Few of us associate Formula 1 with the sport of gentlemen. The sport in which Lauda, Hunt, or Senna risked their lives is no longer what it used to be, many claim. Gone are the days of great gladiatorial fights in screaming monsters. Today, it is just boring circling in hybrid semi-electric cars on sterile tracks in exotic destinations, more suitable for sunbathing on the beach than for hosting a Grand Prix. It is true that even fans like us at the Alain Delon journal have begun to condemn Formula 1 in recent years. The glorious years of Miku Häkkinen and Michael Schumacher are no longer in sight. Or at least, they were until 2017. The season that started some time ago in Melbourne, Australia, showed us that the good old Formula 1 is back. Gentlemen, turn off the football or hockey. Real gentlemanly gladiators are returning to the screen. Here are 4 reasons to turn on F1 this year.
F1 sets supersonic speed
The 2017 season brings with it the biggest change in recent years. The single-seaters are longer, their wings are bigger and the tires are wider. What does this mean? F1 has once again become the fastest and scariest four-wheeled cars in the world. Lap times are dropping by more than four seconds, track records are falling and we have Formula 1 on the track, which is the fastest in its history. The cars are harder to control, the drivers in Melbourne struggled with 8G overload. All this brings more mistakes, and of course, more fun. Add to this the engines, which thanks to the relaxation of the rules are moving beyond the 1000 horsepower mark, and for the first time in recent years, it is worth going to watch a Grand Prix live.
Ferrari is back
Okay, so the cars are suddenly fast and exciting to watch, but what good is that if Mercedes wins everything they put their hands on again? Wrong, folks! Ferrari looks like it's finally catching up to its long-time German rivals after years. The first race of the season brought the first act of the Vettel-Hamilton battle. If things continue like this, we can prepare for a season that will be remembered at least as much as the Senna-Prost duels.
Young guys
Of course, we have the good old stars of Hamilton, Vettel and Alonso on the grid, but new stars of the sport are emerging that we haven't seen in years. If you don't know eighteen-year-old Max Verstappen, you should definitely watch his drive from the rainy Brazilian Grand Prix on YouTube, which will go down in history as the most impressive drive in the rain since Senna. Add to the mix Valtteri Bottas, who replaced world champion Nico Rosberg at Mercedes, or Verstappen's young teammate Ricciardo, and you're in for a treat.
Indescribable destinations
Although Formula 1 has been known to visit less accessible destinations in recent years, it's still a TV experience to see twenty cars battling it out in the nighttime streets of downtown Singapore or the traditional azure Monaco. Add to that eighteen other circuits around the world and throughout the year you'll be able to see the forests of Spa, Belgium, an artificial island in Montreal or the samba-drenched neighborhoods of Sao Paulo.
