Is F1 falling apart?

Be careful there, you sound like an advocate of specs series, which I know you are not.

But in truth, you are right: the best comes up on top in any formula.
Each series ends up having its dominant team/driver combination, even they the same equipment with the opposition.
Even sharing cars, there are still many elements that differenciate a winner from a loser: skill, racecraft, preparation, set up, tactics, etc ...

 

(A) Yes. And why? There was much more attrition as there weren't regs. stipulating longevity of equipment to appease sponsors. (cost savings my arse)

(B) P.S. Funny how that works......I too am already a bit tired of "it's so boring" by those that don't appreciate excellence. Touche!

(C) The difference is, "books, films and lots of things to know well how things were before", is a far cry from living through those times. "Lessons" do not invoke the same perceptions and emotions as living in the "now" of those times.....so no......it's not "exactly like we do today".
That's fine, for those that didn't/don't really give a rats arse, see below. There were/are others of us, that like Enzo, had/have a passion for the sport.


I've stated repeatedly and I will again....... Identical, off-the-shelf, spec/kit-car, IndyCar; NASCAR; and BoPed sportscar series, are here TODAY for one's exciting, "choreographed", side-by-side, immediate satisfaction, "racing" (ha!) pleasure......the show. Image Unavailable, Please Login

And for those that watch F1 only because Ferrari, through the Scuderia, participates......remember, it was Enzo's passionate desire (as was everyone else's), in F1 (and top level sportscar racing also 'til '73), to exhibit superiority of design and execution in the sport for those that appreciated it......'not just to put on a "show" for the masses, and disinterested customers, entertainment. (of course, right now, the Scuderia, as at other times in the past, has some work to do... )

 

You can appreciate whatever you want but you can´t think that those younger than you are dumbasses. You didn´t live those times: you read them on the papers. Putting yourself in the same sentence than Enzo Ferrari is the ultimate old fart arrogance.

And let´s leave it here before I get banned.

 

I cannot speak for other old farts, but living in Belgium and UK, I used to drive to several GPs each year in the 70s and 80s, apart from following motocycles racing, attending sporadically the TT and going 12 times to Le Mans.
In those days, tickets were a lot cheaper than they are now, and people accepted spartan conditions.
Starting very early, Spa, Zandvoort, the Nuerburgring, Hockenheim, or even Brands Hatch could be a one day return trip on my bike.
Later, places like Anderstop (Sweden), Dijon, Le Mans, Paul Ricard, Silverstone and Monza (just once) would be reached over an extended weekend sharing the driving.
On site we would sleep in the car or in a tent, eat sandwiches, or share a barbecue.
Those were basic facilities, I know but thousands of enthusiasts did the same in those days.
Sometimes we could get in the paddock, talk to the drivers, share a cigarette, etc ... Try doing that now !!!

Now, attending a GP cost a bomb, and the new generation has high expectations.
I stopped going to GPs in the late 90s; I didn't like the new crowd, and spectators are excluded from everywhere.

 

Very emotive, but if you wanted to follow a championship or knew the behind the scenes of a team you still had to read it somewhere.

This reminds me of a discussion I had around here with another old fart about the famous Villeneuve-Arnoux race. He had a fact wrong but insisted he was right just because he had attended that particular race. Dude, you only saw the cars once per lap, and probably you're too senile to remember it right! But it was impossible. Jeez.

 

Hang on ... what's that I see as your avatar? : - )

 

Well, some wear a cross but don't put themselves at the same level of "passion" than Jesus.

But I could put Jesus and Enzo Ferrari in the same sentence.

 

You are absolutely right.
It would have been impossible to attend all the GPs anyway.
Reading Denis Jenkinson or Gerard Crombac's reports was the only way to follow the championship.
Several things changed my approach to following F1 over the years.
First, the motoring press improved a lot from the 70s, and you could obtain a lot of detals about teams, cars, designs, stats, etc ...
Also, when GPs started to be televised in their integrity, I began to question the reason to attend them.
I realised watching old footage that being at a venue, I had missed some action captured on camera at other point on the circuit!
I am now of the opinion that I can better follow a GP at home watching TV than attending the race; it's a lot cheaper too !!!.
You benefit from instant commentary, presentation, interviews, lap time, pictures from different points on the track, on-board camera, radio, etc ...

 

LOL

 

I don't.

Your arrogance shines, as you are mistaken. I did.

Ditto. I did not. (Where, pray tell, do you see that???)

We shall.

 

Future of F1 will probably not involve VW or Audi possibly. https://www.autosport.com/other/news/153888/vw-to-end-its-factory-motorsport-programmes

Volkswagen has announced it will end all of its factory motorsport programmes as part of a "realignment" within the company.

The manufacturer stated last year it would cease factory support of all programmes using an internal combustion engine, instead putting a "clear emphasis on fully electric racing cars".

However, a day after Audi went public with its decision to quit Formula E as a works entry at the end of the inbound 2020-21 season, VW has now canned all motorsport projects.

According to a statement, this move comes as "part of the company's realignment".

The 169 employers of the VW Motorsport GmbH division will be integrated into the wider Volkswagen AG network, it has been confirmed.

Chief development officer of the VW brand, Frank Welsch said: "The Volkswagen brand is on its way to becoming the leading supplier in sustainable electric mobility.

"To this end, we are joining forces and have decided to discontinue our own motorsport activities for the Volkswagen brand.

"The motorsport workforce will subsequently be integrated into Volkswagen AG.

"The deep technical expertise of the employees as well as the gained know-how from the ID.R [all-electric protoype] project will thus remain in the company and will help us to bring further efficient models of the ID family onto the road."

Meanwhile, the spare parts supply for the Polo GTI R5 rally car and the Golf GTI TCR touring car have been "ensured in the long term", while the production of the Polo R5 itself will cease at the end of 2020.

 

Audi new effort for endurance motorsport - https://www.autosport.com/fe/news/153858/audi-to-quit-formula-e-and-return-to-le-mans-in-lmdh

Audi will quit Formula E following the 2020-21 season ahead of a return to topflight sportscar racing with a new LMDh programme, in addition to a 2022 Dakar Rally assault.

The German manufacturer offered technical support to the privateer Abt team during the first three seasons of the all-electric FE championship before taking full control prior to the 2017-18 campaign.

In the six years to date, the team has scored 12 victories - 10 for Lucas di Grassi, two for Daniel Abt - and won the 2017-18 teams' championship in the final season of the Gen1 cars.

However, the manufacturer will depart at the end of the 2020-21 season, despite the team developing a new powertrain for the latest e-tron FE07 car, the first time it has been designed in-house, as part of a ground-up two-year programme.

However, Audi will continue to operate in FE as a supplier of powertrains and uphold its deal to customer team Envision Virgin Racing until at least the end of 2022.

Audi FE team principal Allan McNish told Autosport: "At the end of season seven [2020-21], as an official Audi entry, we will stop our works involvement in Formula E.

"We will continue to support customer teams through season eight as well.

"For season seven, we still have maximum focus and maximum attack. There's no change to that at all. It's just that our official factory team will stop this particular part at the end of 2021."


Its FE exit will pave the way for a return to Le Mans 24 Hours competition - having exited the World Endurance Championship LMP1 class in 2016 with the conclusion of its R18 e-tron programme.

Audi is the second most successful manufacturer in Le Mans history, racking up 13 wins between 2000 and 2014.

From 2023, cars built to LMDh rules will be able to enter the WEC and IMSA SportsCar Championship as a cost-effective alternative to the Le Mans Hypercar rules being introduced to the WEC next year.

 

So much for one of the largest car groups on the planet, despite requesting all the rules to be as they like, for joining F1. LOL

 

I've lost interest because the racing is boring. More of a parade these days. The cars sound terrible. Ferrari are a joke. Again. It is difficult for the smaller teams despite the attempt to standardize the cars and make the development costs smaller. They do have some cool new tracks. And yes, I miss the days of listening to and experiencing the V-10's in qualifying trim rip around the corners where I was able stand next to the Armco barrier. The bro next to me at Indy says if that doesn't give you goose bumps then nothing will. And the smell. Villenueve's brakes lighting up orange in the corner as he went from 180 to 45 MPH. The bro also had a speed gun! Been to Monza, Monaco, Austin, Indy and still want to experience Spa and Silverstone. Maybe post covid we'll be set free.

 

I haven't watched a new F1 race since Sept, and may never finish this season. I already knew what the outcome would be after the 2nd race, and couple that with all the mandated bogus posturing during the national anthems, and the entire thing was sickening to me.

 

F1 is nothing but really expensive spec racing!

 

How is formula E still surviving without spectators?

 

The same it did before Covid: without spectators