(Motorsport-Total.com) – After the first three race weekends under the new Formula 1 regulations, the April break offers the FIA and Formula 1 a few weeks for reflection. On April 20, the team principals will meet to discuss possible adjustments raised in technical discussions, including an expert round last Thursday.
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The possible changes mainly concern energy management to mitigate the sometimes dangerous speed differences and to make qualifying more of a real contest again.
Apart from that, Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali emphasizes that the key figures have been largely positive so far – including the on-site spectator numbers and the TV ratings of the first three Grands Prix.
At the same time, purists and several Formula 1 drivers have expressed criticism, especially because of the often necessary “lift-and-coast” and “superclipping” with the less energy-rich cars. Domenicali wants to take this feedback constructively but calls on the drivers not to lose sight of the bigger picture.
“My conversations with them are definitely very open, and they know that their opinion matters to me. I want them to be involved,” Domenicali reveals in an exclusive interview with Autosport, a sister publication of Motorsport-Total.com in the Motorsport Network.
“But of course, sometimes there is a kind of game between the drivers. When you talk to the drivers at the top, they are always very happy because they are winning. The others can be frustrated, also because they prefer a different kind of racing, which I respect very much,” he emphasizes.
However, he also makes it clear that respect for the sport as a whole is important and that drivers should not forget on which platform they were able to build their careers. “I told them: Listen, guys, don’t forget that we are here today because we made the right decisions together.”
“So show respect for a sport that has given us all incredible opportunities: to grow, to earn a lot of money, and to develop a personality in the world, as other sports might not be able to offer. I think I made that clear to them, and I believe they acknowledged it.”
Why Max Verstappen’s words carry “weight”
When Domenicali mentions that some drivers might be thinking about alternatives to the premier class, the focus inevitably falls on Max Verstappen and his increasing GT3 appearances.
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He explains that his recent conversations with Verstappen have all been constructive, including some proposals the Dutchman made this week. Nevertheless, the four-time world champion, like all drivers, must understand that public statements can have an impact.
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“I have had many, many conversations with Max since the beginning. I understand his comments, and he understands the bigger picture. Even today, he was very engaged in a meeting and made proposals. I don’t want to fall into the trap of making this a conflict. That’s not my style, and we don’t want to see that either.”
“So we do it together. He is the best driver, a multiple world champion, and of course his voice must be heard. But he also knows that his voice carries weight. And he must respect that weight because sometimes people can misinterpret things. We must not allow that,” Domenicali emphasizes.
The grass is not always greener in other racing series
Furthermore, the Formula 1 boss believes that the long-term perspective elsewhere is not necessarily better – especially in light of the ongoing dialogue with all drivers, including Verstappen.
“In Italy, they say the neighbor’s grass is greener. And sometimes, when you go to the other side, you realize: Oh my God, that’s not true at all. So – respect for what we have achieved together, but at the same time openness to any kind of feedback we exchange, without tactical games that one sometimes falls into.”
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Apart from the numbers, Domenicali personally finds the races very entertaining so far, although both he and the FIA are open to improvements of the overall product in the interest of the sport, especially on Saturdays.
What is important here is a constructive approach, where the Formula 1 boss respects the opinion of the drivers, but they should also keep the bigger picture in mind. “I think the racing is very, very good. And the more we talk to each other, the better it is for the sport,” he believes.
“Because the drivers are – and I say this as someone who is older but does not forget what he says – the jewel of our sport. So we have to protect this jewel, just as they have to protect the entire ecosystem in which they move,” he explains.
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