Formula 1

[Easi85]

How many fans of Formula 1 on the forum?

What team or drivers do you favour?

Bernie has been sidelined now after years, what changes do you think this will make?

Ron Dennis, will he be back in F1 anytime soon..,with Manor?

Anyone suffering F1 withdrawal, or is it just me?

[Chris_D]

Have to say my enthusiasm has been on a steady decline over the past 15 years.
The glory days for me began in the early days of the turbo era in the early 80's when the cars were designed and built to be as fast and reliable as they could be and werent hamstrung by stupid restrictive regulations and tyres that lasted 10 laps!

The drivers also had character back then and didnt perform like robots with charisma bypasses.
Keke Rosberg, Nelson Piquet, Jaques Laffite, Prosty and then later Ayrton Senna spring to mind, with fantastic ontrack clashes and rivalries, right through to the late 90's. The action and team shenanigans was always hugely entertaining.

The experience for me was also augmented by 'grand prix' magazine and i still have my collection to this day. Thumbing through old copies from the 80's just reinforces my opinion of what a clinical, characterless, restricted and let's face it, processional sport it's become, where races are won or lost in the pit lane ffs

I'm hoping for a return to those glory days now the midget's been ejected, but I doubt it will come any time soon....
:/

Edit. Tardy spelling

[obewan]

In General I'm with Chris_D on this, although I still watch every GP with interest
Think Skys coverage is spot on with Brundlle and Co
Always had a soft spot for Williams & Mclaren, so would like to see them back at the top

I think Hamilton is the fastest out and out racer

I'd love to see what the engineers could do if you took away all the regs and just give them a size envelope and let them get on with it

I would also like to see more of the 'proper' circuits like those from the 80's, rather than these Mickey mouse street jobs that no one can pass on
And I include Monaco in that - I mean what is the point!

[buzyg]

Anyone suffering F1 withdrawal, or is it just me?

It's just you.

I'll watch it if a catch it. But if I miss it, that's just fine. Similar on my list of priorities to Coronation Street

Here's hoping the new broom can bring some Mojo back.

[Zoomer]

Still like formula one and think the technology is fantastic, but ultimately the ones with the money seem to win. If it were me I would have normally aspirated engines big tyres and low downforce/ little ground effect and see if it levelled the playing field. I'd not make tyre stops compulsilory but would limit the life of the tyre to allow for rabbit and tortoise strategies.

[TitanTim]

Agree with some of the other comments, I hardly ever watch it any more, in fact I hardly know who most of the drivers are and think the technology has actually spoilt the racing along with the regs. I used to love the Senna/Prost/Mansell days, the tension and over enthusiasm of Murray Walker who was the best, its just plain dull now, has been for years.

Tim.

[bmwaddict]

In General I'm with Chris_D on this, although I still watch every GP with interest
Think Skys coverage is spot on with Brundlle and Co
Always had a soft spot for Williams & Mclaren, so would like to see them back at the top

I think Hamilton is the fastest out and out racer

I'd love to see what the engineers could do if you took away all the regs and just give them a size envelope and let them get on with it

I would also like to see more of the 'proper' circuits like those from the 80's, rather than these Mickey mouse street jobs that no one can pass on
And I include Monaco in that - I mean what is the point!

Agree pretty much with everything there.
Although it's gone downhill I still try and catch every race, and love or hate him Hamilton is the quickest f1 driver on the planet, whether winning from the front or overtaking lots of cars after pit lane starts or spins.
As for drivers lacking personality these days etc, they're so p.r. trained and can't say this or that, I don't think it's entirely their fault. Saying that I love Kimi's radio outbursts!
My favourite ever was Ayrton Senna, although I am half South American so may be a bit biased They don't make 'em like that any more! Win at all costs, whether that was right or wrong.
I still watch the YouTube vid of him overtaking 5 former world champs in one lap, in the rain!

Also, I miss the sound of those glorious V10s/V12s.

[patriot66]

I agree with everything Chris-D says. I think that generally there has been a steady decline since Ayrton Sennas death in 1994. As much as Bernie helped to develop the sport through the 70s and 80s he then went on to ruin it also !!
I am going up to Duns near Berwick Upon Tweed soon to pay homage to my F1 hero - Jim Clark. F1 World Champion 1963 and 1965. 72 Grand Prix starts, 33 Pole Positions and 25 Wins ! Also Winner of the Indianapolis 500 in 1965 !!! Tragically killed in a F2 race at Hockenheim in 1968. For me the best driver the sport has ever seen and from its 'Golden Era' also. These were the boys ! Proper drivers and real characters with real talent driving proper cars with a manual gearbox and a clutch, no slicks, no wings and steel brakes. And no fireproofs or even seat belts !
Anyway, back to the present. I will watch a couple of races at the start of this season to see what it's like but I'm not expecting to be blown away !

[sars]

I can't wait for the start of the new season, far as I'm concerned it's the main reason to have sky

oh and for all those that think it was better back when, perhaps, but I think it's mainly rose tinted glasses, two examples Nigel Mansels last lap blow out, yeah tyres lasted well then too and Canada 2011

[Mr Tidy]

I'm looking forward to the new season, but it isn't as exciting as it used to be.

As a result I refuse to subscribe to Sky just for 20 or so programmes a year - I can live with highlights, and like the ITV having DC and occasionally Mark Webber on their team. Just a shame they still have EJ from time to time.

Great as the naturally aspirated engines were, I think forced induction is here to stay - I mean so many ordinary cars have a turbo these days (Astras, Fiestas, VWs, etc). And the first turbo era was pretty exciting, especially when they turned the boost up in qualifying! Scrap the electric motor and DRS, but maybe let them use an over-boost just once a lap.

So I'd like to see more power and less reliance on aerodynamics, then we would get more passing on the track (or the grass) hopefully! Give them a choice of 4 or 5 tyres, some that won't go the distance, some that may and some that will then the team can pick a strategy.

I don't tend to support any team (although if BMW had one I might!) just individual drivers. I currently rate Hamilton and Alonso and have warmed to Vettel since he left Red Bull plus Ricciardo and Verstappen Jr. In the past I always liked Brabham, McLaren, Lauda, Hunt, Mansell, Rosberg Sr, Hill Jr, Coulthard, Hakkinen and Webber (may have missed a few). Also always liked Robert Kubica - who knows what he might have been able to do in F1 if he hadn't had his rallying accident?

Still Bernie has gone so surely it can only get better from here on! He just seemed to get more arrogant every year - noxious little tw*t!

[sticky]

I can't wait for the start of the new season, far as I'm concerned it's the main reason to have sky

oh and for all those that think it was better back when, perhaps, but I think it's mainly rose tinted glasses, two examples Nigel Mansels last lap blow out, yeah tyres lasted well then too and Canada 2011

Sky ok but 50% of the races this year on other freeview channels and from next year F1 is pay per view

[Marlon]

Never watch it now - as others have alluded; F1 died with Ayrton Senna for me.

[warmasice]

I used to watch every GP live without fail.. and that includes getting up in the early hours of the morning. Now I don't bother and do miss quite a few live races. Although I do record them to catch up. Too much politics and rule changes.. Getting pretty bored of it. And I do miss those v10 and v12 engines.

[Marky Mark]

THINGS CAN ONLY GET BETTER.... Hamilton v Verstappen bring it on...new regs hopefully better racing... Bernie's gone the show move's on
we can only see how the sport moves on from here

[Guthlac]

Another F1 race, another win for Max.