Is it humanly possible to make Formula One exciting?

As if it wasn't hard enough to stay awake during a race, they're starting the season in Melbourne this Sunday morning at 5am...

Formula One has come a long way from the days of the 1970’s when drivers would have a quickie with one of the pit girls before getting into the car and straight after the race, would often be seen toking on a Marlboro and guzzling from a can of premium strength Stella Artois.

Obviously, from a safety point of view, the FIA is to be applauded for the improvements they’ve made to motor racing safer, but from a spectator’s point of view, well, it’s just bloody boring isn’t it.

Teams with massive budgets now dominate the sport and although there is undoubtedly huge talent out there on the starting grid, it really is all about the car these days rather than driver ability. That’s where we come in – Paddy Power now invites you to take a look at our five-point plan to make F1 a far more exciting (and fairer) spectacle.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 16: Antonio Giovinazzi of Italy driving the (99) Alfa Romeo Racing C38 Ferrari on track during qualifying for the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit on March 16, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

Hamilton for another World title? He’s Even Money at PaddyPower.com

SCRAP THE TRADITIONAL WARM-UP LAP

Forget going out to warm up the tyres before the big race, what we suggest is that all the cars start from the pit lane and the drivers do the warm-up lap using those kids’ pedal cars you see in all good toy shops.

Can you imagine Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel pedalling like the clappers doing about 0.000002 mph?

The first driver back to the pits would then get the chance to steal a march on his rivals and this way, it would also be about who was the fittest driver, not who was better at handling a car at 200mph going round a corner.

REVISE THE POINTS SCORING SYSTEM EVEN MORE

The 2019 season has seen the introduction of an extra point for the driver who sets the fastest lap of the race. We say what should happen is that 10 points should be awarded for the driver who does the slowest lap so; if one of the top drivers has to use the spare car, it would be better if Mercedes for instance, had a Mark II Ford Escort for Lewis to use rather than a super duper replica of his race car, which would mean he would still get the chance to collect points in his defence of the F1 Drivers Championship.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 16: Pierre Gasly of France driving the (10) Aston Martin Red Bull Racing RB15 in the Pitlane during final practice for the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit on March 16, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

USE A BREAKDOWN SERVICE INSTEAD OF THE PIT GARAGE:

If a driver gets a flat out on the circuit or when their tyres start going bald of they need mechanical assistance, instead of limping back to the pits, the FIA should get the local RAC (or European equivalent) to come out onto the circuit and do the repairs while they wait.

Can you imagine iconic circuits like Silverstone and Monza having those SOS Phone Boxes at 400 yard intervals around the track and drivers making sure they have those high vis triangles (very useful for night races) out on display as they wait by their vehicle. This would make the pit lane much safer for A-listers to mingle during the race, without the fear of spilling any of their Don Pon.

Drivers steer their cars behind the safety car after the start of the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix at the Yas Marina circuit on November 25, 2018, in Abu Dhabi. (Photo by Andrej ISAKOVIC / AFP) (Photo credit should read ANDREJ ISAKOVIC/AFP/Getty Images)

SCRAP THE SAFETY CAR

The safety car is a total waste of time; well it would be if track repairs and shifting debris after a crash were allowed to go on without it. What would happen is that after an incident, blokes wearing hard hats and orange overalls could quickly construct a set of temporary traffic lights or have one of them standing at either end with a stop/go sign, to ensure drivers are aware there has been an incident.

This way, if Messrs Hamilton and Vettel are two minutes down the road, it would give the back markers a chance to catch up and make for a much fairer contest over 70-odd laps.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 16: Charles Leclerc of Monaco driving the (16) Scuderia Ferrari SF90 on track during qualifying for the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit on March 16, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

FROM DRS TO DES

Instead of having areas on the track where the “Drag Reduction System” can be used for overtaking, why not go with our alternative, the “Drag Enhancement System” where drivers, when being caught by a rival and just like 007, are allowed to press a button and blow out a smoke screen which temporarily impairs the vision of the chaser, therefore allowing the driver in front to gain valuable seconds.

This would give rookie drivers the chance to piss the big boys off even more and as for any potential accidents resulting from the misuse; please refer to points three and four.

Bet on the Aussie Grand prix at PaddyPower.com

What do you think?