People -- 5 hours ago
Words: Patrick
The lid has been prised open on a new Formula One season, with the marques pulling back the covers on their 2016 iterations.
Now, is it just me or does the hype seem a little muted? Or are we all just less interested?
Not a huge amount appears to have changed, bar a few new names taking their place on the grid. There are the familiar faces behind the wheels we’ve come to know or hate over the years and some jejune newbies hoping to make a mark on the sport. Although, as we all know, keen as they may be, it is unlikely they will mimic 2007 Hamilton and challenge for the title in their rookie year.
Let’s be honest, we know what’s going to happen. It’s like betting on a rugby match between New Zealand and Italy. There’s a very small chance that the Italians could play the game of their absolute lives and pull off a miracle victory, but realistically the outcome is written in stone before the players even take to the pitch. Hamilton will meet a little competition in Ferrari’s Vettel and his German teammate Rosberg, but he’ll be the one celebrating his fourth championship win – the first Brit to achieve such a feat.
We’re in the Hamilton era. Much like we were in the Vettel era for what felt like an age beforehand. Don’t you miss the days when there was genuine uncertainty at the start of the season? It may have only been between three garages, but all six drivers had a genuine chance. How sad to now watch the great Alonso and affable Button being lapped. How sad to hear drivers being asked to slow down and not challenge the car in front because it bears the same insignia.
It seems that every season, more and more of the sport’s authenticity is lost. It’s sad to say, but in truth, the only way we get an exciting race nowadays is if the rain falls midway through and wet tyres have to go on. It’s then a game of strategy. Who comes in first? Who stays out longest? Who is the first to dive back into the pits to get onto slicks? Even the tacticians behind the cars at the back of the grid can challenge the minds, or courage, of those at the front. But should we really have to wish British weather on the rest of the world in order to bring back the thrill of F1? No – I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
So, how can we save the sport from the doldrums of monotony? Simple: stop trying to be eco-friendly. Bring back refuelling. Bring back the 2.4-litre V8. Bring back the noise. Those days were great. There was unpredictability, there was overtaking by the bucket load, there was fire. Much like the Concorde, we’ve allowed progression to go backwards. Rather, every season the fastest lap time on every track should be obliterated.
(Image: f1technical)
F1 cars are the upmost in engineering capability – they should therefore be giving two fingers to the environment and pushing the boundaries of what is humanely possible with a hammer and screwdriver. They are showcases of artisan brilliance: aerodynamic masterpieces, driven by slightly crazy men, who put their bodies through untold levels of g-force and willingly run the risk of serious injury. They shouldn’t have to worry about tyre and fuel preservation. They should be doing the exact thing they all want to be doing: driving on the absolute limit, the from lights out to chequered flag. Monaco used to be one of the great races on the calendar. Now it’s a Goodwood procession, the man at the front simply not allowing his car to be overtaken, while a string of frustrated racers are forced into a traffic jam more acclimatised to the M25 on a Friday afternoon.
So here’s the plea, Bernie. If you want to keep asking fans to cough up money to watch these races, make it less green. Let the engineers make 22 machines that rip up the red tape and go out there to unleash fury. It’s a win-win for all. Apart from the gamblers, because once again we’ll have no idea who’s going to win the Championship.
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