As Americans, whats your feelings on F1? Do you follow it or care about it at all?

"LJ909" (lj909) 12/17/2015 at 18:28 • Filed to: None

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I’ve equated F1 to soccer in the US. Mostly because both have a bigger following in the rest of the world than they do here. I see Jalopnik post alot about F1 races and drives etc. But do any of you guys actually follow or are into F1? I love racing as much as the next gearhead, but I could never get into F1. I’m impressed by the cars themselves, and the amount of effort the manufacturers put into them. But I just find it as boring as NASCAR. But do you guys follow or care about F1?

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 18:33

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I’ve never actually watched a race start to finish. It just doesn’t hold my attention like NASCAR or indy or even global rally cross. Every year I say I’m going to get more into f1 but I can never bring myself to wake up at the ass crack of dawn to watch it. In fact I’d rather watch soccer. I’ve woken up for quite a few BPL matches and I always watch the world Cup every four years

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 18:34

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Too much political, not enough shut up and race. It’s a show first, sport second.

Montalvo > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 18:36

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Don’t watch it at all. I can appreciate the work that goes into the cars and their performance but I can never get into it.

smobgirl > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 18:38

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Follow. Love it. I go into the office on Sundays to watch because I don’t have cable. I have one coworker who also watches, none of the rest of my real-life acquaintances care. My little sister will listen to me about the races but she doesn’t like F1, per se, just Hamilton.

crowmolly > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 18:38

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I’ve tried for a while, especially by looking at the cars as engineering marvels with high tech and high speed.

But I can’t really get behind it or excited about it too much. I dunno, some days I’m pumped for F1 and others it’s “eh”.

MLGCarGuy > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 18:38

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Too much drama, honestly IMO. And the one reason for me to watch - the sound - has been removed, so I don’t watch the races.

911e46z06 > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 18:38

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My cable only broadcasts F1 in Spanish, so I watch it to keep my Spanish skills sharp. It’s cool because it’s racing, but it’s like watching paint dry compared to NASCAR or Rally. The whole race is decided in qualifying.

Matt Nichelson > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 18:38

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I’ll be the first to admit that I am an avid soccer fan. I know most people where I live don’t get it, but it is something I have always enjoyed. F1 left me a while ago, though. Bernie is an idiot and it is more about how much money you have now and has only gotten worse over time as far as that goes. Sure, there is good racing from time to time, but it just isn’t the same anymore.

EL_ULY > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 18:40

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I do, nobody else I know does or any motorsport for that matter.

I do not represent all of the US

DoYouEvenShift > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 18:41

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Dont care or follow F1 or Nascar. However I do love the tech in both.

Sam > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 18:43

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Bernie hates America, so it makes it hard for myself, as an American (god, I never thought I’d say that), to like F1.

PanchoVilleneuve ST > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 18:45

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It’s garbage. It really is. They take something so potentially exciting and make it unfathomably boring.

Why it’s the pinnacle of motorsport and not, well, anything else is beyond me.

RallyWrench > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 18:45

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I used to really enjoy it, but I just sort of stopped watching after Japan this year. The remaining races are all still DVR’d, but I don’t know if I’ll watch them. It’s not the new engine formula that turned me off, I think it’s more the snippy Benz boys, politics, bad Renault engines, bad Honda engines, no German GP, Ecclestone, Russia, Bahrain, and Azerbaijan. I do intend to try again next year, but I had no more fucks to give this year.

I’m a much bigger fan of the WEC, which in my mind is the true pinnacle of motorsports devclopment.

tromoly > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 18:45

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After getting very seriously into World Rallycross and Motorcycle Speedway, it’s hard watching races that are much, much longer with 1/10th of the action. I mean it’s pretty sad when a 4-lap motorcycle race can have more total passes than a 2-hour car race.

LJ909 > MLGCarGuy 12/17/2015 at 18:47

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Yea I noticed that too. Its too much commentary. I’m trying to hear 10k and above RPM redlines.

LJ909 > 911e46z06 12/17/2015 at 18:48

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Thats true. At least though a varied field of drivers win more than the same people in NASCAR though.

lone_liberal > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 18:49

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I like it and I’d like to watch more of it, but I have a hard time making myself watch a recording of a race that has been over for hours and there is no way I’m getting up at 4:30am on a Sunday to watch a race.

LJ909 > Matt Nichelson 12/17/2015 at 18:49

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I agree. If Bernie wasn’t in the picture I think it would be only slightly better though.

HammerheadFistpunch > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 18:49

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I’m an American. I don’t care. I’m not sure that there’s actually much overlap however

LJ909 > tromoly 12/17/2015 at 18:52

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That’s one of the things I hate about F1 and Nascar. The cars, while impressive, are too evenly matched for it to even be called a race. Its boring when the same one or two people are first and second half, if not the entire race.

Scott > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 18:52

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I prefer to watch MotoGP racing, but yes I do watch all the F1 races.

911e46z06 > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 18:54

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The difference is that in NASCAR, with ten laps left, 95% of the time you have no idea who’s going to win. F1 you can pretty much call it after a few laps.

911e46z06 > tromoly 12/17/2015 at 18:55

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I think I heard somewhere that there are more passes in one average NASCAR race than in an entire season of F1.

they-will-know-my-velocity > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 18:57

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I like reading about it since the engineering is really cool. But actually watching it....meh. I feel the same about NASCAR and most other organized sports...don’t really care.

Only notable difference is that we have the CoTA here in Texas so it’s feasible I may actually go watch a race.

Cherry_man1 > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 18:58

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I haven’t followed it at all because it’s on so early in the morning and such. I really don’t wanna get up for it. Now Conti and Rolex series I watch religiously.

Decay buys too many beaters > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 18:59

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I don’t follow the races but do follow the engineering. I spend a ton of time on SomersF1 and rarely (if ever) watch a race live. I will watch a replay if any race ends up being particularly exciting (which I judge based on it’s F1 Fanatics“rate the race” rating)

LJ909 > they-will-know-my-velocity 12/17/2015 at 19:01

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Its too bad there aren’t more race tracks here in the states, especially one as new as CoTA. Especially ones that can handle an F1 race.

AM3R shamefully returns > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 19:04

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I really want to get into it, but I have nowhere to start.

LJ909 > AM3R shamefully returns 12/17/2015 at 19:06

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I felt the same way. Was mostly confused about where and who to start with so I just gave up.

TheJWT > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 19:10

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I used to love it, but I haven’t watched or even paid attention to it in 4 or 5 years. That goes for all forms of racing though

Carbon Fiber Sasquatch > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 19:19

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I prefer GT series but I watch F1 in the beginning of the season. It’s just by the second half, it’s obvious who will win these past three or four seasons so it’s not exciting then

Carbon Fiber Sasquatch > RallyWrench 12/17/2015 at 19:21

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I’m a much bigger fan of the WEC, which in my mind is the true pinnacle of motorsports devclopment.

Yep, 100% agree. much more interesting too

Biggus Dickus (RevsBro) > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 19:22

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I’m not a NASCAR fan by any means, but give me a choice between NASCAR and F1 for pure entertainment, I’d pick NASCAR every time. I’m not even talking about the restrictor-plate races or nationwide series road courses!

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 19:22

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You must have missed the new low down force package NASCAR was testing at 2 races cause they were some of the most exciting races of the decade. Luckily that low down force package is now going into effect for all tracks save for the super Speedways and road courses so NASCAR will see much better racing next year

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 19:23

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Not true. Last year there were 12 different NASCAR race winners. F1 had 3 or 4

whoarder is tellurium > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 19:28

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Hell yeah I follow F1. I’m also not happy with the people in charge and the current regs too. (is anyone really?) Hybrid systems, fuel regulations and purpose built shitty tires have got to go.

I also make it a point to record every race so I can skip lengthy commentary, commercials and etc. It makes the whole race more enjoyable to watch and gets right to the point.

Anyways, to sum it up:

I miss the days of 18-20k RPM screaming F1 cars. V12, V10 or V8. I fear we’ll never return to those days.

scoob > RallyWrench 12/17/2015 at 19:32

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Holy crap, WEC is exponentially a much better thing to watch, and listen to.

Thomas Donohue > Sam 12/17/2015 at 19:38

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Bernie hates everyone, except those that give him hundreds of millions of dollars, and then bend over publicly to thank him for taking all of their money.

There wasn’t a German Grand Prix this year. GERMANY!!! France could lose their F1 race, and even Silverstone is in jeopardy, as Bernie is no longer offering discounts to the historical sites.

Bernie doesn’t hate America. If you came up with a guaranteed $70 million per year for fees and track costs for each race (ten year contracts, of course, with the rate going up every year!!!!) you could have a Grand Prix in New York, Austin, California and Montana every year if you wanted to pay for it. Send Bernie a non-refundable check for a quarter of a billion dollars, and he’d be whistling Dixie out of his ass while wearing an Uncle Sam outfit for a month every year. But he won’t drink Budweiser...he only drinks Mumm champagne because THEY PAID HIM.

Don’t dislike F1 because Bernie hates America. Dislike F1 because he’s a flaming asshole. A rich, smart, ugly douche bag that won’t answer the phone for less than $30 million dollars.

bryan40oop > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 19:40

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I watch it, unless hamilton is winning. Used to be my go to sport, but WEC has taken that crown these days. I like the engineering aspect of the cars. But f1 is becoming a tad bit spec series for my taste.

PS9 > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 19:43

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Hey, that’s that racing series where everyone goes around the track in super-advanced high tech cars for a bit, and then one of those ‘PETRONAS’ guys from Mercedes picks up the Trophy? I think one of them is named Lewis. That’s what happens every time, right? That’s the impression I gather from a glace.

Also there’s someone named Kimi who doesn’t talk all that good? And they started stapling dongs to the front of the cars because it improved Aero? And there’s an infinite amount of Redbull somehow(but not anymore very recently)? Some other stuff too, can’t remember it all right now. Oh! One more thing;

This guy is actually Professor Hyde White, and he just hasn’t been unmasked yet, right?

RallyWrench > scoob 12/17/2015 at 19:47

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Yep, I saw them at Austin, and was amazed how good the Porsche 919 sounds.

Viggen > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 21:02

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I’ve tried the past two seasons to watch it, but honestly the drama ruins it for me. “Wah my car sucked and my team mate’s was better” The lack of passing and trickle down technology also doesn’t help F1’s case. I’m a big fan of sportscar racing, so I follow WEC, IMSA, Blancpain GT, ELMS, PWC and a few of the bigger endurance races out there like the Nurburgring 24.

Chasaboo > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 21:17

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I cheer against Red Bull. I cannot stand those guys.

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 22:15

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I was into it hard core a few years ago but my interest has begun to fade. I still enjoy the races and will always root for Vettel but the Mercedes dominance has become too much and very different from the Red Bull years. Even though Vettel won a lot of races from 2010-2013 the McLarens, Ferraris, and Lotus’s were almost always contending for either wins or podiums, and the midfield was always strong. Now it seems that if you don’t have a Mercedes powerplant you’re pretty much fighting for 5th on back. I feel the latest technical regulations have done more harm to the sport than good. I feel though the downforce the cars are making is also a big factor in making these races boring. If we could cut down force significantly while keeping the technology where it is I feel the racing will recover. Put more of a focus on the drivers rather than the cars. I feel sports cars have it right currently. Though the LMPs could also benefit from a reduction in downforce.

punkgoose17 > LJ909 12/17/2015 at 23:18

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I’ve finally got myself to watch racing this year. I found that I like F1 and Indy. I am hoping F1 is more of a competition next year.

Amit > LJ909 12/18/2015 at 03:05

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I live in Texas and have been to COTA, but only for WEC races. I wanted to like F1, but the inovations are just around rules and aero-not technology as it used to be once upon a time.

wiffleballtony > LJ909 12/18/2015 at 09:43

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I tend to watch regularly but I pretty much stopped this season when Hamilton secured the championship.

NJAnon > LJ909 12/18/2015 at 22:10

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I do care about Formula 1 & world rally. Awesome times.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > LJ909 12/18/2015 at 23:21

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I enjoy it. It has greatly improved now that NBC sports took over. The last few years on the old Speed channel broadcasts were atrocious. I try to catch them all.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > AM3R shamefully returns 12/21/2015 at 15:31

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Just commit to watching next season, and get in on Formula OPPO to help keep you plugged in and interested in results. Hopefully there will be more parity in 2016 and we won’t just be watching Hamilton and Rosberg slap fight each other all season again...