Spicing up F1

[oyster]

I first watched F1 as a 5yr old in 1977. Coverage was a bit patchy back then though.

So, 43 of watching F1 and I think 2020 might just be the most engaging season I’ve ever witnessed.

Not sure why all the moaning.

[LukeBrown66]

I guess if you fall out of love with something it's hard to get back into it again.

I never thought it would happen, but I tried to watch few races this year, and invariably drifted off to do other things. I guess for some its great but for me it is no better than recent years. I dont like predictable, and most of this year was just that.

especially if you watched MotoGP, loads of winners, close racing in all classes, it really doesn't even compare sadly.

[DoubleD]

LukeBrown66 said:

I guess if you fall out of love with something it's hard to get back into it again.

I never thought it would happen, but I tried to watch few races this year, and invariably drifted off to do other things. I guess for some its great but for me it is no better than recent years. I dont like predictable, and most of this year was just that.

especially if you watched MotoGP, loads of winners, close racing in all classes, it really doesn't even compare sadly.

How do you know that most of the year was predictable when you only watched a few bits of a few races?

[TheDeuce]

oyster said:

I first watched F1 as a 5yr old in 1977. Coverage was a bit patchy back then though.

So, 43 of watching F1 and I think 2020 might just be the most engaging season I’ve ever witnessed.

Not sure why all the moaning.

People have only become so entitled relatively recently

Yes, it's been a fantastic season as was last season. It's very tough to compare across the era's but I think it actually might be the best season to date - if we adjust for the effects of sentimentality...

[Murghee]

LukeBrown66 said:

I guess if you fall out of love with something it's hard to get back into it again.

I never thought it would happen, but I tried to watch few races this year, and invariably drifted off to do other things. I guess for some its great but for me it is no better than recent years. I dont like predictable, and most of this year was just that.

especially if you watched MotoGP, loads of winners, close racing in all classes, it really doesn't even compare sadly.

Are you just reading the bbc sport headline about the formula 1 results and basing your opinion on that?

Turkey portugal bahrain styrian mugello all been brilliant

This season has been fantastic probz one of the best for many years

[Murghee]

Instead of a safety car which uses up valuable laps when there is an incident. Could the race just not be red flagged every time?

This season some incidents have led to about 30% of the total laps being behind the safety car such as the british gp etc

[Derek Smith]

LukeBrown66 said:

I guess if you fall out of love with something it's hard to get back into it again.

I never thought it would happen, but I tried to watch few races this year, and invariably drifted off to do other things. I guess for some its great but for me it is no better than recent years. I dont like predictable, and most of this year was just that.

especially if you watched MotoGP, loads of winners, close racing in all classes, it really doesn't even compare sadly.

After what was one of the most exicting, thrilling and interest-filled seasons I've experienced, and I've been a bit of an F1 nerd since 1966, if you drifted off while watching it, I think it's best to give up and do something else.

I used to follow rugby closely, going to all my team's matches, both home and away, every season, for some dozen years. I then fell out of love with the sport. I still watch internationals, but don't really enjoy them to the same level. Rugby hasn't changed. It's the same with F1. It's more or less stayed the same as it ever was, although it's got a lot closer over recent times.

Spicing up F1? The best way, I think, is to leave it alone. Making it more accessible to new teams, maybe even bringing back prequalifying, is about all I can suggest.

We've been spoiled over recent years. 2020 was superb.

[Murghee]

Maybe they should ditch soft and mediums

Just have ultra hards which will last ages but may mean the drivers can drive flat out all race

[PlasticBottleMan]

Scrap qualifying, and line the cars up on the grid in reverse Championship order. Because giving the fastest competitors a head-start doesn't tend to make for a great race.

Only problem is the TV coverage would be awful. There'd be so much going on you wouldn't be able to follow it.

[StevieBee]

PlasticBottleMan said:

Scrap qualifying, and line the cars up on the grid in reverse Championship order. Because giving the fastest competitors a head-start doesn't tend to make for a great race.

Only problem is the TV coverage would be awful. There'd be so much going on you wouldn't be able to follow it.

F1, like any professional sport (and non professional come to that) is a meritocracy: the best wins.

What you've described could see someone like Latifi win Monaco and others undeserving of the position they finish in. This would completely undermine the sport.

Sport can be entertaining but should not be entertainment for the sake of it.

[Stealthracer]

StevieBee said:

... Sport can be entertaining but should not be entertainment for the sake of it.

How I wish someone had reminded Michael Masi of that!

[Milkyway]

Just have a big machine like the old Lottery machines with the drivers numbers on them.
A big celebrity can hit the button.
The order that they come out in is the grid.

Or...
Football style;
One celeb picks the driver
One celeb picks their grid position.

Watching the drivers & teams reactions as they learn their fate.
Plenty of time afterwards for discussion.

Edited by Milkyway on Saturday 18th June 16:43

[Brainpox]

Milkyway said:

Just have a big machine like the old Lottery machines with the drivers numbers on them.
A big celebrity can hit the button.
The order that they come out in is the grid.
Chat to the drivers.
Sorted.

Careful, if you make it too exciting they'll use the lotto machine to decide finishing positions and not bother with boring expensive racing bit.

[Milkyway]

Brainpox said:

Careful, if you make it too exciting they'll use the lotto machine to decide finishing positions and not bother with boring expensive racing bit.

[Gad-Westy]

Not a massive fan of sprint races but if we're going to have them, I quite like the idea of the spring race being reverse qualifying order with every position scoring points. Main event reverts to qualifying positions for start.

[Milkyway]

Gad-Westy said:

Not a massive fan of sprint races but if we're going to have them, I quite like the idea of the spring race being reverse qualifying order with every position scoring points. Main event reverts to qualifying positions for start.

A few lower formula’s do that... with an extra point for every grid position improvement.
( Encourage SOME overtaking at least)

Edited by Milkyway on Saturday 18th June 22:14

[Gad-Westy]

Milkyway said:

Gad-Westy said:

Not a massive fan of sprint races but if we're going to have them, I quite like the idea of the spring race being reverse qualifying order with every position scoring points. Main event reverts to qualifying positions for start.

A few lower formula’s do that... with an extra point for every grid position improvement.
( Encourage SOME overtaking at least)

Edited by Milkyway on Saturday 18th June 22:14

It does make some sense. It keeps qualifying incentivised for the main points haul on a sunday but mixes it all up for a bit of fun on the saturday. If we must have sprint races, I prefer that idea.

[freedman]

Gad-Westy said:

Not a massive fan of sprint races but if we're going to have them, I quite like the idea of the spring race being reverse qualifying order with every position scoring points. Main event reverts to qualifying positions for start.

Reverse qualifying order, like BOP and DRS is a blight on Motorsport world wide.

We’ve ended up having series that punish those who are successful, by weight gain, extended pit stops and reverse grids. BOP evening up a field, so we have no true idea of which manufacturers are actually producing the fastest cars

[Milkyway]

Track sprinklers... for qualifying.

[Murghee]

Seeing as red bull and max have got this season in the bag. Do you think the owners of F1 may want to keep this season close by allowing teams to fix the car to make them more competitive?