getting now, but different. There have been frequent wheel-to-wheel battles that have lasted a couple of laps.
The F1 PH massive, including me I accept, was suggesting the new regs would mean one team would crack them and shoot off into the distance from lap 1. This hasn't happened. Merc eventually gets clear, but the changes have the potential of limiting this to an extent. Let's see shall we? I remember when new regs meant half the grid raced in a different competition. I'd suggest that was nearer to ruining F1.
I loved the turbo era. I had ear wax dislodged because I was up against the catch-fencing in one GP, but it tore F1 apart. The 87 British had only two cars on the final lap. (Memory a bit iffy - it might have been three.) F1 ruined.
The reg changes haven't been even finalised yet, but they are changes. Time was when the FIA, or at least the boss, wouldn't listen. He all but ruined F1. The press didn't speak out much.
Derek Smith said:
The headline is clickbait;
Agreed https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single...
Commenter remarks: "Mark, I must have been watching a different race! This is not motor racing."
Mark Hughes replies: "Which bit of China race wasn't racing Stanley?"
paulguitar said:
Derek Smith said:
Why put the boot in with the word ruined when, it would appear, everyone involved accepts the need for change and has agreed on certain aspects?
Did you listen to the recent interview 'The Race' did with Stefano Domenicali?Some people will find the positive in anything, if they really enjoy a sport, I switched off from F1 a long long time ago as the hybrid era lost me completely, and I do not even remotely miss it, almost regret ever watching it so avidly really I have seen the odd highlight this year and in some ways it looks good in others a farce.
It will change of people stop turning up or paying to watch, it shows no signs of that so it will remain, I think Max might leave sooner than later, which might shake things up
It will change of people stop turning up or paying to watch, it shows no signs of that so it will remain, I think Max might leave sooner than later, which might shake things up
n3il123 said:
paulguitar said:
Derek Smith said:
Why put the boot in with the word ruined when, it would appear, everyone involved accepts the need for change and has agreed on certain aspects?
Did you listen to the recent interview 'The Race' did with Stefano Domenicali?I often wonder what the hold F1 has on me consists of.
There's the history of course. I saw my first GP live back in 1966 and I was thrilled. I've watched F1 on TV and live since then. I watch other racing, but F1 has always been the big one. But why?
Sports car racing, especially endurance, can be thrilling, perhaps more so than F1. The cars are stunning and to see them going through Eau Rouge flat out, and with less than perfect aero, is enough to make anyone gasp. GT racing can be combative throughout. Tuscans got the fans standing many times, but seeing something with MP4 in its name gets the heart pounding. Why?
The sport has gone through some dire periods, perhaps not as much as endurance racing, but it tried. But I still watched it, in those days even if it was in the wee smalls. Not so much now.
It hasn't lost its magic for me. Nor a lot of my friends. In fact, this season, for all its contrivance, has generated comment and email that is largely positive. Seeing Ferraris bumping tyres; what's not to like? Love maybe. All F1 racing has been a contrivance, sometimes more than others, but I'm glad to see the back of DRS. Listening to the commentators praising Alonso for keeping two thirds of the field behind him for half the race made me fantasise about sticking forks in their eyes. They weren't using them to watch the race. Sure it needs change, and certainly more change than will come for Miami, but concentrating on the negative is pointless. No one cares in the FIA - nor me for that matter. Enjoy it. It's the only F1 we're going to get until the viewing figures are negatively hit, 'cause that's all they care about.
Being criticised for looking on the bright side? When did that become something to be patronised about?
There's the history of course. I saw my first GP live back in 1966 and I was thrilled. I've watched F1 on TV and live since then. I watch other racing, but F1 has always been the big one. But why?
Sports car racing, especially endurance, can be thrilling, perhaps more so than F1. The cars are stunning and to see them going through Eau Rouge flat out, and with less than perfect aero, is enough to make anyone gasp. GT racing can be combative throughout. Tuscans got the fans standing many times, but seeing something with MP4 in its name gets the heart pounding. Why?
The sport has gone through some dire periods, perhaps not as much as endurance racing, but it tried. But I still watched it, in those days even if it was in the wee smalls. Not so much now.
It hasn't lost its magic for me. Nor a lot of my friends. In fact, this season, for all its contrivance, has generated comment and email that is largely positive. Seeing Ferraris bumping tyres; what's not to like? Love maybe. All F1 racing has been a contrivance, sometimes more than others, but I'm glad to see the back of DRS. Listening to the commentators praising Alonso for keeping two thirds of the field behind him for half the race made me fantasise about sticking forks in their eyes. They weren't using them to watch the race. Sure it needs change, and certainly more change than will come for Miami, but concentrating on the negative is pointless. No one cares in the FIA - nor me for that matter. Enjoy it. It's the only F1 we're going to get until the viewing figures are negatively hit, 'cause that's all they care about.
Being criticised for looking on the bright side? When did that become something to be patronised about?
Hopefully the current fixes will be helpful .
I fully understand that F1 is a business but the whole Netflix/ film/Americanization of F1 has not improved it for me with flash decor while traditional places like Spa are being slowly left behind .
While I ignore the Netflix stuff and so on the desire to put on a show at great expense with the most personalities attending has not improved things.
As for the rules themselves I would like to ensure that all moves inside the car are fully controlled by the driver quite simply.
I fully understand that F1 is a business but the whole Netflix/ film/Americanization of F1 has not improved it for me with flash decor while traditional places like Spa are being slowly left behind .
While I ignore the Netflix stuff and so on the desire to put on a show at great expense with the most personalities attending has not improved things.
As for the rules themselves I would like to ensure that all moves inside the car are fully controlled by the driver quite simply.
It is odd how you can love a sport and then completely and utterly lose interest in watching it. But that is what hybrid did for me, the cars are too quiet, far too big too "faffy" to look at, the teams are ridiculous, pillocks with leaf blowers everywhere, it all just looks a bit opulent and silly to me sorry. I remember exactly the time I was "done". I was already getting a bit fed up with it, then it was Jerez first test of new cars and there was Ted without a headset, open mic talking normally at trackside as a car bigger than the Ark Royal went past and that was it.
The drivers are great, they are hampered hugely in many ways which is sad and I think Max doing what he has done and openly criticising the sport for so long hopefully has an affect, but F1 is bigger than one driver and he seems perfectly happy to walk away and do things he finds more challenging, interesting and interesting.
The sport continues to be popular, I have to admit , I have no idea why. But for whatever reason it continues to grow.
The drivers are great, they are hampered hugely in many ways which is sad and I think Max doing what he has done and openly criticising the sport for so long hopefully has an affect, but F1 is bigger than one driver and he seems perfectly happy to walk away and do things he finds more challenging, interesting and interesting.
The sport continues to be popular, I have to admit , I have no idea why. But for whatever reason it continues to grow.
bergclimber34 said:
It is odd how you can love a sport and then completely and utterly lose interest in watching it. But that is what hybrid did for me, the cars are too quiet, far too big too "faffy" to look at, the teams are ridiculous, pillocks with leaf blowers everywhere, it all just looks a bit opulent and silly to me sorry. I remember exactly the time I was "done". I was already getting a bit fed up with it, then it was Jerez first test of new cars and there was Ted without a headset, open mic talking normally at trackside as a car bigger than the Ark Royal went past and that was it.
The drivers are great, they are hampered hugely in many ways which is sad and I think Max doing what he has done and openly criticising the sport for so long hopefully has an affect, but F1 is bigger than one driver and he seems perfectly happy to walk away and do things he finds more challenging, interesting and interesting.
The sport continues to be popular, I have to admit , I have no idea why. But for whatever reason it continues to grow.
Hybrid was 12 years ago. Leaf blowers were earlier than that.The drivers are great, they are hampered hugely in many ways which is sad and I think Max doing what he has done and openly criticising the sport for so long hopefully has an affect, but F1 is bigger than one driver and he seems perfectly happy to walk away and do things he finds more challenging, interesting and interesting.
The sport continues to be popular, I have to admit , I have no idea why. But for whatever reason it continues to grow.
You say you have no idea why it's still popular, but it might be because even people such as yourselves who apparently don't watch it anymore, seem to follow it and post online about it. Presumably whilst watching it, in some form or another.
Engagement is patronage. You're engaging, and they're tracking that - it's your engagement that boosts sponsorship payments. Thank you for continuing to do your bit
I really don't need to, I sort of grew out of it, or just got fed with it, for whatever reason, we had crap years back in the day obviously, but even in the Ferrari 00s, it was sort of OK, because you could SEE Schuey making the difference at times, much like Nando at Renault or Mika at Mclaren, Seb at RB, you just thought, 10 guys could do that, probably unfair, and for me the same with Lewis, had a nadvantage his entire time at Merc, again, very unfair, but when you lose interest it's hard to ignore such things.
Also watch a lotbif bike racing, that took over. Now it's endurance racing, it's like watching a test match, whereas F1for me like a one day game, and that doesn't appeal either anymore when it used to.
Also watch a lotbif bike racing, that took over. Now it's endurance racing, it's like watching a test match, whereas F1for me like a one day game, and that doesn't appeal either anymore when it used to.
WTDMM said:
Its much less ruined than when the 2014 regs came into play, or when Fiarari cantered off into the distance every race for 5 years with about 2 overtakes a race.
I don't agree about 2014; we had some brilliant racing for victories between two great drivers at the top of their game. It was a much more interesting situation than, for example, 2023, where one driver had a massive car advantage and a teammate who couldn't compete.As far as the Ferrari dominant seasons go, I can understand the frustration, particularly when Schmacker had a teammate specifically employed to be a servant, and he had tyres literally custom-made specifically for him. That was a situation never seen before, and hopefully we will never see again. But, and it is a big but, he spent those seasons almost always absolutely flat out. There wasn't a single pole position where he'd gone through a corner 40 MPH off the potential of the car, because if he'd done that, he'd have started last on the grid.
I doubt he ever overtook someone without meaning to, either...
Edited by paulguitar on Wednesday 29th April 11:21
paulguitar said:
WTDMM said:
Its much less ruined than when the 2014 regs came into play, or when Fiarari cantered off into the distance every race for 5 years with about 2 overtakes a race.
I don't agree about 2014; we had some brilliant racing for victories between two great drivers at the top of their game. It was a much more interesting situation than, for example, 2023, where one driver had a massive car advantage and a teammate who couldn't compete.As far as the Ferrari dominant seasons go, I can understand the frustration, particularly when Schmacker had a teammate specifically employed to be a servant, and he had tyres literally custom-made specifically for him. That was a situation never seen before, and hopefully we will never see again. But, and it is a big but, he spent those seasons almost always absolutely flat out. There wasn't a single pole position where he'd gone through a corner 40 MPH off the potential of the car, because if he'd done that, he'd have started last on the grid.
I doubt he ever overtook someone without meaning to, either...
Valid points but as a neutral watching two team mates endlessly waltzing off into the distance was utterly boring unless you were invested in one of them.
There's always been an element of managing resources and artificial performance offsets, overboost buttons, pit stops, fuel stops, f duct, drs, Kers etc this is just new and maybe more obvious. Once tweaked for a season or two this will be no worse than any other seasons.
The whole rose tinted dream of a driver driving flat out at peak car performance for 100% of the lap 100% of the race is a fantasy that never happened and never will.
You can watch that kind of stuff in spec series, and they are as boring as hell normally
Edited by paulguitar on Wednesday 29th April 11:21
paulguitar said:
WTDMM said:
Its much less ruined than when the 2014 regs came into play, or when Fiarari cantered off into the distance every race for 5 years with about 2 overtakes a race.
I don't agree about 2014; we had some brilliant racing for victories between two great drivers at the top of their game. It was a much more interesting situation than, for example, 2023, where one driver had a massive car advantage and a teammate who couldn't compete.As far as the Ferrari dominant seasons go, I can understand the frustration, particularly when Schmacker had a teammate specifically employed to be a servant, and he had tyres literally custom-made specifically for him. That was a situation never seen before, and hopefully we will never see again. But, and it is a big but, he spent those seasons almost always absolutely flat out. There wasn't a single pole position where he'd gone through a corner 40 MPH off the potential of the car, because if he'd done that, he'd have started last on the grid.
I doubt he ever overtook someone without meaning to, either...
In contrast, the Schumacher years and Verstappen years didn’t bring the same excitement, as the dominant team got hard behind one driver and we all knew who would win before the race started.
This year still has a lot of potential, even if Mercedes don’t get caught they have two drivers who wil fight each other for it.
Sandpit Steve said:
This year still has a lot of potential, even if Mercedes don t get caught they have two drivers who wil fight each other for it.
I dont think Mercedes will have it all their own way anyway either, i agree this year has a lot of potential as a competition. I'm still very open minded about it and would much rather be watching it than not :-).WTDMM said:
There's always been an element of managing resources and artificial performance offsets, overboost buttons, pit stops, fuel stops, f duct, drs, Kers etc this is just new and maybe more obvious. Once tweaked for a season or two this will be no worse than any other seasons.
None of your example years had cars slowing down without the driver instruction though which is the main gripe this year. Yes, once tweaked for a season or two things will improve but that doesn’t help right now does it? This year is definitely worse than (all?) others (so far).
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