prepair to be confused

[Craig.]

If you thought this past season of F1 was at times confusing apparently from the debate i've participated in on the autosport forums, this season could be worse.
Now recently the rule to engines was, it must last 3 races. However now the the FIA official rulebook states the teams will be allowed 8 engines for the season, after that any subsequent engine change will result in a 10 place grid penalty and they will be allocated 4 engines for testing.
The Parc Ferme rules are also changed apparently with teams being allowed to make changes for upto 3 hours I believe after qualifying.

Now on the first one.
This could technically mean that teams may try to stretch an engine more than 3 races to save some for the end of the season race for the title where a fresh engine might be advantageous.
It's going to get very confusing keeping up with it all I think and I believe there are further stupid changes.

[Mushroom_Farmer]

Just wish they would go back to racing for the sake of racing and no more namby pamby rules. If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch.

[C]

If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch.

There'd be a grid of about 10 cars if that was the case. Sadly the situation has been made worse by big manufacturers buying out private manufacturers, and to a lesser extent (Toyota) starting it own teams, and the American sport style mega-rich buying out (occasionally struggling) teams - good in the short term, but long term? Maybe not. Just look at Super Aguri - as a "B" team, with Honda support possibly, in terms of potential, the most attractive package out there, yet no one bought them.

[Craig.]

F1 became no longer about racing to me anymore when Max said a few weeks back.
"the problem with F1 is, the faster cars tend to pass the slower ones then drive off"

Now last time I checked that was the whole point of motor racing. A series loses its legitimacy when it handicaps a faster team because they are doing what they are supposed to. IMO its one step away from fixing the results.
Yes its been clear thats what they've been trying to do to F1 for a few years now, but for him to actually say it pretty much stinks of BS.

F1 should be about one team being the best, I dont really care who, because you know your team cant always win it, and when they dont part of the excitement is watching to see if they can over turn it and fight back, look at Renault last year, and Torro Rosso, look at Mclaren in 2005, And Ferrari in 2006. All teams who didn't start off all that brilliantly but put 110% effort into it and came away with wins or a close title fight that maybe they thought not possible. And it was done by earning it through hard work and effort. Not because some short, bowl cutted imp and his lanky freak man servant came up with a bunch of rules that gave an unfair advantage to those who shouldn't have it. Want that? go watch Nascar.

[ShaneG_old]

 The owners/organizers of these sports care nothing for the competition on an earn it basis, they only want to make the racing closer so that people stay interested in it and continue to spend their money.

I have followed both sports since the mid 1980's and I have seen a serious decline in the reputability of both.

Why?

Because it's boring to watch the same people win every year, so they find ways to handicap the rich teams to give the lesser teams a chance, not every one has the money resources of Ferrari or Hendrick motorsports.
The rules are trying to save racing, but in the end only kill it, because the well funded teams can just throw their money around and find ways to circumvent the rules and continue their dominance.

Have you ever watched a Nascar race? Ask Juan Pablo, or Jaques Villeneuve  how mindless it is. At least there, they have passing that is something other than the top 3 lapping the entire field every few laps.
Both drivers have said multiple times that it is more competitive, harder to win, and more fun to participate in.
 
Not to mention the attitude is generally more friendly to newcomers.
 
Just because I'm from the US, doesn't mean I don't follow F1. Although I am a rare breed of motorsports fan over here, a lot of fans here are put off by the secretive, arrogant air surrounding F1.

[Craig.]

Dont get me wrong shane, I like Nascar, and indycar moreso. But I take them for what they are, entertainment first, competition second. And I dont mean that as an insult to the drivers in Nascar at all because it takes a heck of a lot of talent to do what they do, a lot of people here in europe tend to think they are not as mechanically involved either but when you listen to them during a race and before discussing things you soon realise they are. Its just as F1 is going towards now, the organisers rule makers and such wanting a show rather than a race.

As for JV and JPM. JV needs to learn his career is over. He inhereted a stonkingly quick car in a season where his main rival was trying to rebuild a back of the grid car in the ferrari, and he still barely won the title. MS didn't help himself that year as we all know.
Montoya, he had pleanty of overtaking in F1, he even won a few races, reality was he made a huge mistake going to Mclaren, anyone with a slight knowledge of F1 should know they are a team who want drivers who tow the line and do as they are told. See alonso 07.

[ShaneG_old]

I got to agree with all of that, especially the part about JPM. One of my favorite moments in F1 was when he muscled his way past Schumacher, in a BMW/Williams.
I also agree that it has become more entertainment than competition, really sad in my opinion. Both sports could benefit greatly from going back to a simpler time, take the commercialism out of both, and I bet the competition would tighten real quick.