My first attendance at a race meeting was in 1963 at Crystal Palace. Incidentally, Jim Clark won the main event that day in a Lotus 23 sports car.

My first Grand Prix was the first at Brands Hatch in 1964 ( also won by Jim Clark).Our first experiences often set the template for how we judge things in the future. I am glad I was able to witness racing in that era on tracks where you could be close to the action and didn't have huge run off areas. Circuits had character, and the pit row didn't have the sterile look like something you might find in a high-tec business park.

Each passing year has chipped away at my enthusiasm for the sport to the point where my interest now just consists of having a glance at the BBC Sport website on the Sunday evening of a Grand Prix to see who won.I think that manufactured outcome of the final race of 2021 did it for me.

But I accept that F1 has a huge following and I am not going to be a moaning dinosaur who drones on about how much better it was in the past. I think we are all hostage to the times we were born in.

One thing that does irk me is when I visit motor sport nostalgia sites and posters go on about how today's drivers have it easy and wouldn't have the versatility to drive the variety of cars that the pilots of yesteryear did. What they base that claim on I don't know, but given the chance I am sure they could turn their hand to any type of car.

For me it all started going wrong when the highly informative displays of semi-named women holding the grid position signs were got rid of.