... drivers like Schumacher to bring F1 out of the current dung mound it is buried in. Before it is too late - teams pulling out because of finance, crap drivers and crap quality racing etc. Article by Lee Mckenzie. http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/f1/a-longing-for-schumacher/
I agree. F1 needs an elder statesman who is well known outside of the F1 community. If MSC were to go and complain about the tyres being crap, then more people would know, because it's Michael Schumacher.
He did complain while he was in the sport, and nothing happened. I'm leaving the can of worms firmly shut on this occasion. However, the idea that teams pulling out for financial issues and/or having to appoint crap pay drivers is a new phenomenon is laughable.
Can't they just merge F1 with GP2 and GP3? Have all 3 classes on trac at the same time, a la the ALMS, WEC etc. We could ditch Caterham and Marussia, Sauber are going bust, dump the weaker GP2 and GP3 teams, and have a 30-36 car field. That way, there's good drives all throughout the field. Like in the WEC, driving for Audi and driving for Porsche are basically the same thing, but different classes.
It will take more than 1 driver to change things, but as many things were changed as a result of MSC/Ferrari actions, you are spot on in that someone like MSC would change things, but in a good way ........ ? As there is a massive rule overhaul for 2014, why don't we just sit out the rest of this season and look forward to something new next year?
The blame lays fully on the door of FOM and Bernie Ecclestone. F1 this season has been very lacklustre.... Not with the action on track but with this! please log in to view this image No not JV or HHF... HYPE!!! Im not sure about in other countries but the UK it is hard to find any excitement about the sport in the media. SKY is killing F1 with their poorly run channel and viewing figures. The BBC don't seem to care anymore. Why? because McLaren are going poorly? Hamilton isn't in Title contention? I think this has been a great year for racing even if Vettel wins again its not a bore like the Schumacher days (that was not down to the man, it was more the stupid rules about at the time) Im an F1 fan through and through and will never walk away though I cant help feel its dying a slow and painful death.
I felt like the seasons when F1 was back being exclusive to the BBC were the best in recent memory, but I think a higher-up in the BBC Sport department doesn't like F1 (hence the negotiation of the deal with Sky in the first place). As for a lack of hype I totally agree. Sky are more concerned with selling the channel (which has so much filler it's not even funny) than the sport itself, the BBC coverage meanwhile is struggling with a massive lack of budget. It didn't help that Wimbledon and the Ashes were on at the same time as the British Grand Prix (although I did see more adverts than usual).
I agree absolutely about the media's hand in this* but, personally, I have a longing to see racing in the rain again: is it too much to ask? * I don't think it's any coincidence that F1 has been going downhill since it started moving away from free-to-air.
Probably true Max, I think it's it down to the purveyors of F1 ie FOM and it cohorts creating 'entertainment for the masses' and what they think the general public want to watch, it's certainly not for the real F1 fan, basically they have ****ed up a perfectly good sport by the introduction of silly tyres and maybe DRS to some lesser degree. Must agree with Schumacher and his view that drivers racing at 50-60% simply to preserve tyre resourses IS NOT RACING, F1 is a specialist unique sport and I dont think the majority of the potential viewing public understand it or even want too. F1 has a limited audience and contriving to make the product attract a much larger following only devalues the product, IMHO Maybe real F1 has had it's time and the modern digital generation arn't satisfied with observing and need participation, perhaps we should start global F1 simulation then we wouldn't need cars or drivers or tyres !!
Other than the people who actually present it. the people at sky have no real interest in F1. It is more Football centred and they are worried with a battle against BT looming. So Naturally all their resource has been put there. FOM should be looking at why Interest in the UK is dipping and what they could/should be doing to get viewers watching again. It wouldn't take a lot to do, Just get people talking again. Promote!
Interesting that you guys are liking F1 less this year, over on muzz we are also less into F1 this year. In fact I've been leaning more towards Tennis this year with Andy Murray hitting the top rather than another year thats obviously going to be won by Vettel with stupid tyres and DRS etc.
DTM/WEC/WRC/MOTOGP are all more interesting than F1. It has lost it's touch this season. Sadly it is not the formula of choice. Neither is the new game. Which is bull.
F1 might have it's problems here and there... but I've seen worse seasons. It's not that bad. What's all the fuss about?
F1 has always been political though, so it's not like a massive shock. I get the complaints, but it could be worse.
DTM (and WTCC for the most part) is processional to the point I have stopped watching it for that very reason, WRC is starting to get better having been worse than F1 for a long time with Loeb winning everything under the sun, and MotoGP cannot be compared as its motorcycling and a whole different skill set (though the racing has been good this year) Do you really want to go back to the 2000's when it was just one team totally dominating everything again? At least there is some racing being done on the track. I thought Nurburgring was pretty good. Yes, Silverstone was farcical with the tyres, but we have seen that before with the US GP. At least there was a race this year. What is it you want from F1 Manny? How do you think the problems can be sorted? Lets have some ideas so a proper debate can be had about it.
