Formula One is dead. Long live dodgy circuits?

Question

I've watched F1 for over a decade and it still excites and frustrates me but the tracks are getting predictable and poor.
Spa and Hockenheim have been hideously curtailed, they've got rid of the beautiful Suzuka and Monza is just memories of what's been 'chicaned' off.
Of the new tracks, Turkey has a bit of bite to it, but what for the future when the tracks will all be Tilke designed and dull as ditchwater, AND you have to get up at some evil time in the morning to have the pleasure to watch it.

Give me back my sport!

PS, i'm a Schumacher fan, but I can understand the hatred!

Answer 1

The main problem is that Bernie Ecclestone changed it from a sport into a business. Murray Walker's retirement didn't help either (think about it..), I like Brundle, but Murray can never be replaced!! People overlook what an effect this had on the atmosphere of watching a televised race. In fact Ayrton Senna would only watch races back if they had Walker's commentary.
Suzuka will return on a bi-yeary basis, as it will share the Japanese GP with Fuji with it's very long start finish straight, there will be some brave outbraking moves going on there. I agree that Turkey is a great track, but that was Tilke designed, so he's got some decent ideas but he is hindered by lawyers and local regulations and has to put driver safety first. There are still some good tracks to look forward to this year, Sepang, Sakir, Magny-Cours, Nurburgring (turn 1), Hungaroring, Istanbul, Spa (still a feirce challenge for a driver), Fuji, Shanghai and Interlagos. A decent old and new mix. I think the most boring curcuit on the calender is also the oldest one in the sport, Silverstone. Apart from the complex, it has very little to offer- where do you overtake on a full throttle track, when slipstreaming gives you no steering or brakes? So saying the new tracks are worse than old ones is a bit misguided. If it were up to me, I'd move the British GP to Rockingham, this might even happen after 2009 when Silverstone's strangle hold expires..
Anyway, it's great drivers make for great races, not the track, and the three drivers on the podium at Melbourne are some of the best ever. I believe that Raikkonen can eclipse M. Schumacer's achiements, he's the fastest man since Hakkinen. And with Alonso and Hamilton up at the sharp end of the grid it makes for one of the most exciting times that I can remember in F1.
The car design is a big factor in the lack of racing action, the ideas that were branded around at the end of last year for a split rear wing would make for much closer racing and really liven things up, but all the teams have to agree to this and as always, it's Ferrari who are being difficult over this decision.
As for getting up in the small hours, Bernie has plans to hold floodlit races in the far east and Austrailia so the Europeans can watch the races live in the afternoon. Personally I like staying up to watch them, it makes it more of an occasion! But there's always highlights...

Answer 2

F1 is not dead, in fact I bet it's more profitable now than ever. But that's just it, it's become primarily a business rather than a sport. Sadly, that's the case with the most popular sports all over the world.

The attempt to slow the sport down by limiting the ability of the team to make a unique car is what hurts me the most. If Bernie has his way, every car will be the same inside and out. The essence of F1 is the "formula" of a winning team. That includes engine, chassis, aero and drivers. If a team had a certain setup for their unique car, then driver A might be a better fit over driver B. Apparently the new thinking is that a driver should be able to jump into any car and have it be the same. What's the point of having manufacturers then? Have you ever noticed that they refer to Nascars by their sponsor (ie. the Juicy Fruit no. 9). Most people probably don't even know what "brand" their favorite guy drives.

I think the tracks in F1 are fine for the most part. Although, I do get tired of seeing 2-5 cars getting punted at the first turn where gridlock is the only result possible. It makes the fantastic standing start of F1 a nightmare for anyone not in the first 3 spots.

I agree, safety is paramount. However, the worst injuries in F1 as of late were Ralf's wrecks at Indy. The one was obviously the result of poor research by Michelin. I saw Trulli go end over end 5 1/2 times into a gravel pit and he walked away unscathed.

They can be more creative in the ways they limit risk in the sport but the fact is the sponsors hold all the cards. I don't think it will change until someone else takes over but I don't know if that will be a change for the better or not.

Answer 3

Safety is the main reason circuits have changed. Although I agree that we need better designed tracks with longer straights, more engaged curves, and more grade and elevation changes; safety should always come first. Location is key for any track to thrive, and with no good open land left and too much commercialism needed to keep any one interested in bringing their series there, the only options are what we see becoming our future. Personally, I think it's a cop out to make some perfectly commercialized track or throw in a chicane at an old one to fix the problem. This just makes the racing less interesting. If they have people who can keep the cars going as fast as they have for the last five years, if not faster in some cases, while more and more restrictions are applied; then why the hell can't they do that with safety on the old tracks! Throwing in a chicane is so primitive and easily that it makes Formula 1 ( the most technically advanced racing series in the world) look like a bunch of idiots. I can only hope that somehow it gets better.

Tifosi for Life, Ferrari Forever!

Answer 4

Having tighter tracks with chicanes would not be quite so bad if the tracks were wide enough or just designed in such a way as to allow more passing.

The safety and handling issues of having a faster track have been largely diminshed by increases in safety, tires and suspension.

Do F1 fans realize that nowadays Nascar races every year at Watkins Glen which used to be the home of the US GP for years.? If you can get a 3500lb nascar racers around safely I should think that the F1 cars will do fine.

Answer 5

It's because all the 'good' tracks are old and need money spending on them. New up and coming tracks are having money thrown at them by Governments and others with money (take Bahrain for example). Silverstone needs money spent on it. Most of the new tracks are also designed by the same guy - we need some new life - of course the tracks need to be safe but they also need to make the race exciting. What's better than seeing cars overtaking each other? There are some tracks (far enough about Monaco but I think we can leave that one out) where there is hardly any overtaking opportunities. Breath life back into this sport and get some good tracks! PS Also a Shumi fan but, being British, I think Lewis Hamilton is going to be my man from now on...

Answer 6

I agree with you. The problem is that the better circuits are dangerous and that is part of the thrill for we the fans and for the drivers. Tilker's tracks are mostly drab and dull and we need Monza back as well as Suzuka as Fuji really doesn't inspire me like Suzuka did. There is only 1 130r and Fuji just can't compete with that. Imola is gone, Suzuka is gone, Spa is back but not as challenging as in it's past as is the case with Nurburgring. If it wasn't for all of the money in Monaco, that would be ditched due to "safety issues". And by the way to "elephantemg83", The turn 8 you are referring to is in Turkey not Bahrain. It is a 4 part left handed turn.

Answer 7

Good question.

The Tilke circuits are similar... slow first corner, mix of mid and slow corners.

I don't understand why there can't be more 6th gear challenges like Maggots' Esses at Silverstone. Sure they need a lot of runoff but if you build a circuit in the desert there's a lot of runoff.

Disagree about Spa, the new section has some great corners and plenty of cliffside viewing areas for punters.

Answer 8

i agree the circuits are becoming standardized but i think the bigger problem is the cars becoming standardized its supposed to be the pinnacle of technology yet everything new and innovative gets banned

remember the good old days when some cars ran v12s some v10s and some v8s all at the same time ?
wanna that's what made f1 great, that as well as old historic circuits,

Answer 9

i dont think your correct, each circuit on the calender has their own personal qualities. lets build every circuit like spa shall we? sepang has awesome sweeping fast corners, bahrain has alot on over taking spots, montreal is fast with slow chicanes, monaco is monaco, silverstone has fast complex corners and history, magny cours has the estoril corner, indy has the banked corner, melbourne has the street circuit atmosphere, spa is balls, monza is incredibly fast, brazil is anti clockwise and bumpy. each circuit is different so im not sure wat u want, u want every circuit to be like turkey? the circuits we have are the best there is.

Answer 10

I agree! With all the engine development freezing rules in place, and all the speed being taken out of F1, it seems so boring.
I wish that we could design tracks- and make them as fast, furious, and exciting as ever.