Official 2021 Spanish Grand Prix Thread **SPOILERS**

[Sandpit Steve]

aston80 said:

Do you honestly think last weekend was exciting?

3 overtakes amongst the top 3?

This is my third year following F1 and unfortunately most races have been mediocre. Perhaps my standards are too high but i do really enjoy F2. Qualification has been good (although i think time should be doubled) but the races have mostly been a bit of action in the first 3 laps then Hamilton goes off and wins.

Really hoping 2022 and cost cap levels things out.

Rather than sprint races i'd like to see F1 drivers in a standard spec car. I think that would compliment the current races well.

The last real dud race we had was France 2019, at the very boring Paul Ricard.

There were a few races last year where the winner was decided early, or the front two or three ran away, but there was always an almighty bunfight behind for the minor points places - which the TV directors have finally started to pick up on.

Yes, getting the F1 drivers to all line up in something like Carrera Cup cars for a demo race would be brilliant, but it’s not going to happen. There would be too many clashing sponsors, and one day someone will get themselves injured and have to sit out the F1 race. It was tried 40 years ago with the BMW Procar series, which was great.

[M5-911]

Sandpit Steve said:

aston80 said:

Do you honestly think last weekend was exciting?

3 overtakes amongst the top 3?

This is my third year following F1 and unfortunately most races have been mediocre. Perhaps my standards are too high but i do really enjoy F2. Qualification has been good (although i think time should be doubled) but the races have mostly been a bit of action in the first 3 laps then Hamilton goes off and wins.

Really hoping 2022 and cost cap levels things out.

Rather than sprint races i'd like to see F1 drivers in a standard spec car. I think that would compliment the current races well.

It was tried 40 years ago with the BMW Procar series, which was great.

It was stop pretty quickly as the driving standards were so poor. Most of the races ended up like a stock car race. Bmw decided to pull out as it costed them so much.

[Derek Smith]

aston80 said:

Do you honestly think last weekend was exciting?

3 overtakes amongst the top 3?

This is my third year following F1 and unfortunately most races have been mediocre. Perhaps my standards are too high but i do really enjoy F2. Qualification has been good (although i think time should be doubled) but the races have mostly been a bit of action in the first 3 laps then Hamilton goes off and wins.

Really hoping 2022 and cost cap levels things out.

Rather than sprint races i'd like to see F1 drivers in a standard spec car. I think that would compliment the current races well.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

The previous three seasons have provided some of the most exciting, interesting, thrilling and involving racing I can remember, and I've been a fan for some time. The midfield battles have been engrossing. The ‘best of the rest’ has provided some of the best racing I’ve seen.

This season promises to have a fight for the WDC, just like some of the previous seasons you mention. There was 2019 (I think) where for the first race, two Ferraris were on pole. But if all you are interested in is who wins, then I’m afraid that F1 is probably not for you.

[Eric Mc]

I always think that this circuit looks like a Matador's hat.

[SpudLink]

Derek Smith said:

aston80 said:

Do you honestly think last weekend was exciting?

3 overtakes amongst the top 3?

This is my third year following F1 and unfortunately most races have been mediocre. Perhaps my standards are too high but i do really enjoy F2. Qualification has been good (although i think time should be doubled) but the races have mostly been a bit of action in the first 3 laps then Hamilton goes off and wins.

Really hoping 2022 and cost cap levels things out.

Rather than sprint races i'd like to see F1 drivers in a standard spec car. I think that would compliment the current races well.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

The previous three seasons have provided some of the most exciting, interesting, thrilling and involving racing I can remember, and I've been a fan for some time. The midfield battles have been engrossing. The ‘best of the rest’ has provided some of the best racing I’ve seen.

This season promises to have a fight for the WDC, just like some of the previous seasons you mention. There was 2019 (I think) where for the first race, two Ferraris were on pole. But if all you are interested in is who wins, then I’m afraid that F1 is probably not for you.

If you start watch F1 and expect it to be like F2, touring cars, MotoGP, or American oval racing, then it will not immediately provide the visceral thrills of regular place swaps for the lead. Every place gained is, and should be, very difficult. A single brilliant overtake can decide a season. A driver managing his tyres while trying to hold off a faster (at that stage) rival is something to celebrate.

Having watched F1 since the ‘80s, this is a golden era for close competition. The field is closer than I can remember, especially if you look at the 6 mid-field teams.

F1 is a competition between teams to design and build the fastest prototype within the rules, each car designed to a different philosophy to it’s rivals. As such, it’s amazing that they are generally within a fraction of a second a lap of each other. The drivers are then employed to get the best out of the car the team has produced. Occasionally a rare talent seems to get a little more out of the car than anyone expects, and that is enough to get us excited.

But you’re not obliged to enjoy it. There are many other classes of motorsport available.

[TheDeuce]

SpudLink said:

Derek Smith said:

aston80 said:

Do you honestly think last weekend was exciting?

3 overtakes amongst the top 3?

This is my third year following F1 and unfortunately most races have been mediocre. Perhaps my standards are too high but i do really enjoy F2. Qualification has been good (although i think time should be doubled) but the races have mostly been a bit of action in the first 3 laps then Hamilton goes off and wins.

Really hoping 2022 and cost cap levels things out.

Rather than sprint races i'd like to see F1 drivers in a standard spec car. I think that would compliment the current races well.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

The previous three seasons have provided some of the most exciting, interesting, thrilling and involving racing I can remember, and I've been a fan for some time. The midfield battles have been engrossing. The ‘best of the rest’ has provided some of the best racing I’ve seen.

This season promises to have a fight for the WDC, just like some of the previous seasons you mention. There was 2019 (I think) where for the first race, two Ferraris were on pole. But if all you are interested in is who wins, then I’m afraid that F1 is probably not for you.

If you start watch F1 and expect it to be like F2, touring cars, MotoGP, or American oval racing, then it will not immediately provide the visceral thrills of regular place swaps for the lead. Every place gained is, and should be, very difficult. A single brilliant overtake can decide a season. A driver managing his tyres while trying to hold off a faster (at that stage) rival is something to celebrate.

Having watched F1 since the ‘80s, this is a golden era for close competition. The field is closer than I can remember, especially if you look at the 6 mid-field teams.

F1 is a competition between teams to design and build the fastest prototype within the rules, each car designed to a different philosophy to it’s rivals. As such, it’s amazing that they are generally within a fraction of a second a lap of each other. The drivers are then employed to get the best out of the car the team has produced. Occasionally a rare talent seems to get a little more out of the car than anyone expects, and that is enough to get us excited.

But you’re not obliged to enjoy it. There are many other classes of motorsport available.

Two things are weird:

1) how often people complain F1 isn't like other motorsport series that exist separately.

2) these people seem more likely to watch F1 than the other series that offer exactly what they say they want.

If F1 needs fixing by becoming like other series, how come it's the most popular motorsport in the world? Maybe because so many people that don't like it watch it anyway

[Eric Mc]

I was gradually getting tired of F1 but last year rejuvenated my interest. I am not a fan of what the cars look or sound like - but the racing has been good and some nice, interesting circuits have been added.

So, all in all, my enthusiasm is in a better place than it was 2 years ago.

[Exige77]

TheDeuce said:

SpudLink said:

Derek Smith said:

aston80 said:

Do you honestly think last weekend was exciting?

3 overtakes amongst the top 3?

This is my third year following F1 and unfortunately most races have been mediocre. Perhaps my standards are too high but i do really enjoy F2. Qualification has been good (although i think time should be doubled) but the races have mostly been a bit of action in the first 3 laps then Hamilton goes off and wins.

Really hoping 2022 and cost cap levels things out.

Rather than sprint races i'd like to see F1 drivers in a standard spec car. I think that would compliment the current races well.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

The previous three seasons have provided some of the most exciting, interesting, thrilling and involving racing I can remember, and I've been a fan for some time. The midfield battles have been engrossing. The ‘best of the rest’ has provided some of the best racing I’ve seen.

This season promises to have a fight for the WDC, just like some of the previous seasons you mention. There was 2019 (I think) where for the first race, two Ferraris were on pole. But if all you are interested in is who wins, then I’m afraid that F1 is probably not for you.

If you start watch F1 and expect it to be like F2, touring cars, MotoGP, or American oval racing, then it will not immediately provide the visceral thrills of regular place swaps for the lead. Every place gained is, and should be, very difficult. A single brilliant overtake can decide a season. A driver managing his tyres while trying to hold off a faster (at that stage) rival is something to celebrate.

Having watched F1 since the ‘80s, this is a golden era for close competition. The field is closer than I can remember, especially if you look at the 6 mid-field teams.

F1 is a competition between teams to design and build the fastest prototype within the rules, each car designed to a different philosophy to it’s rivals. As such, it’s amazing that they are generally within a fraction of a second a lap of each other. The drivers are then employed to get the best out of the car the team has produced. Occasionally a rare talent seems to get a little more out of the car than anyone expects, and that is enough to get us excited.

But you’re not obliged to enjoy it. There are many other classes of motorsport available.

Two things are weird:

1) how often people complain F1 isn't like other motorsport series that exist separately.

2) these people seem more likely to watch F1 than the other series that offer exactly what they say they want.

If F1 needs fixing by becoming like other series, how come it's the most popular motorsport in the world? Maybe because so many people that don't like it watch it anyway

He has form for being a little Simple. If you ignore him, he’ll go away back to his beloved spec car series.

[andburg]

Eric Mc said:

I was gradually getting tired of F1 but last year rejuvenated my interest. I am not a fan of what the cars look or sound like - but the racing has been good and some nice, interesting circuits have been added.

So, all in all, my enthusiasm is in a better place than it was 2 years ago.

Having to go back to the old school tracks becasue of Covid has had a major effect in rejuvenating F1. This year should be just as good, more old school tracks and cars that are harder to drive.

It's what we as fans have all wanted

[TheDeuce]

andburg said:

Eric Mc said:

I was gradually getting tired of F1 but last year rejuvenated my interest. I am not a fan of what the cars look or sound like - but the racing has been good and some nice, interesting circuits have been added.

So, all in all, my enthusiasm is in a better place than it was 2 years ago.

Having to go back to the old school tracks becasue of Covid has had a major effect in rejuvenating F1. This year should be just as good, more old school tracks and cars that are harder to drive.

It's what we as fans have all wanted

It's true. For all sorts of reasons the old school tracks were seen as overall less commercially attractive to F1 than the newer circuits.. But I think (I hope..) that being forced to revisit a few has proven that they're so outright popular that they can justify their place on the calendar by boosting the TV rights value of F1, even if the circuits in question can't pay as much as some others...

The pandemic also forced F1 to break the unwritten rule that each country and in fact each circuit should only appear on the calendar once per season - with fascinating results.

A lot of 2020 was obviously a one off due to the pandemic, but typically whenever new things are tried, some of it sticks and is repeated. Fingers crossed that's the case as F1 looks to the future.

[Eric Mc]

I do hope so.

The only race I will probably go out of my way to avoid is the French Grand Prix.

It hurts my eyes.

[DanielSan]

aston80 said:

DanielSan said:

It might well match last weekend for excitement. I just never felt like it quite got going though.

Do you honestly think last weekend was exciting?

3 overtakes amongst the top 3?

This is my third year following F1 and unfortunately most races have been mediocre. Perhaps my standards are too high but i do really enjoy F2. Qualification has been good (although i think time should be doubled) but the races have mostly been a bit of action in the first 3 laps then Hamilton goes off and wins.

Really hoping 2022 and cost cap levels things out.

Rather than sprint races i'd like to see F1 drivers in a standard spec car. I think that would compliment the current races well.

You might want to read the second sentence in my post along with the first... Last weekend just never got going. It had all the build up but no real excitement.

Pretty much every race last season was good though not sure how you think they weren't? There was enty of racing behind Hamilton, that's why the TV cameras barely focused on the Mercedes at the front

[DanielSan]

Eric Mc said:

I do hope so.

The only race I will probably go out of my way to avoid is the French Grand Prix.

It hurts my eyes.

Old age be doing that to you

[TheDeuce]

Eric Mc said:

I do hope so.

The only race I will probably go out of my way to avoid is the French Grand Prix.

It hurts my eyes.

The highlight of the 2020 season was F1 not going to Paul Ricard

It's the one race a year I listen too rather than watch. If Crofty gets particularly over-excited I'll stop whatever else I'm doing to glance at the screen - only to see that indeed a car has gone off and is sliding... sliding... eventually coasts gently to a halt and then after a few minutes of tootling around in a sea of red and blue, finally manages to locate part of the circuit and rejoins.

[andburg]

I always liken F1 to scalextric, the go to motorsport toy!

When i first had scalextrix it was basis, a figure 8 and 2 cars.
To build more excitement I got more track, more corners, added inclines, declines and camber to corners and it was great. If I get a corner wrong the car would fly off.

Then Scalextric released cars with magnets, suddenly I could go flat round almost the entire lap it was amazing but the competition aspect lost its thrill as everybody could do it. It didn't matter what I did with the track, the solution was to remove the magnets and reintroduce skill but being a young lad i just fed up and packed it all away.

F1 is hopefully removing the magnets and going back to the old tracks!

[Eric Mc]

TheDeuce said:

The highlight of the 2020 season was F1 not going to Paul Ricard

It's the one race a year I listen too rather than watch. If Crofty gets particularly over-excited I'll stop whatever else I'm doing to glance at the screen - only to see that indeed a car has gone off and is sliding... sliding... eventually coasts gently to a halt and then after a few minutes of tootling around in a sea of red and blue, finally manages to locate part of the circuit and rejoins.

Yep - it's a psychedelic mess of a circuit. How they manage to find their way around the place and stay pointing in the right direction is beyond me. If they got rid of all the blue stripes it would be a bit more bearable.

[Derek Smith]

I also watch GT and LMS (whatever they are called nowadays) races, but only on TV for the last, and this, year. I find them fascinating and exciting. I also find them too long. Six hours, as a spectator, is a long time to sit in stands, to use the circuit toilets, and smell the burgers, both before and after consumption. For spectacle, especially the first few laps, it dwarfs F1.

When live, the committment of drivers when overtaking slower drivers, some of whom are amateurs, and very much so, is enough to terrify spectators, let alone the drivers. Good fun.

However, I prefer F1.

It's not an either/or thing. It is quite permissible to like and watch both, and have a favourite. If you fall out of love of F1, then there is a high number of alternatives. But you'll be back.

[anonymous-user]

When I used to watch F1 years ago it was usually

1)Watch the first 10 laps
2)Fall asleep
3)Wake up 5 laps from the end to see the positions are exactly the same.

Last weeks race would have been perfect for that, it was utterly boring. I predict this race will be the same, same result as last week as well.

[Byker28i]

Joey Deacon said:

When I used to watch F1 years ago it was usually

1)Watch the first 10 laps
2)Fall asleep
3)Wake up 5 laps from the end to see the positions are exactly the same.

Last weeks race would have been perfect for that, it was utterly boring. I predict this race will be the same, same result as last week as well.

Nope - plenty of action going on, the start, the jump of positions, Hamiltons overtake on Bottas, the slow pitstop and then Bottas mistake to allow verstappen through, plus plenty going on behind...

If you want crashes, watch touring cars.

[TheDeuce]

Joey Deacon said:

When I used to watch F1 years ago it was usually

1)Watch the first 10 laps
2)Fall asleep
3)Wake up 5 laps from the end to see the positions are exactly the same.

Last weeks race would have been perfect for that, it was utterly boring. I predict this race will be the same, same result as last week as well.

How do you know last week's race was boring if you didn't even watch it?

Wasn't the best race ever, but was watchable and tense in several places.not to mention every race is a pretty big deal on an evenly matched championship battle..