F1 CEO, Stefano Domenicali eyes a return to Turkey… amongst different issues.
Because the FIA’s single-seater director, Nikolas Tombazis admits that adjustments could also be required following the lower than beneficial reception of the brand new method, Domenicali, having urged us all to not panic, is busy in search of out the following golden goose for his employers.
In per week that Spa-Francorchamps, one of many most interesting circuits on the calendar, adored by followers and drivers alike, is decreased to biennial standing, sharing a slot with Barcelona, the game is claimed to be taking a look at one other fan and driver favorite, Istanbul.
“Turkey isn’t, to illustrate, 100% confirmed,” the Italian instructed the media in Bahrain this week. “Keep tuned on Turkey,” he added.
“This (the return of a ‘correct’ circuit like Istanbul) can be a solution to the folks that have been saying there have been too many avenue races,” he insisted. “The brand new ones which are coming are tracks, not avenue races. These are tracks with heritage, and with an important racing background.”
Little doubt the explanation Istanbul stays unconfirmed is cash, the excessive internet hosting charges and lengthy contracts demanded by F1 resulting in promoters having to just accept internet hosting their occasions on a rotational foundation.
As for brand new tracks, it’s clearly F1’s philosophy to host occasions in ‘vacation spot cities’, which permit easy accessibility for these attending, together with all of the services one would anticipate, close by resorts and eating places. Aside from the truth that within the fashionable period you can not construct a good race monitor in the course of a metropolis, the very fact is that the individuals the game is in search of to win over haven’t any intention of traipsing by way of mud to take their seat in an uncovered, rain-hit, wind-blasted grandstand in the course of nowhere.
In the meantime, aside from rising the variety of Sprints, the game is taking a look at methods to take advantage of – little question financially – of all three days that at the moment comprise a race weekend.
“We’re considering to maintain related every single day that we’re on monitor and, after all, to guard the time wanted for the rookies to have the time to run,” mentioned the Italian. “That’s both having an extended time at no cost apply once we do it, or having a session for them to be allowed to get on this ecosystem, as a result of it’s clear that on a Dash weekend, if you’re a rookie, you do not have lots of time.
“That is a degree that we’re addressing, and we are going to current shortly one thing actual on this respect,” he promised.
In fact, for some years now the restrictions on testing have meant that rookies spend most of their time within the simulator, their public appearances restricted to the obligatory outings imposed by the laws, and even then it’s normally at a time of 12 months or monitor of no actual significance to their groups.
Domenicali additionally revealed that in 2027 the game is hoping to return to a single pre-season launch occasion, as was the case final 12 months when London’s O2 Area hosted F1 75.
“Subsequent 12 months, we are going to return to 1 single take a look at earlier than the season,” mentioned the Italian. “And we’re additionally fascinated about, as we did final 12 months a possible international launch, with all of the groups collectively. It was an enormous impact, a type of a twenty fifth race by way of affect of communication around the globe. However it’s nonetheless work in progress on that.”
In fact, final 12 months’s occasion was all concerning the liveries, as have been the vast majority of this 12 months’s particular person ‘launches’, certainly so eager have been the groups to ‘conceal’ their vehicles that the preliminary Shakedown was held behind closed doorways, and protection of the opening Bahrain take a look at was minimal
Nevertheless, a single launch will permit the game to proceed constructing the hype while cementing its apparent want to crossover into mainstream leisure such because the worlds of music and films.
And that, pricey mates, is why we solely get the liveries and never the vehicles, as a result of to the powers that be the vehicles are unimportant, it’s the look, the picture that actually issues, the very definition of fashion over substance.
It’s mentioned, although traditionally unfaithful, that the Emperor Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Had he been round, now we have a definite feeling that Stefano Domenicali would have been operating a merchandise stall.
