F1: The Ultimate Insult

It was recently brought to my attention that F1 is more exciting racing than IndyCar.

I have a four-word response to that person:

What are you smoking?

Only if I am having trouble falling asleep would I dare waste my time with F-1, which is a series overwhelmed by arrogance, scandal, controversy and less passing than on a rural country road.

I agree oval racing suffers from extended caution periods, but as far as full-course cautions on road courses are concerned F1 fans should be infatuated with IRL races because that is what an F1 race is: one giant full-course caution. F-1 showcases a slow and dreary parade of million-dollar machines. If I want to watch a real parade, I’ll watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

As far as the IRL having a single engine manufacturer, I see no serious issue. I would rather see each team and driver on a level playing field compared to F1, which has a handful of engines; only a few of which are competitive.

Michael Schumacher, despite all his wins and championships, is the most overrated driver in the history of auto racing. I lost any and all respect for Schumacher in 2002 when he told 60 Minutes that the Indianapolis 500 is a step down from Formula One.

Who does this guy think he is? I think he is scared. He is scared to go 230 mph with a chance of losing. He, and the rest of his pompous F1 comrades, would much rather maneuver their way around a course with speeds ranging from 60-200 mphs (mostly closer to 60mph).

In IndyCar, drivers and teams have to work for their wins from start to finish. In F1, fans might as well change the channel after the first turn because the race is over at that point.

F1 drivers do not earn their victories; they are given victories. Just ask Rubens Barrichello about the 2002 US Grand Prix.

F1 does have a historic tradition – a tradition populated by controversy, selfishness, arrogance, and political scandal. Throw in the inferior quality of racing and I can see the excitement everybody screams of.

Local cautions. Full course cautions. No cautions at all. No matter which way you look at it, road racing – whether driven by IndyCars, NASCAR, or F1 – is terrible racing and has no business being marketed.

F1 is a joke. It is that simple. F1 is an insult to the world of auto racing.

Anybody who finds F1 exciting must also enjoy such sports as equestrian and synchronized swimming because their excitement levels rival one another.

I admit, the IRL is not perfect by any means. There’s good with the bad. But as far as F1 goes, I will speak it in a language that F1 fans will understand: It's a bloody waste of time and money.