3 MIN READ TIME

The Aesthete Stephen Bayley

The truth is out: Formula 1 is boring. And it’s the cars’ fault

It’s difficult to ignore modern Formula 1, but well worth making the effort. The casuistry is ludicrous. ‘Exceeding track limits’ is a travesty of the competitive spirit that animates real sport. It’s as daft as accusing someone of ‘kicking the ball too hard’. The other day, a racing team was fined for adjusting tyre pressures. This is feeble stuff. I realised I no longer watched the races, not even the highlights. Formula 1 is like childbirth in that no one ever dares tell the truth about it. If they did, humanity would come to an end and Grand Prix racing would stop.

But here comes that truth: Formula 1 is boring. Partly because it is over-regulated to the point of inanition and partly because it has become a stage-managed event, like the WWE Friday Night Smackdown, but mostly because the cars are.

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Octane
January 25
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