Maserati not considering F1 return after Formula E announcement

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In the round-up: The CEO of Maserati has not ruled out the possibility of the brand returning to Formula 1 in the future after announcing it will enter Formula E next year, but indicated it is not under active consideration.

In brief

“Time will tell” on Maserati F1 return

Maserati CEO Davide Grasso has not ruled out the possibility that the Italian brand would consider rejoining Formula 1 in the future.

The brand enjoyed F1 success in the fifties and had a championship-winning sports car racing programme with its MC12 between 2004 and 2010. When asked during Maserati’s announcement that they would join Formula E next season if the brand would consider joining any additional championship in the future, Grasso said “time will tell”.

“The other championship being the one that is led by my friend Stefano Domenicali, is that the speculation?”, Grasso said. “Time will tell. We will wait. Let’s focus on Formula E and my good friend Alejandro here. It’s a big step for us.

“Formula 1 clearly has been the leading championship, defining championship in motor racing for cars. It’s a great competition and Maserati has won there, the world championship with Juan Manuel Fangio many years ago. So your question is not out of place. My answer would be out of place right now.”

Maserati’s Formula E programme marks the first time that the brand has entered an international motorsport series since its MC12 GT1 car raced in the former FIA World GT Championship.

Quotes: Hazel Southwell

Brabham returns to Indy Lights after six year hiatus

Matthew Brabham will return to the Indy Lights series in 2022 in the number 83 Andretti Autosport car.

The grandson of two-time Formula 1 world champion Jack Brabham previously raced in the series in 2014 and 2015, both with Andretti. He competed in the Indy 500 during the 100th edition of the race in 2016, finishing 22nd.

“I’m absolutely ecstatic to be back racing full time in a proper open-wheel car again with a top team,” said Brabham. “I feel it’s where I’ve always belonged. I’m willing to give everything I have at this and more to follow my dream of getting back into the IndyCar Series.”

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Comment of the day

Did Antonio Giovinazzi deserve another opportunity to remain on the Formula 1 grid in 2022? One reader argues the Alfa Romeo driver had enough time to show what he was capable of.

Races are where the points are scored. Apart from a fair share of bad luck and a few mistakes, there have just been too many times he slipped down the order at the start for no obvious reason, or lacked the pace over a full race distance to be a points contender.

His qualifying pace may have proven that he deserved to be in F1, but in comparison to his team mate, who was clearly years past his expiry date, it has become painfully obvious that Giovinazzi wasn’t complete enough as a driver to score the points the car was capable of, however few they may have been, or to punch above his weight over an entire race weekend at least once.

All in all, I can’t blame Sauber for replacing him, even though they didn’t quite go for the most inspiring line-up for 2022, either…
Someone Or Something

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday to Chris Lloyd!

On this day in motorsport

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Will Wood
Will has been a RaceFans contributor since 2012 during which time he has covered F1 test sessions, launch events and interviewed drivers. He mainly...

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24 comments on “Maserati not considering F1 return after Formula E announcement”

  1. Wait, Haas had one graphic designer doing their entire media including the livery?

    Looking at his Be profile, it’s mediocre at best but damn that’s a lot of work.

    1. Quantity has a quality all its own.

  2. I think it was Eddie Irvine who was last there as an Irishman

    Ralph Firman wants a word…

    1. Tim O’Glock was the last Irish driver 😋

  3. Excuse me if I’m missing something, but what is Zak O’Sullivan’s connection to DriveTribe?

  4. Jack Brabham won three WDCs

    1. @johnrkh Brabham’s 1959 championship will forever be tainted by an asterisk after he pushed his car to the finish at Sebring.

      1. Still upset over Verstappen? :))

      2. Coventry Climax
        11th January 2022, 10:56

        What’s tainted about it if it was according to the rules -finish without assistance- at the time?
        There’s been a few more pushing their car over the line – and getting the points for their finishing position. Can’t find anything wrong with it and never heard anyone complain about it before. I’m afraid ‘tainted’ is a term that exists in your imagination only.
        Given your apparent preferred color, you’re probably just upset it wasn’t a red car that won? 1959, that’s a long time to hold a grudge.

        Oh, and by the way, for those not knowing about where my ‘name’ comes from: Maybe read the Wikipedia report about the 1959 season?

        1. It was a joke, CC, but never mind.

          1. Coventry Climax
            11th January 2022, 18:47

            Wow, that was pretty well hidden, I must say.
            But anyway, my remark about holding a grudge was at the wrong address, then, so I’ll take it back.
            No grudge, I hope? ;-)

        2. Coventry Climax,
          I always assumed you had a special night with a scantily dressed amazon ;)

          1. Coventry Climax
            11th January 2022, 18:44

            yeah, that too. With the Amazon being of royal blood, actually. ;-)

  5. That deal between Max and Viaplay makes huge sense for both, since they are also taking over broadcasting for the Netherlands this season. But looking at that now, it does put Max’ not wanting to cooperate with Netflix DTS in a bit of a different perspective.

    Also, I am glad that I do not rely on Viaplay footage for my F1. The Dutch commentary was already hugely focussed on Verstappen. But with this deal and Jos now joining the commentator team (sadly Jos is not much relevant as an F1 driver commenter, and not even as an insider because of his single minded focus on his son) it will be even worse.

    1. Max already had a deal with Ziggo (the previous rights holder in The Netherlands before. So I don’t think there will be much difference. Apart from the amount of content maybe.

      And Jos will not be a commentator, he will join as an analyst.

    2. Since Viaplay previously said they wanted to take a more journalistic take on F1 (ie. not the Max is king entertainment one Ziggo just about officially took), that’s interesting to ponder @bascb; especially with Ziggo seemingly intent to go a sort of UK channel4 approach in the coming year, but then even more heavily invested into hyping their Max, I certainly hope the original plan stays. Still, as you say, Verstappen being there as a superstar Dutch F1 driver who’s the current WDC makes it clear why they’d want to lock him in (and maybe extra so to prevent him also not wanting to talk to them if they are more journalistic, and even ask critical questions, something he certainly didn’t get from Dutch media much over the last year ;)

    3. @bascb Luckily open minded people will seek other alternatives but unfortunately it’s not possible for all and some supporting Max might not mind. However I fear the broadcast team will provide very one sided view on event and won’t help to open minds and have constructive exchanges between fans supporting different drivers. That’s unfortunately a trend between platforms and sports, and I personally hate when a commentator wish a competitor bad luck or to have an incident for their local hero to succeed. We deserve commentators with better sportsmanship to spread it to all viewers…

      There was also an interesting case in cross country skiing this year with a high Norwegian profile (Klaebo) opposing being sponsored by … Viasat. His comment was that a broadcaster’s job is to be neutral and not support any particular team or athletes. I think he has a point.

      Apparently this is only a partnership but still not far from a sponsorship as they will be clauses about content certainly and it’s probably right on the ethic line. Imagine the reception of Sky branding showing up on Hamilton overall, and this is in my opinion just one step away.

      1. Imagine the reception of Sky branding showing up on Hamilton overall

        Would make no difference at all seeing how one sided is usually sky, and crofty being on another level of one sidedness above everybody else.
        I was surprised to see, that they didnt even cut back on it and tried to be more neutral when they got to be the voice F1TV main channel. PLC can be one sided as well towards hamilton mainly from rosanna, but I dont mind it as they are still way better even in that regard as well than sky

      2. I always thought sky already sponsored Hamilton but without the logo.
        They do not need a logo to show the blatant fanship by some of the presenters.

      3. Thanks for the comment @jeanrien.

        I wholly agree with you, and it would be better if media outlets, especially those with exclusive deals would stay far from such a move that cannot but bring up the question of favouring one competitor over others.

        With sports it is only too often that we end up with national broadcasters with a far too narrow focus on “their” sporters already

  6. Coventry Cllimax
    11th January 2022, 11:05

    Instantly dislike this Grasso fellow. New to the scene and already ‘good friends’ with the bosses of two series. Yuk.

  7. Not understanding the title of the article to what the Maserati CEO has said. Racefans mentions that an F1 return is ruled out and the CEO has said that he hasn’t ruled out an F1 return.

    1. Hmm I thought it was pretty clear, they are not considering F1 right now and are focused on FE, but that doesn’t mean they will never enter F1. Perhaps they’ll have another think about F1 in a couple of years (I’m just speculating) but for now have ruled it out.

  8. Beautiful car this Maserati on the photo.

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