The Formula 1 race in Austin yesterday was a big deal. It’s the first Formula 1 held in the US in 4 years. There were estimated 300,000 people that attended. Lots and lots of foreigners.
I was thinking about it last night and was thinking how strange it would be if that if what I looked forward to for the whole year of 2012. That was the case for lots of the people that attended. They had bought tickets nearly a year ago and it was the highlight of the year, by miles.
It wasn’t even close to that for me. If I go back and list the things I did and places I went in 2012, the F1 wouldn’t be in the top 30, maybe top 50. But, nearly all of those involve cycling somehow. I’m pretty much a cyclist. Not really a car race spectator. Maybe I’ll eventually become both, but now, I’m just a bike rider. It’s not that bad of a thing.
This is the start of the F1 from the GA “seats” up by the first turn.
I got some really good tickets to the Indy 500 a few years ago. I then realized the race lasted hours and I could be riding my bike instead. I only wanted to watch 5 minutes.
I’ve never exactly understood how people can watch hours of cars going in circles. At the same time though I could watch people riding bikes do that for much longer,
What about all the folks flying into Louisville for Cyclocross Worlds? There are probably tons of “locals” that won’t even know there’s a race going on that weekend, but would stand for hours track-side at a horse race later that same year to watch a friends thoroughbred run. If you’re not a fan the nuance of what your seeing is missing and you can’t grasp why anyone would watch more than five minutes of it. It’s why soccer has had such a hard time gathering a following in America. Basically if you don’t have a horse in the race it isn’t your kind of race.
Imagine 300,000 people watching a Crit, that you are racing in.
Now, that would blow your mind.
.
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It’s just nice that about 250K idiot TX drivers were off the roads at the same time.
Wow….and Vettel’s angry scream at the DRS (drag reduction system) reverberates around the world…haha
It’s about racing. Some people are born racers. Some are born to train and participate in races. Key difference.
Bikes, cars, motorcycles, planes, boats, horses, shopping carts. It’s about racing and winning the race.
I’ve been fortunate to have seen F1 in Silverstone England and Watkins Glen, NY. Screamingly loud and incredible energy.