[Archived] Formula 1

[mike at picture]

Ewood Blue has started a rival F1 thread .It appears to be more popular than mine and seems to be all about some bloke called Lewis Hamilton.

None of those petrol heads have attempted to explain their perverse interest in this tedium exept Four Lane Blue who merely dipped his toe in the water.

I'll take this lack of response as admitance of failure in promoting F1 as anything other than a waste of petrol.

Clearly I was right - Yawnsville Arizona.

[Shevchenko]

And I'm afraid comparing indy cars and F1 is like comparing premier league to non league football. I believe almost any experienced F1 driver is better than any driver in the states. You have to go back a long long time to find anyone that has succeeded in F1 from any American series. Last I can think of is Mario Andretti. And for more evidence look how his fat son, Michael, did in F1.

Well...there was Jacques Villeneuve.

I never rated Schuey up there with these two greats, partly because of his amazing arrogance (he made Senna look humble), also because of his exceedingly dangerous tactics (he made Senna look safe), and his tendancy to make stupid mistakes in the car right until the end of his career (e.g. Monaco, Hungary, Turkey last season).

A better driver would have won the world championship for Ferrari last year. Schuey had the fastest car by some margin in the 2nd half of last season but failed to capitalise.

The current points system makes it harder. You can protect a championship lead by consistently placing on the podium.

[Shevchenko]

It appears that thread was started a while ago...so...

Anyway...

Bullriding, what's the point?

Sailing, what's the point?

Pro bowling, what's the point?

Darts, what's the point?

Bowls, what's the point?

Curling, what's the point?

[insert any sport you don't like watching], what's the point?

There's an off button on your remote - use it. Read a book.

[ewoodblue]

Ewood Blue has started a rival F1 thread .It appears to be more popular than mine and seems to be all about some bloke called Lewis Hamilton.

None of those petrol heads have attempted to explain their perverse interest in this tedium exept Four Lane Blue who merely dipped his toe in the water.

I'll take this lack of response as admitance of failure in promoting F1 as anything other than a waste of petrol.

Clearly I was right - Yawnsville Arizona.

well after watching the english football team and the english cricket team trying their best to send us all to sleep with their tedious displays, then i must say , Formula 1 is exciting in comparison.

Well done Lewis Hamilton, for at least putting some pride back into being British.

[mike at picture]

It appears that thread was started a while ago...so...

Anyway...

Bullriding, what's the point?

Sailing, what's the point?

Pro bowling, what's the point?

Darts, what's the point?

Bowls, what's the point?

Curling, what's the point?

[insert any sport you don't like watching], what's the point?

There's an off button on your remote - use it. Read a book.

A bit tetchy Andre?

I always use the off button when F1 is on and choose to read my Peanuts Annual instead. I merely invited fans to convince me otherwise but you got the hump instead.

[FourLaneBlue]

None of those petrol heads have attempted to explain their perverse interest in this tedium exept Four Lane Blue who merely dipped his toe in the water.

That's because I watch it and enjoy it but I'm not obsessed with it anything and can see why many can't stand it. There's not many sports I don't like to be honest so I'm probably not the best judge.

Oh...rugby league. I can't stand that.

[FourLaneBlue]

Well...there was Jacques Villeneuve.

The current points system makes it harder. You can protect a championship lead by consistently placing on the podium.

Nigel Mansell and Emerson Fittipaldi have both also won both the F1 title and Indycar. Think Mansell was the first 'rookie' to win it but as he was also the F1 champion at the time he was hardly a rookie!

Alex Zanardi was rubbish for years in F1. Went to Indycar/CART whatever it is called and won 2 or 3 titles IIRC!

[mike at picture]

That's because I watch it and enjoy it but I'm not obsessed with it anything and can see why many can't stand it. There's not many sports I don't like to be honest so I'm probably not the best judge.

Oh...rugby league. I can't stand that.

You enjoy F1 but cant stand Rugby League?!

FLB you cant be serious?

[Rovermatt]

Oh...rugby league. I can't stand that.

I'll second that. Sh*te.

[FourLaneBlue]

You enjoy F1 but cant stand Rugby League?!

FLB you cant be serious?

Prefer the union code.

Oh and I don't like basketball either.

[mike at picture]

Cant be doing with American sports, or motor sports for that matter.

Aussie Rules - now you're talking!

[Hasta]

You enjoy F1 but cant stand Rugby League?!

FLB you cant be serious?

I'm with FLB. There's not many 'major' sports I won't watch but Rugby (both Union and League) just do nothing for me. Neither does American football, basketball or baseball.

I've never felt the need start a thread quizzing people why they like them though.

[FourLaneBlue]

Cant be doing with American sports, or motor sports for that matter.

Hockey and baseball are great as is American Football once you get into it.

In fact...I have even enjoyed watching women's gymnastics at the Olympics in the past....

[broadsword]

It appears that thread was started a while ago...so...

Anyway...

Bullriding, what's the point?

Sailing, what's the point?

Pro bowling, what's the point?

Darts, what's the point?

Bowls, what's the point?

Curling, what's the point?

[insert any sport you don't like watching], what's the point?

There's an off button on your remote - use it. Read a book.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh! Get you!

Calm down dear, it's a messageboard!

What is bull-riding, sounds like something you'd find in an adult movie.

The notion that someone can't criticise a sport because it's optional to be a spectator is complete balls. OK, so it's a matter of personal preference what is interesting and what is not. But why should someone's opinion be censored just to keep the fans happy?

Formula 1 used to be interesting back in the days of Prost, Sennapod, Thierry Boutsen, Picquet etc, but now it's just cr*p, really boring. I also find rugby (both codes), tennis, golf, badminton, crown green bowls, baseball, american football, 3-day eventing, curling, shinty, that thing Prince Phillip does where you ride a horse-drawn carriage, scrambling, tennis did I mention tennis, synchronised swimming, high-board diving, floor and bar gymnastics incredibly tedious. But don't worry, I don't waste my time watching them. But is it OK to say I don't like them?

On the other hand I find long-distance walking absolutely hysterical and always have to tune in.

[mike at picture]

I'm with FLB. There's not many 'major' sports I won't watch but Rugby (both Union and League) just do nothing for me. Neither does American football, basketball or baseball.

I've never felt the need start a thread quizzing people why they like them though.

I'm naturally inquisitive

[Hasta]

I used to watch a lot of F1 in the 90's. Knowhere near as much now though. I think the lack of a British 'contender' for the title loses interest in a lot of people. If Button was one of only 3 drivers that people felt could win then more would watch it, even if the race was just a precession with no overtaking. However, the fact we have no genuine challenger in a decent car has meant that it's appeal has diminished somewhat for me.

It's the same as athletics. In the late 80's and early 90's during the summer you'd watch the Grand Prix meeting from Zurich or wherever because you knew that National icons like Cram, Coe, Christie, Black etc... were running, would probably win and would at some point be going for World and Olympic glory. Nowadays, even most general sportsfans couldnt name a decent british middle-distance runner, hence the lack of interest in the sport apart from diehards (drugs has contributed to this as well but thats for another thread.

That doesnt answer your question I know but it's my opinion on F1

[mike at picture]

I used to watch a lot of F1 in the 90's. Knowhere near as much now though. I think the lack of a British 'contender' for the title loses interest in a lot of people. If Button was one of only 3 drivers that people felt could win then more would watch it, even if the race was just a precession with no overtaking. However, the fact we have no genuine challenger in a decent car has meant that it's appeal has diminished somewhat for me.

It's the same as athletics. In the late 80's and early 90's during the summer you'd watch the Grand Prix meeting from Zurich or wherever because you knew that National icons like Cram, Coe, Christie, Black etc... were running, would probably win and would at some point be going for World and Olympic glory. Nowadays, even most general sportsfans couldnt name a decent british middle-distance runner, hence the lack of interest in the sport apart from diehards (drugs has contributed to this as well but thats for another thread.

That doesnt answer your question I know but it's my opinion on F1

Good effort, cheers!

I'll go away now. :ph34r:

[ewoodblue]

Good effort, cheers!

I'll go away now. :ph34r:

Was it something you said lol

Beach volleyball,now that's hot

[Shevchenko]

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh! Get you!

Calm down dear, it's a messageboard!

What is bull-riding, sounds like something you'd find in an adult movie.

The notion that someone can't criticise a sport because it's optional to be a spectator is complete balls. OK, so it's a matter of personal preference what is interesting and what is not. But why should someone's opinion be censored just to keep the fans happy?

Wow...you seem to be reading a bit to much into this. He can hate on F1 all he wants, I don't care. I was just trying to make the point that there are hundreds of completely pointless sports out there and they are all on television. You don't need to watch it though. And I don't see the point in trying to make someone sell you on an idea that you clearly think it completely pointless/boring. Even on a messageboard. And I wouldn't call his original post as criticism, not an ounce of constructive thought in it at least.

As for F1, I don't mind it. I used to watch it quite a bit a few years back but my interest has waned recently. It can be quite exciting but also extremely boring, I personally feel they need to alter the rules to allow more mechanical grip. I can say this though, watching it on TV is not half as fun as actually attending a race. Unfortunately, it's too expensive to go these days. At least F1 is more interesting than NASCAR, the most boring racing there is.

And bullriding is a televised sport, amazingly. But then, it's american so that explains that I suppose.

[Shevchenko]

In Zanardi's defense, he was driving a Lotus at the time. The guy was talented, no doubt about it. I remember watching one of his Indy/CART drives in which he came from way back, passing multiple cars and winning (or placing on the podium, I can't remember that well) with a bent front suspension! The problem with F1 is that you really need to be in one of the 3 top cars to have any chance of making an impression.

[broadsword]

All he asked was what was the point of formula 1, and you gave him an arsey response.

He thinks it's boring, to me that is criticism. But I won't bother splitting hairs.

[pg]

If you grew up watching the great era of Prost, Mansell, Senna and Piquet, F1 was never dull.

The cars could physically overtake each other in those days, nowadays its almost impossible. Plus the personalities were larger than life, as opposed to the rather dull characters we see today.

Plus the cars were more unreliable and were likely to blow up/break down every 2nd race, which made everything more unpredictable.

Hopefully with some good rule changes F1 will return to the glory days of yore. However, its now a completely different animal, a huge circus run by the manufacturers.. whereas back in the 80's it was still run by 'amateurs' in a way.

There was some good racing last year between Schuey and Fernando, and some of the races last year (e.g. Hungary and China) were some of the best I've ever seen.

But yes, today's Malaysian GP was another dull-as-dishwater procession that you could have watched for the opening 10 laps and then turned off and not missed a thing.

But there is another aspect to F1 completely separate from the sport aspect.. and its the technical aspect. The fact that these things are the fastest circuit cars on 4 wheels.. they they are essentially low-flying spacecraft and it takes superhuman abilities for any driver to get the most out the machinery. Go to Silverstone on Friday afternoon and stand on the outside of Maggots/Beckett's.. and watch them pull 4-5 lateral G's through that corner at about 290 km/h. Either that does it for you.. or not.

Look, at the end of the day, if you can watch this and not feel a thing... you're beyond help

Youtube - Mika Hakkinen vs Michael Schumacher - Spa 2000

[pg]

Ah, but remember Zanardi came back to Williams in 1999 after winning dual CART championships and was soundly thrashed by Ralf Schumacher. Zanardi never got to grips with the narrow-track semi-slicked F1 cars.

Shevchenko - you can make an impression in F1 without a top car.. all the greats did it. You just can't win without a top car.. but that is the same in any form of motor racing.

I feel sorry in a way for Lewis, as the press are going to ride him in the best English tradition and completely overhype everything he does. He's good, no doubt about that and he has loads of potential.. but the whole jingoist bandwagon English media-machine could destroy him.

FFS - ITV cut away from the Malaysian press conference just so we could listen to his dad

[broadsword]

is it true that Schumacher's head once collapsed onto his shoulders when he was in F3000 going round a bend?

And do you know if there's any specific exercises that F1 drivers do to strengthen their necks?

[pg]

Bryan - never heard that story.

But they have to do specific exercises, they have no option. Otherwise they wouldn't be able to complete a race distance. Have a look at Alonso's neck and trapezius, its like a boxer's.