Max Verstappen is still not happy with how the F1 calendar is shaped with the tracks they go to, but understands both sides.
Not often that Red Bull’s Verstappen shares his thoughts on the state of F1 especially with regards to the calendar and the places they visit. The Dutchman had a big monologue during the Las Vegas GP where he was hugely candid about the happenings.
“I can go on for a long time,” said Verstappen at that time. “But I feel like… of course, a kind of show element is important but I like emotion and for me, when I was a little kid, it was about the emotion of the sport, what I fell in love with and not the show of the sport around it because, as a real racer, that shouldn’t really matter. I mean, a car, first of all, a racing car, a Formula 1 anyway, on a street circuit, I think doesn’t really come alive.
“It’s not that exciting. I think it’s more about just the proper racetracks. When you go to Spa, Monza, these kind of places, they have a lot of emotion and passion. And for me, seeing the fans there is incredible. And for us, as well, when I jump in the car there, I’m fired up and I love driving around these kinds of places.
“And, of course, I understand that fans, they need maybe something to do as well around the track. But I think it’s more important that you actually make them understand what we do as a sport because most of them just come to have a party, drink, see a DJ play or a performance act. I can do that all over the world. I can go to Ibiza and get completely shitfaced and have a good time. But that’s what happens and actually people… they come and they become fan of what?
“They want to see maybe their favourite artists and have a few drinks with their mates and then go out and have a crazy night out. But they don’t actually understand what we’re doing or what we’re putting on the line to perform and I think if you would actually invest more time into the actual sport, what we’re actually trying to achieve here to… As a little kid, we grew up wanting to be a World Champion.
“If the sport put more focus on to these kinds of things and also explain more what the team is doing, try to see them, what they are achieving, what they’re working for. These kinds of things I find way more important to look at than just having all these random shows all over the place. For me it’s not what I’m very passionate about and I like passion and emotion with these kinds of places.
“I love Vegas but not to drive an F1 car. I love to go out have a few drinks, throw everything on red or whatever, to be a bit crazy, have nice food. But like I said: emotion, passion. So there compared to some old school tracks,” summed up Verstappen. The Dutchman stuck to his words even post season.
But he understood the commercial needs of F1 as well even if he is not too happy about it. “Ideally speaking, from my side, I would race on all the great tracks around the world,” said Verstappen. “Unfortunately, that’s not possible in F1. I understand that side of it, but when people ask me a question, it’s important to give an honest answer, and that’s what I did. You have to see it from both sides, the sports side of it, but also, the commercial side of it. At the moment, I’m still not happy, let’s say it like that.”
Here’s F1 2023 teams’ tier order: https://formularapida.net/f1-2023-teams-categorised-in-tier-system-for-their-performances/
Here’s F1 2023 drivers’ tier order: https://formularapida.net/f1-2023-drivers-categorised-in-tier-system-for-their-performances/
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