F1 REDEEMS ITSELF, AT LEAST THIS WEEK.

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. As my friends across the pond might say, the Austrian Grand Prix "was a cracking good motor race on a proper circuit." And judging by the hue and cry from F1 zealots, enthusiasts and apologists, all is now well in F1 Land with Max Verstappen's terrific drive and victory. It was an excellent race, but all is not forgiven with F1 as far as I'm concerned.

First of all, the Red Bull Ring brought out the best in the F1 grid, and the track proved to be more interesting than Paul Ricard could ever be, and by a long shot too. So that part of it was a breath of fresh air after the monument to tedium that was the French Grand Prix. And the racing up and down the field was more compelling to watch as well (see more coverage in The Line -WG). But at the end of the day, nothing has really changed for F1 after one good race.

As I said last week, as long as the powers that be in F1 allow the sport to be consumed by technology, the quality of the racing will suffer. Austria was an anomaly, frankly, and we'll have to see how it all plays out at the British Grand Prix in two weeks. But F1's obsession with technology for technology's sake will ultimately do the sport in. And unless and until those charged with its future set a corrective course for the sport, F1 will continue to suffer.

Do I want F1 to succeed? I do, despite those out there who think otherwise. But F1 can't continue to do the same thing week after week and expect a different outcome. Austria was great, and a reminder of what the sport can and should be. But it's not enough. Everything I've heard about the future rules package for F1 is more of the same with slight tweaks. Seriously? That indicates a level of tone deafness by people who only listen to the dulcet tones of their own thought balloons. And that means nothing but trouble for the future of the sport.

So F1 can bask in the glory of one cracking good motor race, but those storm clouds off on the horizon are getting bigger and growing darker. The powers that be in F1 need to take a giant step back and analyze why Austria was so good, and then they need to do everything in their power to make sure that's the direction the sport heads in the future.

And that's the High-Octane Truth for this week.

(Pete Lyons photo)
Stardust International Raceway, November 12, 1967. Early going in the Stardust Grand Prix Can-Am in Las Vegas: Jim Hall (No. 66 Chaparral 2G Chevrolet) leads Bruce McLaren (No. 4 McLaren M6A Chevrolet); Dan Gurney (No. 36 All American Racers Lola T70 Mk.3B AAR-Weslake Ford); Parnelli Jones (No. 21 Lola T70 Mk.3 DOHC Indy Ford); Denny Hulme (No. 5 McLaren M6A Chevrolet) and Peter Revson (No. 52 Lola T70 Mk.3 Chevrolet). John Surtees (No. 7 Team Surtees Lola T70 Mk.2 Chevrolet) won that day, followed by Mark Donohue (No. 6 Roger Penske Racing Ent. SUNOCO SPECIAL Lola T70 Mk.3B Chevrolet) and Mike Spence (No. 22 McLaren Elva Mark II B Chevrolet).