F1 journalist Peter Windsor recently made some scathing remarks on a recent trend F1 has picked up. He talks about how F1 is building new street/hybrid street circuits with longer straights and might continue to do so. He also talked about how this trend could have dire consequences as F1 will soon stop producing drivers of Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton’s level.
Windsor recently appeared for an interview with YouTube creator Cameron. In the latest episode of The F1 Hour, while talking about F1 starting races in places like Madrid, Cameron raised the possibility of purist fans leaving the sport. Windsor agreed with Cameron while also raising the issue of drivers losing the opportunity to display what sets them apart.
The 71-year-old said,
“The problem is that the standard of driving will go down because the very great drivers will have fewer and fewer opportunities to show the difference in skill level. For me, there’s nothing nicer than watching a Max Verstappen or a Lewis or a Charles [Leclerc] or an Oscar [Piastri] displaying a talent that is above the ordinary. And that may well go, the opportunities to do that may well go with this trend.”
Windsor explained how F1 is relying heavily on the DRS and high-speed braking corners to create excitement. He also claimed that they simply use camera angles to amplify the viewers’ experience. However, in the long run, they will end up hurting the sport.
The Las Vegas GP circuit is one such example. In fact, purist racers like Verstappen spoke extensively against its inception. The Dutchman ended up changing his opinion after winning the inaugural race, though.
Why Max Verstappen changed his opinion on the Las Vegas GP
Before the start of the Vegas GP weekend, Max Verstappen let his disdain known on many occasions. The reigning champion went as far as calling it “99% show, 1% sport”. On one occasion, he dubbed the Vegas race a “National League” and Monaco the “Champions League”.
Talking about the fans’ interests at the Las Vegas GP, Verstappen said,
“Most of them just come to have a party, drink, see a DJ, or a performance act. I can do that all over the world. I can go to Ibiza and get completely (drunk) and have a good time. People come here, but they become a fan of what?”
A huge collection of Max Verstappen’s remarks about the Las Vegas GP
On the Las Vegas track:
“Monaco, I think, is Champion’s League. This is (the) National League.”On the Las Vegas GP:
“It’s 99% show, 1% sporting event”On Toto Wolff:
“I think if it was his car, then he… pic.twitter.com/Tc2fvDF0yZ— Daniel Valente ️ (@F1GuyDan) November 18, 2023
The three-time champion, however, had a change of heart in his opinion of the inaugural race after winning it. He talked about how he enjoyed the race and hoped the fans did too. Verstappen also revealed his excitement to come back and race there again in 2024.
The Dutchman won 19 races of the 22 in the 2023 season. Vegas was one of those rare races where he faced competition from rival teams. He failed to start the race from the pole position which Leclerc took. They had a close battle throughout the race, with Verstappen coming out on top in the end.
