F1's showdown shambles "shouldn't happen", admits Domenicali
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says the sport must avoid a repeat of the confusing and controversial conclusions to the last two drivers’ championship fights.
Errors by the sport’s governing body, the FIA, overshadowed the two races in which Max Verstappen won his two titles. The sport was first plunged into controversy at the end of 2021 when FIA F1 race director Michael Masi broke its rules in arranging a final-lap restart at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which swung the outcome of the world championship.
While the outcome of the 2022 title fight was not as finely poised, the championship was nonetheless clouded in confusion again over the application of the sport’s rules. “These things shouldn’t happen” Domenicali admitted in an interview with Sky.
The FIA commenced an overhaul of its governing apparatus for F1 in the wake of the Abu Dhabi row. The changes arising from this were completed last month, and involved Steve Nielsen moving over from F1 to join the FIA in the role of sporting director.
Nielsen’s arrival showed the sport’s governing body and commercial rights holder are “working very close together”, said Domenicali, “because it’s important that we have people that are understanding the needs for all of us to work for a great sport. And we know that there has been a lot of discussion in that respect and that it is a very important to do a step forward.”
Domenicali is keen to avoid further controversies in the future. “We can understand what is the FIA what is FOM. We have Formula 1. Formula 1 as one brand and the credibility of this brand is really related to the one that has to do the perfect job in the role that they have.”
The FIA and F1 have found themselves increasingly at odds on a number of issues since Mohamed Ben Sulayem took over as president at the end of 2021.
Liberty Media, the owner of F1, was particularly aggrieved by comments Ben Sulayem made on social media calling into question reports it was considering an offer from the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund to buy the series for $20 billion (£16.16bn). F1’s representatives described Ben Sulayem’s remarks as “unacceptable”.
The letter was “important to clarify the role of each of us,” said Domenicali. “I think that there’s no other things to comment because I think that as I said we need to stay focused on what we believe is right for the growth of the sport.
“We believe that even if it was just a news that was not news, if I may say, the value of our sport is growing, we should be all happy because that means that we all are doing a great job.”
Domenicali played down the suggestion of friction between the two bodies but made it clear he expects to see improvements in its operation in its second year since Ben Sulayem won election to the presidency.
“With Mohamed Ben Sulayem coming as a new president last year, it was clear that as normal when there is a new president coming into the place that there is a manifesto that he has to respect,” he said.
“That was his proposition in front of the members that have voted him and there is the need and the time to adjust to have the right team to assess the right role within the FIA with regard to what is the role in the F1 championship. And there’s no secret to say that the key of success of sport is to have everyone doing his own job and making sure that we do it in the right way for the benefit of the growth of the sport. Any kind of ‘personalism’ any kind of thing that is not helpful for that it doesn’t make any need to comment because we have all the interest to make sure that our sport is growing.
“We have to do a better job as a commercial rights holder, the team and the driver has to do their own job to make that in the right way. And the same is for the FIA that has [had] one year to develop to grow, to work on a new team and they have to deliver the job because everyone put his credibility on the hands of the other. We are all united on that. If someone is not doing the right job it will be a problem.”
