Whatever you guys might say, fact is Renault is the new champion!

**theveed** · October 18th, 2005 01:32 PM

Boy: That's my point, F1 is becoming a business joke involving fast cars. The drivers' skillset and talents aren't the main concern anymore which is dumb for a racing scenario.

No wonder the fanbase of F1 is dwindling fast the past 5 years.

As most journalist say, "put racing back into the driver's hands damnit"

It's as exciting as watching Kenyan Marathon....

**ian_rex** · October 18th, 2005 01:39 PM

Bernie Ecclestone sucks.

**theveed** · October 18th, 2005 01:52 PM

Kakainis, big F1 fan since mid 80s then binaboy from 2001 onwards.

Even Nigel Mansell thinks so...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/moto...ne/3866933.stm

**niky** · October 18th, 2005 02:03 PM

That's why we now have the 1-tireset rule, the lower downforce and 1-lap qualifying.

As for drivers not mattering, that's bull. Look at Honda BAR. They should be winning... but who do they have? :lol:

For those of you who missed Japan, sayang, that was the best F1 race I've seen in the last three or four years.

And yay Fernando! yay Kimi! Boo Mclaren! Get better parts! Go Japanese!

**theveed** · October 18th, 2005 02:14 PM

The fact that it took you four years to see an exciting race speaks much about the organization's "vision" of racing.

If drivers are bigger factors than their cars in F1, why in the world did a driver that had the most championships in history failed to make more than 2 wins in a season with a seemingly "supreme" car that dominated for 5 years or so?

No matter what angle you look at it, F1 post 2000 sucks compared to what it was before. The fanbase of F1 used to be racing fanatics that are loyal to their cars, now it's mostly about the driver's celebrity status.

Racing without overtaking is not racing per se.

**BoyFerrari** · October 18th, 2005 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by theveed

Boy: That's my point, F1 is becoming a business joke involving fast cars. The drivers' skillset and talents aren't the main concern anymore which is dumb for a racing scenario.

theveed, if you look at it in a balanced perspective, it's a two-way street pa rin. Maintaining a set of competitive F1 cars is EXPENSIVE. You have to partner with SPONSORS so that you can keep the cash flowing to your direction to finance your F1 operation. In order to attract sponsors, your F1 team must be popular with a taste of celebrity. I think that's one difference between AMATEUR racing and PROFESSIONAL racing.

You cannot escape "marketing" in the "professional" world of sports. That's why many will say that the purest of all sports can be found in amateur sports. Once an amateur graduates to become a professional, he is now employed by the advertisers.

If driver celebrity is not your taste, check out the A1 Grand Prix. I think Takuma Sato is headed in that direction next season.

**nicolodeon** · October 18th, 2005 02:41 PM

I agree with Theveed. F1 is loosing its fanbase. What kind of race allows a team to order a driver to back-off/slow-down to allow his more illustrious compatriot to win a race? F1 one now is about glamour and getting a ton of money from sponsors to support their moviestar lifestyles.

Don't get me wrong: I'm still an F1 fan but I don't follow it as religiously as before. I like the WRC more. They race in real cars (meaning race versions of street cars) in real roads and arguably perform more skilfull driving moves compared to F1 drivers. Where in F1 do you see a driver hitting a hairpin turn only to see a 10 foot drop in front of him after he hits the turn? Now that's racing.

**mazdamazda** · October 18th, 2005 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by theveed

If drivers are bigger factors than their cars in F1

I think that no one said that...

driver + constructor = f1 racing

without one or the other, you can't expect to win an f1 race. look at the current f1 driver roster (including alonso I think)... many of them started with minardi... though their talent was left untapped until they got hold of those better cars.

cars aren't the only answer... the saubers almost uses the ferrari replica (save for the aero package) but look at where they are...

though f1 racing isn't perfect though... but they'll be answering that with the new rules for the coming years (staring with the new engine displacement & configuration next year). though the combination of schumi + ferrari was just something (and am still looking forward to that)!!!

**mazdamazda** · October 18th, 2005 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by BoyFerrari

If driver celebrity is not your taste, check out the A1 Grand Prix. I think Takuma Sato is headed in that direction next season.

:bwahaha:

I can just imagine the chaos!!!

Even now... the A1 races are a bit chaotic... drivers spinning... running off to the gravel...

I hope Jacques joins him... hehehe!!!