Stefano Domenicali has issued a stout rebuttal to critics of Formula One’s current regulations, saying most fans are enjoying the sport more than ever and are unconcerned by driver complaints. The Formula One chief executive also confirmed that this season finale would be staged in Europe if the last two grands prix, in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, are called off because of the Middle East war.
Lando Norris, the defending world champion, hit out at F1 in Hungary last week for putting profit before the sport in order to attract engine manufacturers with the new regulations. The focus on electrical energy management has been roundly disliked by drivers.
Domenicali, however, argued that F1’s fanbase did not share those objections.
“There is a lot of action on the track, people are loving it. They are focused on what is happening on the track,” he said. “They don’t understand our technology, ‘clipping’ or whatever it is, because it’s too technical.
“I had an incredibly interesting discussion with George Lucas [the Star Wars creator] on Saturday. He was in Hungary and he was giving me an incredible view on how the new fans are watching Formula One.
“For the vast majority of the people, trust me, they just want to see what is happening on the track. They’re not interested in the angle of throttle or the percentage of brake pressure in how you can take and overtake a driver.”
Domenicali was speaking after 11 meetings and with F1’s owners able to assess the first half of the season. According to F1’s figures, attendances have risen and there has been a growth in global TV audiences, although the broadcast numbers were not given.
Most striking was the continued change in the demographics of F1’s audience, which have transformed since Liberty Media took over the sport and with the success of the Netflix series Drive to Survive. F1 says 42% of its audience is now female, with women making up three-quarters of new fans, while 43% of the total fanbase is under 35.
This new audience had different demands from the sport than those of the traditional, older fanbase, said Domenicali. One focused on drivers and personalities, exemplified by Max Verstappen – who has also been a fervent critic of the new rules – when he made a superb pass on Lewis Hamilton in Hungary on Sunday.
“If you think, for example, of Max and Lewis at turn one in Hungary, this is a piece of art that these people just want to see and just connected to the quality of the drivers,” said Domenicali. “This is a skill that the driver can have on how you can maximise the performance of your car, no matter if it’s braking, accelerating, or power that is done by the electrification or not.”
The 61-year-old said that F1 would make a decision by mid-September on whether the races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi would go ahead, depending on the region’s conflict.
“If the situation will not be cleared the way that we believe it should be, before the middle of September we will take the decision,” he added. “If this will not be possible, the end of the season will be in Europe, because we cannot go in other places.”
Imola in Italy is believed to be the favoured venue.
He also confirmed that contingency plans for 2027 were being made should the war continue and any alternative calendar would run to the 24 meetings planned for next year.
“The calendar that will be presented, let’s say in autumn, will be as a sort of normal plan,” he said. “But in case the situation in the Middle East will not be solved, we have options, a different plan and the trigger for that is at the end of the year.”
How are fans reacting to Formula One’s regulations?
Domenicali said the majority of fans are focused on the racing itself rather than the sport’s technical details. He argued that many spectators want to see on-track action, driver skill and overtaking, not the intricacies of electrical energy management or “clipping”.
Why are drivers criticising the new rules?
Drivers have complained that the new regulations put profit ahead of the sport in an effort to attract engine manufacturers. Norris said in Hungary last week that the focus on electrical energy management has been widely disliked within the paddock.
What does Formula One’s audience now look like?
F1 said its audience has continued to change since Liberty Media took over the sport and the Netflix series Drive to Survive helped expand its reach. The series said 42% of its audience is now female, women account for three-quarters of new fans, and 43% of the overall fanbase is under 35.
What happens if Qatar and Abu Dhabi are cancelled?
If the races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi cannot proceed because of the Middle East war, Domenicali said the season finale will be moved to Europe. He said F1 would decide by mid-September whether the events would go ahead, and that Imola in Italy is believed to be the favoured venue.
What is the contingency plan for 2027?
F1 is also preparing contingency plans for 2027 if the war continues, with any alternative calendar still expected to contain the 24 meetings planned for next year. Domenicali said the normal calendar would be presented in autumn, but that options would be ready if the Middle East situation is not solved by the end of the year.
Key Facts
- Stefano Domenicali defended Formula One’s current regulations and said fans are focused on track action.
- Lando Norris criticised the sport in Hungary last week for prioritising profit and engine manufacturers.
- F1 says 42% of its audience is female, 43% is under 35, and women make up three-quarters of new fans.
- F1 will decide by mid-September on Qatar and Abu Dhabi, and Imola is believed to be the favoured European replacement.
- Contingency plans are being made for 2027 if the Middle East war continues.
