Oh dear, what a huge disappointment.
After all the hype and expectation surrounding the Valencia Street Circuit, Formula One's newest addition to the calendar served up a snooze-fest of a European Grand Prix.
The early enthusiasm was obvious given the credible job designer Hermann Tilke had achieved in winding 3.38 miles of tarmac through the city's port and marina.
At first glance the picturesque setting certainly appeared to do the sport justice, even if it lacked the glitz and glamour now so long associated with motor racing's blue riband event, Monaco.
The teams could not complain as their motorhomes overlooked the majestic marina that last year hosted the America's Cup, although the yachts were sadly all locked away and not on view.
In fact, there was surprisingly a dearth of boats - as noted by McLaren boss Ron Dennis - albeit due to the apparently extortionate rate being charged for a mooring over the weekend.
Moving away, and behind the scenes the pit garages were also unique, incorporated into a number of former dockside warehouses, adding a different flavour to the usual fare often served.
Even the hard-to-please media could find little to complain about, with the facilities in keeping with a modern-day event.
Other than a lack of signs that left everyone perplexed as to where they should be heading, the signs of a different kind were good.
Out front, and after the drivers had walked the track on Thursday, their impressions were generally positive, enjoying the fact it was wide and seemingly offered opportunities to overtake.
But then after Friday's practice sessions, the first murmurings of discontent could be heard, that maybe those passing places were few and far between, that it was visually unappealing and at times hard to differentiate one part of the circuit to another.
Ah well, perhaps it was just the drivers grumbling as they often do because the support races suggested a different story.
The safety car was deployed a number of times due to cars hitting the concrete barriers that lined the circuit, and when the racing resumed, there were plenty of overtaking manoeuvres witnessed.
But when it came round to the main event, it was hard not to nod off as we viewed the very antithesis of what Formula One should be about, that is a processional, dull-as-ditchwater race.
Thank goodness for Kimi Raikkonen because without adding further weight to the argument he has switched off this year when he ran over his own mechanic, and then with his engine blowing, there would have been precious little to report.
His Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa won at a canter from pole, with an unwell Lewis Hamilton happy to file in behind in second, with the rest a long way down the road.
In fact, the field were often so strung out, the drivers had little to occupy themselves other than taking on enough water in the 35-degree heat.
Such a race is one of the reasons why so many people are bored by the most expensive sport in the world because it so often fails to serve up what it should deliver all the time, a thrilling spectacle of an event.
We can only hope Tilke's other new creation this year, around the streets of Singapore, does not disenchant as this one did.
Before then, Formula One returns to its roots for the next two races as Spa and Monza beckon, two tracks that know how to give the paying public what they want - fast, furious, exciting racing.
These modern designs are all very well, but those guys who built circuits of yesteryear sure knew what they were doing.
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The first Arab driver in Formula One might not be too far away.
With Abu Dhabi set to join Bahrain on the calendar next season, the cash-rich Middle East is fast becoming the sport's most burgeoning market.
And it is money propelling 21-year-old Bahraini Hamad Al Fardan who last week received considerable backing from investment firm Gulf Finance House to support his GP2 Asia drive.
Al Fardan is also backed by Gulf Air, making him the most heavily sponsored driver in the series, and with that kind of support, it might not be too long before an F1 team comes knocking.
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