No explanation necessary...

[emjaybee]

[njee20]

F1 has had periods of domination by one driver/team for its entire history. People love to rememer "those halcyon days", but it's not really been any different. Other than fewer drivers dying, that would spice it up admittedly.

I couldn't give a toss what the drivers do outside of the car. I'm not sure that James Hunt, the alcoholic womaniser, is necessarily a beacon of aspiration. Yeah ok Hamilton sometimes wears funny clothes, but he's into fashion, which can be a bit random. Meh.

The V10s did sound a hell of a lot better though, that's definitely true.

[chrism]

The V10s did sound a hell of a lot better though, that's definitely true.

It was great to hear (and see) Mick Schumacher taking his Dad's F2004 around Mugello last weekend.

[njee20]

Agreed! From the days when Ferrari dominated. Before handing off to Red Bull to dominate. Yep, it used to be much more exciting

[Skyline2uk]

The only thing that has changed in recent years regarding F1 is sadly how easy it now is to see the stupidity and hatred directed at drivers by certain "fans".

A dip into comments on social media leaves one feeing dirty frankly.

Let's take Hamilton as an example.

He is currently the most successful driver in the sport and is on the cusp of becoming the best (statistically) of all time.

He has done much of his winning in the "best" car. And this is the tiresome argument used repeatedly by his haters.

The fact that:

- He always had a team mate in identical machinery to beat (and actually didn't one year).
- He always has the race to beat. By which I mean being in the best car doesn't prevent you from binning it in the rain.
- On occasion he has shown skill which cannot be dismissed (seconds a lap quicker in the wet, on pole by huge margins etc).

Seems to escape these people.

Formula One operates (and always has done) on a simple principle:

- Put an average driver in a great car, he will win some races.
- Put a good driver in a great car, he will win lots of races and a championship or two.
- Put a great driver in a great car, you get domination.

M Schumacher had a Ferrari that was faster than anything else and using tires specifically designed for that car.

I was never a fan of Micheal but was genuinely sad when he had his accident. I respect his talent and his success, I do not wish harm on any human being.

What is tragic is that we now see "fans" that seem to suggest they wouldn't be sad if it happened to Hamilton / Vettel / anybody.

Skyline2uk

[emjaybee]

I just posted it because I thought it was interesting how the image of F1 racing has changed over the decades.

Nothing more.

If you lot want to have a bun fight over something else in F1, that's on you.

I've had no interest in F1 since Lotus stopped being in Black and Gold.

[Skyline2uk]

I just posted it because I thought it was interesting how the image of F1 racing has changed over the decades.

Nothing more.

If you lot want to have a bun fight over something else in F1, that's on you.

I've had no interest in F1 since Lotus stopped being in Black and Gold.

Totally fine good sir, no implication against you intended.

That Lotus livery was stunning, had a model of one of those as a nipper

Skyline2uk

[njee20]

I'm not sure it does show that does it? Hunt was a known 'party animal', even among his peers. I'm not sure we have someone quite like him anymore admittedly, but I don't think it shows anything about how the image of F1 has changed. 

[railsquid]

  I don't exactly follow car racing, but surely they still use actual cars, not little push-along scooters? 

Confused of Tokyo.

[njee20]

It's meant to show that in the 70s they were real men, I mean look at him; no shirt, drinking, cigarette on the go, he's gushing testosterone, whereas now they're namby-pambies who ride micro scooters and wear funny clothes.

I would absolutely watch a race where they all rode micro scooters!

[honestjudge]

They were certainly braver in the 50's, 60's and 70's when you look at the deaths and accidents that took place back then, and they still went for it.
F1 is so much safer in recent times, and a lot less exciting hence why so many have stopped watching it.

[njee20]

Source please correlating drivers deaths with viewer numbers...? I don't doubt some are that morbid, but not sure people don't tune in because it's got safer.

[honestjudge]

Source please correlating drivers deaths with viewer numbers...? I don't doubt some are that morbid, but not sure people don't tune in because it's got safer.

I think your analysis of what I wrote is flawed.

I think people are excited by risk but I doubt many actually want to see a man burnt to death in a racing car!
F1 has become predictable and that is what I believe is turning people off watching, not that it is safer.

Getting back to James and Lewis, unless you grew up in the 70's and experienced the culture from that era, you probably won't get the joke.

[Newportnobby]

I recall the legendary racing motorcyclist Dave 'Crasher' Croxford who had a walking stick with notches carved in it for each of his prangs. He, too, was oft seen wandering round the paddock with a beer.
I still watch F1 but do bewail the demise of refuelling. Apart from some of the silly mistakes like driving off with the fuel pipe still in the tank it added a much needed degree of strategy.
I sometimes think nowadays it's the tires winning the race and not the driver or car

[njee20]

Source please correlating drivers deaths with viewer numbers...? I don't doubt some are that morbid, but not sure people don't tune in because it's got safer.

I think your analysis of what I wrote is flawed.

I think people are excited by risk but I doubt many actually want to see a man burnt to death in a racing car!
F1 has become predictable and that is what I believe is turning people off watching, not that it is safer

But I contest that it has 'become' predictable. There have always been a dominant team/driver. It's cyclical, and whilst it's Mercedes now, it won't be forever, someone else will take over!