Melbourne (AFP) – The outlook for Formula 1’s future may be faster than expected. With a second qualifying session in place of a rather boring practice session due in four weeks in Baku, the racing series plans to continue on the path of modernization.
“The more teams and drivers are given the opportunity to show who they are, the better the show,” said Stefan Domenicali, Managing Director of Formula 1 on Sky. “We are thinking of a session that makes the sport better.”
The premier motorsports class wants more excitement and can therefore quickly fix up its weekends. With the first of six sprint races of the year scheduled for late April in Azerbaijan, this would be the perfect time for a refresh. After just one practice session on Friday, qualifying for the starting grid at the Grand Prix on Sunday must follow immediately afterwards, and Saturday will be devoted entirely to sprinting. First the qualifying, then the mini race on the narrow street circuit. This would bring more excitement to the fans than training without any sporting value. “Doing a job is important to us and fun,” said Mercedes driver George Russell.
Formula 1 entertainment in Las Vegas
In the multimillion-dollar Formula 1 business, entertainment has long taken center stage. And that development will culminate in November, when Grand Prix victory will be at stake for the first time under the twinkling lights of the legendary Las Vegas Strip. Then drive until Saturday evening. Hundreds of thousands of fans want to be there, but not everyone gets a ticket – as many racetracks currently do. Whether it’s Barcelona, Zandvoort, Spielberg, Singapore, Miami or Las Vegas – the racing series is thriving. But in terms of sports, those responsible for it see a lot of potential, especially since the Red Bull team clearly dominated at the beginning of the year and Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez must decide the title among themselves.
“Of course you need time to rehearse. But people come here to see the performance,” Domenicali said. There are currently three practice sessions on regular race weekends, each lasting an hour. Teams can park their cars in peace, but it doesn’t provide any real entertainment. “Three training sessions are not necessary. “One or two exercises at most are more than enough for us,” said Russell, reflecting the opinion of several colleagues. “It is good to ask what we are doing and how our forms can be further developed,” said Frenchman Pierre Gasly of the Alpine racing team.
But the more modern Formula 1 also includes a stronger focus on sustainability. Due to the ever-increasing number of races, pilots don’t just want a more informative calendar. The overland travel routes from Baku to Miami and back straight to Imola in Italy drew a lot of criticism. “I think it will get better in the coming years,” said Russell, who is also the director of the Formula 1 Drivers’ Association GPDA.
Britain’s Russell confirmed that Boss Dominicali would hear the drivers’ thoughts and wishes. Meanwhile, the Italian’s Domenicali has indicated that there will probably be no more than 25 races per season in the future. There was already speculation as many as 30, but due to the high pressure, the teams did not do so. In fact, there should be a total of 24 Grands Prix in 2023, after the race in China was cancelled, there are now just 23.
Formula 1 return to South Africa?
“It’s up to us to keep the right level,” Domenicali said. In any case, the demand from the organizers is “enormous”, but: “we also have to protect the quality of events and sport”. This also means that traditional sites have no security for the future. Places like Monaco or Spa-Francorchamps face a difficult future. “If history is only the past, then we have a problem. But if history has value and you focus on developing the sport, then it has a lot of value for us,” said the 57-year-old.
At the same time, returning to South Africa is a major goal in the near future, and there is also a great deal of interest from East Asia. “A lot more than in the States,” Domenicali said. In America there will be three World Championship races in one season for the first time. And while Formula 1, spurred on by the success of Netflix’s “Drive to Survive”, is thriving there and especially in Asia, things are different in Germany. Neither the Hockenheimring nor the Nürburgring have been part of the racing calendar lately, so there isn’t much to suggest this will change quickly. Nico Hulkenberg has only one German driver.
The Haas driver will compete in the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday (7am/sky). In Melbourne, too, they want changes. They would like to host a Down Under night race in the future – albeit not very sustainable – that would attract more interest around the world. “It would be great if we could do that. It’s a great spectacle, but also great for connecting with the rest of the Formula 1 crowd,” organizers Paul Little told the Melbourne Herald Sun.
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