Formula One, referred to as F1, is a motorsport discipline sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) with a rich historical background; the first-ever race took place in May 1950 on United Kingdom’s classic Silverstone track. Over the years, the sport has taken on a global dimension and is, along with the Olympic Games, one of the most publicized sporting events worldwide. Formula One’s revenue rose from $1.78 billion in 2017 to well over $2 billion in 2019. In 2018, the number of users across F1’s social media platforms also grew significantly, with the total number of followers on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter reaching 18.5 million, confirming F1 as the fastest-growing sport on social media. While the sport continues to earn significant amounts of money from viewership, most fans, including myself, question its popularity.
F1 has Become Unbelievably Predictable:
Lewis Hamilton–six-time F1 champion––has won six of the first ten races this season and has built an impressive 44-point advantage to his nearest rival and teammate, Valterri Bottas, in the F1 Drivers’ Championship. Team Mercedes, consisting of drivers Hamilton and Bottas, has won eight of the first ten races in the 2020 season, bumping them up 174 points ahead of rival team Red Bull––a point gap that has almost guaranteed Mercedes the 2020 Constructor Championship. Mercedes have been unbeatable in the World Constructor Championship, and Hamilton has won 67 of his 128 races since 2014. Hamilton and Mercedes probably would understand if some fans find themselves watching the start of the races, napping for an hour and then coming back for the last few laps––just in time to listen to the commentators screaming, “Lewis Hamilton takes the chequered flag once again!” For example, in the 2020 Belgian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton led every single lap of the race, making the race predictable and, to a certain extent, boring for the fans to watch. To be clear, blaming the drivers for their exceptional skills is not a valid argument; instead, the issue lies in how money has become a formula for teams to succeed. Wealthy teams, like Mercedes or Red Bull, end up relying on their funds to implement technological advancements while small-scale teams like Williams Racing struggle to finish top-10 every race. Yet, an F1 cost cap––which is already on the agenda of F1 higher-ups––will undoubtedly lessen the gap between the ten teams and ensure fair play. A potential set of financial regulations would prevent teams’ monetary investments impacting a race car’s performance––a necessary means of bringing back the game’s competitive spirit.
DRS Makes Overtaking Meaningless:
In motor racing, the DRS (Drag Reduction System) aims to reduce aerodynamic drag to increase top speed and promote overtaking. The DRS is an adjustable rear wing of the war, which moves in response to driver commands––an artificial and unfair aspect of F1. Overtaking in F1 has never been easy and always created the most intense moments within the race. Before 1994, if a race car wanted to overtake the opponent, the driver would have to work endlessly, shifting from left-to-right and right-to-left until the right moment came; overtaking was purely down to the driver’s skill. Yet, with rear wings that flap open to reduce the amount of drag, a press of a button in the DRS zone––a specific part of the track set by the FIA where the DRS can be used––easily allows cars to zoom by one another. To bring back the exhilarating spirit of F1, DRS should either be eliminated or a rule should be implemented that racers can activate DRS anytime. This way, overtaking will not only take place in the DRS zones but anywhere on the track.
Duration of F1 Races:
The length of the majority of F1 races is at least 305 kilometers, approximately taking 90 minutes for the race to conclude. Due to certain Grand Prixs having over 70 laps of racing, a winner is often decided by pit stop strategies. A pit stop is when a car enters the pit lane and pauses for refueling, new tires, repairs, and mechanical adjustments. Since 1994 when refueling during races was allowed in order to accommodate lengthy matches, more and more race winners have been dependent on pit strategies rather than actual racing or an overtaking move on the track. Though refueling is now banned, pit stops for tires frequently determine the race results; some teams benefit from the pit stop, and some do not. For instance, in the 2018 Bahrain Grand Prix, Ferrari’s failure to quickly assist Kimi Räikkönen––2007 F1 World Champion––costed a significant loss due to Ferrari’s pit stop disaster after one of the crew members failed to place the tires in time. Furthermore, in the 2016 Monaco Grand Prix, due to Red Bull’s communication failure in the pit lane, Daniel Ricciardo––current Renault driver––was left stranded with no tires while Lewis Hamilton took advantage and flew by, eventually winning the race. Though some may argue that pit stops are part of the game, to avoid situations where races are dictated by pit stop incidents, shortening the number of laps in a race with no scheduled pit stops would allow drivers to compete based on skill rather than hoping to pass their competitors due to a superior pitting strategy.
Structure of F1 Tracks:
Many, if not all, tracks in F1 consist of minimal straights for overtaking and unnecessary chicanes––a tight sequence of corners in alternate directions usually slowing down the cars. Though chicanes are potential opportunities for drivers to overtake after a long straight, F1 should consider making all first turns simple, and eliminating chicanes in random parts of the track to avoid early or worthless crashes that ruin the race. For example, in the first corner of the 2018 United States Grand Prix, McLaren’s Fernando Alonso, current Racing Point’s Lance Stroll, and former Sauber’s Charles Leclerc crashed as all cars were squeezed together. Unfortunately, Leclerc and Alonso could not finish the race, and Stroll ended up in the last place.
Formula One has gained the reputation of being a fierce and thrilling battle between passionate racers. If F1 does not make immediate changes soon, it is bound to face a drastic decline in income, popularity, and fans.
Cover Photo: Courtesy of Formula 1
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