This is a rant thread so with all due respect...
F1 has been a fabulous circus for some decades now, today its even more of a fancy logo parade.
Its not spec racing , its not open spec so what is it... its a regulations wankfest.
I wouldnt say i have a golden f1 era in my mind, but theres some important differences. The fact is that mechanical grip provides much more exciting races to watch.
It was always an arms race so competition was never close in a stable manner but at least there was no team orders and no2 drivers involved in avoidable collisions (ok there was Prost). Plus very uninteresting drivers involved lately in general, Raikonnen's "shut up and let me drive" is suitable to these team radio bosses.
I liked the post about classic venues, in f1 there's nothing left everything is butchered and looks the same. Have u noticed how they paint the curbs fresh new coat of paint every race, all year they look like actual tracks f1 comes and applies a few tons of make up. I watch Daytona 24h and the yellow curbs have turned black from the tire marks and i think hey that looks like a racing venue.
In the 80s Las Vegas GP parking lot of a track was considered a poor quality event, nowadays tilke's parking lots with flashy colours are hip i guess. Thats what happens when u sell tv rights for billions , u might as well get michael bay to direct the show and have cinderella to hand the trophy.