When Was F1 Last Not In Crisis?

[Dutton]

I'm just curious about what various people think in this regard, since, it would appear, F1 has been on the brink of total collapse for the last 15 years every single year..... I am too young to have a properly functioning recollection of things prior to this period (bits of races, but not much else), so request of those who are bit older to give their thoughts. Of course anyone, regardless of such criteria, is welcome to contribute!

It just fascinates me all the severe doomsday tendencies that go around: I am not saying the sport is perfect or what have you, but I think things are on a much firmer footing that a great many try to make out. However, I may be living in a fantasy world.

So, let us enter the time machine and see the glory days!

[Kicking-back]

It's never been in crisis - people just say it is.

[Hip Priest]

In the old days Formula One was all about overtaking. Drivers would overtake each other at least seventeen times each and every lap. They were truly brave in the old days too, and the top drivers in the world would get together to battle it out in equal cars, and they didn't care about money or danger, all they cared about was winning!

[Adam43]

Hip Priest:

Just considering the WC, the last time this wasn't in crisis was 1949 and then it was tettering on the brink.

[Armco Bender]

Last year it was in crisis because one car won all the races,they changed the rules to stop that happening,so this year one car is winning all the races only its blue not red.Is that another crisis?.

[Knowlesy]

I take it you're joking Hip Priest.

F1 has never truly been in crisis but it has been very close on a number of occasions. And just because it has never been in crisis doesn't mean it has done nothing wrong or hasn't self-destructed from time to time.

[chunterer]

I see what you're getting at Dutton but as i've referred to with some points in another couple of threads, there are certain attitudes and people in F1 who's actions aren't helping the sport at a time when it really does need to be sorting itself out.

At the end of the day with that much money and pressure involved nowadays there is an obvious tendency for people to lean one way or another so that the sport is setin a certain way and not necessarily in the overall interests of our entertaiment or benefit...although that looks like it maybe about to change for the better?.........

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by Hip Priest

In the old days Formula One was all about overtaking. Drivers would overtake each other at least seventeen times each and every lap. They were truly brave in the old days too, and the top drivers in the world would get together to battle it out in equal cars, and they didn't care about money or danger, all they cared about was winning!

Ahhh, yesteryear Try watching some old review video's without rose tinted glasses, although there were bits and pieces of overtaking, it wasn't as you described.

[Liz]

1993 was a good year in which there was no crisis that I can remember, unless you count Mikey Andretti's 10 race tryout.

The word "crisis" is bandied about much too freely nowadays, like the word "hero" for anybody who does anything remotely difficult (I have even heard advertising that call people who contribute money to Save the Children 'heroes' for heaven's sake).

[Dutton]

Originally Posted by Hip Priest

In the old days Formula One was all about overtaking. Drivers would overtake each other at least seventeen times each and every lap. They were truly brave in the old days too, and the top drivers in the world would get together to battle it out in equal cars, and they didn't care about money or danger, all they cared about was winning!

Yes! That is the time I mean! Please, take us in the time machine to this Exceptionally Enigmatic Elysium!

It seems to me that different eras have been good and bad in different ways: that is some may have been better than others in some respects, but then worse than the same periods in others. I suppose the matter comes down to what values the individual places on the varying traits, which of course means different people will have different ideas about what constitute(s) the best era(s) of Formula One.

I would imagine a large part of it, distinct but deeply related to the previous point, would also come down to the period which the said individual grew up watching/watched when they first got into the sport. The changes with time often (usually?) being seen as having a negative effect on the sport - seeing as, by definition, they like(d) what they have/had!

It is a bit of a conundrum.