Why new era F1 is still dogged by its old world problems

Formula 1’s countdown to the unleashing of its new era cars is well underway, as teams begin making space in their diaries for what will be one of the most anticipated launch seasons in years. But despite all the excitement for new rules that F1’s owner Liberty Media believes will make the racing more exciting, it hasn’t taken long to be reminded that grand prix racing is not quite ready to focus completely on the future just yet. There are still some past problems that need to be sorted first.

Much air time is still being given to the fallout from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with many both within and outside of F1 still perturbed by the nature of the events and the potential impact decisions made that day have had on the championship’s reputation. Just like the UK government only gets truly alarmed with controversies when they break out of the Westminster Bubble and make cut through with the voters, so too should the FIA be alarmed by the way in which the Abu Dhabi controversy has resonated with the wider public for all the wrong reasons.

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It may have wished for the matter to disappear over the winter break amid its efforts to blame fans and media for ‘misunderstanding’ what happened, but anyone who spoke to friends and family over the Christmas and New Year break will need no reminding that almost everyone – from the hardcore fan to the casual follower – has an opinion on what happened. And, sadly for those of us that love F1, almost all of the feedback was not good...

Just like Maradona’s Hand of God moment, or Lance Armstrong’s doping in the Tour de France, some sporting controversies creep into the awareness of the wider public, and it is the duty of the regulators to step it up and get on the front foot by responding in the right way. The FIA has been clear that its investigation into the Abu Dhabi events will be thorough, and has promised action before the season gets underway in Bahrain.

But there remains a sense that it could be too little, too late. Sure, speaking to drivers and teams about the situation, and taking time to get to the bottom of the wider issues at stake here, is essential – and certainly better than making a knee-jerk response without understanding the facts. But waiting until the Friday of the Bahrain Grand Prix to announce final decisions risks overshadowing the build up to the new season.

The shadow of Abu Dhabi still looms large over F1 as the wait continues for the FIA's investigation

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

There is a real danger that rather than F1 fans and media being able to focus on the positives and excitement of what lies ahead with the new 2022 rules, the world will simply end up raking over once again all that went wrong in Abu Dhabi last December. F1 deserves better than that.

Time will move on, and the events that decided the title showdown will eventually fade from the daily consciousness of the F1’s followers. But efforts should be made to put some urgency into getting people’s minds set on the good to come, not the mistakes of the past.

As McLaren CEO Zak Brown said earlier this week: “I think with all controversies in sport, in time, as soon as the next season starts, the wounds start to heal. But I do think the FIA needs to come out with; here's what happened, here's how and why we think it happened. Here's what was right, here's what was wrong, and whatever they're going to come out with in the report, and then show that they've taken action to make sure it doesn't happen again.”

For all the positives that F1 should be maximising as we countdown to launch season and the first race, we are clearly not quite ready to move on from the past

It is essential that the FIA report is extensive, detailed, transparent and robust if F1 is to have a chance of moving on. But it’s not just the fallout of Abu Dhabi that is a carryover from the past, because it has not taken long for the latest cracks among teams to appear, and it is one that risks derailing plans for more sprint races in 2022.

As has been reported, F1’s top teams are not especially happy with the financial offer they have been given for the added costs entailed by the sprint races – even though it is expected that overall revenues could be boosted by $10 million for the six sprints. The row over sprint race finances shows that F1 is going to have some difficulty shaking off the legacy of the past: where bigger teams were simply able to spend their way to the front.

The arrival of a cost cap has forced a change of approach. It’s no longer about being able to spend more; it’s about having to spend smarter. But for those squads who were well north of the now $140 million spending cap that is in place, pulling that budget down and forcing through that shift of approach is not the work of a moment.

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It has forced compromises on performance spending and in some cases painfully forced them to let staff go. As they bounce around as close to the spending limit as possible, it's understandable why there is concern that an unforeseen $1 million crash in a sprint race could trigger more sacrificing of performance tweaks further down the line.

Teams have been unable to agree on a financial package for sprint races that would mitigate against crash damage

Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images

It’s little wonder that in a bid to secure their previous advantages, the ties between manufacturer squads and customer partners are getting stronger, which has prompted concerns from true independents about the growth of A-team and B-team partnerships. Ultimately though, the big spenders are going to have to face reality and deal with the ups and downs of an F1 season like everyone else.

Beyond that, they will have to understand that the short term pain resulting from the cost cap needs to be weighed against the long term benefit of a series that should be closer, more exciting and more popular. And, perhaps more importantly, is actually profitable for all teams, therefore sustainable in the long term.

As Brown said: “I think they feel they've lost their financial competitive advantage, which is bad. But I think we're going to end up having more fans, more sponsors, more countries, and better viewing when we have even better racing, as great as the racing was last year.”

For all the positives that F1 should be maximising as we countdown to launch season and the first race, we are clearly not quite ready to move on from the past. It will take a conscious decision, be it from those running the sport to the competitors themselves, to make the necessary steps that can wipe these legacy problems away and allow us all to fully embrace the good things that should come from the new F1 that is around the corner.

Drivers group photo with the 2022 F1 car

Photo by: Liberty Media