First thoughts on the New F1 changes and broadcast.

[slo town]

As a young teenager, starting in about 1970, I would go to Watkins Glen every year for the 6 hours and Can-Am. Then the Grand Prix in the fall. Later I would go to Montreal in June for the Grand Prix. When the Hybrid era started, in 2014, that was enough live attendance for me. But I still watched on TV every weekend that I possibly could. This year, I only watch about 7-8 minutes of video hi-lites. The Cosworth v8's are gone, along with the Ferrari, Alfa, Lambo, Honda, Matra V-12's and are never coming back. And no more V-10's. So they have lost me as a customer this year with their Mario Cart f1E racing and the green agenda . But I am not the type of fan f1 is going after. Aged out, if do say so.
When I need a road racing spectator fix, I go to an IMSA event. Multiple classes, sound and sights and long races that are not overpriced.
(thats me and my NA miata in turn 7 at the Glen a few years back)

Your experience, feelings, and timeframe are virtually identical to mine, with the exception that my home track was Laguna Seca.

My cherished ticket stub from the first race my Dad took me too. I was 13 years old. RIP Dad! Notice the ticket number too. Wow! At the time my Dad did a lot of business on the Monterey peninsula.

Scott

Another relatively old picture. James Hunt signing my wife's program at the 1979 Long Beach Grand Prix. It helps being a good looking chick!

 

[billt460]

This is a pretty good video showing how F1 has gotten worse over the last several years. These latest rule changes are already getting plenty of resistance from the teams, drivers, and the fans. Viewership is dropping.

 

[billt460]

.......... I do not like the women talkers as all they do is talk and don't tell you anything..............

It's been like that long before F1 came along.

 

[bdcardinal]

I bailed on Apple TV. The juice wasn't worth the squeeze when it came to what they were charging versus the content they had. I will sail the high seas if I want to watch F1 again. Fortunately there is plenty of other racing to watch.

 

[jghall00]

I bailed on Apple TV. The juice wasn't worth the squeeze when it came to what they were charging versus the content they had. I will sail the high seas if I want to watch F1 again. Fortunately there is plenty of other racing to watch.

Apple has a lot of good TV shows, especially if you're a SciFi fan. I keep the subscription for Silo, Foundation, For All Mankind, and Murderbot.

 

[bdcardinal]

Apple has a lot of good TV shows, especially if you're a SciFi fan. I keep the subscription for Silo, Foundation, For All Mankind, and Murderbot.

Honestly, I'm not. I purged a few streaming services and Apple TV was one of the ones on the chopping block. Fortunately FloRacing and DirtVision consistently have good live racing.

 

[i6pwr]

These latest rule changes are already getting plenty of resistance from the teams, drivers, and the fans. Viewership is dropping.

This is the first season for me in decades, that I haven't watched one F1 race. If I wanted to watch formula E I would.

We have Top Fuel dragsters, NASCAR, IMSA, SCCA, BTCC, Indy car, midget, sprint, drifting, unlimited hydroplanes, drag boats, monster trucks, tractor pulls, airplanes in general...BUT F1 wants to set some example for saving the planet??

Not a political rant, but once China stops with all their coal factories maybe we will get somewhere, until then it's a losing battle....topic for another discussion, not the solution, but a huge step. This is the basis for current F1 correct, clean air? The roar has been slenced and even more so now.

 

[billt460]

.......Not a political rant, but once China stops with all their coal factories maybe we will get somewhere.........

At this point I would rather watch steam powered F1 cars fueled with coal boilers. It's got to be better than all this battery powered crap.

 

[Patman]

I’m really not hating on these new cars myself. We’ve been seeing some pretty good passing happening and even though Kimi has been on a tear this year he’s not pulling a minute ahead of the competition like Max was doing for way too long.

 

[robbobster]

I’d rather watch this TBH…bring back innovative racing cars.

Admittedly, the F1 season is getting better after the revisions, the first few races this season were unwatchable IMHO

 

[Hall]

Apple has a lot of good TV shows, especially if you're a SciFi fan. I keep the subscription for Silo, Foundation, For All Mankind, and Murderbot.

I read that before signing up (I get a number of months free with a new iPhone too) but I haven't watched or even found anything that catches my interest. Oh wait, I did watch the F1 movie (a year-ish after release).

 

[97prizm]

I'm a lifelong F1 fan who started watching in the late '60s as a 13 or 14 year old. The new 2026 rules are ridiculous. The virtue signaling by today's F1 is a joke. There is NOTHING GREEN about F1 but they sure try and convince you otherwise.

I find it ironic that F1 has now become so "green" the drivers are now distracted drivers because they have to manage their hybrid systems rather than simply driving the car to its maximum potential. Have you noticed how soon they're lifting off on long straights so they can regen?! Kiss late braking passes goodbye.

Add to it the Heinz 57 Apple TV broadcast team....,F1 is becoming unwatchable for me. Montoya is the only one who knows what he's talking about. In a strange way I'm almost relieved to be done with the politically correct, morally superior (in their minds) F1 charade.

The WEC is better in every way. And say what you want about IndyCar spec racing, but at least that's a true Driver's Championship.

Scott

Yeah when I found out that the tires that aren't used are sent for shredding and the burned for fuel in a kiln. Very disappointed to hear that.

 

[Trav]

I bailed on Apple TV. The juice wasn't worth the squeeze when it came to what they were charging versus the content they had. I will sail the high seas if I want to watch F1 again. Fortunately there is plenty of other racing to watch.

Surfshark works great and is cheap, just set the country to Austria and watch for free. Frig the Apple thieves, course you have to listen in German.

https://surfshark.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopPPU00HpOB-jAqzCn_-5jjwFstgL5UCrDXz8-hFxn7B_c1jUI5

https://www.servustv.com/de/page/AA-25HKBV8C52111

https://tv.orf.at/

 

[jghall00]

Not a political rant, but once China stops with all their coal factories maybe we will get somewhere, until then it's a losing battle....topic for another discussion, not the solution, but a huge step. This is the basis for current F1 correct, clean air? The roar has been slenced and even more so now.

The powertrain changes were made to bring more manufacturers into the sport by increasing relevance and tech carryover to production vehicles. Since many production vehicles have downsized engines and are going hybrid, it made sense. It actually worked, as Audi and Cadillac were brought in. This season has actually been pretty good apart from the clipping and yo-yo passing due to battery deployment not being sussed out. It's had all kinds of drama...starting line issues, mechanical DNFs, war delays, and a 17-year-old rookie mopping the floor with an experienced driver in the same hardware. I would take this season over, say 2023, any day.

 

[Hall]

Yeah when I found out that the tires that aren't used are sent for shredding

That's not accurate - this is only for used tires. They are recycled, at least.

 

[bdcardinal]

I read that before signing up (I get a number of months free with a new iPhone too) but I haven't watched or even found anything that catches my interest. Oh wait, I did watch the F1 movie (a year-ish after release).

I still haven't seen the F1 movie. I was actually going to watch it at one point, but didn't have the time to dedicate to watching it. There is a guy that comes to the Sunday post church breaktfast (I don't go to church just go to breakfast) that is obsessed with movies. He kept saying he wanted me to watch F1 to see what I thought of the accuracy. Once he wanted me to watch it so bad, I lost interest in watching it.

 

[i6pwr]

a 17-year-old rookie mopping the floor with an experienced driver in the same hardware

Maybe we should remove the ICE, slow the cars to a max speed of 100 MPH, make it more of a video game....leave experience out of the equation.

Looks like it's heading that way...or we could bring back what F1 really is. Best cars with the best drivers competing at the highest level providing the thrill of F1.

 

[Hall]

Once he wanted me to watch it so bad, I lost interest in watching it.

It's not bad - I enjoyed watching it. I realize that it's Hollywood, so I was fine with the liberties they took with it.

 

[bdcardinal]

It's not bad - I enjoyed watching it. I realize that it's Hollywood, so I was fine with the liberties they took with it.

The last movie I saw in a theater was either Ford v Ferrari or Star Wars 8 (?). FvF was pretty cool except they used Auto Club Speedway to represent Daytona.