FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[Aaron]

I have started a Extended Project for my A-levels & have decided to write a dissertation on how Formula one has developed from the year 1950. As part of my project i have been asked to join a forum and gather some primary data on how formula fanatics feel the sport has developed, their views on it & how they feel it has effected the sport. So, i was hoping that some people would feed back to some questions that i have made up, it would be much appreciated & thank you.
1) Do you feel that Formula one has developed & how?

2) Why do you think the sport has developed?

3) Do you feel that the development has been beneficial for the sport?

4) If yes, why do you think this?

5) Do you feel that success in formula one is down to the driver or the technology?

6) Would you prefer to see each team have the equal amounts of money in order to put all teams on equal grounds?

[racechick]

Wow! I could write an essay on each of those headings!! And there will probably be somee words included that you arent allowed to use is yopur dissertation . You might get more response if you narrowed down the questions a little. But I'll give it some thought and see if I can come up with a simplified answer. Expect to receive differing views

[LewEngBridewell]

1) Do you feel that Formula one has developed & how?

Yes, in all sorts of ways. One just has to take a look at what an F1 looked like in each of the decades from the 1950s to nowadays. From being hunking tubs of metal all the way to sleek carbon-fibre 200mph+ bolts of lightening is an extraordinary development. The circuit have also changed beyond recognition, mainly on the grounds of safety. From once being fiercely dangerous blasts through open forest with trees for crash barriers, we now have gravel traps and run-off areas and crash barriers to stop errant cars from doing tree-felling and killing driver and spectators. There have been all sorts of methods in the past to help save a driver's life in the event of a crash. In the 70s, chicken-wire fencing was put in gravel traps to catch cars that had left the track. It looks awful now, but back then, it was a major advancement in safety technique.

Safety has also prompted a huge change from what drivers wore in the 50s, which was basically normal clothing material and a little leather hat with goggles. Now they have a full-on fireproof race-suit and a helmet that is tested vigorously for the protection of the drivers.

2) Why do you think the sport has developed?

Safety, spectacle, money, sponsorship, new technological ideas...

3) Do you feel that the development has been beneficial for the sport?

Yes, largely. The sport is now much safer. Drivers can now have a crash that would've been fatal 2 decades ago, and simply hop out fine. I'm a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to the circuits though, and many long standing events are facing the chop to make way for newer venues, especially in Asia. This is one change that I don't want to go too far. We need to retain the spirit and passion and history of venues of yesteryear, balanced with a mix of some new venues in different countries. But there's a danger of this balance getting tipped in favour of the latter.

4) If yes, why do you think this?

I've largely explained that already. Safety for drivers and fans is only a good thing.

5) Do you feel that success in formula one is down to the driver or the technology?

Both. A driver trains like an athlete to drive an F1 car, and even then, a lack of talent can be spotted a mile off. Technology does play a major role though, and the richer teams are beneficial in this respect.

6) Would you prefer to see each team have the equal amounts of money in order to put all teams on equal grounds?

It doesn't need to be EQUAL, but I don't like to see certain F1 teams struggling on a shoe-string budget. That's not good. The gap between the big teams and the less well-off teams is as immense as ever, and I would like to see that gap reduced. There are many teams run purely on passion (rather than the manufacturers, or brands, etc) and they deserve a chance to fight for results rather than merely survival.

[Aaron]

Thank you for replying, i was afraid that i would not get many. Also, the views and information that you have porvided me with will be very beneficial, so thank you again.

[Aaron]

Thank you for replying racechick, but, how do you feel i should narrow them down?

[racechick]

Thank you for replying racechick, but, how do you feel i should narrow them down?

The first one for instance.
Developed re spectacle? technology? Driver skill/training? Accessability to the public? And there's more. So much has happenned over the years in F1; some good, some bad. But I will try over the next couple of days to answer your initial questions. What a fantastic topic to choose for a dissertation!

[LewEngBridewell]

Thank you for replying, i was afraid that i would not get many. Also, the views and information that you have porvided me with will be very beneficial, so thank you again.

No problem at all. It was a pleasure

[racechick]

1) Do you feel that Formula one has developed & how?
Yes in terms of safety,if you check the past stats for driver deaths it was horrendous. Jackie Stewart did a huge amount for safety.
Yes, obviously in terms of technology F1 is at the cutting edge. Designers are always looking for an unusual way to improve or get round a regulation . And regulations are always changing to keep speeds down (and sometimes to manipulate situations)
Regulation and control of F1 has changed. The FIA(controling body) have had some corrupt leaders(Mosely and Balestre spring immediately to mind) and since the FIA is largely answerable only to itself it gets away with it. So lots of corruption is not a good development. Money money money. Dont they say money corrupts. F1 is about pleasing sponsors and making money for Bernie Ecclestone. The fans are given little consideration by the powers that be. Tickets to GP's are extortionate because tracks have to pay Ecclestone so much money to host a GP.New tracks are being built in countres with no interest in F1 because their governments are willing to pay the price to host. All those developments are not that good in my view.
The drivers are much fitter
The tracks are more high tech
F1 (like most sports) is much higher profile
Drivers are less accessible to their fans
The sport is over regulated
Television coverage is greater with quali and warm up shown...or it has been until this year when it goes mainly to sky


2) Why do you think the sport has developed?Money. Glamour. Excitement. A showcase for technology and car manufacturers. Advertising. And much as i dislike him, bernie Ecclestone

3) Do you feel that the development has been beneficial for the sport? Mixed feelings as you can probably gather from answer1

4) If yes, why do you think this?The safety, the spectacle is good. But the corruption, the over regulation and unfairness is bad

5) Do you feel that success in formula one is down to the driver or the technology?The very best driver cannot win in a bad car. A good driver, but not the best, can win in the best car. Technology is hugely important. But if two teams are very close the driver can make the difference. (If the stupid rules actually allow him to race!)

6) Would you prefer to see each team have the equal amounts of money in order to put all teams on equal grounds?Success should be rewarded. And its a free market , so the teams that find better sponsorship, or win to attract it will get more. Bit of a vicious circle ...success breads success. It would be good I think if the richer teams could somehow contribute to helping the newer teams get established. Some do this.

[Aaron]

I also would like to ask you about your views on how Formula One has moved over Sky Sports? This is because i need to show different arguments within my EP project.... thank you

[LewEngBridewell]

I also would like to ask you about your views on how Formula One has moved over Sky Sports? This is because i need to show different arguments within my EP project.... thank you

It seems that Sky Sports is doing a great job with F1, what with the dedicated channel and recruitment of a top broadcasting team, and all that. My concern is that Sky is not free-to-air and therefore will be out of reach of many fans. I hope that this will not be a large-scale off-put, but much of the initial uproar has subsided.

I will have to stick with the BBC, because I can't afford at this point in my life to upgrade to Sky. One day, things may be different!

I laugh at those who say things like "after 30 years of dedicated watching, I'm giving up". I'm sure that they can't have been so dedicated in the first place if they're going to "stop" suddenly, just now. Either that, or they'll end up watching anyway!

[mnmracer]

For the main questions, I will have to take some time and sit down for a good answer, but there's one I want to reply to right now.

I also would like to ask you about your views on how Formula One has moved over Sky Sports? This is because i need to show different arguments within my EP project.... thank you

What almost none of the Brits seem to realize, is that the UK is one of the few, if not only, countries in the world where for many years Formula One has still been free. For most of Europe, free Formula One ended more than a decade ago with Eurosport. So rather than "oh, such a great injustice is being done to us", the fact of the matter is that this is just years of being favored ending. Now you're the same as the rest of the world. Yes, it sucks having to pay for it, but we all have to.

[Aaron]

Thanks again for all your replies, they are helping a lot.... i was hoping you would be able to share your in depth views on the 'Man vs. Machine' debate?