Has Formula 1 Been Made Too Safe To Watch?

Suddenly, Formula 3 looks more appealing.

This last Sunday I was on a long walk and wasn't sure if there was any F1 on TV but then it dawned on me, that even if I missed it it wouldn't be such a big deal. Goodness that surprised me no end, as Bob and I have been ardent F1 fans.

Frankly, the engine sound or not-so-much sound doesn't bother me. What bothers me is that the only excitement in the current form of racing is off the track.

• Radio clips between drivers and pit crew are highly informative and even funny. Often it sounds as if a petulant child is having a moan about a sibling to their parents. eg:

  " Tell him to let me pass. He's not going to win in any case! "
  " Why can't I change my tires first? "
  

• The pit stops are highly entertaining when at times the driver goes to the wrong spot or a lackey drops a nut and it takes a few seconds more to change a tire.
• After the race, when the winners go into that waiting room, there is at times an air of petulance in it. A dropped lip there and no hand shake there. There have been times where it looked like a driver would have had a pugilistic response with one of the others.
• Oh, and of course the eternal hair arranging. Gosh, men, if you have to sweat in those helmets, give yourself a crew cut like Keanu Reeves in Speed ...tres sexy!
• Last but not least, have you also noticed that there is an abundance of celebrities slinking around the periphery. A possible ploy to up viewership? Do they get compensated for it?

At times I wonder why the drivers are paid such a fortune? With all those rules and regulations ( in effect taking their driving prowess down a peg or two ) Formula 1 has become predictable and boring.

Drivers should be disonnected from the radio and also from the remote control computers. Really, who is actually driving the car? Driver, engineer or computer...that is the question.

F1 should change and be a bit more realistic. Let the drivers do what they do best. They are all excellent drivers but alas, they are held back by the remote control leash. The other day, I heard one of the drivers tell his team, not to radio him while he was navigating a corner...gosh, what next?

They showed a two minute preview of a Formula 3 race and oh, how arresting it was. The cars looked similar to the Formula 1 cars of yesteryear and there was action on the track. A bump here and a nick there with smoking brakes and lots of overtaking...F3 seems to be the new show to watch...

Biggi