I’m not going to deny it – Formula 1 doesn’t thrill me like it used to.

Yes, I am aware there are tens of thousands of Grand Prix fans on our island who will disagree with me on this, but I find the current version of this sport too predictable and sanitised for my liking.

Obviously, I’m not suggesting we should go back to the days when drivers hurtled round the track wearing cardboard helmets and flammable shoes with only a piece of string to keep them strapped to their seats.

But I do think F1 was a more raw, fun and spontaneous spectacle back when the likes of Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill and Michael Schumacher were the main men. You never quite knew what drama was round the next corner in those days, and I genuinely miss that sense of the unknown.

Despite not being a diehard fan these days, however, I am fully aware that last week’s announcement that Lewis Hamilton will be joining Ferrari is a pretty big deal. In fact, I don’t think it is an exaggeration to suggest it sent shock waves through the entire sport.

Yes, he is 39, so no spring chicken. But Hamilton has seven world titles behind him, making him the most decorated driver of all time. And this is motor racing we are talking about, where experience makes up for any minor drops in performance brought about by age.

Ultimately there is a mystique about Ferrari, with its incredible history that makes every driver dream of getting into one of those famous red cars. And Hamilton probably realised, as the years pile up, it was now or never.

Could this be another moment of switching genius? Pity we will have to wait till 2025 to find out...

When Hamilton left McLaren to join Mercedes a decade ago, F1 was shocked and stunned. But it turned out to be the right decision at the right time, with Hamilton going on to win six championships with the German giants.

Could this be another moment of switching genius? Will this change of teams be just what he needs to claim that eighth title which seemed to be slipping away from him?

Time will obviously tell.

Just a pity we will have to wait till 2025 to find out...

 

Financial rules starting to bite

As transfer windows go, it was a bit of an anticlimax.

Last year at this time, everyone was talking about how the Premier League had almost doubled its previous spending record, with clubs splashing out more than £800 million on reinforcements. Of course, a lot of that was to do with Chelsea’s new owners overcompensating for their lack of football acumen by flexing their financial muscle. The London club alone was responsible for nearly half the total spend as they tried to buy success in a way that only served to highlight that they knew little about how football teams are built.

In contrast, however, the last month turned out to be one of the quietest windows I can remember. There wasn’t a single deal that raised an eyebrow or made you think it will change the course of the season. Premier League clubs only managed to collectively spend £100 million in January, and a lot of that has to with clubs not wanting to fall foul of the financial fair play rules.

I don’t think we have seen the end of big spending – there will probably be more of that in the summer – but at least football appears to be gradually moving towards a more sensible and sustainable model, which is just what it needs.

 

Klopp departure will drive them on

A number of people have suggested over the last week that Jürgen Klopp announcing his departure from Liverpool months before it is going to happen could ruin their season.

Players are, after all, only human, and knowing the boss is on the way out can lead to them viewing him as a bit of a lame duck. His authority can be undermined, and the overall uncertainty can cause a loss of focus and unrest in the dressing room.

Sounds far-fetched? Well, it’s happened before. And to none other than Sir Alex Ferguson.

Some of you may recall that the Old Trafford legend shocked the football world when he announced that the 2001/2002 season would be his last at Manchester United. He probably thought that would spur his lads on to greater things, but it caused massive disruption, made attracting players harder, and saw the club slump to mid-table mediocrity by Christmas. And, for Manchester United in those days, that was entirely unthinkable.

“The biggest mistake I made was announcing it at the start of the season. I think a lot of them had put their tools away,” Sir Alex said.

As it turned out, the great Scot turned things round, eventually finishing as runners-up to Arsenal. And that was enough to persuade him to change his mind and go on to have another 11 years of incredible success at Old Trafford.

On that basis, I can see why some people are suggesting Klopp made a mistake by making his announcement in January as it may have a negative effect on a team that is fighting for four trophies.

I can’t see a similar, Old Trafford-like meltdown taking place at Anfield. Klopp is a very different manager who has a very different type of bond with his players. Whereas Sir Alex came across as much more authoritarian, Jurgen is just one of the lads.

And it is that warm relationship with his squad that leads me to think his early announcement is a tactical masterstroke that will push his team to achieve something special this season. The players, just like the club’s fans, want him to stay. And to be honest, I felt he was only actually about halfway through building a Ferguson-like legacy at Anfield.

But if he isn’t going to be staying, then the supporters – but more importantly, the players – will want to see him off in the best possible way.  And what better way to end the high-tempo, high-emotion Klopp era than with a memorable double, treble, or maybe even a quadruple.

The fans would love that, the players too. But more than any of them, Klopp would be over the moon if he were able to leave the club with one more amazing memory to savour.

 

E-mail: James.calvert@timesofmalta.com

Twitter: @maltablade