Can things look any worse for Formula 1?

By Parminio
May 4 2005

This is just more than F1 can really bear at this time. It's done nothing but get worse and worse for the fans who, in all of the hooplah, have been completely forgotten about by all of the powers that be in Formula 1.

More and more, fans are tuning out Formula 1. It's been a down hill slide for several years now and with recent events there's no end in sight. It all started with the Domination of Ferrari in 2002. Both the Drivers and Constructors championships were decided long before the end of the season resulting in the worst ratings in decades. In an effort to prevent that from happening again, the FIA changed the rules to make the show more interesting.

It has failed miserably. Since 2002, the qualifying format and car technical specifications have been changed every year. The result has been worse nearly every year. In fact, the qualifying format of 2005 has been slammed so much by the fans, media and even most of the F1 teams that there are talks about changing it yet again.

Then of course we have the argument on cutting cost that has been raging for a few years as well. With everything as bad as it is, we had Paul Stoddard making a scene at the first race in Australia over the fact that he couldn't afford to make a legal car. After the pitched melee in the media over Ferrari's objection to Minardi running an old car, Ferrari granted their permission to Minardi only to have the race stewards shoot them down. After the black eye on the sport, the rumours, anger, hate and everything else that goes with it, Minardi produced 2 legal cars the next day.

Then of course we had the "Gentlemens Agreement" signed by everyone but Ferrari to limit testing. Ferrari went on the record that they would test at will, and once again the pitched melee in the media began giving Ferrari a bit of a black eye. All of this became moot a few days ago however, as McLaren, Red Bull and Jordan took part in a private test session at an airfield which essentially broke the "Gentlemens Agreement".

Now we have "The Bonnie Situation" with BAR. Jenson Button's BAR was found to be underweigt at Imola after the fuel was drained. After BAR gave an explanation to the Stewards, the Stewards cleared the car and Button retained his 3rd place finish only to have the FIA appeal the decision of it's own Stewards. The hearing is today. If found guilty, the FIA is asking that BAR be ejected from the FIA Formula 1 championship.

All of this happening in a sport that has lost more and more teams to bankruptcy and more and more fans out of not only moronic rule changes, but total inconsistancy in rules, regulations and behavior. It's gotten so bad with Formula 1, that even NASCAR has noticed it.

NASCAR now has a plan to be hosting races in Europe within the next 8 years. If it will be a success is anybody's guess, but one thing is certain: If Formula 1 doesn't get it's act together, and in a big way, they'll wake up in a few years and find they have no fans left at all.