I know you've all been waiting eagerly to find out whether I'd be converted to the attractions of F1 after my weekend of corporate entertaining in Bahrain!
First the good news:
The corporate entertainment was excellent. Champagne, wine and beer flowing and excellent food.
The facilities at the track are first class.
The atmosphere at the track on sunday was great.
The pit lane walks were OK, but once you've seen bits of cars in one garage (is that what they call them?), there's not a lot to get interested in when you see the same bits of cars (but with a different paint job) all the way down the pit lane.
Now the bad news:
The first two days, Practice and Qualifying, are a complete waste of time from a spectator point of view.
The race itself? Well:
You have no idea who's driving what car (particularly as the manufacturers each have two cars) unless you look at the TV screens. Now, if you have to watch TV to know what's going on, why are you there in person?
You have no idea who's winning ... unless you look at the TV screens and if you have to watch TV .....
There was no overtaking (none that I witnessed) so you saw the same parade of cars going round and round and round and round the track with the only changes in the order happening after pit stops. How incredibly boring is that? It's like that bit in the movie The Truman Show when he realises that the same parade of cars, bicycles and walkers keeps passing his house.
Then it's over and the winners get presented with whatever the winners get presented with on the podium. How can you see this ... for most people the only way is on the TV screens ... now if you have to be near a TV screen to know what's going on .....
It is VERY NOISY.
Verdict: F1 is a rubbish spectator sport.
Thank you.
First the good news:
The corporate entertainment was excellent. Champagne, wine and beer flowing and excellent food.
The facilities at the track are first class.
The atmosphere at the track on sunday was great.
The pit lane walks were OK, but once you've seen bits of cars in one garage (is that what they call them?), there's not a lot to get interested in when you see the same bits of cars (but with a different paint job) all the way down the pit lane.
Now the bad news:
The first two days, Practice and Qualifying, are a complete waste of time from a spectator point of view.
The race itself? Well:
You have no idea who's driving what car (particularly as the manufacturers each have two cars) unless you look at the TV screens. Now, if you have to watch TV to know what's going on, why are you there in person?
You have no idea who's winning ... unless you look at the TV screens and if you have to watch TV .....
There was no overtaking (none that I witnessed) so you saw the same parade of cars going round and round and round and round the track with the only changes in the order happening after pit stops. How incredibly boring is that? It's like that bit in the movie The Truman Show when he realises that the same parade of cars, bicycles and walkers keeps passing his house.
Then it's over and the winners get presented with whatever the winners get presented with on the podium. How can you see this ... for most people the only way is on the TV screens ... now if you have to be near a TV screen to know what's going on .....
It is VERY NOISY.
Verdict: F1 is a rubbish spectator sport.
Thank you.
)
