Should blue flags be booted out of F1

[Canada Darrell™]

Exactly! I honestly don't see what the big deal is about abolishing the blue flags people. Jeez, if your car is that fast then you ARE going to pass the lapped traffic...eventually. When it will happen is anyone's guess and if it closes the gaps between the leaders who's the winner? THE FANS! It's just as much a disadvantage (if YOU want to call it that) to the lead car as it is for the 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc etc place car!
There are rules in place other than blue flags to prevent "cheapskate" teams from blocking.
I mean, it is called RACING for a reason. If you like the blue flag rule that much than why not advocate a rule that says you're automatically out of the race if you are lapped because at that point it is certainly not "racing"?!

 

[Cam]

I consider myself to be as much a fan of racing as anyone.  But I do not consider lapping cars racing.  It is part of motor racing, yes, but the lapper is not racing the lappee.

Sounds like people would be happy for a car who is racing the car them behind lose all the advantage that has been built up because a backmarker is allowed to hold them up.   Tomorrow you would be happy for Felipe Massa to qualify badly, blow the start and then hang around at the back to hold up the Red Bulls while Alonso catches up.

Sure to make cars "race" the cars they are about to lap would increase the spectacle.  Why not randomly operated sprinklers around the track, James Bond style knives popping out of the side of the wheels, if you want spectacle.

I like my spectacle a bit more pure than that, but if you want to give Messrs Branson and Fernandes the air time they crave without actually having to earn it, go right ahead.

[Canada Darrell™]

Cam, you missed my point entirely. The perceived disadvantage is the same for the 2nd place car as the 1st place car....and the 3rd and 4th etc. They ALL have to pass backmarkers. You can't "hang around the back" to hold up cars. The rule is in place to prevent that from happening.
If the 1st place car happens to have to pass a backmarker in a bad part of the track and the field closes on him, so what? He's still in 1st place and the fans get a treat in that maybe we don't have to watch the inevitable procession to the end of the race.

[Scott]

100% agree Darrell - If someone like Massa is trying to hold up one particular car to benefit his teammate, then give him a 10 grid place drop next for blocking.  One defensive move, and don't tolerate any more from backmarkers.

As much as someone tries to protect race leaders, as a fan I want to see passing, and I'm quite pleased if the leader has to leave the racing line to make a pass, even of a backmarker.  If it slows a dominant leader and lets 2nd and 3rd catch up, I'm also pleased.  If a leader gets passed because the 2nd place guy can figure out a better (more courageous?) way past a backmarker, I'm doubly pleased (a la Hakkinen pass on Schumacher - some say the greatest of all time).  If you want to protect those on the lead lap and keep them on the racing line, then like Darrell said, once you get lapped, you should just pull out of the race.  Let the procession reign on...  Wouldn't that be fun.