Unique

The sporting aspect of Components 1 stays necessary to boss Stefano Domenicali, even when Liberty Media has confronted criticisms lately for components like dash races.

Whereas resistance to the Saturday dash format has died down, it has not gone away fully – even when the format used this yr might be the very best to this point.

Though Domenicali thinks the sceptics shouldn’t be completely ignored, he has no doubts that sprints work. In reality, he’s not towards having as much as eight per yr – with doubtlessly some spice added to the best way the grid is made up.

“I keep in mind once we launched them we had numerous criticism from the purists – who we have to all the time take heed to, even to those who will not be proud of it,” Domenicali mentioned.

“However I really feel that now the factor has shifted fully the opposite manner round. I believe that the change we have launched this yr is the best one for a lot of causes – with separate qualifying and parc ferme. The movement is a lot better at the moment.

“I believe that we’re not ready to say that we will be like MotoGP, for instance, with a full race calendar scenario of sprints. However there’s margin to develop, possibly for one third of the calendar. That might be a chance.

Stefano Domenicali, CEO, Components One Group, on the grid with a visitor

Picture by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

“After which, after all, there are specific subjects which can be all the time fairly debatable. We are able to actually as soon as once more talk about if there’s the necessity to reverse the grid, or half of the grid like what F2 and F3 are doing. So these are all the time issues to maintain the thoughts alive, if I’ll say, with the intent to maintain one thing all the time fascinating.”

From his perspective, regardless of being an F1 purist at coronary heart, Domenicali is one who helps the thought of reverse grids.

“Personally, I might say, why not? It is numerous motion. It’s overtaking. You are preventing for factors?

“Some individuals can say, ‘Oh, it’s a pretend manner of racing.’ Pretend? There’s nothing pretend associated to what you consider is the best format to provide nice motion. So I might have an interest to debate that once more. Sure.”

Extra motion

What Domenicali thinks must be an thought for F1 is that each session on a grand prix weekend has a aggressive aspect and a purpose for followers to observe.

He particularly doesn’t perceive why, in an period when groups are operating infinite simulations to excellent their set-ups, F1’s regular weekend format permits for 3 follow periods that rely for nothing past serving to engineers.

“Is it a very good leisure for individuals coming already on a Friday to see vehicles going across the observe simply to organize higher for qualifying and the race?” he requested. “I imply, is that what individuals need to see?

“There’s a big funding [by teams] in simulation instruments to try this. So my dream will likely be: each time that you just go on the observe, there’s something to battle for. That is the character of racing. That is the character of the drivers, as a result of they need to be the primary each time, and that is why we must be aiming for this type of goal sooner or later.

“I believe that we’re on the best path. We’re doing the best issues, and the joy that we deliver within the dash race could be very clear, as a result of numerous promoters want to have them.

“So now it is a good second to see what’s the greatest venue to have good motion, and in addition the very best place to be divided within the calendar to create the best frequency.”

The road circuit debate

Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing RB19, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-23

Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

One of many shifts that F1 has seen within the Liberty Media period has been in taking the sequence to the followers – which suggests extra vacation spot metropolis races.

Whereas some new additions comparable to Qatar are at everlasting tracks, for different venues – like Las Vegas, Miami and Saudi Arabia – this has meant road circuits.

Now with Madrid and doubtlessly Bangkok coming as future additions, the character of the F1 calendar seems to be shifting away from its conventional base of everlasting venues.

Whereas there is no such thing as a escaping the very fact there are extra road circuits on the schedule, Domenicali doesn’t suppose there are too many.

“I might say we need to be balanced,” he mentioned. “We do not need to transfer from one aspect to the opposite aspect of the dimensions, however for us is it is essential to have good racing.

“I keep in mind one of many greatest criticisms that was on the desk earlier than the Las Vegas Grand Prix was, ‘Oh, come on, you might have a race the place there will likely be no overtaking, no drama, no motion, and so forth.’

“Truly we proved that those that weren’t ready to talk till after the occasion had been completely unsuitable. We had an unbelievable race.

“For positive it’s essential to respect the historic venues. However historic is just not every thing; historic is an efficient base to speculate for the longer term.

“We’re not fearful to search out the best answer, to have the best leisure, the best fan, and everybody can have a distinct opinion. There are drivers who love the everlasting tracks, others who like to attempt to drive within the cities.

“As I mentioned, the best reply, as all the time, is to be balanced. And that may be my strategy, for positive.”

Film alternatives

Craig Dolby stands in for Brad Pitt throughout a film shoot on the grid

Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

Considered one of Liberty Media’s success tales since taking on has been the influence of Netflix’s Drive to Survive in bringing a brand new viewers to F1.

Allied to opening up social media channels, it has fuelled a brand new technology of followers which have helped grand prix racing’s reputation keep sky excessive after the post-COVID bounce.

But when Netflix’s influence was big, Domenicali thinks that the brand new F1 film – attributable to hit the large screens subsequent June – will take the push to a different degree.

“There was one aspect that was not negotiable: to do one thing distinctive,” added Domenicali.

“However within the context the place we can not contact the racing itself, as a result of that is the game, with completely different cuts, with completely different components, we’re doing a film.

“So I do consider that you can be fascinated additionally to see the making of it, as a result of individuals will realise the complexity that we’re managing and the issues which can be behind it. It’s actually spectacular.

“I do consider that will probably be fascinating on each side, understanding that we had been capable of maintain the reside sport alive. However when you are going to see the film, you are going to perceive what will probably be.”

Domenicali additionally means that a few of the digicam angle concepts that will likely be used within the film may even be adopted by F1 itself for future onboards to spice up its personal protection of races.

“We’re growing collectively new know-how of cameras, with completely different angles of view,” added Domenicali. “So I might say it’s a pleasant place to develop sure new know-how that we will deliver afterwards.”

Actor Brad Pitt throughout filming for an upcoming film

Picture by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

What can’t be managed

Now into his fourth yr on the helm of F1, Domenicali feels he has helped push the sequence in the best route – each for followers and his Liberty Media bosses.

“I do not need to say I, as a result of I am a staff participant,” he mentioned. “I believe that what we had been capable of do is to take F1 to a dimension that not so many individuals had been considering that we had been capable of do.

“So the expansion that we live, the great thing about what we’re speaking about, is what we must be actually very pleased with.

“I am not watching now the worth of our capitalisation on the inventory market. That is not me. That is for our shareholders, and which we have to thank Greg [Maffei] and Liberty Media on the belief that they’ve on me, and on us.”

However equally Domenicali doesn’t see every thing by means of rose-tinted glasses; and feels that there are challenges that have to be overcome.

“We’re all the time in a push mode,” he mentioned. “You might be all the time joyful, however by no means joyful that manner…”

And he provided a very fascinating reply, which circles again to the sustainability motivations of the 2026 rule modifications, about subjects that maintain him awake at night time – with recollections of Imola’s 2023 cancellation attributable to flooding clearly nonetheless very robust.

“I must sleep as a result of we’re working lots,” he smiled. “I am not a man that’s involved about one thing that we’re not capable of management, as a result of that is one thing that I all the time really feel – behind an issue, there is a chance.

“There are issues that we can not management, which can be out of our management, that would have an effect. We’re a worldwide sport.

“We all know the political setting is delicate. We have now been hit by sure issues associated to the so-called local weather change. 

“I believe that if we’re capable of handle what we will management, I believe we’re in an excellent spot.”