Bec 1Formula 1 - What's the point?
June 18th 2009 20:56
I tend to watch most sports from time to time, mainly to while away a few hours here and there. I also believe most sports are a good way of teaching people how to work as a team, to help each other out in times of difficulty. These attributes can then be carried from the sport to everyday life.
There is one sport which I can't relate to: Formula 1.
What's the point? It's supposed to be a race and yet there is very little overtaking done after the first lap. The 'race' merely becomes a procession as each car follows the one in front round and round until it's time to pit.
Most 'overtaking' is done during pit stops which means the skill of the mechanics, engineers, electricians, technicians etc is called into play. The faster the pit stop, the quicker the car emerges onto the track and, maybe, the car has moved up a position because of the dexterity of the team.
In the halcyon days of Fangio and Moss, and later to an extent with the likes of Prost, Senna and Mansell, F1 was worthy of watching as overtaking and daring overtaking manouevres were part and parcel of the race. The cars were not the four wheeled computers used today and therefore the drivers' skills were tantamount. Nowadays it is the machine and not the driver that decides a race.
With more and more emphasis being placed on aerodynamics and speed the chances of overtaking become less and less due to air turbulence and other assorted technicalities.
In the early years it was the drivers' skills that defined the podium finishes whereas in today's high-tech world of computer-programmed machines it is the drivers' mistakes which define the finishing positions. It is the machine and not the driver which now holds prominence.
Although Shumacker is thought of as the greatest driver throughout the history of the sport, it is a fact that he drove the best car throughout his winning career. He won no titles when driving for Benetton even though he was a magnificent driver. As soon as he moved to Ferrari there was no one to touch him.
In the UK last season everyone was shouting the merits of Hamilton as he picked up the championship. This season he has become the 'forgotten man' as Button races on well ahead of the rest of the field. The difference being that Button is now in the best car on the circuit whereas it was Hamilton the previous year.
As long as the vast technological differences between cars is allowed to remain, the chances of actually seeing a proper race becomes less frequent. The powers that be in Formula 1 are forever trying to re-hash the rules and regulations in an attempt to win back spectators and, more importantly, sponsors. Surely the way to do this is by having a field of twenty or so cars of equal status. Then, and only then, will the best driver throughout the season win the championship. At present it is the best machine that wins and therefore it should be the engineers and technical boffins who should be up on the podium, not the drivers.
Until Formula 1 re-invents itself and allows 'proper' racing, as in Nascar, then I don't see the point of watching a 'race' whereby overtaking is virtually impossible.
There is one sport which I can't relate to: Formula 1.
What's the point? It's supposed to be a race and yet there is very little overtaking done after the first lap. The 'race' merely becomes a procession as each car follows the one in front round and round until it's time to pit.
Most 'overtaking' is done during pit stops which means the skill of the mechanics, engineers, electricians, technicians etc is called into play. The faster the pit stop, the quicker the car emerges onto the track and, maybe, the car has moved up a position because of the dexterity of the team.
In the halcyon days of Fangio and Moss, and later to an extent with the likes of Prost, Senna and Mansell, F1 was worthy of watching as overtaking and daring overtaking manouevres were part and parcel of the race. The cars were not the four wheeled computers used today and therefore the drivers' skills were tantamount. Nowadays it is the machine and not the driver that decides a race.
With more and more emphasis being placed on aerodynamics and speed the chances of overtaking become less and less due to air turbulence and other assorted technicalities.
In the early years it was the drivers' skills that defined the podium finishes whereas in today's high-tech world of computer-programmed machines it is the drivers' mistakes which define the finishing positions. It is the machine and not the driver which now holds prominence.
Although Shumacker is thought of as the greatest driver throughout the history of the sport, it is a fact that he drove the best car throughout his winning career. He won no titles when driving for Benetton even though he was a magnificent driver. As soon as he moved to Ferrari there was no one to touch him.
In the UK last season everyone was shouting the merits of Hamilton as he picked up the championship. This season he has become the 'forgotten man' as Button races on well ahead of the rest of the field. The difference being that Button is now in the best car on the circuit whereas it was Hamilton the previous year.
As long as the vast technological differences between cars is allowed to remain, the chances of actually seeing a proper race becomes less frequent. The powers that be in Formula 1 are forever trying to re-hash the rules and regulations in an attempt to win back spectators and, more importantly, sponsors. Surely the way to do this is by having a field of twenty or so cars of equal status. Then, and only then, will the best driver throughout the season win the championship. At present it is the best machine that wins and therefore it should be the engineers and technical boffins who should be up on the podium, not the drivers.
Until Formula 1 re-invents itself and allows 'proper' racing, as in Nascar, then I don't see the point of watching a 'race' whereby overtaking is virtually impossible.
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Comment by Anonymous
A great driver in a bad car can perform well. A terrible driver in a great car certainly can not. Drivers skill does play a massive role in the success of the teams. Whilst I agree that there was more overtaking a few years ago, that really doesn't mean that skill ins't needed any more.
Anyway, anyone who watched the Brazilian race this season would tell you that Jenson Buttons' skill showed. He overtook many more drivers in that race, than some drivers overtook all season. This shows how much skill the drivers need to win a championship like he did. From next season there is a new points system to encourage drivers to overtake. Then, the drivers skill will really shine through.
"Until Formula 1 re-invents itself and allows 'proper' racing, as in Nascar,.."
Personnally, I don't see what skill anyone fit enough needs to drive in circles. But that's a different debate.