# Formula 1: USA **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 17, 2007, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-usa/408379 "2007-06-17T19:21:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2007, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-usa/408379/1 "2007-06-17T19:21:06Z")
Pity the race wasn’t on July 4[sup]th[/sup]. 😃 I found the race a bit boring - it seemed more of a parade than a race. Hopefully the highlights will concentrate on the more interesting fights. And poor old Jensen! Nothing’s going right for him. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-usa/408379/2 "2007-06-18T01:13:00Z")
I didn’t find it boring. It had some brilliant wheel to wheel moments. The two faux-fights between the two Maccas and between the two Ferraris. One more victory for Hamiltom. A point for Vettel! (first teenager to score, ever). And my new favourite, Super Aguris overtaking Hondas. ---
**Author:** ![Operation\_Ripper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/34f0e0/32.png) [@Operation\_Ripper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Operation_Ripper)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-usa/408379/3 "2007-06-18T01:45:43Z")
What’s a Formuler 1? ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-usa/408379/4 "2007-06-18T04:09:22Z")
I enjoyed it for all the reasons **Sapo** mentioned. Although it peeves me that the Fox coverage starts as the cars are on the recon lap. I like Speed’s pre-race show. If Fox isn’t going to do it, why don’t they do a half-hour on Speed and then switch to Fox? Also, ISTM that it was the first F1 race I’ve seen in HD. If there are any European F1 fans here, are the races shot/broadcast in HD in Europe or elsewhere, or was this the first time? ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-usa/408379/5 "2007-06-18T06:12:14Z")
It wasn’t the most exciting race, and certainly not compared to the last one. What I did find interesting was how it highlighted the in-team rivalries within Ferrari and Macca. I bet the teams brass were pulling their hair out at times… And how about Lewis? Man, the kid is putting on a clinic. The last couple years Jenson was the darling of British racing and now it’s like “Jenson Who?”. It must be extremely frustrating for so many people: Alonso because he’s the reigning champ, Kimi because he just moved from Macca only to _finally_ see them improve, and Jenson, as stated. Kimi must be thinking: “What does a guy have to do to win a WC around here?” What a season, I love it so far. And was that “Dr. Z” accepting the constructor’s? What happened to twisting your mustache in US minivan commercials? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-usa/408379/6 "2007-06-18T08:08:20Z")
[QUOTE=Sapo] The two faux-fights between the two Maccas and between the two Ferraris. [/QUOTE] I must say that I did not find those fun to watch. Sure there was the anticipation thing of the leading drivers making a mistake, but the rear drivers didn’t take risks and get up there and attack, just trailed - apart from once. ---
**Author:** ![Roog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a87d85/32.png) [@Roog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roog)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-usa/408379/7 "2007-06-18T09:55:47Z")
> [@](#): > > Also, ISTM that it was the first F1 race I’ve seen in HD. If there are any European F1 fans here, are the races shot/broadcast in HD in Europe or elsewhere, or was this the first time? I found [this](http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=27731) and [F1-HDTV](http://http://www.sportbusiness.com/news/161835/ecclestone-plans-hdtv-offering) so it may be that the Canadian GP was the first. I’ve not seen anything in Europe yet. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-usa/408379/8 "2007-06-18T10:03:49Z")
[QUOTE=Quartz] Pity the race wasn’t on July 4[sup]th[/sup]. 😃 I found the race a bit boring - it seemed more of a parade than a race. Hopefully the highlights will concentrate on the more interesting fights. And poor old Jensen! Nothing’s going right for him. [/QUOTE] A modern F1 race, _boring??_ Surely you jest! My brain usually switches off on about the 3rd corner after the start.. Once all the crashing and hairy moments are done. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-usa/408379/9 "2007-06-18T13:51:15Z")
[QUOTE=Lobsang] A modern F1 race, _boring??_ Surely you jest! My brain usually switches off on about the 3rd corner after the start.. Once all the crashing and hairy moments are done. [/QUOTE] You might enjoy NASCAR. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-usa/408379/10 "2007-06-18T13:54:29Z")
[QUOTE=Quartz] I must say that I did not find those fun to watch. Sure there was the anticipation thing of the leading drivers making a mistake, but the rear drivers didn’t take risks and get up there and attack, just trailed - apart from once. [/QUOTE] I know, hence the “faux” qualifier to them. You just know they are not allowed to overtake a healthy team mate. The risk is too high for the team. I keep expecting Alonso to go berserk one of these days and screw team orders and try to take Hamilton. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-usa/408379/11 "2007-06-18T15:12:28Z")
[QUOTE=Roog] I found [this](http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=27731) and [F1-HDTV](http://www.sportbusiness.com/news/161835/ecclestone-plans-hdtv-offering) so it may be that the Canadian GP was the first. I’ve not seen anything in Europe yet. [/QUOTE] Thanks, **Roog** , for finding those links. (BTW, I’ve corrected your second link as it appears in my quote box. The one in your thread has some coding errors.) The Canadian GP was not transmitted in HD by my local Fox affiliate, so if they started there, I didn’t see it. I hope FOM does more HD. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-usa/408379/12 "2007-06-18T16:08:25Z")
[QUOTE=Sapo] You just know they are not allowed to overtake a healthy team mate. The risk is too high for the team. I keep expecting Alonso to go berserk one of these days and screw team orders and try to take Hamilton. [/QUOTE] If any McLaren driver _was_ under team orders not to overtake it would be Hamilton, at least at Monaco. Since then, my understanding is that it’s every man for himself. Alonso tried to take Hamilton at Indianapolis but couldn’t do it. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formula-1-usa/408379/13 "2007-06-18T23:10:43Z")
[QUOTE=Chez Guevara] If any McLaren driver _was_ under team orders not to overtake it would be Hamilton, at least at Monaco. Since then, my understanding is that it’s every man for himself. Alonso tried to take Hamilton at Indianapolis but couldn’t do it. [/QUOTE] What I’ve heard is that they’re free to race, until the team reins them in, and that if they’re close together this will be in the final stint, as happened this weekend.