Yas Marina Proves F1 Does Need Britain

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Tuesday 3rd November 2009

For the first time in quite a few years I actually sat down, put my feet up, grabbed a cup of coffee and watched a Formula One race, the Abu Dhabi GP, without having to worry about commentary or anything else. And I almost fell asleep.

That was not what Formula One is about. At least for the sport's sake, I hope not.

I remember the first F1 grand prix I ever watched live, it was the 2001 British GP at the in-doubt-and-often-criticised Silverstone circuit.

The race was won by Mika Hakkinen, with Ferrari's Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello finishing on the podium. Not a bad result given the quality of those three drivers. But it was the actual race that caught the attention.

Jarno Trulli started it with a bang, colliding with David Coulthard's McLaren at the first corner, Jacques Villenueve booted Olivier Panis out of the race, Hakkinen blew past Schumacher at the start of the fifth lap with Juan Pablo Montoya following suit.

Catching Hakkinen, Montoya tussled for the lead before pitting. Left in clean air, Hakkinen etched out a lead that the one-stopping Schumacher wasn't able to close while Barrichello finished third after keeping Montoya at bay.

There was also fun and games between Williams' team-mates Montoya and Ralf Schumacher with the latter damaging his team-mate's race by refusing to move over despite lacking pace. Ralf's antics came to naught as his engine later blew.

Now that was racing. It was great racing, it was edge-of-your-seat racing. To put it simply: that was racing.

Who really cared about being the middle of an airfield, the muddy car parks, the long queues and the traffic jams? We had just watched Formula One excellence!

Sadly, the same cannot be said of Yas Marina.

Setting sun, flood lights, beautiful asthetics, the Yas Marina circuit has it all, well, all except racing.

Two passes at the start worth noting, Fernando Alonso later getting by Romain Grosjean, Adrian Sutil also passing the Renault rookie and a late charge by Jenson Button on Mark Webber for second place and Giancarlo Fisichella taking, you guessed it, Grosjean. That was it. And I'm not kidding.

Even the Asian GP2 races in the build-up weren't worth mentioning as they lacked the excitement and drama that often goes hand-in-hand with the youngsters of the series.

All the beauty and money in the world and Yas Marina could not and did not deliver.

Fans don't care about the pit facilities, the media center, the flashy lights on the buildings that go by - you can only go 'ohhh, ahhhh' over the lights for so long.

They don't care that the asphalt is a pretty blue or even that there's a run-off area under the grandstand. What's the point when the run-off is so vast there's no way a driver will hit the wall or that it runs under the grandstand but only one driver will make use of it - and in a rather boring manner in practice.

Who cares if the track has the longest straight in Formula One when even the new World Champion couldn't overtake Webber's somewhat-ailing Red Bull at the end of it?

What is the point of the all the money, the hype and the season-ending placement when there isn't any racing?

If this is the Formula One that Bernie Ecclestone wants then I think Formula One is in serious trouble.

Michelle Foster

Your Comments

Aardvark

"Well the 2 day deadline has come and gone and now noise from B.E. (It would be disrespectful to put what I call him. No swear words but I don't think Planet F1 would allow it) or have I missed it? Is the British G.P. on or off?"

deangelis

"In defense of Yas Marina. The circuit has had one race. Yes, one race. One race ONLY. The fact is, all the circuits have boring races sometimes. ALL OF THEM. Just like some football games are sometimes boring. If Man Utd play a boring game, it does not mean that Man Utd are a boring side. We have just not seen enough racing there yet. Please give it time. Secondly, with nothing to play for in the last race, it is not surprising that the drivers, who have never driven there before, chose to play it safe, and to come back next year for a full season, and with their lives in tact. Patience is the key. Thirdly, everyone remembers "the good old days". I just don't believe that, at all. Why? Because I watched the good old days. I didn't watch them on YouTube, where all the good bits are put together. I watched them in real time, and there were many many many boring races. Planet F1 is full of teenager comments, who think the 80's and 90's were so much more exciting. That is just not the case. These comments say more about the commentators than they think. The bottom end of it, is that people who know little of what they are talking about, shouldn't hold such strong opinions. If you don't like F1, then switch it off, but if you think it is less exciting today, then you need to take off the rose tinted glasses, and think back to many many processional races we have watched. My guess is that nearly all the negative comments are coming from people who were just a "glint in the milkman's eye" when Mansell and Senna were racing, and as such, they are not qualified to talk about the subject. To remind you, YouTube just shows the good bits. Finally, someone said this season will be remembered not for Button, but for spygate. That is a lie. That is how THEY will remember it, as they are not into F1. Fans will think of Brawn and Button. "

deangelis

"Andy. You said this was a boring season. You said "what is the point of F1". I also ask "what is the point of golf". But then, I don't watch golf, or make comments on golf forums. I strongly suggest you stop watching F1. It is obviously not for you. But please, leave quietly. I don't go around golf courses asking people "what is the point of golf". I let them get on with it. I just choose to not get involved or watch it. The F1 circuits do have issues, but when reading planet F1, we also have an issue with the fans. The fans who comment on Planet F1, compared to say, the BBC's website, are obviously very unhappy, and miserable in their outlook and as a result, it is clear they are not F1 fans, just opinionated people with an axe to grind. The past 3 years have been awesome. If you think previous seasons were more exciting, then you have not been watching the same F1 I have, or, as I expect, you are very new to F1, and just don't like it. That is fine. It really really is. There is not requirement to like F1. But just stop watching it, and move on, rather than trying to pull everyone down to your opinion, just to make you feel better."

rich1701

"I was at that race in 2001, There was a sea of DC fans and the atmosphere was electric, the view at maggots stunning. Silverstone has soul, the history, passion and one of the greatest track layouts on the calender. All Yas Marina has is impressive facilities and an oversized car park with a rubbish excuse for a track painted on it. If silverstone goes people will shed a tear or two, if ANY of the new circuits introduce in the last 5 years went, nobody would give a damn. "

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