All that money to watch boring cars go round and round?
At least they have MotoGP ,much more exciting !

Disgruntled Dorothy, Glasgow, Scotland

I happen to think that cricket is the most mind-numbingly tedious game ever devised by man, but I don't have a hissy fit because it is on TV, a lot of people like it, and good luck to them. Doesn't Mary Ann Sieghart's TV set on/off switch work for BBC as well as for ITV? And don't get me started on American football!

Peter Byles, Brackley, UK

"noisy, vulgar, tedious trash"? That's a description that can be applied to most soap operas on the goggle box, but I don't hear anyone saying that type of programming needs to be removed. F1 scores over such banality in that it's both real and has positive role models in the form of super-fit individuals who have the dedication and determination to perform at the top-most level in their chosen profession. Incidentally, I stopped watching F1 years ago when it became so processional due to the move away from slick tyres.

David, Cheshire,

I don't understand why the writer will have to cover her ears with cushions when F1 goes over to BBC next year. It is presently on ITV, as she knows. Does it mean that she can't get ITV in her house, or is the volume of sound higher on BBC? This does not make any sense. If she can avoid F1 on ITV she should be able to avoid it on BBC. If someone else in her household wants to watch it and she doesn't they will have to agree on who watches what - same as the rest of us.

Ray Jones, Rochdale, Lancashire

by the same token dear Mary Ann, should you be allowed to wear nice clothes and wear make-up?coz what a waste of money that would be!

Olivier, london,

The author's points do not stack up. Firstly, she doesn't like F1. Okay. I don't like Eastenders, or reality TV, or football. I don't watch them. But I still pay my licence fee. The BBC broadcasts a variety of programmes and cannot satisfy everyone all the time. Her main criticism of F1 is that she cannot understand or appreciate it without putting any effort into doing so.

Then we hear the rather tired environmental argument. The emissions of F1 negligible compared to many other activities. for example, all the dishwashers we use. Or, come to think of it, what is the ecological cost of the premier league? 10 lots of 50,000 people traveling to 10 or so locations around the country, every week? What about the 2012 Olympics? I imagine they have quite a "carbon footprint."

Formula One is the purest from of sport: you have a car, you have a track, you have to drive the car around the track as fast as possible. Perfection is achievable in F1. Not so in other sports.

Michael Cowley, York, UK

this article should be widely read, translated. anti-social politicians, planners elites should be made to compulsorily read it. they must stop supporting the monstrous sport of motor racing. unfortunately even a section of Leftists in the Left-front ruled state of West Bengal in India had planned to have Formula I tracks. fortunately, the idea did not work.

congratulations to the author Mary Ann Sieghart.

vidyadhar date

vidyadhar date, Mumbai, india

Well Mark, as one of the lowly and easily distracted plebes, I think you patricians can keep your hands off our toys. Furthermore, you can also keep your pompous, "socially aware" attitudes to yourself. Diverting the miniscule amounts of money devoted to Formula 1 racing is not going to solve global warming or feed the poor. That will take genuine, committed and co-ordinated action by all the world's governments. Perhaps instead of categorising Formula 1 racing as a crime against humanity, we could instead ban the BBC. From what I've seen, it produces far more damaging gases than a race car ever could.

Craig, Brisbane, Australia

I just love it when a feisty woman (and Mary Ann Sieghart fits the description) puts me in my place; I've traipsed around the world following and watching Formula One racing for more than 40 years, however, I've now seen the error of my ways and I've resolved to divest myself of the habit.
What time is Blue Peter on the Beeb? :-)

Gary, Bolton,

Why does the BBC waste money on this "noisy, vulgar, tedious trash?."
My thoughts entirely, on the round the clock middle class female pity parlour that is R4. And the celebrity dominated female targeted TV junk food that is most weekend TV.

Bob Grant, Leicester,

Waste of money indeed. But over here people like to watch cars driving in an endless circle. It's called NAS car. Talk about tedious.

Jerry, seattle, usa

Just to state on the record, Mr Ecclestone never cashed the returned cheque...

esayal, London,

'Pole position' article Mary! (sorry)

Maybe it's not so much the rather monotonous nature of the sport (except when there's a crash) or the stuff you've mentioned above that's the problem- but the fact that the BBC have decided to 'buy' sport to be shown on their channels- with MY money... without asking- again.

Hamilton has to be the main reason to switch the thing on these days but it all still leaves a sour taste when realising that doing so, it's just cost you £120+ quid!

BBC- hideously ripp-off.

Jez W, Leeds,

Get the tea in will you, pet!

Colin Soames, London,

Quick, get some more decorating and cooking programmes on for Mary, to go with all the other female dominated rubbish us men have to put up with.

David Leslie, Perth, Scotland

I couldn't agree with you more. I have no respect for the and therefore would not patronise companies that sponsor formula one. I would think it much more socially responsible and worthwhile if they put the hundreds of millions of pounds they spent on sponsoring that boring rubbish on feeding the starving in Malawi or something. I think most of the rational for the changes to the rules of this years formula one are to ensure that there are more crashes to keep the plebs entertained. There are nations in the pacific drowning because of global warming and we still have formula one? Well past its use by date I say its time to take these little toys away from the little boys.

Mark C E, Birmingham, UK