Leclerc's win in Monza signals the arrival of F1 reality TV

[V12-POWER]

Dont think ive ever seen an f1 car giving it 100 % every lap, in fact, Ive always seen them going as slow as possbile to win.

how can you gauge this without inside info from the teams? even if this is true, it doesnt change the fact that the hybrid era and pirelli tires introduced an era of sunday cruise type of driving which is way more than any other set of regulations.

I didnt think inside info was needed to see the drivers dont push lap after lap after lap after lap, from the start to the finish. Managing the race has ALWAYS been a thing in f1.

"managing" or driving a little bit slower than maximum performance to control a race is normal to smaller degrees and you can see that even in karting, the current level of managing is abnormal and rather absurd. Never seen before in F1.

[Sieper]

Hamilton ALWAYS did it when Max was his nearest competitor, open a 5 second gap to protect from undercut and just keep it there. Modus operandi for dozens of races. Maybe you have not seen it.

[Edax]

how can you gauge this without inside info from the teams? even if this is true, it doesnt change the fact that the hybrid era and pirelli tires introduced an era of sunday cruise type of driving which is way more than any other set of regulations.

I didnt think inside info was needed to see the drivers dont push lap after lap after lap after lap, from the start to the finish. Managing the race has ALWAYS been a thing in f1.

"managing" or driving a little bit slower than maximum performance to control a race is normal to smaller degrees and you can see that even in karting, the current level of managing is abnormal and rather absurd. Never seen before in F1.

Still I wonder, if you take away all the mechanical restrictions like the tires and the engine, brakes and fuel, would the human body be able to cope with 50-70 qualifying laps?

Despite the driver aids like power steering, it seems to me that the current cars at full tilt are much more demanding than in the past due to the high braking forces and cornering speeds.

[Juzh]

Despite the driver aids like power steering, it seems to me that the current cars at full tilt are much more demanding than in the past due to the high braking forces and cornering speeds.

We're not at 2018-2021 level in terms of pace, but go look at 2012 cars for example, it's like they're in slow motion, not worthy of being called an f1 car, same with 2014 and 2015. Hopefully we're never going there again.

[DDopey]

So you thought DTS was bad, F1 becoming nothing more than a movie stage. Wtf is this with it will be invasive...(Hamilton/Brad Pitt F1 movie).

"We're going to start the shooting in Silverstone very soon, and you will see it will be the first movie when basically, they will be within the racing event," the F1 president explained, quoted by Racefans. "It will be quite invasive in terms of production, it's something that we need to control in a way, but it will be another way of showing that F1 never stops."

[PlatinumZealot]

It has become a reality show, whether this is because society itself is as soft as ever, or because the owners think this is the best for the sport, I dont know

the fact is F1 lacks seriousness, character and lacks the glamour it used to have. It has been converted in a very dull and casual "sport" when you look under the fake drama and all that makeup. the drivers are portrayed as a bunch of gamers basically, the cars are heavy and oversized (length wise) the engines have to last a lifetime which leads to "managing", the tires cannot be pushed because they burn. The "road relevancy" falacy. all the aspects which go against the essence of motorsports and SPRINT type of races in general.

it is not about going flatout anymore and as a racing driver myself it hurts because you cannot call it the pinnacle of motorsports if your job is not about being the fastest, i can only imagine what F1 drivers feel when they are told to "manage" must hurt deeply inside but well at least you get to do what you like. I dont see usain bolt managing for a 100m dash.

no refueling, so tactics are further dumbed down, tires engineered to last a preset amount of distance, all for the fake drama, because you're forced to use 2 compounds during a race.

At last, let's analyze very quickly 2 very contrasting formulas.

A 2023 F1 car is almost as long as a dual cab F150 and weights 900KG, has 1000hp, but only for a lap.

A 2005 F1 car is 1-1.2 meters shorter, is 300KG lighter and has 1000hp all day long. It also has better sound to it too but thats a bonus. But you can push it because the tires can take it, and you can run the engine hard because it only lasts 2 weekends. And it is closer to the essence of a race car than current regs because of these factors.

Before the hybrid era, coasting, lifting, blatant early braking was something very rare. Current formula might be an awesome display of technology but they're not an awesome display of a race car.

Another fact is the bloated calendar, which removes some of the "uniqueness" of a Grand Prix, it is now no more than watching your average weekend football match

All of this isnt because of netflix. Because drama has always been a part of F1 and the DTS crew would kill for another Singapore 2008, spygate, multi 21, "let michael pass for the championship" and many more examples.

It is just the people at the top and the political pressure that's bringing this stuff into the sport

I do not disagree with somw of your points. I must say though, that empirically, Formula 1 IS making the right moves to sruvive in this sports media climate.

Remmeber the sports climate was very different in the early 2000's. Kids didn't have the internet at their fingertips, they didn't have on demand shows and video games and all manner of low attention span distractions. TV sports (sport you can only watch and not really play like F1, Golf, motorsports etc) have a hard time in attracting the attention of fans.

[V12-POWER]

It has become a reality show, whether this is because society itself is as soft as ever, or because the owners think this is the best for the sport, I dont know

the fact is F1 lacks seriousness, character and lacks the glamour it used to have. It has been converted in a very dull and casual "sport" when you look under the fake drama and all that makeup. the drivers are portrayed as a bunch of gamers basically, the cars are heavy and oversized (length wise) the engines have to last a lifetime which leads to "managing", the tires cannot be pushed because they burn. The "road relevancy" falacy. all the aspects which go against the essence of motorsports and SPRINT type of races in general.

it is not about going flatout anymore and as a racing driver myself it hurts because you cannot call it the pinnacle of motorsports if your job is not about being the fastest, i can only imagine what F1 drivers feel when they are told to "manage" must hurt deeply inside but well at least you get to do what you like. I dont see usain bolt managing for a 100m dash.

no refueling, so tactics are further dumbed down, tires engineered to last a preset amount of distance, all for the fake drama, because you're forced to use 2 compounds during a race.

At last, let's analyze very quickly 2 very contrasting formulas.

A 2023 F1 car is almost as long as a dual cab F150 and weights 900KG, has 1000hp, but only for a lap.

A 2005 F1 car is 1-1.2 meters shorter, is 300KG lighter and has 1000hp all day long. It also has better sound to it too but thats a bonus. But you can push it because the tires can take it, and you can run the engine hard because it only lasts 2 weekends. And it is closer to the essence of a race car than current regs because of these factors.

Before the hybrid era, coasting, lifting, blatant early braking was something very rare. Current formula might be an awesome display of technology but they're not an awesome display of a race car.

Another fact is the bloated calendar, which removes some of the "uniqueness" of a Grand Prix, it is now no more than watching your average weekend football match

All of this isnt because of netflix. Because drama has always been a part of F1 and the DTS crew would kill for another Singapore 2008, spygate, multi 21, "let michael pass for the championship" and many more examples.

It is just the people at the top and the political pressure that's bringing this stuff into the sport

I do not disagree with somw of your points. I must say though, that empirically, Formula 1 IS making the right moves to sruvive in this sports media climate.

Remmeber the sports climate was very different in the early 2000's. Kids didn't have the internet at their fingertips, they didn't have on demand shows and video games and all manner of low attention span distractions. TV sports (sport you can only watch and not really play like F1, Golf, motorsports etc) have a hard time in attracting the attention of fans.

yeah, it is making the right moves by showing itself to the world, either by a Netflix series, their social media channels and all that stuff, I'm sure we all agree on that. And they can continue doing so if they want the masses to think it's a reality show like sport, completely out of touch with reality, because let's be honest 90% those who watch the series are not "gearheads" and are just looking to kill time watching something.

however the sport itself, the regulations, the race weekend, is just a shadow of what it once was.

I feel like the FOM is just being "behind" the show when it's not even necessary, removing and changing elements and regulations in the hope of getting content for later use in shows. It might work for a few years but I doubt this approach would last long. You don't need to sell your soul to do good economically, that is like putting a bankrupcy date on your business.

[AR3-GP]

however the sport itself, the regulations, the race weekend, is just a shadow of what it once was.

This is becoming ever more clear, sadly.

The teams are complicit in it as well. That makes it so much worse. Give them (FOM) an inch, and they (FOM) will take a mile.

I wish domenicali would push through a fan boost like they used to have in Formula E. If only so the teams would get burned badly by their blind acceptance of FOMs proposals. You let them think they could do no wrong, now you can only blame yourselves that we have fan boost, competition cautions, and so on.

[Zynerji]

I'm OK with broadcast capturing the real drama of such a large, live sport that has history and hundreds of millions of dollars in purse.

I'm also OK with the sport going in a road relevant direction with hybrids. I'm sure the manufacturers have gained tons of useful data and hybrid deployment/recovery and design strategies.

I'm even OK with parts endurance (7 race engines, etc) being a core of the sport. Right along with fuel capping. Efficiency is always a worthwhile goal.


What I'm not OK with is the inconsistencies of the humans directing/ managing the race. Track limits, yellow/ red flags, penalties, etc have hurt the sport more in the last 5 years far more than the anemic car technology.

I'd still love to see 2005 powered 2008 sized 2023 cars running 2010 Bridgestones tho, so .

[PlatinumZealot]

yeah, it is making the right moves by showing itself to the world, either by a Netflix series, their social media channels and all that stuff, I'm sure we all agree on that. And they can continue doing so if they want the masses to think it's a reality show like sport, completely out of touch with reality, because let's be honest 90% those who watch the series are not "gearheads" and are just looking to kill time watching something.

however the sport itself, the regulations, the race weekend, is just a shadow of what it once was.

I feel like the FOM is just being "behind" the show when it's not even necessary, removing and changing elements and regulations in the hope of getting content for later use in shows. It might work for a few years but I doubt this approach would last long. You don't need to sell your soul to do good economically, that is like putting a bankrupcy date on your business.

Gearheads are insufferable in real life. They get into frothy mout fanboy mode real quick. Even the baby boomers. Casual fans are very refreshing if you ask me.

[AR3-GP]

yeah, it is making the right moves by showing itself to the world, either by a Netflix series, their social media channels and all that stuff, I'm sure we all agree on that. And they can continue doing so if they want the masses to think it's a reality show like sport, completely out of touch with reality, because let's be honest 90% those who watch the series are not "gearheads" and are just looking to kill time watching something.

however the sport itself, the regulations, the race weekend, is just a shadow of what it once was.

I feel like the FOM is just being "behind" the show when it's not even necessary, removing and changing elements and regulations in the hope of getting content for later use in shows. It might work for a few years but I doubt this approach would last long. You don't need to sell your soul to do good economically, that is like putting a bankrupcy date on your business.

Gearheads are insufferable in real life. They get into frothy mout fanboy mode real quick. Even the baby boomers. Casual fans are very refreshing if you ask me.

"gearheads" take an interest in the cars more than drivers. Here the metrics are quantitive.

Casual fans (especially young ones) develop questionable parasocial relationships with drivers. Belief that someone is an infallible super human being. THIS is the problem .

edit: edited because apparently I hit a bad word

edit2: I might have tripped the sensors again. I'm not doing well today

[AR3-GP]

That seems like a jaded view. They will surely have surveys, stakeholder and sponsor feedback, most of which isn’t published. They have the other non-sprint races. Ultimately, it is a for profit enterprise and growth requires broadening the audience beyond us.

The last time F1 did the fan survey, they baited the questions in such a way that there was no real way to express disapproval. How clever...

There's many ways to broaden the audience. I hope they pick a sufficiently interesting path forward without resorting to gimmicks like fan boost and success ballast. It really just undersells the sport and treats fans like cheaply entertained idiots.

Sponsors and stakeholders don't care about the DNA of F1, about racing and meritocracy. They only care if they can use F1 as a vehicle to drive profit. The ideas to drive profits will continue to drive profits and if that's all one cares about, then congratulations I guess...but it will also means F1 as we knew it becomes unrecognizable.

Someone should stand up for the core principles of the sport. It has always been about the qualifying session to decide the starting order, and the Sunday GP. This mess of sprints muddies everything and takes focus away from that. Teams can't even adequately prepare for the GP or test their developments anymore with only 1 practice session before they are cast off to run sprint sessions that are worthless for the championship. It's laughable how much the sport is being bastardized in the name of a "show".