A Commentary on the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with Parker Kligerman

A Message from PK

Hey all! Like me, you may have been fired up about this past weekend's F1 race and for good reason. It was the most visual and stark example of F1’s transition from “purity of sport” to entertainment. Before I get into the why though, a quick note about something cool we have been doing at eRacr. 

 About three weeks ago we started a channel in our Discord called “F1 Breakfast” a place to allow our community to discuss F1. Eventually we created a voice channel too for the Saudi Arabian GP that had 30+ people all watching the race together (and screaming), it was awesome! If you want a place to be social about F1 - Join our Discord! I’m in there all the time 

So back to the topic of the weekend. Well unless you’ve been under a rock, the final F1 race of the year had the two championship contenders in Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton tied. They both started on the front row of the grid and only half-way through the first lap we had the first controversy of the race. Max made a late lunge at Lewis into a chicane and Lewis proceeded to shortcut the track and kept the lead without having to give the place back. This I felt was a problem.I am all for letting racers race, as I have been known to spout off about officials over-officiating and I am vehemently opposed to track limits, which I believe are an arbitrary, sanitized and clumsy way to stop racing from evolving with modern track design that has paved run-off. But in this case, Lewis simply made the track shorter...Like a lot shorter. If you do this and dont give back the place that was being contested, then I don't really know why anyone would take the corners ever. The officials got this call wrong. 

Fast-forward to the end when a late safety car was called for the smashed up Williams of Nicholas Latifi. Thus started the controversy of whether the race would be restarted and what to do with the lap down cars that were between Lewis Hamilton in the lead and Max Verstappen in second? From the start of this caution the ethos of the F1 of the past and the F1 of now, were in a constant battle. What the hell is Parker talking about? 

Remember my line about purity of the sport vs entertainment? If you have followed F1 for as long as I have and read about its history. Like many European sports, it was never designed to be entertaining. It was designed to see who could build the fastest car and who could drive them the best, on circuits around the world, to crown a World Champion. The fact that it became entertaining was a bonus!

This is why in recent years as F1 has realized that to become the global force it should be, it had to admit something - It is entertainment. With this came access like Drive to Survive, far more safety cars instead of virtual safety cars and budget caps that will provide parody amongst the grid to make races more entertaining. Lastly a car design that is more restrictive of what the teams can design and build (Like all other motorsports are doing).Yet, the only thing that has not kept up with F1’s change in ethos to becoming an entertainment first sport, is the rules. What occurred Sunday was a rule set & design created with the ethos of the F1 of old, mixed with the subjective race calling of an entity that wanted the best show. 

Which I love! Bring on the best show. But what will have to happen for F1 to keep the fever around it, is the rule book now needs to be adjusted & designed to provide the best show and not hide behind a guise of purity of the sport. 

In the end - Max Verstappen is and should be champion. He won under the way the race officials called the race and we had a damn good show. With a redesigned rule set, thats all we would be discussing - The show. That's what you want when you're in the business of entertainment

Like this? Be sure to check out the first episode of the brand new eRacr Podcast! Also it needs a name!- Parker

Join the Discussion! 

Hit the button below and join our discord! Share your thoughts on the hectic F1 finale or your best silly season predictions in the new #F1Breakfast chat! 

COMING SOON!

Love, 

eRacr Team