Formula 1: Past, Present, and Future

Since we spend almost all our time rambling about drivers, the FIA, and the cars themselves, I feel like we aren't giving nearly enough credit to where modern Formula 1 actually takes place—or rather, the types of tracks being used. Now, to be fair, we do occasionally touch on these topics when discussing specific races, but I’d love to start a dedicated thread specifically to dive into this issue.

I stumbled upon this news story recently:

Where exactly is Formula 1 heading? We are losing those legendary European tracks because they simply can't afford the hosting fees, and what are we getting in return? Just a string of venues like Dubai, Sophia, or Singapore and Azerbaijan acting as the European Grand Prix 😵

Sure, the tracks themselves are ultra-modern and high-tech, but let's be honest—the races have become a bit of a lullaby. It often feels like you're just sitting there waiting for pit stops just to see a single position change.

Is Formula 1 eventually going to dig its own grave? And looking back, when were the moments you truly enjoyed Formula 1 the most?

Formula 1 just heads straight to whatever country is willing to cut Bernie the biggest check.

F1 isn't even about racing anymore—it's basically just a massive billboard for dictators trying to polish their image.

If it weren't for Red Bull, we wouldn't even have the Austrian Grand Prix. Honestly, we should just call it the Red Bull Grand Prix.

The day Monza gets dropped from the calendar is the day I officially stop watching Formula 1.

Not that I’m watching much anyway.

And why should I? NASCAR, IndyCar, and Australian V8 give me way more thrills than Formula 1 ever could.

And obviously, Formula E is just a total blast.

I look forward to every single Formula E race with the same hype I used to have for every upcoming Formula 1 race.

jadeseal7 said:Since we spend almost all our time rambling about drivers, the FIA, and the cars themselves, I feel like we aren't giving nearly enough credit to where modern Formula 1 actually takes place—or rather, the types of tracks being used. Now, to be fair, we do occasionally touch on these topics when discussing specific races, but I’d love to start a dedicated thread specifically to dive into this issue.

I stumbled upon this news story recently:

Where exactly is Formula 1 heading? We are losing those legendary European tracks because they simply can't afford the hosting fees, and what are we getting in return? Just a string of venues like Dubai, Sophia, or Singapore and Azerbaijan acting as the European Grand Prix 😵

Sure, the tracks themselves are ultra-modern and high-tech, but let's be honest—the races have become a bit of a lullaby. It often feels like you're just sitting there waiting for pit stops just to see a single position change.

Is Formula 1 eventually going to dig its own grave? And looking back, when were the moments you truly enjoyed Formula 1 the most?

About 10 or 15 years ago—back before we had all this DRS nonsense, two-compound tire strategies, manufactured overtakes, and those lifeless tracks. Nowadays, just like Joe says, I find myself enjoying other series more. I'm big on NASCAR, the Indianapolis 500, WRC...

neonfox65 said:About 10 or 15 years ago—back before we had all this DRS nonsense, two-compound tire strategies, manufactured overtakes, and those lifeless tracks. Nowadays, just like Joe says, I find myself enjoying other series more. I'm big on NASCAR, the Indianapolis 500, WRC...

So you peaked during the 2000-2004 seasons...
I gotta say, your post caught me totally off guard...

They truly began making a mess of things back in the early 2000s when they went ahead and ruined the Hockenheimring, not to mention the fact that they moved the 1984 Nürburgring to a completely new—and significantly inferior—track layout altogether.

Formula 1 isn't the core issue here.
The real problem is the declining quality of everyday life!
Formula 1 was never meant to be the sun that our daily lives orbit around.
Because money is tight and people are stuck at home—just scrolling through their screens all day long—
Formula 1 has turned into a breeding ground for manufactured, mindless news cycles. It’s how we've seen
this artificial sense of
supply and demand for the sport grow over the last decade or so—thanks to the internet and tech evolution.
It used to be simple: you had a race every two weeks, you watched it, maybe made a comment or two, and then went back to your actual life.
Now, when nearly half of the younger generation is struggling to find work, suddenly everyone becomes an "expert" on Formula 1...

And honestly, why should Formula 1 even be the main focus?
There are plenty of other racing series out there—and plenty of other sports, too—where you can
get your adrenaline fix just fine...

stormybadger8 said:So you peaked during the 2000-2004 seasons...
I gotta say, your post caught me totally off guard...

I've been following Formula 1 since 2001, but honestly, my absolute favorites were the 2005 and 2006 seasons—back when Alonso and Renault were absolutely dominating everything.

swiftmaker12 said:Formula 1 isn't the core issue here.
The real problem is the declining quality of everyday life!
Formula 1 was never meant to be the sun that our daily lives orbit around.
Because money is tight and people are stuck at home—just scrolling through their screens all day long—
Formula 1 has turned into a breeding ground for manufactured, mindless news cycles. It’s how we've seen
this artificial sense of
supply and demand for the sport grow over the last decade or so—thanks to the internet and tech evolution.
It used to be simple: you had a race every two weeks, you watched it, maybe made a comment or two, and then went back to your actual life.
Now, when nearly half of the younger generation is struggling to find work, suddenly everyone becomes an "expert" on Formula 1...

And honestly, why should Formula 1 even be the main focus?
There are plenty of other racing series out there—and plenty of other sports, too—where you can
get your adrenaline fix just fine...

You're totally off base, Gufac. It's not quite that bleak. Though yeah, the internet definitely killed the hype. It used to be that part of the fun was actually waiting for news, photos, or the next race. Now everything is instant and spoiled immediately.

neonfox65 said:I've been following Formula 1 since 2001, but honestly, my absolute favorites were the 2005 and 2006 seasons—back when Alonso and Renault were absolutely dominating everything.

Those 2005-2006 seasons were like 8 or 9 years ago. That's not even your "glory days" from 10-15 years back.😉

Look, since you already let it slip, just admit it: Michael Schumacher is your GOAT. I don't get why you're acting shy about it.🐔

I rounded up to 10 years—and honestly, I never was much of a fan of John Smith👋

ruggedhawk20 said:You're totally off base, Gufac. It's not quite that bleak. Though yeah, the internet definitely killed the hype. It used to be that part of the fun was actually waiting for news, photos, or the next race. Now everything is instant and spoiled immediately.

I'm with him on that one, totally feel the same way. Even for me, it happens once in a blue moon where I'll head down to the beach on a Sunday and realize I didn't even check the race results. It’s rare, but a few years ago, that was basically impossible.
I'm with you too, Joseph. I remember picking up copies of Car and Driver back around '82; you'd spend two whole weeks waiting for the next issue just for a tiny blurb about the race and maybe one or two black-and-white photos. Of course, I used to cut them all out and keep them in an archive.
Well, I was only 15 back then, so everything felt massive! But yeah, it's all just "back in the day" now.

I just had this random memory flash of an old radio show—you probably remember it, back when they’d run "Afternoon Delight" followed by sports and music. There was this specific jingle:

And then you’d get those commentators calling in from stadiums all over the country. Honestly, I think half the population was glued to their radios back then. A goal would be scored, and suddenly some guy is breaking down the stats and complex math of the play... that's just how much attention that sports segment used to command on the airwaves 😁 though I suppose if you want to see how a team like the Miami Dolphins handles playing an away game in some remote corner of the South, you'll have to wait and see 😁

Everything felt bigger back then—especially when it came to sports, including Formula 1. It actually drew massive crowds, whereas today, it feels like it's just a small group of die-hard fanatics—or maybe just nostalgic folks, I don't know. That’s just my two cents, anyway.

Peter Carter6 said:I'm with him on that one, totally feel the same way. Even for me, it happens once in a blue moon where I'll head down to the beach on a Sunday and realize I didn't even check the race results. It’s rare, but a few years ago, that was basically impossible.
I'm with you too, Joseph. I remember picking up copies of Car and Driver back around '82; you'd spend two whole weeks waiting for the next issue just for a tiny blurb about the race and maybe one or two black-and-white photos. Of course, I used to cut them all out and keep them in an archive.
Well, I was only 15 back then, so everything felt massive! But yeah, it's all just "back in the day" now.

+1, especially for the bolded part.