Domenicali says F1 needs to heed purists’ criticisms

The CEO of Formula 1, Stefano Domenicali, believes that he is leading a sport that is far from plateauing in terms of popularity.

Despite Red Bull and Max Verstappen’s dominance, the figures remain excellent for the just-concluded season, and F1 is more attractive than ever for teams, fans, manufacturers, and sponsors.

“And to think that Covid-19 could have been fatal for Formula 1,” he recalls on the Rai radio show La Politica nel Pallone.

“We have managed to build, step by step, growth that has brought us to become one of the most followed sports platforms in the world so far.”

But there are many fears regarding the declining popularity of F1, which could start to wane if Red Bull and Max Verstappen continue to dominate.

“The just-concluded season has been extremely positive for Formula 1 as a whole,” Domenicali insists, “despite Max Verstappen’s dominance.”

“We gained attention, conquered new markets, and developed new products.”

One of these “new products” is the Saturday sprint race, the format of which will be fine-tuned for 2024.

“The data show that there is this interest, as the concept of days dedicated only to free practice does not provide good inspiration.”

“All sports evolve. Everyone must pay attention to what is happening in the world.”

However, some long-time “purist” fans fear that it is not necessarily Verstappen’s dominance that threatens F1, but the increasingly show-business aspects of the sport.

“We must respect the purists, those who grew up with the credo of ‘bread and games.’ Today, it’s bread and Formula 1,” Domenicali smiles, “because they have always followed us. We must accept criticism if it is made in a constructive manner, while exciting new fans.”

“Through the most expert people, we must educate these new fans about the values of tradition so they can understand what lies behind Formula 1. But tradition is something that has value if it also follows the evolutions to be made for the future.”

“Otherwise, it remains something that can only be seen in black and white. It is a central theme of our attention.”

Regarding Verstappen’s dominance, Domenicali explains that “our sport is always characterized by cycles – a combination of a very strong car and an extraordinary driver.”

“With Max, we have a driver who is mature in managing races and qualifications. In this way, he reminds me of Michael Schumacher, not leaving anything for anyone else.”

Domenicali worked closely with Schumacher at Ferrari,

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