In the recent years in Formula 1, the sport has seen a two-tier constructors’ championship with the top three teams well ahead of the rest of the field, something which Toro Rosso’s boss Franz Tost wants to be looked at.
The last two seasons has seen Force India finish fourth leading the rest of the pack. However, the difference between third placed Ferrari and Force India in 2016 was 225, while in 2017 it was 181 between Red Bull Racing and Force India.
Even though the gap last year was brought down but the pace difference between the two teams was still huge. In the current season, the difference between Red Bull and Renault in fourth is already 127 after eight races.
In fact, the last race in Austria saw the Top 3 lap every single car but themselves. In the other races as well, the Top 6 drivers from the Top 3 teams have more or less finished well ahead of anyone behind them barring any special situation.
Thus, the ‘two-tier’ championship or the ‘two-class society’ phrase by Toro Rosso’s Tost has become far more common to describe the situation. The battle upfront is no doubt commendable with Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull bunched up together.
However, the unpredictability of a midfield team to penetrate the Top 3 has ushered down a bit. On pace, it becomes difficult for even the likes of Renault – a factory outfit – to push into the Top 3 and challenge them head on.
This is something Tost would like Liberty Media to try and fix in the future. “I can only see positive aspects from them, and I’m also convinced that they are going in the right direction for the future of the sport,” said Tost.
“Because it’s important that Formula One will be changed, from the cost side and what they want to do is absolutely the right thing, to come down with the costs. Whether it’s a cost cap or whether it’s regulated by the sporting and technical regulations is another question.
“Then, to distribute the money in a fair way, not that some teams get everything and others nearly nothing. They will come up with a new technical regulation for the chassis as well of from the engine side – I think from the engine side should be finished soon.
“They will also change the sporting regulation and, so far, all the topics which are being discussed are going in the right direction. They brought in a new attitude for the media, they’re concentrating on the social medias are being preferred more.
“I think all of these aspects together are important, that Formula One will go in the right direction. Because what we need is not a two-class society like we have now: three teams and the rest of the world. No, it needs ten teams that are close together.
“Or at least four or five teams are fighting for the championship, fighting for race wins, and this must be the goal, otherwise Formula One is not interesting in the future. I think Liberty Media understood this and they are going in the right direction. I can only support them.”
Red Bull’s Christian Horner agreed with Tost and credited the increase in social media interaction, something which the energy drinks giants excel in. But it is the 2021 regulations which Horner believes will be the biggest ask.
“I think Liberty are very much fan-focussed, so things like access to content for opening up digital media, social media. I think the engagement with fans, creating a better experience trackside,” he said.
“I think the promoters, certainly the teams, have found that there’s a different approach, a different attitude regarding that side of the business,” he said. “I think what’s by far Liberty’s biggest challenge is how to address the future, how to address 2021.
“I think the problem, and the risks that I see, is if the FIA and the promoter aren’t fully aligned, we end up with compromises and vanilla-type regulations. I think there needs to be a real clarity going forward as to what the sport is going to be, what are the regulations going to be, that both parties ultimately have to buy into?
“Liberty have paid $8billion for this sport. They’ve got to turn it into something that’s even more attractive. That’s fantastic racing, obviously there are cost issues, there’s revenue issues that need dealing with.
“The FIA, obviously as the governing body, they’ve got to be fully-aligned with that, and what concerns us is discussions of where things are going with engines, where things are going with chassis regulations.
“Everything seems to be getting watered down somewhat from what the initial concept is. So, I think the next 500 days are going to be very telling for life, post-2020.”
