What I did last night...

[The Black Knight]

I watched the 1998 Argentenian Grand Prix.

The night before I watched the 1998 Hungarian Grand Prix which I personally regard as probably being Schumachers best ever race.

I have them recorded on VHS and, apart from some pretty awful commentating, something really stuck out to me and it was really refreshing:

NO MEDDLING BY THE STEWARDS!

The drivers just raced and trusted in each other to do this. No drivers afraid to make an overtake in case the Stewards handed them a drive through or anything like that - simply racing.

Both these GP were the best races I've watched in a few years.

I never realised how much stewards meddling repulses me until I watched these GP last night and simply sat back and enjoyed a race for what it should be - a race. I long for the return of these days where drivers raced and racing incidents was just that - a racing incident. No meddling from third party's, just drivers with their balls to the walls flat out.

Discuss...

[ioan]

What can one say?
Maybe: Endurance racing here I come!

[TheFamousEccles]

Riposte - theres too much money in F1. QED.

I don't want to be cynical, but I think F1 has extended too far to be simply a "sport", and is verging on an equivalent of thorough-bred horse racing and auctions, etc. I love that there is innovation and speed and danger in this sport, and being a scrubber league bike racer I think I still have no idea how these guys (SBK/MotoGP too) can pilot these things (which themselves are held together with thousands of lines of code) at the speeds they do, for the duration that they do, with the precision that they have. But money and it's clagging effect on sporting endeavour will have its way.

I am sure that many thousands of people are some way paid for involvement in the circus (riggers, comms techs, truck drivers, food stand staff, etc) and that can only really be a good thing, but is many ways F1 has become victim to it's own sucess and by virtue of generating so much money-go-round effect (not to speak of the unimaginable income of BE, and others..many others). Oh my god! It can't be allowed to fail. Aaarrgggghhhh we're all doomed :vader:

[wedge]

I watched the 1998 Argentenian Grand Prix.

The night before I watched the 1998 Hungarian Grand Prix which I personally regard as probably being Schumachers best ever race.

I have them recorded on VHS and, apart from some pretty awful commentating, something really stuck out to me and it was really refreshing:

NO MEDDLING BY THE STEWARDS!

The drivers just raced and trusted in each other to do this. No drivers afraid to make an overtake in case the Stewards handed them a drive through or anything like that - simply racing.

Both these GP were the best races I've watched in a few years.

I never realised how much stewards meddling repulses me until I watched these GP last night and simply sat back and enjoyed a race for what it should be - a race. I long for the return of these days where drivers raced and racing incidents was just that - a racing incident. No meddling from third party's, just drivers with their balls to the walls flat out.

Discuss...

Drivers with balls, hmmmmm... That's not to say drivers and fans weren't moaners about driving standards.

It was the Chop Schuey era and his aggressive blocking as the lights went green aggrieved DC, et al; Hill weaved across the back straight numerous times in Canada to which Schumi retorted to being "dangerous".

And then there's Japan 1989. With or without Senna's big mouth pre-race would it be regarded as a racing incident?

[steveaki13]

I watched the 1998 Argentenian Grand Prix.

The night before I watched the 1998 Hungarian Grand Prix which I personally regard as probably being Schumachers best ever race.

I have them recorded on VHS and, apart from some pretty awful commentating, something really stuck out to me and it was really refreshing:

NO MEDDLING BY THE STEWARDS!

The drivers just raced and trusted in each other to do this. No drivers afraid to make an overtake in case the Stewards handed them a drive through or anything like that - simply racing.

Both these GP were the best races I've watched in a few years.

I never realised how much stewards meddling repulses me until I watched these GP last night and simply sat back and enjoyed a race for what it should be - a race. I long for the return of these days where drivers raced and racing incidents was just that - a racing incident. No meddling from third party's, just drivers with their balls to the walls flat out.

Discuss...

I have watched many old races and agree.

I have raised the issue before when discussing stewards or old races.

[wedge]

I have watched many old races and agree.

I have raised the issue before when discussing stewards or old races.

There is a need for stewards but the current ones are OTT. We have lawyers who use the laws as an easy excuse to apportion blame on drivers.

Adding an a driver to the panel has made little to no difference. It is embarrassing. I feel we need one man who can call the shots and let him be accountable to the media.

Beaux Barfield has done a great job as Chief Steward for ALMS and no so far so good in Indycar.

[steveaki13]

There is a need for stewards but the current ones are OTT. We have lawyers who use the laws as an easy excuse to apportion blame on drivers.

Adding an a driver to the panel has made little to no difference. It is embarrassing. I feel we need one man who can call the shots and let him be accountable to the media.

Beaux Barfield has done a great job as Chief Steward for ALMS and no so far so good in Indycar.

Would probably be the best way, but I can't see them ever giving less penalties now, its too hard to go back.

[Dave B]

I don't mind penalties per se, so long as the stewards are even handed. Too often we've seen one race where every little contact results in a drive-through, followed by another which resembles a demolition derby where no action is taken.