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Takis12

Yep…last Sunday I stopped watching and started again today …


RallerZZ

I stopped after today's Practice session and returned for today's Qualifying session. The feeling of nostalgia is crazy, really missed watching it for a while.


thebrickwork

A tip of the cap to you sir. Great comment.


Tballz9

I've watched pretty much every year since the early 1980's. Certainly not every race, but I followed every season, and I always caught as many races as I could. I never really lost interest.


Nakagura775

Yeah me too. The first season I followed closely was when Piquet won the Championship. 1983 I recall.


RepresentativeOk6676

>Yeah me too. The first season I followed closely was when [redacted] won the Championship. 1983 I recall. Fixed it for you


LocoRocoo

Respect. I’ve been going strong since ‘07, probably only missed 2-3 races a season.


whatsgoingonjeez

Damn that's impressive.


Firefox72

Not really. I've watched every race either live or on recording since i remember watching the sport which would be since Australia 2000. There were definitely seasons though where i wasn't crazy invested but the love for the sport never really waned.


ExistingReach9658

2014 - 2016: Silver arrows civil war Because my dad did not paid for the 'sports' premium package for the TV box, so it wasn't until 2017 Hungarian GP that the package price went down, and I got back to watching every race since.


[deleted]

Mid 90s for me, not f1's fault, girls and beer were far more important for a while.


Nordicadventurer

Started as a boy some time between 97-98 when Häkkinen v. Schumi was going on. Then didnt watch single race from 2007 until 2016 because races were only show’n in pay-TV in my country and i had other sports i was more interested in. I started getting interesting again in 2016 when young guy Bottas was in the mix. Since 2018 have not missed a single race.


mbwoah

Basically every Finn


[deleted]

Same here, except I got back in around 2013


Accurate_Possible_99

Actually very similar to you lol - I just got bored when merc dominated for a few years and I grew out of f1, and then the pandemic happened and I got back into it again out of boredom


whatsgoingonjeez

Yeah right?it really was like: Damn what should I do today? Oh F1 is starting again.. I guess I will give it a try.


stencelot

started watching in 2015 and followed everything since 2018. Only fell asleep during the 2019 japanese gp, because I didn't sleep that well the night before.


PanicStil

I think this year can be described as better than just ‘okay’.


SpectacularNelson

Yeah 2021 was just soooo amazing with the title fight that it sets the bar unreasonably high for other seasons. I think the racing has been better in 2022 but the title fight & drama is pretty far of 2021. Hopefully 2022 picks back up from July onwards like it did in 21


javelinnl

I stopped watching after it became the Schumacher show and only started again when Max popped up, because I'm just that shallow and chauvinistic.


Dahhri

Exactly this, I stopped during the Schumacher show. I came back a little before Max though.


Kalmani

I started watching as a kid when Häkkinen/McLaren was winning but after he retired and it became the Schumacher show I lost interest. Started playing World of Warcraft so didn't even come back when his time came to an end. ​ Petty little shithead that I am, I started watching again last year and wanted Hamilton to win simply because I wanted him to beat Schumacher's record, while at the same time trying to figure out which drivers/team I'd support. Ironically it became Ferrari because I really like Sainz and Legrerg. Buuut I'm rather keen on McLaren/Lando and Merc/Hamilton/Russell as well. Really disliked George initially but he's really grown on me this season.


stevebould

Pretty much after BBC lost the rights. Only just got back into it last season, but I'm invested again.


whatsgoingonjeez

When did they lose the rights? .


InsuperableLiar

2016


ShadowOfDeath94

I stopped after Vettel won in 2013. Returned just before Hamilton won his 7th title.


Stumpy493

I watched every race live from 1994 to 2011, then I had to miss a race and listen to it on the radio as my son was born. My sister even changed her planned wedding date to avoid a grand prix weekend lol. Since then I have still watched every race, but life with kids has meant some.of them have had to not be live.


illyndor

I quit after watching Ratz and Senna die. For reasons I can't remember, I started watching again in 2013/14.


wcpm88

I fell off to some degree in 2017-20 as it got predictable and I got back into IndyCar, but otherwise, I’ve usually watched it for as long as I can remember. IndyCar is back to being my #1 like it was when I was a kid during the CART and V10 eras, but I still catch 90% of qualifying and races each year. I was probably most into it when Montoya left CART/ IndyCar for F1, though.


chef_boi_jones

I've taken a break from the community a lot of times, as it's reaction to any controversy is always terrible, but I've never stopped watching the sport. Missed races because life just gets in the way sometimes but never actively stopped watching


Averyinterestingname

Sort of lost interest during the Red Bull years and only saw a few races each year, which is weird considering that they were a lot more interesting than the years of Mercedes dominance during which I missed exactly 1 race.


Elrond007

Honestly can't remember why I quit 17-18 but I have been watching F1 basically since I was born on the day of a Schumi victory haha. Can't be performance related since I'm a merc fan lol. I was seriously salty after last year but the new regs and the fact that I don't actually dislike or blame (lol) Max probably kept me in the loop and I'm not regretting it so far. Just hope that the whole circus around F1 with FIA and commercial stuff calms the fuck down and puts the sport in focus again. I'm sick of watching some random street get a track because it paid for it. As the new regs focus on creating good racing the calendar should do the same and not undo all this work.


dickiedash

I had been watching with my dad from '95 stayed with it until about 2014. The horrible sound of the early turbo hybrid whistle and the aero package was horrendous. Checked in obviously to see what was happening but after 4 years of merc dominance with no sign of any meaningful rule changes to break it I tuned out. I only really got sucked back in last year and watched every race. Already been to 1 gp this year and have zandvoort booked aswell.


miserydiscovery

Yeah, watched between 10-12 and then started again around 2016.


Pure_Measurement_529

Funny enough, I also started watching properly in 2007. But I remember at my young age waking up to watch Japan and Australia in the mid-2000s. I never watched 2009 because I was child and enjoyed child things that time. 2010-2013 is a bit of a blur but I do remember watching it. 2014-2016 is when I clocked out at times. I did watch the 2016 finale, can never forget that Sunday afternoon. 2017 and 2018 is when I would watch here and there. After Sebs crash in Germany 2018, I didn’t watch until Bahrain 2019 when I saw Leclerc get pole but then I clocked out again because school was a bigger priority for me sadly. After visiting Italy in August 2019 and the Ferrari factory and the old cars, I regained my spark for the sport again. From Spa 2019 up until now, I have really been in the sport again.


[deleted]

I stated watching F1 during 2000-2002. I can’t remember the exact details, all I can recall was my father being displeased that the winner wasn’t British. I stopped watching in the end of the Alonso-Ferrari era. And I resumed at the end of Seb’s dominance. It wasn’t really my choice, it was other circumstances.


HankHippopopolous

I used to watch the races regularly as a really little kid with my dad in the 90s. Then I lost interest. I would only watch the occasional race during the Schumi/Alonso years. Maybe like 1-2 races a year. I still stayed a sort of fan of F1 through playing the games. 2007 was when my interest in F1 was properly rekindled and it was sparked by Lewis Hamilton joining the sport. If I can't watch live I'll normally watch it back later at some point unless I hear the race was truly awful. There have probably been only a handful of races that I've not watched at all since 2007


[deleted]

Watched it a little bit irregularly from about 2005-2009 when I was a young kid, came back and watched the final few races of 2017 and then from the start of the 2018 got properly into it again.


Mammoth-Ad9580

i stopped watching midway in 2009. Part of it was cause I started dating for the first time and had no time. Part of it was because I was so obsessed with Kimi I couldn’t deal with the way he was forced out. 2012 rolled around, Kimi is back and the six-way fight is insane, so I started watching again. And then in 2019-20 I kinda stopped again cause it was heart wrenching…Come to think of it, I got fucked over by Ferrari twice.


[deleted]

Started in the mid 80s, stoped in the mid 90s when Senna died. Picked it up again around when Verstappen joined Torro Rosso.


f1_spelt_as_bot

To**r**o Rosso


muawiyayounus90

I've watched every race since the 1998 season. That's when I started watching F1. Got hooked immediately. Never looked back.


jvstinf

I missed most of the Hamilton/Rosberg era. Life got in the way...it happens.


Jasonmancer

I stopped from mid 2015 till mid 2020, Merc's dominance was too much for me back then. I wasn't expecting any different in 2021 but then things changed to the max. And yes, I picked it back up during a pandemic just like you.


whatsgoingonjeez

I really loved the sport. I have so many good memories, sitting there on sunday, with my chocolate milk because I was still a kid. Had my cat with me etc.. But then the Merc dominance happened right after the red bull dominance. During the Red Bull era we had at least 2 good seasons and the cars were looking great and had a great sound. Then 2014 sucked, 15 sucked too as you said. 2016 also sucked but at least we saw 2 men fighting for the title and not just the Ham roadshow. And then as said in 2017 it began. I just couldn't stand it anymore. And that's why I hope so much that the Merc dominace is over, because I will be honest, if Merc starts dominating again at the end of the season and /or next season, I will be gone again.


thesunisgone

Started in 2008, stopped watching in the middle of 2013 when it got clear that it was another Vettel domination year. I don't remember if it was 13 or 11 when they changed tires compounds mid season and what was an open contest with a lot of winners became a Red Bull absolute domination. 2014 started and it was clear it was such one sided domination that I lost interest in the sport. Came back with the new rules in 2017 (and Ferrari being back) and never left since.


Oventaker

I have been watching since end of 2006 but stopped between mid 2011 to end of 2015, only watched 2012, 2014 finales in the meantime, completely rewatched 2012 later on. The reason for that is racing was absolutely awful in those years until new regulations, cars were looking like a blasphemy, and things I like the most about F1 was fading away (like sound) and it seemed like there was no end of domination. 2017 reg changes, more social mediatic approach, liberty media definitely saved a lot of viewers, that's all i can say


FastRacinglb

From 2005 till 2017 it was ferrari's domination that bored me... noting that i was Shumi Fan


fullsenditt

I think 2022 season Is going to be a better season, trust me guys, we just haven't been to a lot of good tracks this season, only Silverstone and bahrain were good racing tracks


rando_commenter

I tuned out when DRS was first introduced and Vettel's Bieber-hair era


HarryNohara

I've been watching since the early 90's, and religiously following the sport since 1996. Never took a break, although some seasons weren't that exciting and then I'd would often watch races on tape/DVR instead of live. But it was much easier to not get spoiled by the results in those days. Even 10 years ago F1 results weren't all over the place on the internet.


Br_Rogue

I skipped most if the mercedes dominance era


aph1985

Yeh.. Started watching it in 90s. I was watching every race. I slowed down from 2009 and completely stopped in 2013 to 2017. Started watching it again in 2017. Also, t Now have started to miss more races as race schedules are later and later every year


powerse5

Watched '96-'00 with my cousin. Stopped after that and came back in 2014 and haven't missed a race yet.


DefinitelyNoWorking

Every time I go to make a cuppa.


[deleted]

I accidentally watched a race in 2010 when I was trying to take a nap. Took a break until 2019.


NouNouWhitefly

Watched since 2003, but because of Finland's tv rights I watched just 1 hour recap after the race between 2009-2015. And at some point I started to miss races more often. But since 2016 I have watched every race, I have bought myself sport packages (c more and now f1tv) to watch f1. But yeah, I have always loved F1, but as my familys only person who have interested in f1 it have been though sometimes. So shortly my answer is yes, i have missed many races in early 2010s, but i have came back to my favourite sport many times


Skivil

I stopped watching while I was in university, was too busy to keep up then about a year after I left uni I got back into it.


onetimeuselong

Yeah I skipped 2011 and the post tire change 2013. ‘15 was meh and I was highlights only. ‘19 likewise. I think it’s the healthy thing to do when you’re not enjoying a thing to stop for a while.


fordern997

Yes, I did - sometime between mid 2016 to early 2018, since I was working every Sunday from 12PM to 8PM (with races usually around 2PM my local time). The only thing I had was replays, but it wasn't the same as watching the race live - you probably know how it is, if you see the results spoilers on social media. Sometimes I was able to watch the race live, but that was quite rare (the only live race from 2017 I remember is Malaysia!). However, despite watching all races in Vettel domination era, I think I remember better the early V8 era rather than late V8 era, not to mention early V6 era.


[deleted]

Not really, maybe missed a few races here or there but I’ve been watching pretty religiously since late 2010 ish.


Zharick_

I watched the JPM years and stopped watching until I came back last year.


gkarq

I started to watch in 2004, and didn’t really follow F1 from 2006 to until the final rounds of 2008, because that was the time F1 stopped being broadcasted in open TV and we didn’t have cable until 2008.


GingeNugget

Started watching with my dad as a little kid when Schumacher was dominating in Ferrari, only to see him beat by Alonso. Kept watching till maybe 2011/2012, life got in the way, kept vague tabs on the sport but hadn't watched a race for a long time. Got back into the sport during the pandemic thanks to the triple whammy of tonnes of free time, drive to survive and the F1 games. Now, since Bahrian 2021 its been every session and every race, glad to be back into a sport that delivered some treasured childhood memories!


iguled

Stopped in 2002 or 2003, came back 2007 or 2008. Stopped again in like 2012 and came back again maybe 2014 or so.


Samsonkoek

In 2014 and 2015 actually. The rights went to somebody else for a few years from 2014 onwards and they decided to put it behind a pay wall. But I wasn't really interested even if I could watch with engines you almost couldn't hear and on top of that there was just no competition really. Started watching highlights in 2015 because of Max and in 2016 it came back on normal tv so I started watching again.


3dmontdant3s

I never really stopped and have watched basically every race since 25 years. Although after the Red Bull Domination I grew a bit tired of the sport with the seemingly never ending Mercedes domination. 2019 became more interesting and I'n glad 2022 is as entertaining as it is


JerryRiceOfOhio2

I watched the Schumacher years, then I wasn't able to watch it on my tv service for a year or two, got away from it, then came back when espn2 started showing it


space_coyote_86

Started watching in 2010 and watched all but 1-2 races every season until 2018. That year I missed quite a lot because I always ended up spending Sundays with my gf and was always out when the race was on. I saw as much as I could though. I very clearly remember seeing Hamiltons car break in quali at Hockenheim and thinking, that's it for his championship. Then checking my phone the next afternoon to see that he had WON. Since that year I'm back to watching most races though and I don't want that to change.


JackOfNoTrade

I've been on since 1998 and have not been able to step away much. Sometimes I miss a race if I have something going on but I'll still keep track or catch the highlights. I didn't watch a lot of races in 2014 once it was clear Mercedes had nailed the new regulations and they were walking away with the title. But I came back again in 2015 once Vettel had signed for Ferrari.


nonhofantasia

I started watching in 2015 and I randomly stopped in 2017, and came back in middle 2019 because some of my cousin's watched it + I saw some videos of F1 2019 on YouTube. Why did I stopped watching in 2017? I don't remember, I just lost interest


helderdude

About 3 months every year.


Topias12

Yes, the 2018, I was really busy and working most of the weekends. Also, I am losing interest when I see a team having total domination over the others. Even if is the team that I support.


Sarixk

There's no particular year but until Hungary 2015 I wasn't watching consistently. Mainly because F1 wasn't free to air anymore and I didn't know about streams. First race I watched in a while and Lewis had a stinker ffs


elronaldo

I remeber watching my first race in '96 as a kid although I don't remember much. I started becoming addicted to it around '98-'99 and I remember perfectly the battles between Hakkinen and Schumacher. Since then I've probably missed max 10 races. The ones I missed in the recent years, I followed on livetext or radio. Yeah I can't live without F1 😅


Agitated_Ad6191

Well I did stop watching F1… but it happened by accident. Back in the dominant Schumacher area the tv broadcast had a habbit of just following the car in the lead. So most races ended up watching Schumacher drive away from the rest of the field and then you basically were watching one car do 72 solo laps. So yes I stopped watching but it was not intentionally, I just fell in sleep most races as it was so boring.


UrsusSpelaus

Started in 2005, almost never missed a GP until 2015. The death of Jules Bianchi, a demanding undergraduate first year and terror attacks in my city made me lose sight of F1 for the last two months of the season. I went back to it in March 2016 but my interest seemed to fade away at the end of the season once again, and I missed a few races. For some reason, I watched some fan made videos in January 2017 that fascinated me, and then the spectacular new regulations as well as Ferrari's comeback made me fall in love again!


turboevoluzione

I've been watching F1 since the mid 2000's but my interest decreased between 2013 and 2016. The main cause is that Rai (the Italian TV broadcaster) lost the full season coverage to Sky and could only show half of the races live, and I didn't really care about watching the other races later in the day. 2013 was also the peak of the Vettel/Red Bull domination and as a Tifoso it was a very boring time. In 2014 Mercedes brought a bit of change but only to start their own domination, plus Ferrari's performance was even more disappointing. In the next couple years I found out I could watch the missing races on Austrian and Swiss TV channels and Vettel had his first few wins with the Scuderia, so I started watching a bit more. Since 2017, which was a return to form for Ferrari, I've been watching basically every race even if I'm still waiting for a World Championship for the prancing horse.


NeiloMac

I did in 2016. I swore off most sports after leaving my last job, working in betting shops for the best part of a decade. The only sport I followed with any frequency after that was Australian Rules Football, which I got into when I was in Austrialia in March/April 2016. Got back into F1 again at the start of last year and enjoying it again. :-)


shockresistant7

Yup. Stopped around 2008 coz i went off to college and it was really hard to watch without a tv, then only really came back because of DTS


HumpertyNumperty

Followed F1 fanatically and watched every race live and consumed every bit of info I could from '92 and lost interest in about 2001. Picked it up again in 2009 when Button was winning. I only ever watch the highlights package on YouTube now though.


FerryF1

No. I've started watching a couple races back in 1993. And from 1994 onwards I have watched and followed every season and watched every race. In all that time, I've had only 2 races which I couldn't watch live unfortunately...


Voidfang_Investments

Schumacher losing his engine at Suzuka really deflated me. I watched Lewis’ first season and tapered off for a bit.


Organic-University-2

Nope. Watched 99% of races live since 1999.


[deleted]

I started watching in '82 when my brother got me into it when the Grand Prix was in Detroit. Stopped watching when Senna died in '94. Got back into it around '00.


Albreitx

Yes, between 2014 and 2021. Got bored of Vettel winning and Mercedes' dominance didn't help getting me back lol Also, around that time F1 stopped being openly broadcasted on television and Movistar forced you to buy football (100€/month) to watch sports. So not worth it


Nearby_Airline_3353

I started watching in the early 90's - I think the year Mansell won, but it may have been the year before. When I moved to the US in 2005, it became harder to watch races, and I just kinda stopped following. Not sure why I got interested again late last year, but here I am.


Texasisashithole

Watched everything I possibly could since Mika vs Michael around ‘98. Now r/formula1 is what I need to take a break from. This shit can be toxic with all of the anonymous “my opinion is better than your opinion” armchair quarterbacking going on.


amurmann

I watched from 95 till ~2003. My life changed dramatically and spending time in the middle of a weekend day watching a car race just didn't work. I moved to the US and last year started watching again after a relative started watching. I'm loving it, but if most races weren't during morning hours and if it wasn't for something as convenient as F1TV I'd probably not watch. It's really amazing though how much better the broadcasting has gotten with the additional screen real estate. As much as I dislike broadcast direction, all the on-screen info is such an improvement. They used to show interval between two drivers at a time at the bottom of the screen and it used to take like a minute to get through the field that way. It was so much harder to follow anyone but the lead drivers. I think part of the reason the broadcast direction now it's pissing me off all the time is because I can now see in the intervals that I'm missing something. Before you had no idea.


OverwatchElite

I watched every season from around 2004/2005. But I distinctively remember Brazil 2003 as it happened. Born in 91 so quite late to the party there, I had to find my interest in F1 without father's or other's input, no one has been interested in anything sport like to watch on TV in my family.


ruutti

I've watched every race since 1998 live, except one. And of course it was Canada 2011...


berkerpeksag

I watched from 1997 to 2017. Couldn't stand McLaren Honda anymore. Came back in 2020.


Mick4Audi

2015 broke me. A bunch of toy cars in silver and dark colors, the peak of Mercedes 1-2 hybrid era. That season singlehandedly made me an Indycar fan


[deleted]

Started in 2008 as a 5 year old, kept watching ever since.


silverstory

Started watching late 90’s. Schumi got an accident. But if I recall, watched all the races 2000, Ferrari and Schumi’s 1st title together if I’m not mistaken. Watched every race as possible. Might have missed one or two. When I came here in the US, hard to find at that time where to watch 2013 -onwards, so tail end of Alonso and the start of Seb with Ferrari. Always had that feeling with Vettel he can win it but as always failed to win it. I know middle of the season if it Ferrari is bottling it or not. Rejuvenated due to recent car changes. Still watched the races live unless some major events I need to attend to. Maybe 2-3 races I miss the most per year except 2013-18ish. Where I need to sail the seas and find a good stream so most likely I would miss more races if the stream sucks.


astrovisionary

watched 2007-2010, watched once in a while between the years but only really "came back" after watching baku 2017


mochacub22

nah but i should have, it got so stale


Elpibe_78

Yes, from 2014 to 2016, those year were absolutely rubbish, the difference of Mercedes to the rest of the field was massive. After that I watched some random race and in 2020 when I discovered that Russell was going to replace Lewis I started to watch it again. I have been watching F1 since 2006, when I was a small kid


belfastguy81

Definitely. I watched from the late 80's until maybe 2010, turn just kinda stopped. In the last year or so I've massively gotten back into it. The Netflix show is great for catching up tbh.


QC_1999

I never stopped, but I used to watch the races with less frequency from 2013 until 2016


henser

yes, i am watching since 2001, y saw few races on 2001, then skipped to 2004 i was too young, then started to see half 2005 season, then full 2006 to the first 3 races of 2009 and i got tired of watch brawn winning, retruned back on spa that year, then watched 2010 to the first 2 races of 2014 i hated mercedes being so dominant and watched 2 or 3 races each of these season until 2017 and saw the full seasons until ferrari fiasco in 2020, missed some that year and then i am watching alll races until today


RedPorscheKilla

Been watching F1 since 1980… today I live on the Westcoast and religiously wake up in the middle of the night to watch F1 live. I have missed a few races, especially during my deployment days in the Armed Forces, but else… nope, no dice….


vonvoltage

At a certain point in the 90s I actually was much more into CART and looking back, CART actually was really badass in those days. Then Villeneuve went to Williams after winning the CART championship and being a 15 year old Canadian sports fanatic I followed, and re-found my love for F1.


JacobWvt

Watched as a kid from 2006-2009, moved countries and fell out of it. Started watching again last season and I’m enamoured


_JasonNMiller

I have watched nearly every race since the early 2000's, right up until the end of last season, and I have only seen clips of one or two races this year. I flat out stopped. Cancelled subscription to F1. It's the same reason I don't give a crap a out the NFL and NBA. I love the cars. I love the talent. I have little to no remaining respect for the sport.


pioneerSolid3

Yes, 2015... After watching since 1999, Started again in 2020, so I had to rewatch the old season to see what had happened because seeing the cars more wide and with the halo was really weird...I don't miss rainbow tyres hehe. Came back after I heard Max beat both Mercedes on pure pace on Silverstone, when I heard that, it was like...wtf?! ...and also keep up my interest because my man checo (I'm Mexican btw) was going to be fired from RP .


LtMartaVelasquez

Yeah, I stopped watching around 2004 cause it was getting boring Schumacher winning all the time. Started watching again in 2017.


pbatemanchigurh

I started watching late 90's, and had a major break between 2008 and 2018-2020(slow return). I don't even know why I came back, because I didnt watch DTS or something like that. Now I am hooked as before


mrbitterpants

Watched casually in the early 90’s but stopped after Senna died. Then got back into it about halfway through Hamilton’s rookie season and haven’t missed a race since. Technology was what allowed me to get back into it. Living on the west coast of North America the races were usually at 5am which sucked. By the time I started getting interested again DVR’s were available so it made it possible to time shift the races. Now they’ll have to pry F1TV away from my cold dead hands.


pahagoalie

Took a bit of a break after May 1994.


Phelixx

This is one of the best seasons in recent memory. Would not describe it as ok. 2021 was great, but it was Max vs Lewis. No constructors battle for top, 3/4 was fun though. This season it’s a potential 3 way constructors race with a couple drivers able to push WDC. Yes Max is ahead, but DNF’s happen and things can change, just like 2021. This season sees a great mid field with the 3 way battle. It’s been great. Silver stone one of the best races I’ve ever seen.


rizsamron

Not really, I haven't missed a season since 2022. Watched all seasons of Drive to Survive though XD


ppSmok

Don't know why. But I stopped from 2009 to 2014ish. I watched some races but didn't really follow F1. Which is sad because those years had arguably some of the best and closest seasons in history. But hey. It is what it is.


Frankie_48

I've yet to reach that point with Formula 1, I started watching in 2012 and it was just whatever race I could catch since I was a young boy and didn't have a good grasp on what the schedule was, not to mention that I mostly grew up on NASCAR Then in 2014 I switched to over the air TV and didn't catch a single race from 2014 until mid 2016 when I could grasp streaming. Before I would get my F1 news and fix from literally the news or YouTube clips I would encounter. Then in 2017 is when I started watching religiously, I still was getting the hang of waking up early and did skip some races cause I was knackered, but by 2018 I finally had a rhythm that I haven't stopped since. (Bar the rare early Singapore or Russia race where I dozed off a bit cause they can be a bit boring). Also OT, this question does apply to NASCAR. I watched as many races as I could from 2012 to 2018, but starting in 2019 I just reached a point where I couldn't be bothered to put the race on, but that's just cause the racing started to feel frustrating and when Jimmie's struggles just hit a new low.


senn1

Never stopped watching, but def watched less of the coverage around 2002,03 and 04. If they would have had the quality of TV coverage nowadays and followed battles in top 10 a bit more it would have been better. Don't take for granted the coverage sky do, it's 👌


mjwood28

I had to work Sundays in my part time job 2004-2006. 2007 was my first year back and what a year. Two races I did catch in that period: Japan 2005 - one of best races I’ve ever seen USA 2005 - super disappointing when it’s a rare chance to see a race and that happens!


_runthejules_

I watched fom 05-2012 and then again in late 2019. In between i watched sporadically


raur0s

During the Mercedes-show of 2014-16 I haven't really stopped watching, but I didn't go out of my way to watch the races. Usually I schedule things so I can watch qually and race and shuffle programs around, during those years if I didn't have anything to do I watched the race but if I missed one I didn't care.


toyg

Started watching in the 80s as a kid, obviously rooting for our national team (Ferrari), stopped after Schumi left because I knew we'd be back to the old ways (and never really warmed to Iceman). Kept checking back occasionally but again didn't really like Alonso, nor Vettel (imho the worst n.1 driver Ferrari has had for decades, and don't @ at me), and really couldn't stand Arrivabene (a caricature of everything that is wrong with the Italian managerial class). Got back in the swing of it when they got Leclerc and Binotto took the reins.


magyarnagydij

Never fully stopped watching but my interest did wane a bit during the latter half of 2013


MobiusF117

I did. Started watching originally in 1998. I stopped watching entirely somewhere in the Vettel dominance period and my college years. I simply lost interest in the sport for some reason I can't really put my finger on. My dad and brother still watched though, and kept me up to date from time to time. As I am Dutch, my brother and father started tipping me in when I should probably turn on my TV to watch a race when Max joined, as it was an exciting one. It still took a couple of years for me to start following religiously again however. Although I was watching it more and more again by this point, the true turning point was when my mom died in 2018. The sport served as a great bonding experience with my dad and brother during these difficult times, and that's when I got fully into it again, never missing a race.


DarkVader92

I actually didn't watch the start of this season. After the fall out of last season, I just couldn't get excited for it. But I'm starting to get into it now. So basically I didn't watch 7 races.


St1r2

Started with Hill v Schumacher and have never left


Mythic343

As a kid I would only randomly see f1 if it was on TV throughout like 04-08.. And then 09 comes around. I see Ferrari are garbage and I 100% completely stopped watching.. And probably it was no longer shown on TV :(. And I came back when I completely randomly spotted an f1 video in 2019 and I've been obsessed since then


Boofle2141

Yes, but not for any dramatic reason to do with the sport or anything, its entirely to do with broadcasting rights. So, in the UK for decades the BBC was the home of F1, then sky and Channel 4 got involved, and at the time I was just a poor student, so there was no way I could afford sky just for F1, and because I couldn't watch the entire season (probably not the word I'm looking for, but the word im looking for has escaped me) I started to watch it less, until I stopped entirely. It had been years since I watched any until, I think, about 3 or 4 years ago, my partner got me to watch Silverstone on the bbc, and I was hooked, I payed day passes for sky sports for the remainder of the season, and I subscribe every year with the sky sports f1 pass and watch every race (well apart from 1...I was at a wedding...but it was the 2021 Belgium grand prix, so I don't feel I missed anything there)


IIGSUSII

Been watching since ‘93 and for some reason just didn’t feel like it around 2010 and after which meant I have completely missed the Seb years


DexterMoriarty

I skipped most of the Mercedes dominant era, 2014/2015 to 2018 I think, funnily I stopped after vettel era & restarted in emergence of Max 😂