Why do you watch?

[Aysedasi]

Yes indeed- we can but hope. Still at least we had another different 'winner'. (In the sense that the first person in the queue for the bus inevitably got the best seat).

[flatlandsman]

I would never expect anything interesting to happen at Monaco, it is almost as dull as Barcelona used to be.

I saw odd moments as I was elsewhere, and all I kept seeing was poor cameramen who had had to haul their gear up countless steps to take balcony pics of pretty people on said balconies.

it does seem this is very important to the powers that be, no idea what they are trying to sell of course...

[GT6]

After each Monaco i ask the same question but each year i tune in hoping for excitement, this year thier was a minute or two at the start then nothing as usual

[flatlandsman]

The sad thing is you have the world champion saying he was on half throttle on the straights, a gear higher in bends saving tyres etc.

I know this is all part of it, but can you imagine Senna rushing to get home from a GP to drive for fun in a game round the Ring? Probably coz its harder, more fun and he enjoys it more!

Such a shame for many of the drivers out there.

Do any of you think that one day some will just leave F1, not because they are no good but because they are simply not enjoying it? I doubt it, money etc? But I can certainly see Max getting away long before he might have to?

[S griffin]

You can’t manufacturer entertainment. Times change. At least we are having different winners this year. I’m sure Max will stay for a bit longer

[Tourer]

It is unrealistic to expect every race to be epic, or even get a rating above 5 in the 10/10 post-race analysis. To me, Monaco has easily the most intense and spectacular qualifying sessions of the year, all part of the event and those Q sessions add a lot to the race experience and why I watch.

For sure, the race was pedestrian, with the early red flag meaning that the only thing likely to have an impact was a mistake from one of the drivers, which didn't happen (at least not in a big enough way).

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by Tourer

For sure, the race was pedestrian, with the early red flag meaning that the only thing likely to have an impact was a mistake from one of the drivers, which didn't happen (at least not in a big enough way).

Sort of a nice way of saying no one was willing to take a chance?

Without budget caps and/or PU allotments, would teams be more willing to take chances? Too many races so you have to just grind it out in often uninspiring ways? A points system that doesn’t really reward lowering finishing positions?complacent drivers market so no one really needs to be a hero? A certain level of group think means everyone kind of just thinks the same out there?

Indeed all the races can’t be great and most will be by definition average, but everyone once in a while all the bad things about F1 just happen at the same time bringing out that complacency out to the forefront. This was that race imo!

Only time willl tell if it rises to formula redefining proportions?

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

Sort of a nice way of saying no one was willing to take a chance?

Without budget caps and/or PU allotments, would teams be more willing to take chances? Too many races so you have to just grind it out in often uninspiring ways? A points system that doesn’t really reward lowering finishing positions?complacent drivers market so no one really needs to be a hero? A certain level of group think means everyone kind of just thinks the same out there.

Know what you mean (I think) but a chance can only be taken when there's space or an opportunity. Neither happens at Monaco unless the driver in front makes a mistake or is caught napping.

With no budget caps or PU allotments, far less races, points to only 6th and at times static driver markets, we've had plenty of processional races at Monaco in the past. I expect that we'll have more of them in the future too.

The biggest issue to me is the sheer size of the current cars, plus the power storage / regeneration that can be used tactically to great effect at Monaco and of course in this instance, an early red flag meaning no need for pit stops to change tyre compounds, but also meaning that preserving tyres was critical so teams parade around slowly playing blocker to those behind.

[flatlandsman]

At the moment the sport is hugely popular so I doubt anything will change, if viewers start to drop and attendance starts to drop (which I doubt as the vast majority of people who attend live are there for the "experience" not the racing) then something might happen. Sprint races have certainly livened up MotoGP, and this also helps the venues who can charge more for the Saturday.

But have they done much for F1? I do not know as I do not really see them.

I think really with DRS and all the stuff that helps passing, some of the stuff talked about by drivers such as more stops, ought to be thought about as this is coming from them and THEY are clearly bored at times!!

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by Tourer

Know what you mean (I think) but a chance can only be taken when there's space or an opportunity. Neither happens at Monaco unless the driver in front makes a mistake or is caught napping.

all things being equal for sure, but i have to think that Norris, for example, taking that chance for a free stop and thereby giving himself the opportunity to put in some faster laps would have applied an extra level of pressure on those ahead of him, perhaps cajoling them into making that mistake.

i suppose i see it as more creating those opportunities for oneself rather than simply waiting for one to present itself.

although typing that out, perhaps we are saying the same thing just from different sides of the same coin?

[V8 Fireworks]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

After today's race, 'Why do you watch?' suddenly seems a highly relevant question after all.....

The qualifying (the main attraction at Monaco) was epic though.

Originally Posted by flatlandsman

Do any of you think that one day some will just leave F1, not because they are no good but because they are simply not enjoying it? I doubt it, money etc? But I can certainly see Max getting away long before he might have to?

I suspect the drivers enjoyed qualifying!

I doubt the likes of Verstappen and Hamilton who already get cranky when their F1 teams land in the midfield of their own poor efforts, would enjoy WEC where their team can be relegated to the midfield on a race-by-race BOP basis by the whims of the organisers...

[flatlandsman]

I was not remotely suggesting any of the F1 drivers were fed up enough to move to another series, I was merely thinking out loud that a few of them were not backward in coming forward of criticising the race and the effort they did NOT put in to driving!!

That is not what you spend years and months training for.

[morninggents]

Originally Posted by flatlandsman

I was merely thinking out loud that a few of them were not backward in coming forward of criticising the race

Well if you are thinking about criticising F1 you are in the right thread. Oh, hang on ............ you know that, you opened the thread.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

The qualifying (the main attraction at Monaco) was epic though.

I suspect the drivers enjoyed qualifying!

It was entertaining for sure. Monaco qually always is. But that's not quite the point, is it?