THE COLLAPSE OF FORMULA ONE

It's plain to see throwing copious amounts of $$ doesn't get you the wins, yes cash is needed and lots of it, for the teams. But the main problem IMO stems from Max and Bernie early on twisting and screwing F1. Consequently CVC needs paying back, while Bernie and Mosley sit pretty, thats the problem.

Bernie is in danger of destorying his cash cow, he needs to walk the tight rope carefully now, he is one shrewd clever mother tho, that even when he gets it wrong, he ends up smelling of roses. Will he pull it back from the brink, of course he will.

 

Correct. They've come dam* close to destroying the sport in the name of commerce.

 

This sport needs more privateers. The major car companies don't care. They just want their logos on the sides of the cars and happy sponsors wined and dined.

I, for one, am happy Toyota is leaving. Too much PR, too much spending, not enough results. Now, if the rules makers would just allow some innovations again, maybe we could see some interesting teams once more.

 

I agree. Back in the 90s when auto manufacturers began stepping into F1 I remember saying what a double-edged sword this will be. Big-time technology, budgets and overall legitimacy. But once the car companies hit hard times, racing will be the first luxury to go. Teams will barely think twice about pulling the plug on money-draining programs.

As far as privateers--so many of us long-time F1 fans like to talk about 'the good old days', and I think the privateers provided an important cog in that machine. The sport had more personality because of them. As long as Formula One doesn't go too far in the direction of becoming a spec series (I can live with several teams using similar engines), I look at it as a potential positive. It would be great if the drivers could once again become the most important component.

 

The 2009 season was such a mess that I stopped watching half way through. Not sure if I'll be back for 2010.

 

Nonsense.

2009 was a fantastic season and 2010 has all the signs of being even better.

 

Renault will be next to quit........

 

I disagree. Next years no fuel refill will go over as well as the no tyre change a few seasons back. How'd that work for the sport?


IMHO

 

While I'll miss the potential drama that came with refuelling (when there was always a chance that the rig would screw things up), the races themselves will be a lot less confusing: Once the lights turn out, everybody is on the same strategy and we won't have to second guess 2 or 3 pitstop strategies. The whole race will be like the part of this year when everybody had refueled and the real race was on.

You can't compare it to the no tire change as the tires deteriorate. Fuel just gets depleted. The only drama will be handling changes in the cars and potentially some running out of fuel, which should be fun to watch.

But much more importantly we'll have more teams next year. Some (if not all) of the newbies will be backmarkers with little experienced drivers. Think of roling chicanes, another source of entertainment. Schlesser and Senna at Monza come to mind.

In addition we'll have another new track and in all likelihood a more competitive field up front with the big hitters back in form. Which also means - just like this season - different winners all the time. I couldn't be happier.

It is not change that destroys F1, but predictability. 2004 was a terrible year after which I was close to give up on F1. 2009 was hard to foresee (as was 2008 and 2007) and 2010 will be no different. That's great for the sport.

PS: That said, I'd still love to see reversed grid and random sprinklers.

 

Who cares, its Toyota. They make Prius and kill dolphins! Do they even make sports cars anymore?

How can you say F1 is collapsing when it's the 3rd tier teams that are leaving?


Besides Ferrari struggling this year, thanks to Max+Co, there have been some fantastic racing this year, Button deserved his title much more then Lewis last year.

Actually now that Max is finally gone, its one of the best years ever!

 

Current issue of Road & Track: Big report about the LFA. This thing rocks. Big time. Basically a F430 made by Lexus.

From that perspective, they picked the wrong moment to exit.

 

I wonder if the crazed English clergyman who wandered onto the track a while back is out of the looney bin and available to add interest

 

I wonder if they had signed a top driver if they may have stayed. They were sort of doomed by not having any top drivers available.

 

Funny you mention that:

I wanted to actually post a pic of him as a response to the OP.

These guys who proclaim the end of F1 show up with predictable regularity. Pretty much every winter you'll get them telling you the end is near because somebody pulled out. Was exactly the same thing last year.

Normally these posts are then followed by all those who think Ferrari should pull out of F1 and go back to Le Mans racing. At which point I normally discretely hint at the fact, that Ferrari already races at Le Mans and sometimes even wins.

Bottom line is, that F1 has been evolving since 1950 and the next season will bring new regulations, new drivers, new teams, one new track and that's a good thing.

Change is the spice of life.

 

Two thoughts in that respect.
Be careful what you wish for.
You never see the one that gets you

Besides
Le plus ca change la plus ca le meme chose

 

So was DEC.
(Remember decnet?)

 

C'est le provisoire qui dure.

 

Oh I remember DEC and Wang too.

 

Found him:

Beware: The end is near!
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

You come through once again.

Who knew at the time that he was right?

 

Hollywood just finished a movie dedicated to him and his prophecies: 2012

Oh and btw: Here a review of the last crisis when everybody said the end of F1 is near. This past summer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO8TLBn7z1k

My fav line: "They will say I support USF1!"

 

Nice find, was it ever proven that this was actually one of Porno Max's "special friends"?

 

I think his sign says :

The Yankees will win tonight!

 

He doesn't look THAT crazy

 

Maybe it says:

The end is near. For the Fillies.

But the "llies" part was folded over and so everybody thought it said "The end is near. For Fi"