As recently as 1910 it was rather dashing to be in the Cavalry, and a young man with weak, or, compounding matters, poor horsemanship, was an object of pity. Indeed for a lady to show the remarkable ability to ride side-saddle would garner said lady significant respect in outdoor circles. Fast forward 100 years and dressage, a sport directly developed from the need for a cavalry man to be able to wheel and ‘dance’ his horse in combat to stay alive, is under pressure to be dropped from future Olympics, and is the quaint minority sport of the horse-loving fringe.
From two thousand years of land transport domination, and with mastery bestowing instant social status and respect upon coordinated individuals, to an expensive minority sport followed by an eccentric few; who for the most part pursue their hobby greatly untroubled by the soccer following masses, major corporate sponsorship deals, or (unless a Royal is riding) television cameras.
And so to the horseless carriage. From initial sprints and endurance races in France (the first race involving an electric car, which also tickles me given it is currently being pushed as 'new'... the electric car was with us in the nineteenth century. So much for Formula One moving fast on that one!) To plaything of the rich, to commercial horse replacement, to a statement of personal freedom, an embodiment of engineering and design delights. To a social status declaration. To a sporting wonder to match the Olympics and Soccer. Then to what?
I love nostalgia as much as the next former teenager. But the golden age of "love for the car" really was the 1950s and 1960s. This is not to be confused with the age of the 'best' car. That quite clearly is right now. Safety, quality, speed, simple effectiveness, as a mode of transport, are at an all-time high. Yet the love has gone.
As the planet becomes greener. As more and more computers monitor, guide and control our cars for us, so what of us as drivers? Double-declutch anyone? Cadence braking? Strong forearm technique for a recalcitrant dogbox/crashbox?
Where is that social mind-set to hound us into a driving frenzy, where Sundays spent maintaining a sweet clip down a deserted country lane is considered natural and delightful? British sports cars of the 1950s and 1960s would all be buried by the latest range of Japanese sport sedans and coupes (take a well-earned bow Evo, STi, and GT-R). Indeed, while I have sadly not had the chance to measure such, I believe a current "street spec, fresh from the dealer" Evo would dance cheerfully around any Ferrari built before the 1980s. But to what end? Where is the spirit, soul, simple delight and thrill of speed and motion in the mighty Evo, compared to the delights of a delicate 1960s (slower!) sports car?
As transport becomes increasingly automated (driving accident statistics way down, and hence - most reasonably - promoting yet more automation) the motor skills and simple joys of driving are fast fading from the group psyche. Just as no one passed a law forbidding the private use of horses, it simply fell away, so it will be with driving. Then what of motor sport? Where then?
The Chinese see the bicycle as a transport means you use because you are too poor to afford a car. As such they rarely aspire to battle in the Tour de France. Why would they want to clearly follow a poor man's pursuit?
So the following for professional road cycle racing is very low in China. No positive connection for the public. So no action.
Are we now in danger of this disconnect happening between the car using public and the excitement of Formula One? The public are increasingly using public transport, or they are increasingly regulated in their use of private cars. Stuck in inner city jams, or hounded by unmanned surveillance cameras on potentially "sporting" drives. How does that create a connection to the wonder of a Formula One race car at maximum attack on a race track?
I've had friends down the pub ask how Formula One drivers can be fit sportsmen as they sit down for the whole race, so how can it be tiring?
So quite apart from the issues confronting the sport as it looks internally, what about the external environment? The car as an appliance is not that many years away. Simply one manner in getting from location to location. As soon as all the automatic guidance issues are sorted (slowed more by regulation, and public acceptance now than technology) driving skills will go the same way as horsemanship. The quaint capability used by an eccentric few for a very expensive past time. And just as horses are banned on freeways, so too in the not so distant future will be human-in-the-loop cars.
What then for Formula One? Cars will be selling on safety features, comfort, and low cost, mixed with the brand elitism that already riddles the market. So what benefit sporting advantage? What interest driver involvement?
To remain relevant Formula One needs to make a deeper, one might venture spiritual, connection to the public. It needs to excite and entertain in ways that do not require the public to hammer a Lotus Seven down a Welsh back road to understand.
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