25 replies to this topic

[Mohican]

There has now been a number of articles on autosport.com explaining to all us laymen why Ferrari should not re-sign Kimi Raikkonen - and once they did exactly that, why they were very wrong to do so.

The latest such article only just appeared today under the heading "Why Raikkonen remains a risk for Ferrari."

 

Tghese grapes are very sour indeed for Straw & co; I have been reading Autosport for a very long time, and find it very sad that a magazine like that nowadays lends itself to publishing mere opinion as news, and prejudiced opinion at that.

 

What is the point here ? If journalists think that they know better than team management, why not bite the bullet and prove it by switching sides and going into actual management where you have to take actual decisions ? But of course it is so much easier just to spout your opinion, without accepting any responsibility for anything.

 

I am not writing this as a particular Raikkonen fan - I just do not accept opinion as fact.

 

 

[onemoresolo]

I am not writing this as a particular Raikkonen fan - I just do not accept opinion as fact.

 

It's an opinion piece - that's exactly what they're for.

 

This is better discussed in the "Website Feedback" forum, or even in a thread about a similar article recently (link)

 

Did you read the article or just the headline? Was there anything in the argument that was factually wrong or unfair?

Edited by onemoresolo, 29 August 2017 - 10:51.

[Lotus53B]

Aye, but that's what Ferrari have done for years - Michael never had a top rank team mate, for example.

Have one contender, and one driver who is adequate and will score solid points.

 

In that context, Kimi is not really a risk, but a fairly typical Ferrari #2 driver.

[Cacarella]

Wait, I thought it was Ferrari that hated Kimi?

[Risil]

I've moved this to Website Feedback as the topic here is really Autosport's editors.

 

Given the topic's new home, please avoid general discussion of Kimi Raikkonen's career and prospects.

[YoungGun]

We needed another thread? 

[pitlanepalpatine]

I can understand where the opening poster is coming from as some of the editorials tend to retread issues from the same perspective, another example being Vettels Baku rampage. I think it would be better if the different editors that agreed on the subject collaborated on the article rather than each one writing their own personal regurgitation of the subject matter. Alternatively they could do a video or a podcast discussing the subject similar to what they did with the driver ratings. I don't have an issue with creating separate Editorials on an issue if you have differing perspectives, but if it's going to be the same thing it would be better to merge them to avoid reader fatigue with the subject.

 

P.s. Some of the editorials read like the individual got sick of reading a particular Forum thread and decided to write an editorial instead. 

Edited by pitlanepalpatine, 29 August 2017 - 11:05.

[Marklar]

Maybe, just maybe they have a point?

[Jovanotti]

I can only repeat myself:

Dude, Räikkönen generates clicks, that's why they're milking this topic every year

Besides, I fully agree that they newspapers in general should publish much less opinion pieces, unless they are from insiders or other interesting people. Opinion articles are probably easier to write and often more controversial (again, more clicks), hence why they seem to get ever more frequent.

Edited by Jovanotti, 29 August 2017 - 11:08.

[ANF]

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[Mohican]

Maybe we did not need another thread on Autosport and Raikkonen; I was unaware of this "website feedback" section, and would have posted directly here otherwise.

 

As for my gripe, I stand by my opinion. Very disappointed in Autosport, which bills itself "the authority on motorsport". Those days are long gone.

[Nonesuch]

Maybe, just maybe they have a point?

 

Exactly, Räikkönen has been scoring about half the points of his team-mate for year after year after year. Of course he's a risk to a team that wants to win the WCC.

 

When one looks at the percentages of a team's total points, Räikkönen ranks near the bottom of the list - ahead of Magnussen, Kvyat and Vandoorne.

[VolvoT5]

I saw the article from Straw today and thought "Wtf, isn't this like the 3rd or 4th negative article on Raikkonen in the last few weeks?"..     I'm a Kimi fan but I accept he is not as good as he used to be and it is no longer possible to keep making excuses about driving styles or bad luck and so on... 

 

However these attacks really just feel a bit personal from Autosport.  I feelthey have an agenda of wanting to see Kimi out of F1 so that younger talent can come through the system.... yet some of these same writers practically drool at the prospect of Button making a comeback.   

 

Perez and Ocon demonstrated why Ferrari do not want or need to take a risk on bringing in another driver.  For as long as Ferrari are content to run a no.1 & no.2 structure there is little evidence to suggest any other driver would fulfil the no.2 role better than Kimi is doing at the moment.   

 

Funny how Autosport seem to relish giving Raikkonen a kicking. I wonder if it is anything to do with the fact that despite their best efforts he is still extremely popular and popularity + click bait articles = $$$. 

Edited by VolvoT5, 29 August 2017 - 11:26.

[F1matt]

I stopped my subscription to Autosport a few years ago when Ed Straw took over and have occasionally bought it for a flight or a train journey but I usually leave it on the chair for some poor bored sod to read! The magazine is a shadow of its former self, most of their predictions are wrong, and the reports tell me nothing that I couldn't pick up on Sky sports, try reading Mark Hughes Motorsport review for a much more detailed report, he isn't scared of criticising teams or drivers yet he still manages to obtain information (Autosport take note, all the creeping isn't paying off). As for Kimi they clearly have a problem with him and have for some time, I am guessing he wont talk to them for some reason or other!

[JHSingo]

Tghese grapes are very sour indeed for Straw & co; I have been reading Autosport for a very long time, and find it very sad that a magazine like that nowadays lends itself to publishing mere opinion as news, and prejudiced opinion at that.

 

 

It's not news, it's an opinion column - the like of which are common in the majority of newspapers, or on news sites.

 

I find it comical Kimi fans get so defensive about this. Maybe if Kimi was performing stronger, and had actually won a race in the last three years, such things wouldn't be written...

 

It's a real shame Leclerc won't be in that Ferrari seat from next year.

[pacificquay]

They had another piece the other day from Ben Anderson singing Raikkonen's praises.

 

You pay your money, you take your choice

[amedeofelix]

It's an opinion piece - that's exactly what they're for.

 

This is better discussed in the "Website Feedback" forum, or even in a thread about a similar article recently (link)

 

Did you read the article or just the headline? Was there anything in the argument that was factually wrong or unfair?

 

I think unless they create a reader's feedback section this is a better place to make comments about Autosport articles.  The website feedback section is purely about technical issues not editorial comments.

 

For my part I am rather tired of the over abundance of opinion pieces in Autosport these days.  Not enough news gathering going on, and so they seem to be filling space with waffle.

[superden]

For my part I am rather tired of the over abundance of opinion pieces in Autosport these days. Not enough news gathering going on, and so they seem to be filling space with waffle.

I can't stand 'opinion' pieces. Just give me the facts, I'll make my own mind up, thank you please. Most of the time it's not even remotely objective opinion, it's just fanboyism masquerading as journalism. In fact, the quality of motorsport journalism has tanked in the years since 'social media' (in its modern sense) became prevalent.

[amedeofelix]

I can't stand 'opinion' pieces. Just give me the facts, I'll make my own mind up, thank you please. Most of the time it's not even remotely objective opinion, it's just fanboyism masquerading as journalism. In fact, the quality of motorsport journalism has tanked in the years since 'social media' (in its modern sense) became prevalent.

 

I sadly must concur in many respects.  I still get better info from Autosport than from the TV coverage of course, but I really don't need cheap personal opinions.  I can form my own, and get those of other fans if I wish...

[jonpollak]

Should I sell them my opinion piece on Kimi's adventures in a London Strip Club?

 

meh...I'll save it for the book.

Jp

[BRG]

They had another piece the other day from Ben Anderson singing Raikkonen's praises.

 

That's disgusting!  The editor must go, how can they stoop so low?

 

Should I sell them my opinion piece on Kimi's adventures in a London Strip Club?

 

meh...I'll save it for the book.

Jp

No, no, publish and be damned, we want to hear all about it!  Have you got pictures??

Edited by BRG, 29 August 2017 - 20:11.

[JHSingo]

For my part I am rather tired of the over abundance of opinion pieces in Autosport these days.  Not enough news gathering going on, and so they seem to be filling space with waffle.

 

Disagree. I find these columns far more of a thought provoking and engaging read than your average run-of-the-mill race report. Other than their rather too frequent 'reverse grids in F1' bandwagon, I find the stuff the Autosport guys write to generally be very good. But I've actually started reading Motor Sport magazine more for that reason, that the pieces in there are more interesting than what's in Autosport, which is mostly race reports and little else.

 

Plus, given not much tends to happen in weeks between race weekends, they have to fill the pages/keep the site updated somehow. And before the inevitable "well, why don't they report on X series then?" comment - chances are there's not enough interest in said series to make it worth their while in doing so.

Edited by JHSingo, 29 August 2017 - 23:07.

[YoungGun]

I can only repeat myself:

Besides, I fully agree that they newspapers in general should publish much less opinion pieces, unless they are from insiders or other interesting people. Opinion articles are probably easier to write and often more controversial (again, more clicks), hence why they seem to get ever more frequent.

 

Point taken ... but if I don't like something I would send it back or in the case of for example a news paper would cancel subscription.

 

In this IOT of things I must admit it gives both sides voices ... armchair critics on the racing forum should consider despite who they support know better because their opinion is gospel.  Yet for some strange reason I read their shyte.

Edited by YoungGun, 29 August 2017 - 23:36.

[Zilbert]

Does anyone remember Skysports anti-Kimi campaign(well one of them ) from couple of years back? They got their "experts" on the midweek report (or whatever was the name of the show) proclaiming Kimis reflexes have deteriorated due to excessive drinking. I thought that warranted a lawsuit for slender. I always thought British media critiques of Kimi were at least partly motivated by their effort to get Button (and then lately Sainz) in Ferrari, which looked unlikely to happen anyway.

[autosportfan]

To me this is quite simple... Kimi is pretty controversial, very popular but a quiet kind of driver who hates explaining himself.  Easy target .. and if you write negative stuff about him then you get more clicks and noise on social media .. this increases your website hits and marketing revenue. 

 

Just look at the headlines they use .. there is no doubt it is all about getting people to click and to comment! 

 

Bit cheap if you ask me... 

[Knowlesy]

'KNOWLESY EYES IMPROVED AUTOSPORT'

I don't disagree with the idea that Raikkonen is past it and wasting a plum seat.

But the style of article on Autosport is tiresome in recent years. "Why you should think this" seems to be the general thing they have got going. Opinion pieces should be restricted to fifth column, it is quite enough just having dear Nige bringing up the usual gripes.

The quality of writing is shocking even to a dribbling simpleton like me.

Edited by Knowlesy, 02 September 2017 - 09:46.