The stable bosses had an appointment on Thursday in London to discuss the return to V8 non Turbo engines in 2029. A desire by Mohammed Ben Sulayem (“Mo” for his friends), the current president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA). He deem too complex and too expensive the current engines, and even those that will be aligned in 2026.
Normally, the next change in engine regulations is for 2031. “MO” would have accelerated simplification, but Honda and Audi firmly oppose it. Unanimity (minus one voice) being required for such a change, Thursday’s meeting has just been canceled. On the other hand, many other changes are envisaged, and these seem to have the approval of the stables.
Fewer free tests, more sprint races
“We believe that free trial Fridays have no interest in the public,” says Stefano Domenicali, the boss of Liberty Media, the company which holds the commercial rights of Formula 1. They only fascinate engineers. And now, their simulators allow you to adjust cars to the factory, without even completing a circuit. ”
He wants free tests to be replaced by more Sprint races, these “mini-grand prices” of 100 kilometers. “When they were introduced, in 2021, the Sprint races were not very appreciated by the pilots,” continues Stefano Domenicali. Today, the trend is reversed, we have six per year and they would like more. Most organizers ask us for us. ”
His wish? Whether every Grand Prix – or almost – has its race sprint, a bit like motorcycle. But to spice up the show, he thinks he reverse the starting grid, at least for the first eight places. “This has been practiced successfully for years in Formula 2,” he pleads. The teams were first reluctant, but now they accepted the idea. ”
The current Grand Prix deemed too long
To top these changes, the Grands Prix themselves, on Sunday, should be shorter. “No one wants to see races that last two hours,” he concludes.
In the 1950s, the Grands Prix sometimes lasted almost four hours, with winners turning more than one in front of their following. At the time, live television broadcasts did not exist. Such durations would be unthinkable today, where the spectacle prevails, since even the current format of races is described as too long. On Sunday, in Monza, the Grand Prix should be played in just over an hour and a quarter (it’s the shortest of the season). It is even too much for Liberty Media, who believes that an hour of racing would be a good duration.
The purists of F1 – that no one listens anymore – will regret these sacrifices to the pure spectacle, which nevertheless seems to go in the direction of history. Liberty Media says that his surveys show that the young audience requires a shorter format and more spectacle, hence the reverse grid sprints. Grands Prix weekends will never look like what we have known since always.
