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I find the current situation in Formula one quite interesting. Some say it is boring, well I beg to differ and at the same time can offer some means to improve it.
Let's not pretend that all the activities associated with this sport are not financially driven. Fat cats are making vast amounts of money. Bernie Ecclestone set the ball rolling, and everyone since has climbed on the bandwagon.
Ferrari dominates and largely controls behind the scenes. Everyone is dead scared to upset them.
Gone are the days when privateer entries would participate.
Hush-hush re the transgressions of fuel flow in 2018 into 2019 seasons. No sanctioning. Disgraceful. Then, Racing Point gets heavily penalised for copying Mercedes brake ducts in the 2020 season. I despair.
Image: GettyImages/Clive Mason
I digress, in essence, Formula 1 is claimed to be the pinnacle of motorsport, the greatest of innovations in motor engineering, pitting themselves against each other in mechanical masterpieces.
Why is it then that it has become an endurance race with restrictions on fuel, tyres and recently programming modes of power train management systems?
Green, green, green, I'm tired of it. The developments in F1 are more often used in modern cars than are publicised. A huge spin-off.
I heard all of the suggestions by Simon Lazenby on Sky Sport, what a ****, give him what he wants, I say. He should rather commentate on F3.
Why is it that when Michael Schumacher in Ferrari, and Sebastian Vettel in Red bull dominated F1, no one called the sport boring? When Mercedes has now interpreted the regulations to perfection, and Lewis Hamilton dominates, it is deemed boring. Why are the other teams lagging behind?
I must concede the irritating introduction of politics into this sport by Hamilton irks me, and this is more prone to create a loss of fans than the technical regulations of the sport.
Herein lies the rub. To create closer racing, create regulations that encourage it. Engine size, body dimensions, etc., I get it. But don't destroy the innovations in design by restricting the use of tyres, fuel, electronics, and other measures. Otherwise have all cars fitted with the same powertrain, the same chassis fuel and tyres. Nothing technically to differentiate the teams but driver capability. Then we will have a technically boring race. Much like South African soccer. No true stars and little or no international prowess. Boring.
Stop the press….. Honda to pull out. The worst news this last month. Less innovation is becoming a problem in the sport. Wait... I think there is more to come unless, Liberty Media and Stefano Domenicali pull finger, and listen to the fans?
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