Question: Is Formula One Boring?

[Paul Jeffrey]

The French Grand Prix wasn't exactly a sparkler of an event - do you think F1 has become boring?

You don't always have a classic race every weekend, such has been the case in Formula One and motorsport in general since the beginning of time - however the last few years feel to me like the races are dull more often than not.. leaving me to question why I still try and tune in every other Sunday and put myself through the same disappointment each and every time.

If I'm being really, really honest with myself, I'd suggest I only watch Formula One nowadays out of loyalty to the sport and because I've grown up with my regular Sunday afternoon tradition. Would I be as enthralled in the racing if I was brand new to sport now?

The question I want to ask you all is - do you think F1 has become boring? Or are you happy with the sport as it is in 2019?

Let the comments begin!

Like what we do at RaceDepartment? Follow us on Social Media!

 

 

[FeltHat]

 

[Neilski]

Put it this way: I'm glad that C4 only offer highlights now...
(Their highlights offering is pretty naff btw and is stitched together in such a "seamless" fashion that I frequently don't notice 10 laps going missing for a while, and then they refer to stuff that they obviously mentioned in a bit that didn't make the cut... Annoying.)

 

[LTLGamer1]

Bahrain and Monaco were the best races so far.

 

[Roman1987]

F1 is perfect to get a good sleep. You can fall asleep after the start and wake up when the race has ended and you feel like the world has stop turning for one and a half hours because nothing special happend and most drivers are in same order

 

[Giovaneveterano]

Boring to say the least. It's annoying most of the times.

 

[Lum]

Yesterday's race was my first live race in more than a year (yeah, I know, but... *shrugs*. And it was (besides some punctual moments) pretty boring. And it can be the errr.... venue (because the Blancpain race was great here a couple weeks ago. Although more grass and less color stripes would make wonders for the aesthetics...). I don't know. And I don't think that "The winner is always the same dude" is a factor here. There is something in the actual F1 that crunches. Maybe the certainty that something stupid that has nothing to do with racing at all can happen at any time overcasts everything else...

Catching some other races live at YT has more excitement in it. Even when nothing special happens on track. I can't put a finger on a specific "what", or "why" or "how". And I have a feeling a new set of regulations will only change that for... maybe half a season. Then everything will settle and the boredom will start again. Or the next stupid thing that has nothing to do with racing. Probably both.

 

[DrPenguin87]

 

[mantasisg]

Definitely not boring in the wallet and drivers brain during the race. But everything else...

 

[MarcG]

Yes, has been for years. Much more exciting Series out there to watch, even the current Parity affected (V8)Supercars still offer up decent racing throughout the field.

 

[Brownninja97]

I think I have just been spoilt by endurance racing, WEC, IMSA and SUPER GT(the ones I watch) have crazy battles pretty much all the time, thats not really something I can say about F1, it might be faster but without any action does that speed actually matter.

 

[Warren Schembri]

F1 has been and probably always will be boring apart from the odd year here or there.

Quick google search and I found the following article from 2008
https://www.eurosport.com/formula-1/montoya-slams-boring-f1_sto1613782/story.shtml

Another article from 2002 with a similar view
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2002/may/14/formulaone.comment

 

[Sky]

 

[DND]

I was giving F1 a view this past weekend to see where I could improve my line for the RD club race and I was thinking the whole time why was it so much more entertaining back in the days when McLaren won 17 of 18, or something like that, with Prost and Senna?
There were races where they would lap nearly the whole field and yet I tuned in as must see TV. Arguably different cars, track, etc.. and I cringe at the thought of saying it but, todays racing feels sterile in every sense, lack of excitement, cars are a little too comfortable to drive, aside from the g's, and the rules and restrictions are just getting to be too much.
I hate instant replay to determine much of anything, player inbounds, a strike, or did he re-enter the track in a safe manner when slowed down to the .001 of a second.
I will end this before I get into another rant on sports.

 

[Lentoveloz]

Comparing only F1 in Paul Ricard and F Indy in Road America: F1 very very boring. I'm not comparing riders and circuits, but just offering some good fights between riders. The more pure race, the better.

 

[rubaru]

I DVR most races because it's a little early to watch sometimes here in the US. That being said, the French GP was the first race in quite a while I found myself on Fast Forward through most of it. The biggest highlight to me was watching Lando Norris try to hold off those behind him in the closing laps. Hamilton so far ahead, Leclerc and Bottas scrapped for a half-lap, the next few drivers spaced 20-30 seconds apart. That's not racing...just driving fast.

 

[Danny Wilde]

What is F1 ?

 

[muzikant]

Give Max a competive car and it is not borring

 

[Michel Forest]

Is it boring? Yes, most of the time. It’s not the lack of overtaking that bothers me, it’s the predictability of the results. Unless one drives for Mercedes, Ferrari or, to a lesser extent, Red Bull, there’s zero chance of winning a race. I’m trying hard to remember who was the last driver who won a GP that didn’t drive for one of the three top teams. Even worse, you can’t even get on the podium. Remember the old point system, when only the top 6 scored points? Imagine if that system was still in place how many teams and drivers would score zero point, or maybe 1 or 2, in a season?

Add to that the fact that most drivers now speak the language of public relations specialists and are as clean-cut as they are bland. (No wonder Kimi is one of the most popular drivers out there. He has this rarest of things in F1: a personality.)

And then, there are the rules: the engine rules, the gearbox rules, the tire rules, ERS, DRS... Races are now micromanaged from the pits by the engineers who tell drivers exactly how much power or fuel they can use, how to save the tires, etc. Drivers now must follow a « program » that will ensure they will reach the finish last at the exact place the team wants. When I hear radio conversations like « OK, now we switch to plan C », I cringe.

I’ll stop now, I’ve gone on too long. But this is just my take, as someone who has been watching F1 for 41 years and saw Villeneuve, Senna, Piquet, Mansell, Hakkinen, etc.

 

[Rui Santos]

F1 has been my therapy for sleeping after lunch...

And it's not because of Mercedes or Hamilton, it's because it's boring, no drivers can make the difference, like in 80's or 90's, no risk, too much safety... this it's not motorsports, it's just a car parade!!

Glad MotoGP exists...