But you're not giving me anything here beyond a subjective take on it, which we'll just argue into the ground forever.
You wanted to criticise the PT (?!) by saying the plot of TPM (?!) was written around the podrace (?!), which is a "triumph of setpiece over story(?!).
Well, none of that is actually true for a start, but can't you see how easily all your criticisms can be easily applied to ANH?
then, you got anakin making a bet to free himself. why? why doesn't qui gon and obi wan come round and threaten watto to free both of them? it's almost as lame as the two jedi wimping out at the beginning of the film when two driods who walk 1 mile an hour scare them away, thus not reaching the viceroy and ending everything there.
The short (and correct) answer is that the Jedi have no jurisdiction there.
Presumably you would agree with Qui cutting a defenseless Watto in half to get what he wanted (the next step after his 'peaceful' method to trick Watto failed). How they would have lived up to their "champions of peace and justice" titles then!
The longer answer is-
Qui gives up on Watto, but they had just reached Tat and Qui was onto the next option. Then he met Anakin and everything changed. After he meets Anakin, his priorities shift from not just Naboo but also to getting this kid (who he is convinced is the chosen one) to Courascant.
Maybe you think thats wrong too, and the other Jedi would agree with you. They didnt care much for Qui's methods either. But those methods never involved uneccesary violence or threats of violence.
Your going down a dead end with that one.