Kian Gadsby
It could be argued Formula One is the sport with the highest barrier to entry. It’s nigh on impossible to join as a driver, and it can be very confusing to start watching for new fans. I have never watched a complete race before, but I was convinced to wake up at 5:30am to watch the Las Vegas Grand Prix. This race review will attempt to break down the complexities of the sport, as well as outline if it is worth watching should you ever get the opportunity.
F1 Details:
First, to understand Formula One you need to have a basic understanding of its rules and processes. Most of this can be worked out whilst watching the race, as I did, but if you want background knowledge these are the essentials.
Once the five red lights go out all drivers go at once, trying not to crash.
There are ten teams with two drivers each who complete three qualifying sessions on the Saturday prior to the race on Sunday to determine their position out of 20 on the starting grid. Once the five red lights go out all drivers go at once, trying not to crash.
There are two championships awarded for each Formula One season. The Drivers Championship, won by Max Verstappen for the fourth year in a row, and the Constructors Championship, which is in a close fought battle between Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull.
The Race
Critics of Formula One often say that the sport is just watching 20 cars drive in circles around a track for two hours. Having watched the race, I can safely say that I would agree with that sentiment.
George Russell was the fastest in qualifying, meaning he started on pole, and he held his lead throughout the race, eventually winning. The excitement was very limited, despite Lewis Hamilton’s best efforts as he put in an excellent drive from P10 on the grid to finish second, but other than that the leaderboard stayed largely similar throughout. Lando Norris pitted before the final lap in an attempt to get the fastest lap on quick tires, eventually succeeding in the dying seconds.
The big news from the race was that Max Verstappen was crowned driver’s world champion by finishing in 5th place.
Would I Recommend?
I have been reliably informed that this race was not the most exciting to get into F1 for, as there were no dramatic battles and no major crashes. With that being said, if you can already watch a Formula One Grand Prix on TV and have it on in the background whilst doing something else, it is worth it. Personally, I will not be going out of my way to watch the upcoming Qatar Grand Prix, but should the opportunity arise, I would be willing to give F1 another chance.
Kian Gadsby
Featured image courtesy of [@i_abhinand] via [Unsplash]. Image use license found here (Unsplash). No changes were made to this image.
In article image 1 courtesy of [F1] via [Instagram]. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 2 courtesy of [F1] via [Instagram]. No changes were made to this image.
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