We always look on the past with fond memories. It's no coincidence that the grass is not just greener on the other side, it's also velvety smooth in our memories.
If you look at the sporting revolution over the past fifteen years, it's not hard to realise that sport has morphed from a game to a business: a powerful industry that earns billions of dollars of revenue worldwide each year.
If you take a closer look over the past two generations of Formula One Racing you can see that they have led this revolution.
Passing judgement
You can't simply attack the validity or credibility of the sport. There are too many factors and variables to consider before making a judgement on whether the sport has lost its pure essence of racing that once made it so great.
Car or driver?
Firstly, there is the obvious problem staring at you right in the face. The uneasy question that cuts straight to the heart of Formula One racing. Do you still have to be a good driver or is it the fastest car now wins the race? A fair question that deserves an answer. Unfortunately, I'm not going to give it you, as it's my question to ask it, not to answer it.
If I was an employee of F1 Racing I would state my case by saying that Formula One is a team sport, and it's a team effort to get the most out of a car and a driver. A fair answer, although there is still looming doubt as each car is allegedly strictly on the same level playing field.
Cash?
Secondly, another sticking point is the amount of advertisement used by each team and the track venues used. The sport is now a travelling billboard for major international brands looking to cash in on the superb TV coverage of F1 Racing. The way the sport is travelling, and all sport in general, you have to wonder what the F1 landscape will look like in 20 years.
F1 Future?
Will there be a need for actual drivers? Will the sport be controlled by the same governing body? Will Formula 3 surge into a major tour as people flock to a less predictable motor racing sport? It's going to be interesting watching this unfold over the not too distant future, enjoy.
Josh Hinds is a school chaplain on the Gold Coast, a family man and PSI's IT professional. Josh is an experienced writer on international sport.
Josh Hinds' previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/joshua-hinds.html
