[Sky Sports F1]

Jenson Button has clinched the Formula One World Championship after finishing fifth in the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos.

Button takes title in Brazil

[disco stu]

A deserved champion in my humble opinion...particularly in light of yesterday's drive (he really is the best overtaker in the current field).

Many congratulations Jenson.

What about Ross Brawn thouigh, guys? He is something else isn't he. No way would this have happened without his hand on the tiller.

[Bob Tanner]

Cinched with a race left on the sked. Hmmm...? Maybe F1 needs a "Chase for the Championship?"

(How's THAT for an example of how to lose credibility and friends, all at the same time?)

[DOF_power]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Cinched with a race left on the sked. Hmmm...? Maybe F1 needs a "Chase for the Championship?"

(How's THAT for an example of how to lose credibility and friends, all at the same time?)

Well you're not gonna have a championship decided on the last corner of the last lap of the last race every year.

( But with the Montoya - Martin incident last week the Chase is pretty much over. Well maybe Talladega ...

F1 did have a Chase like system BTW.
Only since 1991 did it switched to a system where all the races count equally and the point are no longer reset.
The most infamous scenario witch lead to the demise of the old system was Senna "beating" Prost in 1988 by 94 points vs. 105 points had all the races been counted and the points not reset.)

[WestCoast]

Looking back at the Schumacher years, there were years where he won the Title with 6 or 4 races left.
So yes, you have to do something to make it a bit more interesting, unless your a big fan of test sessions and tire testing.

[DOF_power]

Originally Posted by WestCoast

Looking back at the Schumacher years, there were years where he won the Title with 6 or 4 races left.
So yes, you have to do something to make it a bit more interesting, unless your a big fan of test sessions and tire testing.

Why do you have to, when it still backfires ?!
What are you gonna do now, a Chase within and Chase ?!

[Bob Tanner]

Thanks, DOF. I wasn't aware of the previous points formula for F1. Ditto my reply to WC in another thread. Thanks.

Winning by huge marginal is just an occupational hazard for any fan who follows any sport which relies on a point system and a season championship. Some years it's close and others, not so much.

The only realistic solution I can think of, which wouldn't involve complete orchestration of the points, would be to have one-race season with the winner of that race taking home all the marbles. That way the importance of the individual race and the championship would be one in the same.

[DOF_power]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Thanks, DOF. I wasn't aware of the previous points formula for F1. Ditto my reply to WC in another thread. Thanks.

Winning by huge marginal is just an occupational hazard for any fan who follows any sport which relies on a point system and a season championship. Some years it's close and others, not so much.

The only realistic solution I can think of, which wouldn't involve complete orchestration of the points, would be to have one-race season with the winner of that race taking home all the marbles. That way the importance of the individual race and the championship would be one in the same.

I watch Moto GP (and World Superbikes) because once in while they have good on track action, the kind you don't see in F1 and that's not a result of manipulation like in NASCAR, and because the teams can still push the envelope/innovate (till next year) and transfer some of that technology onto their production bikes.

A close championship battle is a bonus, but not a reason to watch.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by DOF_power

I watch Moto GP (and World Superbikes) because once in while they have good on track action, the kind you don't see in F1 and that's not a result of manipulation like in NASCAR, and because the teams can still push the envelope/innovate (till next year) and transfer some of that technology onto their production bikes.

A close championship battle is a bonus, but not a reason to watch.

I could not agree more, but you realize of course that thinking such as this is anachronistic, don't you? It's rapidly going the way of pay telephone booths, cameras which use film and men's hats.

[WestCoast]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

I could not agree more, but you realize of course that thinking such as this is anachronistic, don't you? It's rapidly going the way of pay telephone booths, cameras which use film and men's hats.

Sorry guys, actual racing for a "meaningful" championship is a bit more riveting than an exhibition in doing laps and saving yourself for next year.

[DOF_power]

Originally Posted by WestCoast

Sorry guys, actual racing for a "meaningful" championship is a bit more riveting than an exhibition in doing laps and saving yourself for next year.

What do you mean by actual racing ?!

Actual racing, IMO, was killed by the championships.

The spec/semi-spec "racecars", the blatant manipulation, the hype and over-importance given to the "personalities" and to the "events" is not auto racing for me.

[WestCoast]

Originally Posted by DOF_power

Actual racing, IMO, was killed by the championships.

The spec/semi-spec "racecars", the blatant manipulation, the hype and over-importance given to the "personalities" and to the "events" is not auto racing for me.

I think your confusing this tread with a NASCAR one, as I don't remember F1 drivers having too many personalities or ones that are hyped through any TV broadcast anyway.
But, if the Championship has been decided 6 or 4 races ago, I guess there is still the Constructors championship, and the back-marker races for 14 & 15 position that some find fascinating.

[DOF_power]

Originally Posted by WestCoast

I think your confusing this tread with a NASCAR one, as I don't remember F1 drivers having too many personalities or ones that are hyped through any TV broadcast anyway.
But, if the Championship has been decided 6 or 4 races ago, I guess there is still the Constructors championship, and the back-marker races for 14 & 15 position that some find fascinating.

Please tell you're not living in Europe, particularly Britain, Spain, Germany or Italy.

If I see another Hamilton Vodafone billboard or commercial I'm gonna go nuts. Well at least now I won't see those stupid Alonso cardboard thing when I'll go to ING.

Well at least the TV commentators don't go into the Senna can split the Red Sea and walk on water mode.

As the to the personalities, well they're kinda lacking personality.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by WestCoast

Sorry guys, actual racing for a "meaningful" championship is a bit more riveting than an exhibition in doing laps and saving yourself for next year.

I going to respectfully disagree, insofar as me, personally, is concerned. I can't, off the top of my head, think of any race I've ever attended, be it local, USAC, ARCA, the three F1 races I've attended, or any of the NASCAR ones, which I was interested in the championship. I was focused on the action in that one, single race.

I wasn't a big F1 fan when I went to Estoril and Jerez to see them race. There were a handful of drivers I had a familiarity with, but would have been hard pressed to tell you where they were in points or what the point spread was. I went for the race (and, in Jerez, the Tio Pepe hospitality tent!).

I was an OTR truck driver for the final years of pre-full retirement days and many the weekend I was in Bakersfield, Denver, Knoxville, Hagerstown, Joplin and several points in between and dropped my trailer and bob-tailed to the nearest race track on a Friday or Saturday. The tracks ran the gauntlet of well done. From Thunder Road in Vermont to a little dirt pit, which I don't even remember the name of, just outside of Texarkana, AR). Some of the very best racing I have ever seen was at tracks like these where not only didn't I know what the point standing was, I didn't even know a single driver!

Nope, I'm just gonna have to respectfully disagree with you on this one. As far as I'm concerned, championships are vastly over rated, no matter what league or series they're in. That doesn't make the people who follow championships wrong; it just means that it doesn't "fit" for me.

[DOF_power]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

I could not agree more, but you realize of course that thinking such as this is anachronistic, don't you? It's rapidly going the way of pay telephone booths, cameras which use film and men's hats.

Sadly it's anachronistic, from the perspective of the casuals of today, but it shouldn't be.