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The level of your F1/motorsports interest?


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#1 August

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Posted 23 June 2013 - 13:33

I really became interested in F1 in 1998, the year I became eight. It was so exciting to see a countryman driving for the WDC and winning it. Before that I'd watched races quite regularly for a few years. It was also in the late '90s when I became interested in WRC because of Tommi Mäkinen's success. My WRC interest faded in the mid '00s when the series had became a Citroen/Ford duopoly with Loeb winning almost everything. But my F1 interest remained strong, I didn't miss many races in a year, hardly any, and I watched usually also FPs if only I had time. And I watched occasionally some other series, like GP2, DTM, if I was able to see them.

In this year, my interest in IndyCar has increased. That's very much because my interest in F1 has decreased starting from the last season. Formula Pirelli with easy DRS passes isn't anymore the series I liked so much. Australia and Monaco were the only races this year when I watched the FPs, I just have better things to do. But now I have more time to watch other racing like IndyCar and this year I finally watched some of Le Mans.

Still, my interest in motorsports has decreased. F1 was such a big interest for me, but nowadays I hardly have any interest in following F1 news, I just watch the qualies and races as Saturday and Sunday afternoon routines, unless I have better things to do.

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#2 Cool Beans

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Posted 23 June 2013 - 17:42

My interest in F1 has increased. To me F1 has always been about endurance racing, speed has never really interested me that much. I love thinking they pack the same engines and gearboxes and ship them to the next race, to me this is very important. It makes me happy inside.
In the past I didn't hear about the tyres enough, now I'm happy they are the main attraction and insignificant things such as chassis / engine aren't so important anymore. I enjoy seeing mediocre drivers now having a chance with the slow speed and endless runoff, though drivers such as Grosjean still could use some help to make F1 accessible to all drivers, regardless of skill but depending on how rich daddy is.
I enjoy them no longer driving when it rains, I enjoy all the eco crap that's so very relevant to a series that has 20 cars out of a couple billion in the world. I enjoy the empty grandstands, the horrible places they drive in, the awful tracks, the dictators that are the only people willing to pay for races, the limiting tech regulations.
I love that they don't develop engines anymore, I love that now that they're allowed to develop the engines for two years it's to make them smaller, shittier sounding road car engines. I love that they even managed to make the podium celebration somehow ****.
I love that they don't test anymore. I love the idea of a **** driver sitting in a simulator at the factory trying to guess how the updates will work.
I enjoy the engineers coaching the **** drivers through individual corners, I love that a driver doesn't know he can brake 10m later into the corner and has to be told this over radio.
I love that they're even entertaining banning tyre warming blankets to save costs.
Most of all I enjoy the bullshit about an economic downturn driving the cost cutting when companies have been posting ever increasing record profits for the past 10 years.

I love thinking another series will come along and become the actual pinnacle of motorsport again, hopefully a breakaway series lead by Ferrari & McLaren. For now I love watching this garbage because it's occasionally still good when you forget they're not actually even racing on track anymore.


#3 Sakae

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Posted 23 June 2013 - 18:05

My interest in F1 has increased. To me F1 has always been about endurance racing, speed has never really interested me that much. I love thinking they pack the same engines and gearboxes and ship them to the next race, to me this is very important. It makes me happy inside.
In the past I didn't hear about the tyres enough, now I'm happy they are the main attraction and insignificant things such as chassis / engine aren't so important anymore. I enjoy seeing mediocre drivers now having a chance with the slow speed and endless runoff, though drivers such as Grosjean still could use some help to make F1 accessible to all drivers, regardless of skill but depending on how rich daddy is.
I enjoy them no longer driving when it rains, I enjoy all the eco crap that's so very relevant to a series that has 20 cars out of a couple billion in the world. I enjoy the empty grandstands, the horrible places they drive in, the awful tracks, the dictators that are the only people willing to pay for races, the limiting tech regulations.
I love that they don't develop engines anymore, I love that now that they're allowed to develop the engines for two years it's to make them smaller, shittier sounding road car engines. I love that they even managed to make the podium celebration somehow ****.
I love that they don't test anymore. I love the idea of a **** driver sitting in a simulator at the factory trying to guess how the updates will work.
I enjoy the engineers coaching the **** drivers through individual corners, I love that a driver doesn't know he can brake 10m later into the corner and has to be told this over radio.
I love that they're even entertaining banning tyre warming blankets to save costs.
Most of all I enjoy the bullshit about an economic downturn driving the cost cutting when companies have been posting ever increasing record profits for the past 10 years.

I love thinking another series will come along and become the actual pinnacle of motorsport again, hopefully a breakaway series lead by Ferrari & McLaren. For now I love watching this garbage because it's occasionally still good when you forget they're not actually even racing on track anymore.

You had me going for about 10 sec.


#4 ApexMouse

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Posted 23 June 2013 - 18:07

My interest in F1 has increased. To me F1 has always been about endurance racing, speed has never really interested me that much. I love thinking they pack the same engines and gearboxes and ship them to the next race, to me this is very important. It makes me happy inside.
In the past I didn't hear about the tyres enough, now I'm happy they are the main attraction and insignificant things such as chassis / engine aren't so important anymore. I enjoy seeing mediocre drivers now having a chance with the slow speed and endless runoff, though drivers such as Grosjean still could use some help to make F1 accessible to all drivers, regardless of skill but depending on how rich daddy is.
I enjoy them no longer driving when it rains, I enjoy all the eco crap that's so very relevant to a series that has 20 cars out of a couple billion in the world. I enjoy the empty grandstands, the horrible places they drive in, the awful tracks, the dictators that are the only people willing to pay for races, the limiting tech regulations.
I love that they don't develop engines anymore, I love that now that they're allowed to develop the engines for two years it's to make them smaller, shittier sounding road car engines. I love that they even managed to make the podium celebration somehow ****.
I love that they don't test anymore. I love the idea of a **** driver sitting in a simulator at the factory trying to guess how the updates will work.
I enjoy the engineers coaching the **** drivers through individual corners, I love that a driver doesn't know he can brake 10m later into the corner and has to be told this over radio.
I love that they're even entertaining banning tyre warming blankets to save costs.
Most of all I enjoy the bullshit about an economic downturn driving the cost cutting when companies have been posting ever increasing record profits for the past 10 years.

I love thinking another series will come along and become the actual pinnacle of motorsport again, hopefully a breakaway series lead by Ferrari & McLaren. For now I love watching this garbage because it's occasionally still good when you forget they're not actually even racing on track anymore.


Might I suggest Football.

#5 Andrew Hope

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Posted 23 June 2013 - 18:08

If they banned car racing I would kill myself.

#6 Disgrace

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Posted 23 June 2013 - 18:10

You'll still have ponies.

#7 GodHimself

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Posted 23 June 2013 - 18:12

If they banned car racing I would kill myself.


Thank God, you weren't born in Switzerland then. :wave:

GodHimself

#8 Peat

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Posted 23 June 2013 - 18:21

I watched all televised sessions from Le Mans this week/weekend and am about to watch IndyCar from Iowa.

It started with watching my first full season of F1 in 1996.

I have been to many races including 3x GP's, Le Mans, Macau, Pau, & the Indy500.

I also race karts for a hobby.

I like motor racing.

#9 SpartanChas

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Posted 23 June 2013 - 18:25

Motor racing... yeah it's not bad I s'pose.

Going to the British GP for the third time this week and might go to Belgium (it's either that alone or Reading with mates). Only really watch F1, GP2, GP3 and sometimes FR3.5 live on TV but I also follow WRC and IndyCar. Watched about 7 hours of Le Mans.



#10 nosecone

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Posted 23 June 2013 - 18:31

@ cool beans: wow :up: it's so true. First i didn't recognize the sarcasm and i really thought "what the hack is wrong with him?". But when you wrote that you love the empty grandstands i understood.

It's sad but true

#11 Longtimefan

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Posted 23 June 2013 - 19:35

I got 'into' F1 in 1970, when at the tender age of 8 I saw highlights of the Monaco grand prix that season, which was a cracker with a twist at the end. It sparked a lifelong passion in me.

After that race I was suddenly an F1 and Jochen Rindt fan, sadly we lost him that year and although I still loved the sport I was horrified by how my hero was here one minute and gone forever the next. In late 71 Francois Cevert attracted my attention, he was ultra cool, incredible charm and pure class.. I was a fan. sadly I again lost my fave driver at the end of 73.

Since then I tried really not have a #1 favourite as it was very painful to lose someone you admired so much, so rather than focus on one driver I became a fan of many: Peterson, Hunt, Bellof, De Angelis, Brundle, Senna etc, until early 1992 when again I switched to following one driver, Schumi. The way he threw that Benetton around the track blew my mind.

Now he's retired again I have no really favourite driver to follow. as a Team I like Ferrari and McLaren to do well and always cheer for (safe) DNF's for Williams and Merc.

Right now no drivers really fires my imagination, most of them seem bland and tame compared to the charismatic drivers of the past.



#12 FredF1

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Posted 23 June 2013 - 19:40

@ cool beans: wow :up: it's so true. First i didn't recognize the sarcasm and i really thought "what the hack is wrong with him?". But when you wrote that you love the empty grandstands i understood.

It's sad but true



I like that I can take as little notice of F1 as I please, never watch qualifying and either catch races on delayed coverage or not bother watching them at all yet Bernie *still* bends over backwards to keep my custom. Playstation gimmicks? Fragile tyres? Races held at weird hours in far-flung places to suit European timezones? Bernie does everything he can to make me happy. If you're looking in Bernie, I want the chequered flag replaced by a knitted cardigan with the image of a poodle on it, the winner's trophy to be made of spun sugar and the winner must eat it all or forfeit his victory and every team to be renamed "Extra Super Quick Racing Team" or I'll no longer watch F1. You have been warned.



#13 stanga

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Posted 23 June 2013 - 19:51

My interest in F1 has increased. To me F1 has always been about endurance racing, speed has never really interested me that much. I love thinking they pack the same engines and gearboxes and ship them to the next race, to me this is very important. It makes me happy inside.
In the past I didn't hear about the tyres enough, now I'm happy they are the main attraction and insignificant things such as chassis / engine aren't so important anymore. I enjoy seeing mediocre drivers now having a chance with the slow speed and endless runoff, though drivers such as Grosjean still could use some help to make F1 accessible to all drivers, regardless of skill but depending on how rich daddy is.
I enjoy them no longer driving when it rains, I enjoy all the eco crap that's so very relevant to a series that has 20 cars out of a couple billion in the world. I enjoy the empty grandstands, the horrible places they drive in, the awful tracks, the dictators that are the only people willing to pay for races, the limiting tech regulations.
I love that they don't develop engines anymore, I love that now that they're allowed to develop the engines for two years it's to make them smaller, shittier sounding road car engines. I love that they even managed to make the podium celebration somehow ****.
I love that they don't test anymore. I love the idea of a **** driver sitting in a simulator at the factory trying to guess how the updates will work.
I enjoy the engineers coaching the **** drivers through individual corners, I love that a driver doesn't know he can brake 10m later into the corner and has to be told this over radio.
I love that they're even entertaining banning tyre warming blankets to save costs.
Most of all I enjoy the bullshit about an economic downturn driving the cost cutting when companies have been posting ever increasing record profits for the past 10 years.

I love thinking another series will come along and become the actual pinnacle of motorsport again, hopefully a breakaway series lead by Ferrari & McLaren. For now I love watching this garbage because it's occasionally still good when you forget they're not actually even racing on track anymore.


Truly brilliant. Two thumbs up. :up: :up:

#14 Barabas

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Posted 23 June 2013 - 20:19

Follow the sport since the 80ties, it amused me back then and it still does now.
Sure it changed but there's still plenty to enjoy if you have a positive outlook on things.

Also LOVE Le Mans and endurance racing in general. :)

Will make 1 promise, if I stop liking the sport I won't come here or anywhere else on the internet and bore people with what I suddenly dislike about the sport.
I'd just go away and find something else to enjoy
Wish others would do the same :well:


#15 Nick Planas

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Posted 23 June 2013 - 22:32

I've been enthusiastically watching F1 since 1966.

The RACING never fails to excite me. In fact, the sound of an F1 engine being run in anger never fails - from any era. I'm lucky, I think - I don't sit there thinking "this isn't pure F1" - I just enjoy it all!

What has struck me, though, is the constant moaning every week, by journalists and fans alike, that F1 is losing its purity, drivers aren't what they used to be, the sport is dying, no-one will ever want to watch it again, etc etc etc. I first became aware of this in 1968 over the wing saga, and it's never really gone away. Some of the top journalists are as guilty of this as anyone else. I no longer bother about it. A race is a race is a race. An F1 car is whatever the FIA / teams agree it is. Drivers work just as hard now as they always have, but the circumstances, level of mortal risk, and technology are just different, that's all. Tactics have always played a part. A top driver is a top driver, and in fact I believe the current F1 field is possibly the most talented ever but even then, I'm not really concerned whether it is or not, as long as I see a good race.

Then again, some races are not as good as others. So what! Not every race can be the best ever. But after every dull race we get another bunch of moaners...

Another annual moan is about Monaco - whether it's really suitable for F1 cars or not. As far as I'm concerned, it's there to be driven and if it doesn't suit the cars then change the damn things. I don't care even if it has a loop the loop in it - every car & driver should compete at circuits with wildly different challenges and characteristics - if all circuits are essentially the same what is the point?! I'll qualify that by saying I don't want unsafe circuits, but then, any circuit is potentially unsafe, and the worst can still happen at any moment.

If anyone feels jaded about F1 I recommend standing at the front of the crowd at any circuit while F1 cars are going around a full chat... if that doesn't move you, you ain't really a fan!



#16 Incast

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Posted 23 June 2013 - 23:04

I've been enthusiastically watching F1 since 1966.

The RACING never fails to excite me. In fact, the sound of an F1 engine being run in anger never fails - from any era. I'm lucky, I think - I don't sit there thinking "this isn't pure F1" - I just enjoy it all!

What has struck me, though, is the constant moaning every week, by journalists and fans alike, that F1 is losing its purity, drivers aren't what they used to be, the sport is dying, no-one will ever want to watch it again, etc etc etc. I first became aware of this in 1968 over the wing saga, and it's never really gone away. Some of the top journalists are as guilty of this as anyone else. I no longer bother about it. A race is a race is a race. An F1 car is whatever the FIA / teams agree it is. Drivers work just as hard now as they always have, but the circumstances, level of mortal risk, and technology are just different, that's all. Tactics have always played a part. A top driver is a top driver, and in fact I believe the current F1 field is possibly the most talented ever but even then, I'm not really concerned whether it is or not, as long as I see a good race.

Then again, some races are not as good as others. So what! Not every race can be the best ever. But after every dull race we get another bunch of moaners...

Another annual moan is about Monaco - whether it's really suitable for F1 cars or not. As far as I'm concerned, it's there to be driven and if it doesn't suit the cars then change the damn things. I don't care even if it has a loop the loop in it - every car & driver should compete at circuits with wildly different challenges and characteristics - if all circuits are essentially the same what is the point?! I'll qualify that by saying I don't want unsafe circuits, but then, any circuit is potentially unsafe, and the worst can still happen at any moment.

If anyone feels jaded about F1 I recommend standing at the front of the crowd at any circuit while F1 cars are going around a full chat... if that doesn't move you, you ain't really a fan!


Amazing post, thanks for sharing. I started watching F1 exactly thirty years after yourself in 1996 and I feel exactly the same way. I can only hope that I still retain the passion as strongly as you have after nearly 50 years of watching!

#17 scheivlak

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 00:17

I've been enthusiastically watching F1 since 1966.

The RACING never fails to excite me. In fact, the sound of an F1 engine being run in anger never fails - from any era. I'm lucky, I think - I don't sit there thinking "this isn't pure F1" - I just enjoy it all!

What has struck me, though, is the constant moaning every week, by journalists and fans alike, that F1 is losing its purity, drivers aren't what they used to be, the sport is dying, no-one will ever want to watch it again, etc etc etc. I first became aware of this in 1968 over the wing saga, and it's never really gone away. Some of the top journalists are as guilty of this as anyone else. I no longer bother about it. A race is a race is a race. An F1 car is whatever the FIA / teams agree it is. Drivers work just as hard now as they always have, but the circumstances, level of mortal risk, and technology are just different, that's all. Tactics have always played a part. A top driver is a top driver, and in fact I believe the current F1 field is possibly the most talented ever but even then, I'm not really concerned whether it is or not, as long as I see a good race.

Then again, some races are not as good as others. So what! Not every race can be the best ever. But after every dull race we get another bunch of moaners...

Another annual moan is about Monaco - whether it's really suitable for F1 cars or not. As far as I'm concerned, it's there to be driven and if it doesn't suit the cars then change the damn things. I don't care even if it has a loop the loop in it - every car & driver should compete at circuits with wildly different challenges and characteristics - if all circuits are essentially the same what is the point?! I'll qualify that by saying I don't want unsafe circuits, but then, any circuit is potentially unsafe, and the worst can still happen at any moment.

If anyone feels jaded about F1 I recommend standing at the front of the crowd at any circuit while F1 cars are going around a full chat... if that doesn't move you, you ain't really a fan!


Great post. I also followed motor racing since the mid sixties. I especially liked the late sixties and certainly those high- and biplane wing cars that the purists of the day found so ugly. The only time my passion got a big whack was at and after Zandvoort 1973, I was there pretty close to Roger's accident and you can imagine what I felt that day. Didn't particularly like F1 becoming Formula SuperFord as well, so I was really glad when Ferrari got their act together in '74 and those weird turbo cars coming along later on, thank you Renault!

The sixties and early seventies were great as well because sportscar/prototype races were perhaps better than ever since (e.g. 1969 Le Mans, 1970 Brands, 1970 Spa......) - OK, the late 80s and early 90s weren't too bad either - and F2/F3 was both more diverse and competitive than ever since. It has to be said however that the cars looked maybe a lot more nicer than today but the TV registration was often just very, very basic and primitive according to today's standards; people complaining these days about TV coverage would have probably thrown their TV set out of the window those days having to watch a Jarama Spanish GP with just 2 or 3 camera positions on the entire track or so.

From the later 80s onwards racing got a lot more safer -thanks for that- but also more cynical, especially in F1 since you could clout another car Senna-style without paying the consequences. I never liked the refuelling multi sprintrace format very much that Max and Bernie introduced in 1994, and I'm very glad F1 returned to non-refuelling in 2010. Another thing I like very much about F1 these days is the Q format, the best there's ever been.

I think there's a lot of excessive whinging about F1, especially this year. Not every race is that great and tyres a often too dominant factor, but then they were also pretty dominant in tyre war eras, just in another way. And have a look at the 60s and 70s GP results: you will easily see how processional those races usually were past half distance, with survival until the finish line as the main task of both car and driver. The great thing about the current era is that strategy and tactics continue right until the chequered flag, of course helped by the unbelievable reliablity of current cars - F1 or otherwise. Le Mans 1970 saw a gigantic battle between 7 Porsche 917s and I think 11 Ferrari 512s, with just 2 917s and 2 512s finishing. This years 3 Audis and 2 Toyotas started and they all finished a pretty tricky 24h.

That said, I wouldn't mind Michelin having a go at F1, in view of how they operate in other categories.

Just a few remarks.....

Edited by scheivlak, 24 June 2013 - 00:18.


#18 Andrew Hope

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 01:48

My interest in racing has always been strong and I can't imagine it ever loosening the grip it has on my heart. Every other attraction in my life I go into and out of: for a few weeks I might be invested in reading about planes or trains or the Earth's minerals or God knows how many other interesting subjects, but these are all passing interests, some I return to later and some I never do. Racing has never been like this for me. I was as excited for the start of the IndyCar race this afternoon as I was when I was four years old watching the 1995 Indy 500. I simply have never managed to care about anything - anything - as powerfully as I care for racing. Like most passions, the reasoning is simple enough: racing never lets me down. I've known a lot of people that have let me down, and I let myself down from time to time. I know I've tried a lot of hobbies and developed a lot of interests in things that have later let me down, but car racing never has. I've been following it long enough to have felt every emotion the sport can smack you over the head with. I've seen enough brilliant victories and beautiful moments to know racing is unequaled in it's ability to make me feel as weightless as the butterflies bouncing around in my guts, and I've seen racing reach out and take enough lives from us to know it's a passion that can make us all pay some very serious prices. I've done lame punches of the air when Maldonado won in Spain or Button passed Vettel on the last lap of Canada 2012, dropped the jaw when McNish went out of the park at Le Mans 2012 and when Montoya hit the jet dryer. I've thrown things across the room when things weren't going right and I've sat there feeling colder than the coldest winter was cold when names like Greg Moore and Dan Wheldon were announced to be heading to the great race track in the sky. Basically, whenever I'm not watching racing, I'd rather be watching racing, and I could never watch enough. Eventually, I come to regret most of the things I spend my time on, be it women or a job or any other such nonsense. That time always seems to eventually be wasted. But the time I've invested in racing has never made me feel that way. I've never finished watching a race and asked for two hours of my life back. I've never come out the other side of three hours' mindless Youtubing of old racing clips and not felt better for the experience. I don't get all that excited for anything else, because nothing else compares. Racing is a reason to live, and if I ever manage to cross the fence and get behind the wheel myself you're going to have to pry that wheel out of my cold dead hands.

#19 Alfisti

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 01:54

You were 8 in 1998????? FFS.

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#20 noikeee

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 02:41

I've been following Formula 1 since the age of 3 and despite widening my likes within motorsport, and occasionally getting bored of F1 for a season or two, I keep getting back and that's still the centre of my interest, regardless of how frowned upon it can be to be a F1-centric fan. The series is not perfect, it's never been for a reason or another (altho I've seen far worse eras) but the reality is that I tend to overlook its issues as it continuously catches my attention.

#21 Deluxx

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 02:48

8/10

#22 goldenboy

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 04:09

Have watched every practice session for years but can hardly bother to watch the races anymore. Was pumped for Melbourne but then nothing.

#23 TomNokoe

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 04:29

I used to think F1 was the only Motorsport worth watching, with it being "the pinnacle" and all that. But that's so untrue. I watched my first full Le Mans and although its only once a year, its spectacle versus a 20 race F1 season was phenomenonal. It's brilliant we have so many options. F1 seems to be going through a lull at the minute, and after watching Le Mans I realised I have options, I don't have to get my fix from F1, which makes me happy.

#24 seahawk

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 05:11

I am interested in racing since the early 80ies. It was always rally and F1. Rally lost me when the group B times ended and the TV coverage became non existent. But now I am at least watching all the videos at WRC again.

F1 on the other hadn lost me recently. I only watch it if I am at home and got nothing better to do. Things like DTM, LeMans etc. do not interest me at all.

#25 KirilVarbanov

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 11:59

I started back in the 80's watching the monstrous engines and those drivers that were rarely scared. I was around 8. Today I'm a co-host of the national F1 TV show and I suppose that makes me really interested in the sport :)
Although I have to admit that F1 has always been my irrational love with all those controversies, issues, periods of dominant cars, but have never left it out.

#26 Doughnut King

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 12:15

The main things I watch are F1, GP2 and 3, and BTCC. Everything else I just tend to watch casually.

#27 Cool Beans

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 12:39

Will make 1 promise, if I stop liking the sport I won't come here or anywhere else on the internet and bore people with what I suddenly dislike about the sport.
I'd just go away and find something else to enjoy
Wish others would do the same :well:

Spot on :up:

#28 ApexMouse

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 13:30

Ta ta then.

#29 Cool Beans

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 13:33

Was that aimed at me?

#30 Nomore

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 13:48

Formula 1 has been always up :up: or down :down: . Now is down :down: , in 06-08 i think it was up :up: , i hope that from 2014 it will be again up.... :up:

#31 MarileneRiddle

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 13:53

I tune in mainly for Sebastian Vettel victories and occasionally cheer for Kimi Raikkonen, Nico Hulkenburg, Nico Rosberg, Felipe Massa and Romain Grosjean.

So, just interested for the eye candy? :lol:

#32 JHSingo

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 14:15

I've always had a huge passion for cars and motorsport. No other sport has captured my attention, or imagination, quite like motorsport has. It is the only sport I watch religiously, and have done for years.

My dad has always been interested in racing, and he was the one who got me interested in it in my early years. I grew up watching Formula One and BTCC, and only really got into MotoGP around 2006. Other than that, it was hard to follow anything else just because there was very little motorsport on Freeview, and that's still the way it is today sadly. Always used to go attend BTCC meetings at Donington, Oulton and Silverstone with my dad.

In the school holiday summer of 2007, I stumbled across Autosport magazine (it was immediately after Franchitti won that year's 500, I seem to recall) and I was hooked immediately. I was always aware that there was a lot of other forms of motorsport around the world, that I wished I could follow, but sadly couldn't. Autosport gave me a chance to read about all those other forms of motorsport and learn more about them. Since then, I've been following pretty much everything avidly, through Autosport (and online streaming ;)) from Le Mans and sports car racing as a whole, DTM, V8 Supercars, IndyCar, NASCAR, World Rallying etc. Those are still the types of racing I like the most.

BTCC has lost me a bit in the last few years. The terrible driving and NGTC regulations (which I'm not a fan of) mean I'm not a big BTCC fan as I was all those years ago, but still attend races occasionally. MotoGP I'll watch when there is not much else on, but bikes have never really done it for me. I've always preferred cars, so my enthusiasm for MotoGP comes and goes.

I watch every Formula One race, but again, I'm not as excited for it as I used to be. Something in particular this year, seems to be missing. I'm not a fan of the tyres and DRS, and perhaps we tend to view things through rose tinted spectacles when it comes to remembering things we grew up with, but I miss the days of the V10s, Hakkinen, Schumacher, hell, even Montoya. Those were the days when cars were absolute beasts and tracks were more challenging than they are now.

As for things like GP2 and GP3? Really, I have no interest in following those, because not only do they have appalling driving standards, but the grids are almost entirely made up of kids who have rich dads, and nothing else.

Edited by JHSingo, 24 June 2013 - 14:24.


#33 Pingu Pi

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 14:55

My interest in F1 has increased. To me F1 has always been about endurance racing, speed has never really interested me that much. I love thinking they pack the same engines and gearboxes and ship them to the next race, to me this is very important. It makes me happy inside.
In the past I didn't hear about the tyres enough, now I'm happy they are the main attraction and insignificant things such as chassis / engine aren't so important anymore. I enjoy seeing mediocre drivers now having a chance with the slow speed and endless runoff, though drivers such as Grosjean still could use some help to make F1 accessible to all drivers, regardless of skill but depending on how rich daddy is.
I enjoy them no longer driving when it rains, I enjoy all the eco crap that's so very relevant to a series that has 20 cars out of a couple billion in the world. I enjoy the empty grandstands, the horrible places they drive in, the awful tracks, the dictators that are the only people willing to pay for races, the limiting tech regulations.
I love that they don't develop engines anymore, I love that now that they're allowed to develop the engines for two years it's to make them smaller, shittier sounding road car engines. I love that they even managed to make the podium celebration somehow ****.
I love that they don't test anymore. I love the idea of a **** driver sitting in a simulator at the factory trying to guess how the updates will work.
I enjoy the engineers coaching the **** drivers through individual corners, I love that a driver doesn't know he can brake 10m later into the corner and has to be told this over radio.
I love that they're even entertaining banning tyre warming blankets to save costs.
Most of all I enjoy the bullshit about an economic downturn driving the cost cutting when companies have been posting ever increasing record profits for the past 10 years.

I love thinking another series will come along and become the actual pinnacle of motorsport again, hopefully a breakaway series lead by Ferrari & McLaren. For now I love watching this garbage because it's occasionally still good when you forget they're not actually even racing on track anymore.


nicely put.

the past 3 seasons i've become less and less interested, i still watch every q

#34 911

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 15:30

I've been enthusiastically watching F1 since 1966.

The RACING never fails to excite me. In fact, the sound of an F1 engine being run in anger never fails - from any era. I'm lucky, I think - I don't sit there thinking "this isn't pure F1" - I just enjoy it all!

What has struck me, though, is the constant moaning every week, by journalists and fans alike, that F1 is losing its purity, drivers aren't what they used to be, the sport is dying, no-one will ever want to watch it again, etc etc etc. I first became aware of this in 1968 over the wing saga, and it's never really gone away. Some of the top journalists are as guilty of this as anyone else. I no longer bother about it. A race is a race is a race. An F1 car is whatever the FIA / teams agree it is. Drivers work just as hard now as they always have, but the circumstances, level of mortal risk, and technology are just different, that's all. Tactics have always played a part. A top driver is a top driver, and in fact I believe the current F1 field is possibly the most talented ever but even then, I'm not really concerned whether it is or not, as long as I see a good race.

Then again, some races are not as good as others. So what! Not every race can be the best ever. But after every dull race we get another bunch of moaners...

Another annual moan is about Monaco - whether it's really suitable for F1 cars or not. As far as I'm concerned, it's there to be driven and if it doesn't suit the cars then change the damn things. I don't care even if it has a loop the loop in it - every car & driver should compete at circuits with wildly different challenges and characteristics - if all circuits are essentially the same what is the point?! I'll qualify that by saying I don't want unsafe circuits, but then, any circuit is potentially unsafe, and the worst can still happen at any moment.

If anyone feels jaded about F1 I recommend standing at the front of the crowd at any circuit while F1 cars are going around a full chat... if that doesn't move you, you ain't really a fan!


Thanks, Nick. Great post and "I" needed to read that because I can be a complainer of this sport. Well done, sir.


#35 Blend37

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 15:39

My interest in F1 has increased. To me F1 has always been about endurance racing, speed has never really interested me that much. I love thinking they pack the same engines and gearboxes and ship them to the next race, to me this is very important. It makes me happy inside.
In the past I didn't hear about the tyres enough, now I'm happy they are the main attraction and insignificant things such as chassis / engine aren't so important anymore. I enjoy seeing mediocre drivers now having a chance with the slow speed and endless runoff, though drivers such as Grosjean still could use some help to make F1 accessible to all drivers, regardless of skill but depending on how rich daddy is.
I enjoy them no longer driving when it rains, I enjoy all the eco crap that's so very relevant to a series that has 20 cars out of a couple billion in the world. I enjoy the empty grandstands, the horrible places they drive in, the awful tracks, the dictators that are the only people willing to pay for races, the limiting tech regulations.
I love that they don't develop engines anymore, I love that now that they're allowed to develop the engines for two years it's to make them smaller, shittier sounding road car engines. I love that they even managed to make the podium celebration somehow ****.
I love that they don't test anymore. I love the idea of a **** driver sitting in a simulator at the factory trying to guess how the updates will work.
I enjoy the engineers coaching the **** drivers through individual corners, I love that a driver doesn't know he can brake 10m later into the corner and has to be told this over radio.
I love that they're even entertaining banning tyre warming blankets to save costs.
Most of all I enjoy the bullshit about an economic downturn driving the cost cutting when companies have been posting ever increasing record profits for the past 10 years.

I love thinking another series will come along and become the actual pinnacle of motorsport again, hopefully a breakaway series lead by Ferrari & McLaren. For now I love watching this garbage because it's occasionally still good when you forget they're not actually even racing on track anymore.


Brilliant post that sums up the current dire state of F1. :up:


#36 August

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 19:07

You were 8 in 1998????? FFS.


Did I sound more childish than a guy who becomes 23 this year? :p


I used to think F1 was the only Motorsport worth watching, with it being "the pinnacle" and all that. But that's so untrue. I watched my first full Le Mans and although its only once a year, its spectacle versus a 20 race F1 season was phenomenonal. It's brilliant we have so many options. F1 seems to be going through a lull at the minute, and after watching Le Mans I realised I have options, I don't have to get my fix from F1, which makes me happy.


One of the good things from my reduced F1 interest has been that I've taken a look at other series. Le Mans really is a spectacle, nothing a two-hour GP can be. It's my new favourite racing event, I wanna attend it one day.

#37 jonpollak

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 20:03

Was that aimed at me?


Stop being so entertaining...
You're hogging the spotlight
Cutitthefcukout.
Jp

#38 OvDrone

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 20:21

Some great posts here, :up: guys.

I grew up loving racing and I don't think it'll ever leave my system. I started following it with the '95 F1 season and some Indy races in '95/'96 (with no small thanks to my dad), then the '98 F1 season came along and I just got hooked. Nine years old at the time but yeah, that season, that era ('98-'00) really brings back lots of fond memories.

Around '99 I got into MotoGP, Superbikes, Rallying and Indy quite heavily. Loved it all even some occasional Nascar, touring and even somethings more left-field like Truck racing. Then going into my teen/high school years I slightly lost patience with it. The pissed off teen years, go figure. I still read reviews and watched highlights but I didn't invest my sunday time in it anymore. F1 I still followed but only half the races from '05 to '08 with '07 being the exception (loved that season). Come college in '09 and the bug bit again. Hard. Restarted following nearly everything, bit by bit and loved it ever since. I began watching endurance racing since '11 and now I think it's my favorite type of motorsport and got into Nascar this year after having some fun with Smoke and Keselowski the two seasons prior. All in all, I watch nearly everything Autosport is covering, 95% easily.

As for the state of some motorsports and my interest in them, I'm gonna be brief or else I'll kill people with the length of the post and the seemingly fanboyish rants that would ensue. I'll describe a podium, for the one's I had fun with the most through this year and the ones I've been disappointed with the most, so:

FUN: #1 Indycar, #2 Endurance (WEC, Le Mans, Daytona, ALMS (2014! wOOO)) #3 Superbike /w Nascar and Rallying knocking on the steps close behind.
UNFUN: #1 MotoGP, #2 GP2, #3 F1

The fun parts, I won't go into, rather I'm inviting you to watch 'em if you don't already.

So then, the bad: MotoGP- Dorna, the regs, the grid, DORNA.

GP2- 90% of the field is a complete let down. It's either daddy's money or crashtastic punks with a wrong sense of entitlement and sport ethics or both.

And finally our love/mistress/muse/*****, F1. The corporate environment (call me what you want but I really don't think that the mid 90's - mid 00's era was THIS heavily corporate minded), the new tracks with no sense of motorsport spirit just corporate greed (Sakhir, Yeongam, Buddh, Yas Marina, and so on...), DRS, tyres (I blame the FIA, way more than I do Pirelli), the exhausts, the young blood (MAL, GRO, DiR, GUT ... and not to mention what GP2 has to offer, I'm less critical with GP3 and WSR). '09 and '10 were top-cursing-notch from my POV but '11 'till today is a complete and utter let down. It's not the Vettel and RBR domination, I lived comfortably with Schumi's domination. It's a bit of everything. It doesn't make me punch the air, make me scream at the screen, laugh, cry or just stand there being fascinated by the race, be it the human factor, the tech factor or even the political factor. Although dudes like BOT, BIA and HUL give me hope for the future. I just watch it nowadays for the '01-'02 generation (your buttons, alonsos, kimis, and webbos), other than that, it's just below meh.

And that's ok. Motorsport like all things in life are ebbing and flowing. You have to ride the lows as well as the highs, to make it worthwhile. It is a completely natural process. So for now, some of these championship of the sport that I adore are frown inducing and some are healthy grin inducing. And it will change again, with time. F1 isn't dying, IMO it's in a lull, other dudes/dudettes may like this period, it's their right and I salute them for it. I say bring on '14.

And in conclusion, I think it's our debt and duty as motorsport fans to make it more engaging, more innovative, more fan-friendly, more human. To try to improve our sport with the little that we have and in the little ways we have. To improve it in every respect so that we have a nice and healthy sport and community. Our nice small niche in the world.





**** Horner

Edited by OvDrone, 24 June 2013 - 20:27.


#39 Atreiu

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 20:29

I have more than once wished I could simply not watch F1, but I never manage to do it for too long...

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#40 OvDrone

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 20:31

At this rate, if I miss a race, I won't be even remotely upset.

#41 Cool Beans

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Posted 24 June 2013 - 20:42

Stop being so entertaining...
You're hogging the spotlight
Cutitthefcukout.
Jp

No.

#42 jonpollak

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Posted 25 June 2013 - 02:37

I'm glad you said that.
Jp

#43 Brother Fox

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Posted 25 June 2013 - 02:52

I follow it mainly so I can get involved in meaningless arguements with strangers on the internet

#44 Andrew Hope

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Posted 25 June 2013 - 02:53

No.


Well don't be a douche or anything. Jp clearly paid you a compliment.


#45 jonpollak

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Posted 25 June 2013 - 03:26

:rotfl:
Andrew, darling...
I am 300% sure Beans gets my drift.
Jp

EDIT:
I should stop with the drive by postings and contribute huh..?


To me.. Car Racing is like going to church.
The bastards even put it on a Sunday.
It IS my religion, along with music and the beauty of a woman, it pervades virtually every morsel of my being.
They are, for me, the three great stimulants

I hold the bizarre belief that the gods above actually guide a silly peripheral diversion like racing.
I also believe that if you love something to such an all encompassing and absorbing degree it becomes part of the fabric that drives it .
The power of the collective breath if you will....NO?
FAN POWER?..go on... it must exist other wise why are we here week in and week out?


Edited by jonpollak, 25 June 2013 - 06:59.


#46 Andrew Hope

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Posted 25 June 2013 - 03:40

I just like to see who else is on the level.

#47 ardbeg

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Posted 25 June 2013 - 03:43

I am blessed with a short memory so when time allows I visit http://www.justin.tv/f1_legends_19 which often show full races from various times in the past. Keke, Senna, Prost, Peterson...
Many races are processional, but they still somehow keep me interested. I guess it is because the races of the past was more dynamic. The reliabilty of the cars also played a role, having a 30 seconds lead did not mean you'd win.

F1 is ok now, but the tire situation is tirering. I don't mind that they wear and lose performance, but they are far too sensitive in terms of temp range and load to feel ok for F1. Also, watching the Prsot Senna era, you feel the difference in approach between the drivers. Nowadays it is all pit lane controlled. I think that is the worst part. The drivers has become just a component in the car. A component controlled from pit lane.

#48 sheepgobba

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Posted 25 June 2013 - 06:00

I started watching in 2003 at the age of 9.

I just remember hearing the F1 cars on tv and thinking they sound bloody incredible and ever since then I've been watching. Went for McLaren back in the day with Kimi challenging for the titles during those days. But other than that been watching since 2003 and haven't missed a race yet. Funny enough, the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2010 and 2012 were both on at a Monday 3am on both occasions when l had my final major exams on those days. Still didn't miss it and didn't bother with any of that 'studying' stuff for F1 :)

But l guess over the years the cars have somewhat lost their charm as they used to be.

Edited by sheepgobba, 25 June 2013 - 06:01.


#49 zepunishment

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Posted 25 June 2013 - 09:38

I've been watching since about '92 or so, got heavily into it in '94. Due to work and Schumacher dominance I didn't watch between 2000-5 and since my interest peaked again. I've become more interested in the history of the sport over the last year or two which has coincided with a slight wane in interest. F1 is more corporate than ever but times change, although there is no encouragement from formula 1 to be a fan now (at least in the uk). Want to watch all the races live? You'll need a full sky hd subscription or be content with highlights. Want to go to a race? Try £150 + for the cheapest weekend GA ticket. Want to get up close to the drivers and cars? Jog on - you can stand in the mud whilst the other half prance around in their 'wing'.

#50 kenkip

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Posted 25 June 2013 - 11:10

My first motorsport memories were my most memorable to be honest.
Going camping with the family for a week in the Rift Valley to catch the gruelling Safari Rally was just amazing for a 6 year old me.I tell you what,watching a rally car flat out with Mt Kilimanjaro in the background is a memory that will live with me forever!
I watched rally until 2000 when it was disbanded (the safari rally) and from there I needed a new motorsport fix.F1 was shown live for the first time that year and I immediaetly fell in love with it.I supported Schumi from the start mainly because he was driving for Ferrari (the most easily recognizable team).
During 2007-2010, after he retired I lost interest with the sport TBH (suported Lewis for a bit because he was black but disliked his arrogance,he is starting to grow on me again this year though) The intrest came back around mid-2010 when the season was so open,supported Seb for that season and ever since.
*rant alert*
I have to say,since I came back,the level of moaning is ridiculous!!If mean,if you are saying this version of F1 is boring then you must have poisoned yourself in the Schumi years!Atleast there is unpredictability,unlike Schumi-Barichello 1-2 snooze fests that even I got bored of!Yes a German is sweeping the titles but he is hardly walking it is he?
You know what?I would have prefered Schumi winning his titles like Seb,with a bit of competition atleast to spice things up!
F1 is not in a rot,just level of double standards and fanboyism on the way up,not helped by former racing drivers hoodwinking the public to believing their era was the best,while in most cases it was not!/rant

Edited by kenkip, 25 June 2013 - 11:12.