# Should I start watching Formula 1 again? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** racing-auto-boat\ **Created:** [July 28, 2023, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-start-watching-formula-1-again/987722 "2023-07-28T07:17:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Celtic\_Kitsune](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celtic_kitsune/32/12086_2.png) [@Celtic\_Kitsune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celtic_Kitsune)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2023, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-start-watching-formula-1-again/987722/1 "2023-07-28T07:17:16Z")
I used to love F1 from early 1990’s until I lost interest in about 2005, should I have another try at it? I mean watching, not driving. I understand costs were spiraling out of control and something needed to be done but I didn’t agree with the decisions that were being made\* and silly gimmicks like the turbo-boost button or whatever it is. What have I missed in the intervening almost twenty…wow…years? Thanks for all replies in advance! \*part of the fun was watching engines randomly explode! ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2023, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-start-watching-formula-1-again/987722/2 "2023-07-28T15:11:43Z")
There is a Netflix series that’s in its fifth season called _Formula 1: Drive to Survive_ that will give you a feel for the sport over the last 5 years. I bailed after a couple episodes, because it didn’t seem as dangerous (interesting) as the sport I remember watching when I was younger. For many - myself included, alas - auto racing is one of those sports like boxing, downhill skiing, or even the recent Tour de France, where violence is a feature; not a bug and the safer you make it, the less compelling it becomes. ---
**Author:** ![Celtic\_Kitsune](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celtic_kitsune/32/12086_2.png) [@Celtic\_Kitsune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celtic_Kitsune)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2023, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-start-watching-formula-1-again/987722/3 "2023-07-29T00:18:06Z")
That sounds good, thanks! And yeah it’s not very acceptable to say in polite society but I agree with you, I certainly don’t want to see people hurt or God-forbid killed but the possibility adds a certain frisson to proceedings. Though the whole sport has gone down the entertainment path over proper competition. As Ernest Hemingway said - ‘There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor-racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.’ ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2023, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-start-watching-formula-1-again/987722/4 "2023-07-31T00:08:04Z")
Well, as big of a fan as I am, I’d say if you managed to live a productive life without it, why go back? It certainly has gotten somewhat dull the last decade or so, and plenty of gimmicks to piss you off. Nah. Forget it. Now, excuse me while I go re-watch P1 from Budapest. Gonna be a long month! ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2023, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-start-watching-formula-1-again/987722/5 "2023-07-31T04:42:37Z")
I’ve gotten into it the last couple years. If you are fine knowing almost certainly who’s going to win and are happy watching the competition beyond first place, it’s pretty good. There’s four/five teams that can realistically podium each weekend, even if Verstappen in the Red Bull is all be assured the top spot. The money is too important to have cars just not finish races, so reliability is incredible. The hybrid system is an engineering masterpiece, but really doesn’t add much to the viewing experience at home. And the rest, like DRS, definitely help the racing. I enjoy it, but I fit the watching into my weekend versus sitting down to watch practices, qualifying, and the race live. F1TV lets me catch up when I want. We’ll see how well it survives football season, however. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2023, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-start-watching-formula-1-again/987722/6 "2023-07-31T06:12:22Z")
> [@Chisquirrel](#): > > The money is too important to have cars just not finish races, so reliability is incredible. The hybrid system is an engineering masterpiece, but really doesn’t add much to the viewing experience at home. And the rest, like DRS, definitely help the racing. I agree it’s all about the Money, but to me, the Pre-80’s up to the 00’s were the most exciting eras of the sport. The cars looked different, worked different, there were different tire manufactures. None of the bullshit DRS and mandated tire nonsense. Let them race. With whatever they can come up with. Yeah, not realistic. But it was good times. You really never knew who was gonna win, and who was gonna DNF on the next-to-last lap from a grenade engine. A lot more exciting that the Parade of Who Has the Best Car we have today ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2023, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-start-watching-formula-1-again/987722/7 "2023-07-31T06:17:50Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > The cars looked different, worked different, Could you even imagine [a car like the below](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyrrell_P34) in modern F1? 😉 [![](https://media.wired.com/photos/59322d3044db296121d69883/191:100/w_1280,c_limit/Tyrrell-P34-ft.jpg) ](https://media.wired.com/photos/59322d3044db296121d69883/191:100/w_1280,c_limit/Tyrrell-P34-ft.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2023, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-start-watching-formula-1-again/987722/8 "2023-07-31T06:23:15Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Could you even picture a car like the below in modern F1? 😉 [Or This?](https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=cVsRlmdL&id=EC307052195AFBE0A647F3DC8D5D215E3D16CA12&thid=OIP.cVsRlmdLsFZ965qRE4D8CQHaEK&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2fcdn.topgear.es%2fsites%2fnavi.axelspringer.es%2fpublic%2fstyles%2fgallery_big%2fpublic%2fmedia%2fimage%2f2017%2f07%2fbrabham-bt46b-f1-fan-car.jpg%3fitok%3dZlOivVX5&cdnurl=https%3a%2f%2fth.bing.com%2fth%2fid%2fR.715b1196674bb0567deb9a911380fc09%3frik%3dEsoWPV4hXY3c8w%26pid%3dImgRaw%26r%3d0&exph=552&expw=980&q=alfa+romeo+fan+car+f1&simid=607990236627824286&FORM=IRPRST&ck=683EC8E8872FAB1CDD8923F15666AB20&selectedIndex=10&ajaxhist=0&ajaxserp=0) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2023, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-start-watching-formula-1-again/987722/9 "2023-07-31T06:24:03Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Or This? That’s the danged Batmobile! ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2023, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-start-watching-formula-1-again/987722/10 "2023-08-05T03:40:51Z")
So for someone with an F1TV membership and a desire to rewatch some goodies from 2018 to 2021, what races would you suggest? ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2023, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-start-watching-formula-1-again/987722/11 "2023-08-05T04:59:05Z")
> [@Chisquirrel](#): > > …what races would you suggest? Well, any race at Spa is going to be good. But my Era of Interest is really the early 80’s-early 00’s. Still when cars with grenade unexpectedly. Prost, Mansell, Senna, Kimi’s radio, Arnoux defying team orders, the 84 season was a nailbiter. The Schumacher Era was somewhat boring if you aren’t a Tifosi. The different cars and tire manufacturers. The Ros/Ham fight was pretty fun. As well as Seb V Webber. All seems kinda phoned-in nowadays. All of it is better than what you can watch now.