F1: Sport/Entertainment or High-Speed Lab?

[Jared]

First, Happy Holidays everyone!

With all of the controversy swarming around the FIA's decision to allow traction control back in next year, I wanted to ask the group here to answer a question that, to me, was difficult to answer. Is Formula One purely for sport/entertainment* purposes, or does/should it serve as a high-speed automotive laboratory?

(* When I say entertainment, I do not mean NASCAR-style racing. I mean pure racing action directed for the enjoyment of the spectators.)

People who would argue the former say that such devices would/do take away from driver skill, reducing F1 to a fast parade and the car the only determining factor of success. Some would say that such devices should be banned to make the driver relevent again.

Others would argue that F1 is supposed to be a proving ground for new automotive technology and that F1 should keep its place as the world's leading technology-based motorsport. However, it could be argued that passenger cars of today have more technology than F1 cars and that racing has not been much of a proving ground for a long time, since manufacturers do extensive studies before releasing new cars. It could also be argued that if we go on this route, racing will become irrelevent soon, since we are fast approaching the day the cars can drive themselves, with no need for human guidance.

So, where do you stand? What is the appropriate level of technology the FIA should allow?
Thank you.