50,000 dorks
Okay, so <_brag>I’ve been to Monaco for the F1 race<_ /brag>, albeit the Thursday warm-up session – and I don’t even really like F1, or any car racing for that matter (NASCAR is mos def the worst). So I can’t understand why 50,000 people would come from all over Finland to watch a F1 car do six laps around a Helsinki city block, the entire affair took six minutes. According to the article, most people didn’t even see the car – and they called this the “Helsinki City GP”… WTF?? It reminds me of the Kalahari Bushman tribe’s first encounter with a Coca-Cola bottle.
There were some security problems with the huge crowd as well. In order to get a better view, some F1 enthusiasts climbed up to the roofs of kiosks, shopping malls, telephone booths, and to scaffolds. Some of the vantage points were truly precarious.
It took some time to chase people out of the dangerous places, as many ignored the organisers’ loudspeaker announcements. Hence the show that was scheduled to start at 3.00 p.m. was delayed.
Ah racing.. the smell of ozone and polution in the air.
Screw the planet, lets race.
Now you know why NASCAR is a growing sport here in the USA.
Comment by winter — Mon, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 10:55 pm
One of the days to head up north, as all the hicks are in town
Comment by Hank W. — Tue, Aug 15th, 2006 @ 3:28 am
wow.. that was bit of an overshot. I knew there was going to be lots of people, but some 50,000! Good thing I didn’t bother to go watch it. Of course it’d been interesting to see a live F1 car, especially because I live only 15-20 minutes away (a short walk + metro).
I’m also glad I didn’t have to go anywhere through the area that day!
Comment by S.Y — Tue, Aug 15th, 2006 @ 6:02 am
I’m a huge gear head, but this was extraordinarily lame. If you want to see race cars, go to a race. I wasn’t very impressed with the racing side of things.
However, it was fun just to watch all the people. If you like the atmosphere of all those people together, like at a concert or something, then it was a lot of fun.
Comment by Väinämöinen — Tue, Aug 15th, 2006 @ 8:54 am
Hank – Don’t you mean /more/ hicks?
It’s a small town and it was a free event…that’s enough to draw lots of people on a slow day.
Comment by hfb — Tue, Aug 15th, 2006 @ 10:04 am
I bet they all where stadilainen. Hicks (like me) go to watch a ralli and want to eat dust and grit!
Comment by majava — Tue, Aug 15th, 2006 @ 10:49 am
Yep, the real hicks line up for ralli and tractor pulling championships.
Comment by Antti (the redneck one) — Tue, Aug 15th, 2006 @ 10:57 am
Instead they should have drove trucks around the “circuit” with walking speed…people dancing on the floats and loud techno music coming out of the huge loudspeakers…that would have been an experience! I didn’t came too “see”/hear this City GP..I knew it’s going to be BS!
Comment by PePe — Tue, Aug 15th, 2006 @ 3:12 pm
BuAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA WITUN PELLET,how there can be so stupid peoples in finland , whats special is to see the f1 car? -nothing it is just a fast car thats all…. even i can make such car as toyota f1
Comment by pro — Tue, Aug 15th, 2006 @ 10:53 pm
Well, fire is even older thing than F1 cars, but every time, when some building catches the fire, there are soon enough spectators to block the path of fire brigade. I think Hannu Karpo or somebody did a candid camera style TV stunt, where some shithouse by the road was set on fire and soon there was some 50 cars parked all over the place and almost somebody selling hotdogs. I bet it’s the same phenomenon.
Not to mention Armi Kuusela’s Philippino husband way back in the 50’s. I think there were some newspaper articles speculating, whether his forefathers were cannibals.
Comment by Antti (the redneck one) — Tue, Aug 15th, 2006 @ 11:43 pm
Is something would be big, plenty, close to you everyday life, colourful, soundful, useful and sometimes even fun, would you be interested? Most chidren are: that is cars.
If something related to cars represents the mechanical extremes, technological extremes, the ultimate marketing and co-operation strategies, and an element of danger, would that be interesting? It is F1 racing, and it is one of the favorite sports in the world.
About climate change and cars: the jury is still out in many respects here.
Comment by Anssi Porttikivi — Wed, Aug 16th, 2006 @ 11:21 am
BTW, me and my 3 year old qued for 2-3 hours in the crowd and in the hot weather to get to the “simulator” which was a fiberglass formula replica with EA F1 2002 game running on the big screen in front.
He enjoyed it enormously, having waited it all summer. And I of course enjoyed his joy. Then we went to Kiavopiha were there was another competing “simulator” with McLaren gear and Infogrames GP4 game. They had broken the pedal input, but I fixed to be on “automatic” driving a a que of people (MOSTLY kids) enjoyed driving, although the wheel and pedals were now “off”, anfd the driving (in Monaco!) was done by the computer.
Comment by Anssi Porttikivi — Wed, Aug 16th, 2006 @ 11:28 am
“Instead they should have drove trucks around the “circuit†with walking speed…people dancing on the floats and loud techno music coming out of the huge loudspeakers…that would have been an experience!”
Oh but that’s what they do in February every year. We call it “penkkarit”.
Comment by Tom — Wed, Aug 23rd, 2006 @ 12:41 pm