F1 warns Liberty Media: uncertain future without genuine management of sporting aspect

F1 must be followed, that’s the mandate from Liberty Media, which, since taking control of the premier category of motorsport, has implemented a specific executive plan. The objective is always the same: to make a lot of money, regardless of the consequences. What matters is to fill the company’s coffers as much as possible. To achieve this, the American ownership has understood one thing: the Formula One audience needed to be “refreshed” by attracting younger people. What better way to pump up social media and TV series?

The diabolical plan has been executed to perfection. A myriad of content has been “shot” on social channels with great success. Nowadays, it is normal to spend hours and hours watching “fun” and “spectacular” content that can keep viewers glued to their smartphones or tablets. As for the big screen, Drive to Survive knows its business. We’re talking about an exaggeration of the spectacularization of events to the maximum power.

Everything is crafted to perfection. A cut and paste of contexts that often have little or nothing to do with each other but, cleverly put together, create that shiny plastic controversy that fascinates and intrigues people worldwide. In this regard, the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 helped a lot. A context in which all these measures particularly took root.

Although the set target has been achieved, exaggerating could be counterproductive. Especially if on-track events are somehow neglected, and the technical-sporting regulations don’t work. Yes, because to date, after two seasons with the new regulatory framework, coupled with the budget cap, the attempt to bring teams closer together by closing the performance gap has certainly not worked. On the contrary, unfortunately, it has produced the most dominant championship in history.

F1: The president of the Grand Prix Driver Association issues a warning to Liberty Media
The current F1 regulations are not great and, above all, do not satisfy technicians and drivers. We refer to the case of the Sprint Race, for example. The parc fermé ensures that the only sixty minutes of free practice available become crucial. A frenetic hour where getting the car’s setup right becomes quite complicated. A small miscalculation, in fact, and the weekend is practically ruined. For this reason, an meeting between the parties will take place in the coming weeks.

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Attempts will be made to change some rules that regulate the sprint format to make it less stringent. One of the proposals being considered concerns the possibility of changing the set-up of the cars on Saturday, before the qualifying for the Sunday race. This aspect would allow teams to correct a wrong setup and, consequently, offer the best version of themselves, raising the competitiveness of the car after the 100 km of the mini-race.

For the rest, we can say that the idea of reversing the grid to create “controlled chaos” seems to add to the list of more or less absurd measures. But on the other hand, as mentioned earlier, anything that mixes things up pleases Liberty Media, as it offers the opportunity to present unexpected content that can attract spectators more. On the aspects mentioned up to this point in today’s article, Alex Wurz has intervened. We are talking about the president of the drivers’ association.

The Austrian foresees an uncertain future, in which several factors will need to be taken into account to avoid “exploding” the system. This despite the fact that the viewership of other sports is currently decreasing to a greater extent than that of F1. In the stands, the audience has increased. The desire to participate in live events has experienced a surge, especially in the United States, where races have increased. After all, Americans have been given what they wanted, and therefore, the results have followed the script. But the former F1 driver puts an important element on the discussion table.

He refers to the authenticity of the sport that cannot be sacrificed for mere economic aspects, respecting those who dedicate heart and soul to their work. Hollywood is not real life, and the paddock cannot and should not turn into an extension of American “Studios.” A pavilion where events are designed to increase the show aimed at making money. The success achieved in recent years by Liberty Media does not stem from the ability to manage this sport or the skill in drafting the regulations that govern Formula One.

On the contrary, the current condition regarding the audience is the result of the ability to attract new fans through the aforementioned channels. The suggestion of the 49-year-old native of Waidhofen an der Thaya, Austria, is to present F1 in the most suitable and appropriate way without violating the spirit of the category. Relying on smoky tools does not guarantee a secure future, and the system, as it is set up, could collapse inexorably from one moment to the next. This is a hypothetical scenario that must be avoided at all costs.