Formula 1 demands new grand prix tracks are 'great' for racing
Formula 1 chairman Chase Carey has made it clear that new grand prix venues will only earn their place on the calendar if they provide tracks good for racing
Amid talk of new races in Miami and Vietnam, Carey has laid out the key criteria incoming circuits must meet as F1 moves away from the Bernie Ecclestone era's focus on high fees.
Carey also admitted that some of the championship's existing circuits need work to meet the standard for overtaking now being sought.
"There are a handful of things that are important for us," said Carey, speaking at the FIA's Sport Conference in the Philippines on Monday.
"First, we want to make sure that it is great for a race. While we build all the things around it, it starts with having a track that provides a great race.
"Today, realistically, there are tracks that probably we need to work on that are not conducive to providing the most exciting and best racing. There are some that are fabulous.
"To start we want a track that will deliver a fabulous exciting race.
"Second, we want a site that is going to capture the world's imagination.
"We are in the great cities around the world. We use the phrase 'destination cities', and we are in places where when they [fans] look at it on TV, they are excited about it, think it looks spectacular, and that really capture people's imagination. And if they go to it, it is even more special.
"We want those magical cities and magical countries that really intrigue and fascinate the world."
Carey's comments about tracks being suitable for racing comes amid intense criticism of the recent Monaco Grand Prix, which Fernando Alonso suggested might have been the most boring race ever.
Liberty is working hard on changes to make F1 more exciting, with aero tweaks planned for 2019 and a more significant revamp on the cards for 2021.
Carey emphasised that next year's changes would not solve all the problems.
"Overtaking is clearly an issue, and we know the steps we are taking for 2019 with the FIA are not a cure-all, they are a step," he said. "The changes in 2021 will be more significant.
"We are more broadly addressing the aerodynamics. We don't want to lose the aerodynamic aspects that make F1 racing so spectacular, but we do think we need to do things that enable overtaking to be a much more significant part of the sport.
"But it is not the only one. There are a lot of things we have under way that will bring a more competitive balance, more action on track, and in many ways more unpredictability.
"Predictability is not good in sports. You want the unexpected. You want the memorable moments that you didn't see coming. You want the underdog winning. You want those things to happen."
Previous article
F1 pushing for bigger tyres to be introduced as part of 2021 rules
Next article
The human cost of F1's 2021 vision
Verstappen v Hamilton: Who was at fault?
Formula 1: Sprint Qualifying analysis
The F1 champion who became an Indy king in his second career
Emerson Fittipaldi’s decision to go racing with his brother led to him falling out of F1, but he bloomed again on the IndyCar scene. NIGEL ROEBUCK considers a career of two halves
Why Mercedes is pleased to be in the Hungary hunt at a 'Red Bull track'
Mercedes ended Friday practice at the Hungaroring with a clear gap to Red Bull thanks to Valtteri Bottas’s pace in topping FP2. But there are other reasons why the Black Arrows squad feels satisfied with its progress so far at a track many Formula 1 observers reckon favours Red Bull overall
How Red Bull endured its second car crash in two weeks
OPINION: Red Bull was justified to be upset that Lewis Hamilton survived his British GP clash with Max Verstappen and went on to win. But its attempts to lobby the FIA to reconsider the severity of Hamilton's in-race penalty were always likely to backfire, and have only succeeded in creating a PR disaster that will distract from its on-track efforts
The ‘screaming’ F1 engine future that may not be out of reach
OPINION: It wasn't just the Verstappen/Hamilton clash that had the Red Bull and Mercedes bosses at loggerheads at Silverstone, with the nature of Formula 1's 2025 engines also subject for disagreement. But hopes to have loud, emotive engines that are also environmentally friendly don't have to be opposed
The drivers that need to strike gold before F1's summer break
OPINION: Formula 1 is about to break up for summer 2021, with the title battles finely poised. But it’s not just the latest round of Max Verstappen vs Lewis Hamilton that will be worth watching this weekend in Hungary, as plenty of drivers are eying big results to change the stories of their seasons so far
How Lotus F1 uncovered, then squandered its last ‘unfair advantage’
Cast in the mould of its founder Colin Chapman, Lotus was powerful and daring but flawed – as it proved through further soaring peaks and painful troughs into the 1980s. DAMIEN SMITH examines a game-changing era
The core problems Yas Marina’s long-awaited tweaks won't address
OPINION: Changes to the layout of Abu Dhabi’s circuit aim to reverse the trend of insipid Formula 1 races there - the promoter has even described one of the new corners as “iconic”. And that, argues STUART CODLING, is one of this venue’s abiding failings
How Ferrari offered Britain's next F1 prospect what Red Bull couldn't
Last year's Formula 2 runner-up Callum Ilott could be on his way to becoming the first Briton to contest a grand prix in an Alfa Romeo since Reg Parnell in 1950. But, says OLEG KARPOV, the Ferrari Driver Academy protege is having to temper his ambition at the moment – outwardly at least…
