Formula 1 news
Irvine: F1 is becoming a game
06 March 2008Former Formula 1 driver Eddie Irvine believes Formula One is becoming less and less interesting as the driver skill is becoming less important every year the sport develops. The former Ferrari driver has said the sport has been dumbed down and it's not the sport it used to be.
"There's a quote attributed to Ernest Hemingway when he said: 'There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games,'" Irvine wrote in his column for The Guardian. "Formula 1 seems intent on trying to become a game. By taking increasing measures to slow things down the FIA is turning Formula 1 into tiddlywinks. It is nearly impossible to have an accident in F1 now, you just go into the sand traps.
"The sport has been dumbed down and it's not Formula 1. Before, if you made a mistake while battling to overtake, you would be in danger of flying into a barrier. Now it's not much of a gladiatorial contest.
"In terms of reducing driver aids to increase the skills employed in a race, getting rid of traction control will make very little difference save in exceptionally wet conditions. The easiest thing to do is come out of a corner on the throttle; braking and turning is the hardest part. Yes, you need to concentrate a little bit more but for drivers at this level a lack of traction control won't be a major difficulty."
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more news
| Eddie Irvine news | |
|---|---|
| 08 Jan. | Button ignoring Irvine remarks |
| 15 Dec. '09 | 'Schumacher still quick enough' - Irvine |
| 18 Sep. '09 | Don't scare off Renault, Irvine advises |
| 05 Nov. '08 | Irvine expects Hamilton to join Ferrari one day |
| 01 Jun. '07 | Irvine: Raikkonen should get his act together |
| 06 Mar. '06 | Irvine plans to start F1 team |
| 27 Feb. '06 | Irvine hooks up with Pamela Anderson |
| 21 Oct. '05 | Bad week for Irvine |
| 15 Jun. '05 | Exclusive interview Eddie Irvine |
| 12 Jun. '05 | Photos - Irvine back in Formula 1 |
| 12 Jun. '05 | Irvine back in Formula 1 |
| 22 May '05 | Ecclestone: Team Irvine is good for Formula 1 |
| More Eddie Irvine news, Photos | |
Test Schedule
| 01 Feb. | 
Valencia |
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| 02 Feb. |
Valencia |
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| 03 Feb. |
Valencia |
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| 04 Feb. | 
Silverstone |
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| 05 Feb. |
Silverstone |
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| 10 Feb. |
Jerez |
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| 11 Feb. |
Jerez |
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| 12 Feb. |
Jerez |
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| 13 Feb. |
Jerez |
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| Full Formula 1 test schedule | ||
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