WTF1? (Part One)

What is F1?

When asked that question people give you the easy answer. "It's the pinnacle of motorsports."I am not sure about that anymore.

Not after the decade the sport had in the 00's.

I know it is kind of late to give one of the last decade retrospects but it is obvious that the sport is in transition right now from what it was the last nine to ten years. Change is a good thing. However, it is only good when you know what the end results are. That's the trouble with F1 these days.

What is F1? What should it be? What will Formula One be in five years?

Is Formula One a purely a recreational or entertainment venture? Or is it a forum for research and development of new automotive technologies? Or is it a semi-spec racing series that tries to dumb down the sport enough in a vain attempt to keep things close? Or is it a combination of these?

I am not sure of the answer, but this is what I know.

1. On the technology side, sportscars have exceed F1 this decade in terms of innovation and development. While Bernie, Max, and the teams were in belated arguments over things like KERS, LeMans basking in the glory of diesel revolution in sports cars (typified by the Audi series of diesel racecars pictured above.) Now they are on the cusp of bringing other technologies to LeMans such as hybrids and more exotic alternative fuels. While sportscars have risen to the challenges and realities facing the world's motoring industry, Formula One on the whole has cowered.
2. F1 is slowly but surely going down the path of being a spec series. We are already there in many ways. We have spec engines, spec electronics, and spec tires to name a few. Other things such as aerodynamics are still heavily regulated. To me, this is not a good thing. If I have learned anything from watching NASCAR and IndyCar, that transforming the series into a spec series ruins it instead of enhances it. The same teams win regardless of what regulations are in place. At least without a lot of overbearing specs, you have wiggle room to become competitive and innovative.
3. Formula One isn't organized to be friendly to the fans or sponsors. True, the sponsors pay big bucks to have their names painted on a 200 MPH billboard, but what else do most of them get out of it? Some get the rare commercial from the team. Some get technical assistance. However on the most part, there is such a lack of centralized effort to look at how sponsors look at the sport and help recruit sponsors to teams. Also, the lack of races at popular venues and empty stands at several races tell you all you need to know about how the sport treats it's fans. Say what you want about NASCAR, but they treat their sponsors and fans right on the most part. Formula One treats their fans like the word "sucker" is printed on everyone's forehead.
4. The racing is terrible. We made the cars look uglier than a wart on a donkey's bottom and they still can't overtake each other.

So the series is neither innovative, entertaining, fan friendly, or sponsor friendly? Can someone tell me why we still follow this sport.

I think one of the things I am going to tackle over the course of this year is try answer these questions.

Comments

[RGK]

Could not agree more with your assesment. I used to attend the Montreal race, but will not be going back. The cost and the lack of innovation makes it not worth my effort. Even the US team doesn't interest me, perhaps if it really was a US team I'd feel differently. I will watch the occasional race on TV, but the American LeMans series, vintage racing and SCCA Pro racing now have my interest.