The Soul of Grand Prix Racing RIP 1950-2004

[DNQ]

That's it. The loss of Silverstone is the last straw. Formula One has lost it's soul. Formula 1 may live, but the spirit of the once great sport has gone to heaven.

Let me talk about my background as an F1 fan. I have been a motorsport fan for the best part of ten years - not alot by any means - but enough to be able to plot the disastrous self-implosion of F1. I used to watch EVERY race live ... now I tape and fast foward with reduced interest. I used to post here DAILY ... now I browse only occasionally.

The heart and soul of Formula One are the classic tracks - Monza, Silverstone, Spa, Monaco - the classic teams - Ferrari, Lotus, McLaren, Brabham - and seeing the best drivers in the world fight to be #1.

What is left today? A shell of a classic GP calendar (Bahrain GP? What is THAT about? Oh right, money). A grid full of alleged 'teams' who are only interested in selling cars. And 20 drivers, of which only a few are truly the best in the world. The loss of Jaguar/Prost/Arrows/A1-Ring/Silverstone/Hakkinen/Alesi/real Hockenheim/Overtaking in exchange for Toyota/Turkey/Bahrain/Honda/Herman Tilke/More Money just doesn't do a thing for me.

There will be those of you to say that "you aren't a real fan if you think that way" ... but I just can't get excited about the prospect of a traction-controlled Toyota overtaking a BAR-Honda at the Turkish GP.

Where's the fire that once raged in F1?

Sorry for this whinging whining rant, but the spirit of REAL motorsport belongs elsewhere than F1 these days.

[Slippy Diff]

Amen.

[F40_LM]

Inevitable really, but still sad.

[Peter Mallett]

DNQ, Aprt from the inevitable loss of drivers due (thankfully) to age these days, you are right. It isn't formula one anymore which is why its referred to as "F1".

Short term memory is what its about and when the countries that are using it to signify "respectability" finally give up (5 years is my theory) due to raging inflation and other market driven forces that none of us consider in the good times, there will be no more "F1".

[dubby99]

Yep, i agree with DNQ Formula 1 has lost it's spirit and the real spirit of motorsport belongs elsewhere.

[DNQ]

Much appreciation goes to all of you who have replied so far - I'm glad I'm not the only one disgruntled at the way F1 has gone. It's sad when you look back to 1999 for the nostalgic 'good old days' ... F1 has been in decline for the best part of the last 10 years, but only since 2000 has it really hit rock bottom (Prost/Arrows/Jaguar pullout, Honda/BMW/Toyota/Jaguar entry).

[Hepatic]

F1 blows, watch BTCC (never thought i'd be typing that!) Formula Ford or XR Challenge if you want exciting racing.

...and don't bet on Silverstone being out yet, Bernie is playing games. It is only a provisional calendar after all...

[Gt_R]

While i generally agree with you, that at odd times F1 lost their sparkle, and that it has grown into too commercial recently, which i believe is bad for F1, there are somethings i just want to say.

F1 needs to keep it's roots and heritage. The Chinese have a saying that "one must remember the source when drinking water". F1 now goes dangerously near to completely cutting it's ties with it's roots.. Which isn't good.

The last few bits of "history", Silverstone is axed, Hockenheim is modified beyond recognition, so is Nurburgring. Spa is dropped ungraciously last year, Monaco is more of a rich man showcase...

Teams? Where are the classic names? What we have now are Mclaren and Williams which completely outgrown their humble roots and become manufacturers' slave... The grandness of the Silver Arrows of Mercedes is nothing but a cheap marketting tool. Ferrari is now running too fluidly and part of it's emotional passion is lost. Privateers are kicked out without half a thought...Cosworth became a loser-tag now..

on the other hand..i don't feel sorry to see Jaguar go. Jaguar F1 team was started simply to exploit it's brand potential as a marketting tool. I felt sorry Stewart GP wasn't around though..and now that Ford had taken Cosworth along into the grave.

I welcome new entries such as Toyota and Jaguar..but so far they have proved massively disappointing. It's not so much of who's in and who's out..but that it's blatantly obvious that now spirit of F1 is not worth half a cent in the negotiation of millions of dollars.

[Mattracer]

"Spirit" in racing is a big ticket item and it covers many things, not just teams, circuits and drivers. It means more than that- a reference perhaps to heritage and repect for tradition and the greats both in the cars, managin the teams and running the circuits. The relevance of this is being left behind progressively. 'Personality' in other words.

[gttouring]

"one must remember the source when drinking water".

this is enough to underline the crisis
Expanding and moving on to else where, is different than say ABANDONMENT of the core and the real Anchor that Keeps F1 being F1,

Making the season longer has its pros-cons, but the manner of cost cutting and technology and team expenses can really be looked at differently when you consider Bernie is making the teams fly all over the globe to new venues spending 5 times as much to get aquainted and aclimatised to the new venues and places, expension is good but who is picking up these costs? and are they really expanding the fan base?
the core of F1 is europe many fans reside elsewhere but there is no place like home
Spa is a good example of goodness, when holding on to what matters.
Oh and the FIA via bernie has convinced the ACO to move the 24 Heurs race frmom La Sarthe to Jadpur India for the june 24 hours race- they have more sponsor ship coming and a biigger Potential fan base- sounds like a good Idea

No I don't think so- Put the Brit GP back on the claender and let F1 attempt to save its passion you meathead B.E.!

[JimW]

I find it interesting that DNQ started being a motorsport fan at about the same time as I gave up being interested in F1 because it was no longer the sport I was once interested in.

I don't disagree with your sorrow about today's announcement but that's more because I think that it would be bad for British Motorsport (and Silverstone and the BRDC), than because I care about F1.

But of course this is likely to be only part of posturing and further negotiation.

Regards

Jim

[DNQ]

Originally posted by JimW
I find it interesting that DNQ started being a motorsport fan at about the same time as I gave up being interested in F1 because it was no longer the sport I was once interested in.

Yes. Even 10 years ago F1 wasn't like it was in the 'old days', but the decline up until 1995 is less severe than the decline from 1994-2004 IMO. The death of Senna seems to be a turning point really - F1 became increasingly more homogenised, sanitised and so-forth after that (Senna's death obviously isn't too blame at all, just happens to represent a turning point).

[CamF1]

This all proves that we often filter the world through our preferences and, in this case, memories. Then we rant and rave about it 'not being the good old days' anymore because the current state is not what we want it to be.

Yay.

[Snrub]

There's no question F1's has huge problems. The fact that the UK GP could be threatened or off the calender is pure stupidity. Why one take a race from the top F1 market? Short term thinking. As for the teams, I certainly don't like how F1 has gone.

In fairness I've only watched F1 since the '96 season, but there have been some horribly boring and pointless times in F1 since then. Remember when the aero was so messed up that it prevented the fastest car/driver from pasing the slowest? I really think 03 and 04 are the BEST seasons since I've started to watch. The victor is predetermined, but there's lots of passing and competition right behind MS. I think one's perspective of a race has to change. I don't cheer for drivers/teams in F1, I watch to see interesting competition. I certainly don't feel any sort of affection for any driver/team but if you must cheer for someone, cheer for Sauber or Jordan, the guys who are in it because they want to race. It's fun to watch when these guys beat the greedy and evil on the grid.

[BSchneiderFan]

The old Hockenheimring used to be regarded as a dull, bland track, a poor substitute for the Nordschleife. Spa, Suzuka, Silvestone and (at a push) Monza remain great tracks, but frankly I'd rather have Bahrain and Shanghai than Imola and the Hungaroring.

[alesi95]

Everyone sounds like me now......Copycats.

[foreversideways]

Many great memories of Silverstone. Started off going with my dad (RIP)in late 60s early 70s to watch GP. Saw all the greats from that time. But i think the best moment I have ever seen there was watching Mansell pull that pass on Piquet down Hanger Straight and the elation after he won. Was also last time my dad and i went together (he loved it) I was there a couple of weeks ago testing and as i drove into the circuit it made me tingle. So much history, so many memories. All thrown on the skip in the name of progress.

[Knowlesy]

You call this progress? We're going backwards man!

[foreversideways]

I think if you read my post again you will see, that is the point i am amaking.

[Knowlesy]

Yes.....I know, I worded my post incredibly wrong.

Forgive me.....I'm off form!

[David Towe]

I've been following F1 since about 1972, well as much as I could from this side of the world where we didn't get much coverage till the 1st Australian GP, and am amazed that I have read very little criticism of Bernie. He's the one I'd blame. It's not motor"sport" to him, it's motor"make me more money". We have a clone here, Tony Cochrane who runs our premier series and is doing pretty much the same thing.
For me F1 was at it's best during the 70s with cars that moved around on the track and drivers had skill, personality and a genuine passion for the sport. Will we ever see another Jackie Stewart, James Hunt, Emerson Fitipaldi, Graham Hill etc.? I hope so.

[Adam43]

Why can you watch GP every other weekend on telly?
Why is there a dedicated medical team at each GP circuit?
I won't say who that is down to because his name is mud.

Jackie Stewart? Interesting. Let's consider some of the greats: Fangio, Moss, Clark, Stewart, Lauda, Prost, Schumacher. Why were they great? They all took F1 to a new (more professional level). They were all a step higher than their competitors in terms of professionalism. They all contributed to F1 becoming more like it is now. It is in the beast. Now let's consider Alfa, Mercedes, Cooper, Ferrari, Lotus, Brabham, Williams, McLaren: All those beautiful cars, all of them beautiful because they achieved so much. Why did they achieve so much? Well they were more professional than the last - each and every one of them edge F1 closer to what we have now. Nature of the beast.

Pass me those rose tints. I want to see F1 and what it has become. The very virtues that were extolled lead to the virtues that are now criticised.

[foreversideways]

Go and watch it in China then. And remember it was actually Jackie Stewart who first challenged for greater safety for the drivers at a time when there were no barriers, no medical facilities and where drivers lives were ten a penny. Eccleston has done nothing without an eye to his own pocket.

[RWC]

F1 has been allmost complete cr*p for years due to the mongrel people who think they own or run the sport.
I'm glad silverstone is gone-it's no truely great place(allthough pretty d*mn good).
A small sacrifice to make while gaining so many more enemies for bernie

[Adam43]

Originally posted by foreversideways
Go and watch it in China then.

I did, it was on telly.

Originally posted by foreversideways
And remember it was actually Jackie Stewart who first challenged for greater safety for the drivers at a time when there were no barriers, no medical facilities and where drivers lives were ten a penny.

Certainly, but that idea was taken to its full state nowadays by someone else. There is a man who can tell Bernie what to do, his name is Sid.

Originally posted by foreversideways
Eccleston has done nothing without an eye to his own pocket.

Obviously he has so much money he should be hated. However Mr E is not devoid of thought for the history of the sport. Why is he so successful? Well he does right by a lot of people in the sport. He would be gone if he didn't.

I'm afraid it isn't just Bernie, it is the whole of F1. From Ferrari, who he sorts our decent venues for, to Minardi, who he keeps in business.

He gets Mansell back in a Williams. He gets practices delayed because the meidcal helicopter hasn't arrived. He gets Villenueve in F1. We have live coverage of F1 on telly.............................

The man is not a saint. Far from it (could a saint have achieve the above and more?). However my point is: Blaming Bernie and only Bernie for everything wrong with the world is foolish.