22 replies to this topic

[Ben1445]

Here's one I was pondering earlier. If there's a race series you haven't watched before, how long does it take you to become a fan? 

 

Main example I can think of was my first main foray outside of F1 into IndyCar - took me at least a season to properly get on board and feel part of it.

 

What other things influence this acclimatisation period?

Edited by Ben1445, 03 December 2018 - 19:34.

[PiperPa42]

In my case it was one, both regarding Indycar, IMSA and Formula E. Formula 3 took a couple of races or so.

In the case of Formula E it was probably influenced by the great performance of Quick Nick, at least most of the race. The first IMSA race I watched was when Tandy and Pilet won Petit le Mans overall in a 911.

[Anja]

For me it mostly depends on how many of the drivers and teams I already know when I start watching - I need some context of the whole thing, even if the racing's great it doesn't mean much to me if I don't know anything about the drivers. With IndyCar it took me more than a season, but with Formula E it was pretty much immediate since there was a lot of familiar faces. 

[f1paul]

Depends on the series. Usually around 3-4 races though - going off World RX, Formula E, V8 Supercars and IndyCar. 

[TomNokoe]

2.

One to come back
Another to be hooked

[jonpollak]

I’m STILL trying to get into Formula e.... and my patience is wearing thin.

[Ben1445]

I’m STILL trying to get into Formula e.... and my patience is wearing thin.

Well, Gen2 is your best shot yet! Until Gen3 at least... 

[jonpollak]

I have family members involved so I HAVE TO keep trying.
Jp

[Vielleicht]

I think the process is massively sped up if you know a driver from elsewhere already. Otherwise it takes longer.

[Nova]

I usually come in on the back of Honda, and if Honda is dominating it's an instant

[Nonesuch]

I've watched plenty of Indycar races over the years, but I think following this season from start to finish has finally made me "a fan", so to speak. I think the narrative surrounding the events is a big part of any sporting event, because it adds to the proceedings. Someone finishing 3rd isn't quite as exciting as someone finishing 3rd and losing the title lead, as silly as that might sound. It's also nice to follow a driver's fortunes throughout the year, and see them bounce back or - perhaps - go from bad to worse. It makes the characters of the show more relatable.

 

As far as judging a series goes, I'll go with one to three races. Formula E I find hardest to judge, because my biggest problem with it isn't the cars but rather the tracks. I get that Formula E cars are fairly slow, but that's fine. I am unreasonably entertained by Japanese F4. However, the tracks I can't stand. I don't like watching F1 at Monaco or Indycar in Detroit either.

Edited by Nonesuch, 04 December 2018 - 09:21.

[Kalmake]

FE and WEC would be easy to get into thanks to all the "F1 rejects", but I can't stomach certain aspects of those series. FE in particular seems intent on coming up with ways to keep me at bay.

[BuddyHolly]

With F1 it was one and not even a full race, I saw highlights of Monaco 1970 with Jochen winning it on the last lap and I was instantly utterly hooked for life.

 

As for how many to decide it isn't for me, usually 2-4 races.  I do try to give it a try.   ie Formula E, I watched one race and found it boring, slow and they sounded like racing hoovers, but I forced myself to watch 2 more full races before I decided it certainly wasn't for me and not to watch any more.

[Ben1445]

With F1 it was one and not even a full race, I saw highlights of Monaco 1970 with Jochen winning it on the last lap and I was instantly utterly hooked for life.

As for how many to decide it isn't for me, usually 2-4 races. I do try to give it a try. ie Formula E, I watched one race and found it boring, slow and they sounded like racing hoovers, but I forced myself to watch 2 more full races before I decided it certainly wasn't for me and not to watch any more.

Gen 2 not worth another try?

[Nova]

With F1 it was one and not even a full race, I saw highlights of Monaco 1970 with Jochen winning it on the last lap and I was instantly utterly hooked for life.

 

As for how many to decide it isn't for me, usually 2-4 races.  I do try to give it a try.   ie Formula E, I watched one race and found it boring, slow and they sounded like racing hoovers, but I forced myself to watch 2 more full races before I decided it certainly wasn't for me and not to watch any more.

 

 

Racing cars without sound? Swoosh ..... That's half the attraction off. Like looking at a race with the sound of.

[realracer200]

I am not a fan of any new series.

[boillot]

In 1989 I got hooked to CART (Indycar) after a single race.

[messy]

It depends on the series, entirely. I think over the years I've tried to get into just about every type of Motorsport. BTCC was my first love back in the mid 1990s because I was a car obsessive as a child who spent hours looking at Whatcar magazine and thought the fact the BTCC was full of Vauxhall Cavaliers and Ford Mondeos was brilliant. That was easy. Then I got into F1 by accident when the Argentinian GP was on at my Grandparent's house. I was hooked. Then I discovered that there was another, equally big deal Motorsport series in America where the cars looked just like F1 cars but were that bit faster, more exciting, more dangerous, and instantly I was staying up late at night watching grainy live CART races on Channel 5. WRC was easy too. Colin McRae, Richard Burns, mud, countryside, live Rally GB stages on BBC Grandstand, hooked in like two seconds flat.

But those four were it for a long time. I found myself really trying to get into other series and failing. NASCAR I was always aware of and kind of followed, I liked Bobby Labonte in the Interstate Batteries car and so on but.....not so much, really. Motorbike Racing was a slow one too, took a fair few years to really get interested in it, Rossi v Biaggi did that in about 2001. I followed the World Superbike Championship, but wasn't so fussed really.

I love MotoGP and NASCAR these days, but they took a while. More recently, I've tried and (so far) failed to really get into World Rallycross and Motocross. Really tried too. Watched live events, tried to find that spark that leads to obsession, and failed.

[917k]

To me, there has to be some element of importance...that is... there is something really at stake, be it danger or a global championship of some repute. I find it hard to follow something that seems too regional.

[jonpollak]

I am not a fan of any new series.

Define ‘new’.
Jp

[BRK]

1 - Not a fan of any series outside F1 

2 - 3 - 5 races probably

 

Applying an arguably unfair F1-centric framework & standards to every series and inevitably ending up disappointed is one of my life's many hobbies. 

[cheekybru]

I tried watching a few FE races a couple years back, but was put off by the tracks

I would say anywhere from 1-6 depending how good the races are that you see

[DS27]

Series dependent. I watched a World Speedway meeting a couple of years ago by chance and found it quite exciting. But it's only when I began to get to know the riders and their personalities that it really started to become a must-watch.