Hello. It's me... Sorry, I haven't been around for over a year. I lost all motivation to write but I'm back and ready to bore you all with my opinions.
So, what have I been up to since we last spoke? Well, I went to the 2019 Spanish Grand Prix and then got mugged in the centre of Barcelona after the race so that was fun. Hasn't put me off returning though. What else? Hmm, I now like to run too. But that's enough. Let's get chatting about Formula One!
I want to have a chat about whether Formula One is boring or not. We are all well aware it's been a weird season but despite this, has Hamilton and Mercedes dominance almost "killed" the sport? I don't think so.
After a normal race you can almost guarantee someone on social media will moan that it was boring and that they're fed up of the same winner almost every weekend. If anything, seeing the same tweet after tweet is boring. I understand that we need more competition at the front of the field. Lets not forget the start of 2012 season! But, from driver to mechanics to team principles, Mercedes are winning. They have the perfect car, a perfect driver line up and from what I can tell, a perfect team moral. They are just the "It" package and well ahead of the pack. However, this shouldn't put a downer on the races.
Let's not lie here. Of course, some races send me to sleep. It's inevitable that some races will have more action than others. It depends on track, overtaking chances, strategies and chances of a safety car but if that is so, I enjoy what is being given to me.
First of all, let's not forget that the cars are not always reliable. An engine can blow at anytime. This always adds some spice to a race. As does incidents and penalties. Look at today's race (Monza 2020). All it took was Magnussen to break down and a corker of a race was born.
This leads me onto the Safety Car. Bernd Maylander, the driver of the Safety Car if you didn't know, doesn't appear in every race but when he does, you can be sure he's come at a bad time for someone or a perfect time for another. And, then there are "free pit stops" during the Safety Car period.
Pit stops and strategies are another thing that excites me during a race. Let's be honest, to have the perfect race you need the perfect strategy. And, when drivers try the "overcut" (overtaking a rival by pitting) or the "undercut" (vice versa), things get interesting. The Pit Team are under pressure to get a brilliant stop in and one mistake could mean the end. Sometimes, there is more drama here than the race itself.
Talking of drama, let's mention the most obvious factor which makes a Formula One race exciting. Midfield Battles. Close racing, lots of action and a couple of wheels bashing? I am all for it. It's no lie that Mercedes are in a league of their own. At least we have the likes of McLaren, Red Bull, Alpha Tauri, Racing Point, Renault etc giving us a show. It can be bloody brilliant.
And, then you have certain drivers that really put on a show. *Cough* Verstappen *cough*. Verstappen will be champion one day. I generally think he would give Hamilton a run for his money if they were in the same car. Alas, right now, it is not to be. And, it's not just Verstappen out there entertaining us. Look at Norris and Sainz at McLaren. Stroll and Perez at Racing Point. (Sometimes I still say Force India...) Even young George Russell down at Williams popping up in the midst of the midfield from time to time.
Anyway, I'm babbling on a little bit now but my point is FORMULA ONE ISN'T ALWAYS BORING. And, if you continue to think it is then maybe our sport isn't for you.
Comments