F1 2018-2019
 

Well we are ten days from the start of the F1 season.
As far as the testing session goes, it looks like it could be an interesting year.
I'm not sure Mercedes showed everything they can do.
Ferrari and red bull looked lively at times.
Mclaren had a lot of teething problems.
Mclaren dumped Honda for reliability reasons and went to Renault....out of the fire into the pan??
Toro Rosso may be the surprise team of the year. They we're forced into a shotgun wedding with Honda.
Guess what?? that bride may have gotten a lot better looking over the winter and learned how to cook.

I've no idea what's coming; have not looked. I'm sure we will all catch up soon enough; hopefully it won't be another slam dunk season. But since its 90 to 95 percent all about the manufacturer, I can only hope for a lot of wet race weekends where driver talent shows up best.

Based on testing, Merc is just thumbing their nose at everybody else.
. . . and totally agree on Toro Rosso. I also think the Ferrari/Red Bull match ups will be vicious (and awesome).

Anyone care to explain what they like about F1? It can't be car racing. What is it?

I know where you are coming from. For me, its just a carry over from the days when the driver's truly mattered. There was always strong and weak teams but as they use to say, on any given Sunday...

I enjoy qualifying more than the race itself. I enjoy and respect the driver's. I find the technical aspects and aero changes of interest, when they are fully explained. I'm sick to death hearing about the tires. I would love to see them be given two sets - dry and wet (period). I tape every race but fastforwd through most of it. From a fan's standpoint, I like Indycar much, much better; although I hate a lot of their tracks (tight city and circles).

In the end, for me, F1 is just boat loads of money, glamor, worldwide support, and manufacturer prestige and worldwide advertising. Otherwise, its too often a train of mgr's clones unless outside elements like bad weather make it interesting.

I would argue that, for better or for worse, it's actually auto racing distilled down to its essence: applied engineering.
Pro: if you dig deep into the YouTubes, there are some talking heads that have some great guesses as to what is going on with the cars (and thusly, with how the drives work with/tame/fight the cars).
Con: It's applied engineering, which may make soccer seem like a wild and exciting sport by comparison.

Like waiting for a goal in futbol, the off chance the premiere team of the moment in F1 gets passed is a thrill.
You don't have to dig too far to understand how much is going before, during, and after a race. It is definitely a sport. That said, I'll capitulate that almost everything is preparation, which makes the outcomes seem dreadfully plain.

Well, it is tough these days after 25+ years of addiction. I'm in for the technology and am always disappointed at the dumming down in America commentary/coverage.
I have to say that I'm looking forward to ESPN taking it on this year, and am sure I'll be disappointed when they suck. They have done NOTHING to promote it or to drive it to their audience, it shocks me how lame they have been so far. No pre-season, no commercials, no nothing. You pay all of that and do nothing to promote it.

Second, the new owners of F1 are doing a MUCH better job of making it better for fans, more fun in many ways. Of course getting rid of grid girls sucks but I understand it.

I was in Italy in September for the Ferrari 70th Anniversary (what an experience in Maranello and Modena) plus a stop at the Colnago factory and their TV coverage in Europe was for an hour or more before and after each practice and quali and race with a lot of in-depth reporting, many, many interviews, etc.
I went to Indy back in the days of screaming V10's and near 20K rpms, what a glorious sound and the cars were much "looser" with more driver saves. Now the turbo tiny engines are quiet and the technology means they just go stupidly fast with very little drama and unless there is rain, it is just a parade after quali (which is awesome).
I have gone to Austin most years including the inaugural back in 2012 and really love the track, great sight-lines, easy to hike around and see all the corners (most anyway) and some places multiple corners from one vantage point. I've bought seats a couple of times (when taking wife or son or guests) but usually buy GA tix and just roam the track.
If you have never been, I suggest you go at least once. You'll get it more if you go. Vast sums of money, spectacularly beautiful women, Austin is a great vacation, 6th street is a blast so get there at least once. I have always skipped the concerts but they are doing a good job of creating a second traffic jam each day at the crossover point (F1 fans leaving, concert fans arriving) so that is personal choice, can be a very long day if you are there for every-single-bit-of-on-track-action each day.

you just gave em a brilliant idea. you know how they have SAP for the Spanish channel.
The need a SAP channel for racing enthusiasts who don't need to hear the same blather week in and week out.
We get it tell us the important details. but to your point I haven't seen a single "Coming on ESPN" F1 ad and we're days away from Australia.

It's the tech Bill. you know how geeky I am.
Back in 78 I accidentally wound up in the pits of the Montreal Grand Prix on Saturday. I had ridden in with my buddy who was one of the flag marshals.
What spectacular noises.

But in truth, it started when I was young kid at the drive-in with my dad. We watched Grand Prix.
Five minutes in and I was sold for life, then and there.

dI fell in love w F1 at Watkins Glen in the 70s when it was a true "sport" as defined by Hemingway.

Still like it but Legal Bill has a point. With team budgets in the 100s of millions of dollars it's more like one aerospace contractor versus another.