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Formula 1: 2019 season shows the best and worst of F1

By William Dodds

HOCKENHEIM, GERMANY - JULY 28: Charles Leclerc of Monaco driving the (16) Scuderia Ferrari SF90 leads Antonio Giovinazzi of Italy driving the (99) Alfa Romeo Racing C38 Ferrari on the formation lap during the F1 Grand Prix of Germany at Hockenheimring on July 28, 2019 in Hockenheim, Germany. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
HOCKENHEIM, GERMANY - JULY 28: Charles Leclerc of Monaco driving the (16) Scuderia Ferrari SF90 leads Antonio Giovinazzi of Italy driving the (99) Alfa Romeo Racing C38 Ferrari on the formation lap during the F1 Grand Prix of Germany at Hockenheimring on July 28, 2019 in Hockenheim, Germany. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) /
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Formula 1 is a sport of the dramatic and the monotonous, and the 2019 season has captured that weird dichotomy almost perfectly.

For a sport that sees its athletes traveling to some of the most glamorous locations in the world before racing around carefully designed tracks at tremendous speeds, it is slightly bizarre that Formula 1 is often considered boring.

For those involved in the political wrangling and technical innovation, Formula 1 is far from boring, but to the less obsessive fans sitting down on a Sunday afternoon, the racing can often appear processional with a lack of overtaking action and strategic divergence.

Add on the fact that since the turn of the millennium, 14 of the 19 titles have been won by either Michael Schumacher, Sebastien Vettel or Lewis Hamilton, and it is understandable that people reach the conclusion that Formula 1 is repetitive and predictable.

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Races this season in China, France and Azerbaijan have also played into this narrative, with the lead unchallenged throughout and the tracks not allowing for thrilling wheel to wheel racing or surprise results.

If anyone sat down to watch their first Formula 1 race at Circuit Paul Ricard in France earlier this year in June, I would understand if they turned their TV off in disgust half way through.

However, during the 2019 season, there have been as many, if not more, thrilling races as there have been dull races.

Following the French Grand Prix, fans embarked on a thrilling journey between Austria and Hungary, via Britain and Germany, which offered everything Formula 1 has to give.

During these four races there were overtakes for the lead, crashes between rivals at the top end of the field, a Toro Rosso on the podium and thrilling strategic battles.

As BBC writer Andrew Benson pointed out on Twitter this week, the driver standings since Germany are incredibly tight, with the top five drivers within 40 points of one another.

If that were the case going into Mexico this weekend, the drama would be almost too much to bear for fans.

Sadly for the spectacle, however, Lewis Hamilton’s imperious early season form and absolute dominance over teammate Valtteri Bottas caused the championship to feel finished by the summer break.

While it is fantastic to see a sportsperson so thoroughly on top of his game, had the first half of the season resembled the second half, we would currently be witnessing a historic final stretch of the season.

This dichotomy between tight, tense racing and processions is hard to break away from, and efforts through the new 2021 regulations are by no means guaranteed to work.

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No sport can be constantly thrilling, but when Formula 1 can deliver some of the best drama imaginable on its good days, it is shame that those days cannot be more frequent.

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