2014 Comment: Dreamcatcher Formula

[eytl]

Hi everyone,

Time for another 2014 season comment article (with another to shortly follow as well!).

Everyone's chipped in their 2c worth about F1's apparent declining popularity and what can be done about it, so why not join in with our views as well? This article expands on a comment which I have previously made on the forum. I reckon everyone's barking up the wrong tree by trying to spice up the show, or better explaining/promoting the technology, or even by asking what the fans want. I think we'd be better served by understanding why people have fallen in love with motorsport in the first place, and what we can learn from that.

Check out my views here: http://www.f1rejects.com/centrale/2014/dreamcatcher/index.html

Cheers,
Enoch

[shinji]

Absolutely outstanding, easily one of the best pieces of F1 journalism I've ever read. Couldn't agree more with every word.

[AndreaModa]

Beautiful article Enoch, you have a way with words that wouldn't look out of place in any of the major motorsport publications, in fact, you're a lot better than most of them! Spot on with the theory, tapping into that emotional side, the link people have with how they discovered the sport, will yield the best result for F1, and your analogy with football is good too. See how emotional everyone gets once the World Cup gets going!

[Miguel98]

Great article there! A great piece of writing, congratulations! And of course, every single word that was written on it I agree with it.

[noiceinmydrink]

Brilliant article Enoch. One of the rare pieces of any kind of journalism that I 100% fully, strongly agree on. I only wish more people in F1 thought the same way about the situation.

[dr-baker]

You definitely have a point. For while the technology is unique in F1 (where else do each team have to design and construct their own machinery?), it was the success of British drivers in a British car that drew me into F1 (Mansell in a Williams in 1992, then his replacement, Damon Hill, becoming a race winner the following season) and gave me a hook to continue watching, a career to follow. And A1GP got me hooked by having a team to follow, there are Brits and ex-F1 drivers to support in IndyCar (plus a driver with a matching chronic health condition, who was born not far from my boarding school!), and I have lost interest in rallying with a lack of distinctive cars (Mini, Subaru, Mitshubishi Evo) and with Kris Meeke not being a consistent presence in the sport.

[dinizintheoven]

Enoch's writing this on a Crosswinds-hosted website that will be seen by a relative handful of people, while Andrew Benson gets to continue drivelling on the BBC.

Is this justice?

This piece should go viral. Someone send it to Bernie and Jean Todt as well.

[LellaLombardi]

Enoch's writing this on a Crosswinds-hosted website that will be seen by a relative handful of people, while Andrew Benson gets to continue drivelling on the BBC.

Is this justice?

This piece should go viral. Someone send it to Bernie and Jean Todt as well.

Completely agree with this. It is a top quality piece of journalism. It always baffles me that an organisation such as the BBC continue to employ a hack like Andrew Benson.

And I agree completely. I'm speaking as a female fan here and so my interest is possibly more inclined towards the personalities and nuances of the drivers. When they are racing it is only possible to see those personalities in the greatest drivers but they all have something to offer out of the cars. Why did we all love the F1 Slate? Because it rather accurately took these personalities and did very funny parodies of them.

Some people on this forum are very against the media hyping up the Hamilton/Rosberg feud but personally I have found it one of the more interesting elements to this year. Admittedly watching Hamilton committing social suicide is quite amusing.

Before the BBC slimmed down its coverage the features they used to do on individual drivers were fascinating and they were the main factor in determining who my favourites were. A particular favourite was the Schumacher/Coulthard tour of Montreal from about 2011 (which I haven't been able to watch since his accident )

It just seems sad that they are so set on "improving the show" when the biggest things that could enhance the sport's image are sitting in the cars.

Just another side note: the FIA as a sport governing body are fairly unique in not having support down to the grass roots level of motorsport. In gymnastics, our governing body relate everything you see on television to what is going on in the smallest of clubs. Kart tracks are very much run without any connection to F1 but could be a valuable way of improving participation as right now only the very wealthiest can take part with their own karts. Plus you can't even think about starting until you are 8 years old, which for 5 year old Mini Lella is an eternity to wait.

[mario]

Hi everyone,

Time for another 2014 season comment article (with another to shortly follow as well!).

Everyone's chipped in their 2c worth about F1's apparent declining popularity and what can be done about it, so why not join in with our views as well? This article expands on a comment which I have previously made on the forum. I reckon everyone's barking up the wrong tree by trying to spice up the show, or better explaining/promoting the technology, or even by asking what the fans want. I think we'd be better served by understanding why people have fallen in love with motorsport in the first place, and what we can learn from that.

Check out my views here: http://www.f1rejects.com/centrale/2014/dreamcatcher/index.html

Cheers,
Enoch

Even as perhaps one of the more technologically orientated fans, I likewise agree that, given the fact that the sport is so geared around the drivers, that they are ultimately the embodiment of what the sport is - they are, quite literally, the face of the sport, for both good and bad. It's hard to empathise with a corporation or outfit, but people flock to somebody like Ricciardo - the happy go lucky attitude that he exudes is a sharp contrast from the corporate image that his team promotes, which perhaps helps make him even more popular (it certainly makes him much easier to relate to).

Just another side note: the FIA as a sport governing body are fairly unique in not having support down to the grass roots level of motorsport. In gymnastics, our governing body relate everything you see on television to what is going on in the smallest of clubs. Kart tracks are very much run without any connection to F1 but could be a valuable way of improving participation as right now only the very wealthiest can take part with their own karts. Plus you can't even think about starting until you are 8 years old, which for 5 year old Mini Lella is an eternity to wait.

I believe that one reason for that is because there is a certain element of ambiguity over how far they can intervene to set up established routes into higher series without the European Commission getting involved - they have already been formally reprimanded after they tried to dictate certain routes through junior series into more senior ones.

Another aspect seems to be the fact that Todt is a very passive - indeed, almost apathetic - figure within the FIA, which perhaps ties in to the rumours that he was more interested in using the FIA to chase up a role with the UN as a road safety expert than actually running the FIA. He doesn't seem to really show much interest in the way that most motorsport series are going, let alone encouraging the next generation into the sport.

[sswishbone]

That was a phenomenal article, not only in writing quality but in what it stood for, it hit the nail square on the head. If we look back to Abu Dhabi 2012, no one really remembers Vettel's overtakes in the latter stages, everyone remembers the immortal quote from Raikonnen. Montreal 2011 also showed a race where it was about heroics when Button overcame extravagant odds to win for Mclaren. But as a whole, you're right, the mysticism and passion just isn't there and that is what it is killing the sport. Even when Bianchi got his points for Marussia at Monaco, his interview was so downplayed and quiet. Imagine what Luca Badoer would have been like had he got that immortal 4th for Minardi, I doubt it would have been underplayed one iota!

[CoopsII]

Yeah, I enjoyed the article too (although perhaps not as orgasmically as some other readers appear to have based on some of the comments above) and it highlights the void between where we are with F1 compared to where, in our heads, we'd like to be. The future is not written, but it is looking grim....

[RAK]

Also agreed on the content of the article, particularly about the concept that automobiles are becoming sterile and more like white-box appliances than things with actual engineering enthusiasm applied to them. Half a point taken off for using Papyrus in the header, though.

[Waris]

Reading that made me shiver a bit. Thanks.

[AndreaModa]

Yeah, I enjoyed the article too (although perhaps not as orgasmically as some other readers appear to have based on some of the comments above)

[Waris]

Yeah, I enjoyed the article too (although perhaps not as orgasmically as some other readers appear to have based on some of the comments above)

[image withheld to protect the innocent]

I think you might get a warning for that, if not worse...

[CoopsII]

Absolutely outstanding, easily one of the best pieces of F1 journalism I've ever read

Beautiful article Enoch, you have a way with words that wouldn't look out of place in any of the major motorsport publications

A great piece of writing, congratulations! And of course, every single word that was written on it I agree with it.

That was a phenomenal article

It is a top quality piece of journalism

Reading that made me shiver a bit

Crikey. The power of the written word, indeed.

[Collieafc]

I rather enjoyed your article Enoch, theres many similarities to how I also fell in love with the sport, and I also agree with your observations, and would also go further in that the whole pay-per-view system that F1 coverage is heading also risks in reducing future fans. After all, how can anybody flick through the channels and come across F1 when its no longer there?

[eytl]

Thanks very much for all the complimentary comments. After almost 15 years of generating content for this site I'm grateful that so many of you (OK, so it's less than Andrew Benson's readership, but still ...) remain appreciative of what I write.

Some people on this forum are very against the media hyping up the Hamilton/Rosberg feud but personally I have found it one of the more interesting elements to this year. Admittedly watching Hamilton committing social suicide is quite amusing.

That's an interesting comment Lella and of course you're more than entitled to enjoy the tension between them. Although I'm also reminded that my last opinion piece was actually to criticise the media for beating up the HAM-ROS feud and to criticise Hamilton for taking the bait! I guess my personal attitude would be that real heroes, real emotion and passion, and real spellbinding deeds don't necessary need conflicts and feuds, especially if it feels manufactured.

[noiceinmydrink]

Crikey. The power of the written word, indeed.

POWER OF THE DRAWN PICTURE

[Collieafc]

Thanks very much for all the complimentary comments. After almost 15 years of generating content for this site I'm grateful that so many of you (OK, so it's less than Andrew Benson's readership, but still ...) remain appreciative of what I write.

Thats because its more authentic and balanced than most "professional" sources and your articles raise good talking points and debate too

[roblo97]

That article easily one of the best I have ever read!

It's hard to empathise with a corporation or outfit, but people flock to somebody like Ricciardo - the happy go lucky attitude that he exudes is a sharp contrast from the corporate image that his team promotes, which perhaps helps make him even more popular (it certainly makes him much easier to relate to).

Exactly, my mum really likes Ricciardo for that reason you mentioned, despite the fact that she doesn't really care to much about F1.

[Alextrax52]

That was a really touching article Enoch. Every word I agree with. Enoch to replace Benson?

[noiceinmydrink]

Former Forumla Juan driver Juan Montoya who Juan a couple of grands prix with Williams FJuan and McLaren FJuan but never quite won the Formula Juan world championship seems to agree on the same page as Enoch.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/115359

Juan is number Juan.

[Laurinaaa]

Former Forumla Juan driver Juan Montoya who Juan a couple of grands prix with Williams FJuan and McLaren FJuan but never quite won the Formula Juan world championship seems to agree on the same page as Enoch.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/115359

Juan is number Juan.

Juan can never have too many Juan puns within Juan post.

Juanderful.

[Cynon]

Excellent read, Enoch. The kind of daring racing I grew up watching (and still do watch) involved cars narrowly avoiding each other and having to run right next to concrete walls in order to be fast. Be it at Long Beach or Darlington, I've always found racing to be much more interesting when mistakes are punished with a warm introduction to concrete or a spin off the course into GRASS or GRAVEL.

On a similar note, my girlfriend and I watched Sunday's NASCAR race at Watkins Glen, largely because I had left the TV on by accident and it was still on and she insisted we watch until the end of the race. That being said, as the race went on, I did fill her in on a few of the personalities of the drivers running at the front of the field, A.J. Allmendinger and Marcos Ambrose in particular.

The story of Allmendinger's adderall problems and return to IndyCar and NASCAR really struck home, I think, so by race's end, I wasn't the only one in the room happy that Allmendinger won the race. His celebrations, which included a few flying hugs on his crew, did not go unnoticed. Allmendinger earned himself a new fan.

I don't think she much cared about the engine sounds, but more of the human element in the sport -- a human element that is alive and well from the amusing Hamilton/Rosberg "feud".

Former Forumla Juan driver Juan Montoya who Juan a couple of grands prix with Williams FJuan and McLaren FJuan but never quite won the Formula Juan world championship seems to agree on the same page as Enoch.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/115359

Juan is number Juan.

Juan more pun, and I will declare you as the Obi-Juan Kenobi of these puns.

[Rocks with Salt]

Um, I hate to point this out, but my anti-virus says that the URL has a trojan on it and won't let me view it. Is there an alternate link?

[CoopsII]

Um, I hate to point this out, but my anti-virus says that the URL has a trojan on it and won't let me view it.

Is it the best shiver-inducing top-quality phenomenal trojan you've ever had though?

[eytl]

Um, I hate to point this out, but my anti-virus says that the URL has a trojan on it and won't let me view it. Is there an alternate link?

I have taken some rectifying measures - try the page again now and see if the problem is still there.