Stefano Domenicali, Formula 1 CEO, Jeddah Corniche Circuit, 2022

F1 needs a “real” American racing talent – Domenicali

RaceFans Round-up

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In the round-up: F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says that it is important that any American driver brought into the series has the ability to earn their place on the grid

In brief

Quality American driver “very important” to F1 – Domenicali

Asked during the press conference at the launch of F1’s new race in Las Vegas, Domenicali was quizzed over the importance of having an American driver. F1 will have three races in the country next year.

“It’s important, but it has to be real,” said Domenicali. “It’s important because, of course, people make the difference. They are the protagonist. Everyone connects with the faces – it’s something that is always a reference. But it has to be real.

“From the commercial point of view, from the organiser and promoter point of view, who want to develop the business in the US, a woman or a man driver will be very important.”

Audi and Porsche’s F1 entry ‘to be approved next week’

Volkswagen Group, which owns the Audi and Porsche brands, is expected to confirm plans for both to enter Formula 1 in a meeting next week, Business Insider reports. Porsche is tipped to link up with Red Bull while Audi is considering a bid to buy McLaren.

Harvey cleared to race in Long Beach after Texas crash

Jack Harvey will race in next weekend’s IndyCar race at Long Beach after he was medically cleared to race following his crash in Texas, RLL Racing announced.

Harvey suffered a heavy impact with the wall during final practice for the first oval race of the IndyCar season. Despite being released from the medical centre after the accident, Harvey was not cleared to compete after he was evaluated by the IndyCar medical team on the day of the race.

However, RLL confirmed that Harvey has now been cleared to competing at the Long Beach Grand Prix on Sunday 10th April.

“We would like to express our gratitude for the exceptional care that doctor Billows, his staff including doctor Julia Vaizer and doctor Terry Trammell and the AMR IndyCar Safety Team has given to Jack, both onsite in Texas and in the time since then,” said the team.

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Comment of the day

With news of a Las Vegas Grand Prix finally having been officially announced, Some Racing Fan says any F1 fans who remember the city’s first two F1 races will find it’s changed a lot since:

Vegas is quite a different place than it was in the early eighties. Back then, it was a tacky, dirty, depressing gambling town where every hotel lobby smelled like an ashtray and had way too much bad and cheap buffet food.

Ever since it was largely taken over by corporations, the parts south of the original strip have been much more thoroughly developed and nowadays it is a tacky, super-ostentatious corporate events, nightlife and gambling town that has a lot of restaurants ranging from bad to amazing, and most (but not all) hotel lobbies smell like an ashtray.

Compared with the old Las Vegas, neo-Las Vegas is more like Disneyland for adults, but also has stuff for children to do too.
Some Racing Fan

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday to Seymour!

On this day in motorsport

  • 60 years ago today Willy Mairesse won the non-championship Brussels Grand Prix for Ferrari

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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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66 comments on “F1 needs a “real” American racing talent – Domenicali”

  1. Yep. F1’s needed an American driver for some time, and there are several good options available. Herta should be at the top of the list.

    1. Let’s just get that guy that did the hotlaps on the first season of the Grand Tour

  2. There is US talent. Josef Newgarden will be perfect for a test drive in an Alpine.

    1. @placid Why Alpine specifically? As for race drive, no one really for now, but 2024 is another matter.

      1. To represent the Pink White’n’Blue of course

  3. COTD: Not interested in the facilities and the sight of Las Vegas. I am more focused on the reason they add another street circuit and in the United States and in North America. I am upset that Paul Ricard or Spa or even Monaco might be dropped for Las Vegas to host the race. That track better be better than Paul Ricard or Spa to be on the calendar. It has to be Losail/Mugello/Suzuka/Silverstone/Jeddah (excluding safety) “esque”. Otherwise, it’s a big thumbs down for me, almost worse than Sochi or Mexico really. They could have just altered between Miami and Las Vegas. COTA definitely must remain the main track of the United States, but they could have just have 2 and do like what Germany did before with Hockenheim and Nurburgring.

    1. @krichelle I agree with most of your points, but Paul Ricard doesn’t belong on that list for me. I’d bin that race tomorrow if I could. I’d race in another street track than Paul Ricard, at least there is a punishment for going off track rather than acres of unaesthetic run-off areas.

      1. Totally agree i would suggest Paul Ricard as a test circuit only as they can change the layout per day if needed or make it even rain on command.

        1. This would be a clever use of Paul Ricard’s facilities, but I don’t even think they can do that because the alternate layouts are not FIA Grade 1 certified.

    2. It seems like F1 moving with the world as everything needs to be close to each other and easy to reach and easy as possible to do what ever you prefer and so on. Alpine skiing is doing the same thing. They want to ditch the old classics like Kitchbuhel, St Moritz or Wengen over some races in the middle or close to a major city. So it’s not like F1 is the only one. I bet if they could move Spa next to Berlin they would race there every year.
      Formula E showed that it is possible to bring a racing event right to the heart of the city and F1 isn’t shy to use that opportunity.

    3. and I wouldn’t be surprised at all if F1 would only race in street tracks within 10 years. I don’t want it but it is possible

    4. I quite enjoy driving Circuit Paul Ricard but wouldn’t hugely mind losing this circuit or even Monaco.
      The new LV circuit seems very flowing by the looks, about the same as Jeddah Corniche Circuit average lap speed-wise, so I’m sure I’ll enjoy that one very much. @krichelle
      BTW, holding only every other year is economically unviable for temporary circuits.
      @krichelle

      1. Someone loving Paul Richard..
        No real f1 fan will have such emotions.. A bit like saying Nikita wad a generational talent.
        Probably both true in some context.
        And f1 without Monaco.. Brrr
        Something is very wrong when that will happen.

    5. Still better in North America than some brutal dictatorship that they seem so fond of nowadays. Rather see the race on a natural circuit in the States, but Vegas is less fake than Abu, Saudi or any other third world dump F1 goes to now.

      1. Vegas is less “fake”? Like fake Eiffel tower? Like fake Egyptian pyramids? Like fake Venetian canals? Like fake statue of David? Fake statue of liberty perhaps? Or all those Christmas lights at night? Kitsch, ugly, silly and as fake as it can be. It’s a huge casino, not a real city. And tasteless casino at that, looks more like circus.

  4. Chris Horton
    1st April 2022, 1:04

    F1 doesn’t need american talent.

    It needs talent regardless of where it comes from.

    No quotas thank you very much.

    1. Precisely.

      Charles Leclerc would not be in F1 if there were F1 quotas.

    2. Coventry Climax
      1st April 2022, 20:02

      Thank you for pointing this out. Glad to see there’s still some that understand what it’s (or should be) really about.
      And if I may add to it: I also don’t care what gender that talent is.

      @WillWood: Domenicali certainly could have said it like this, but the title is, as far as I can see, not what he said.
      “F1 needs a “real” American racing talent” is massively degrading to current american racing drivers, meaning there currently aren’t any. I’m certain if Domenicali had said it like this there would be people objecting. (Personally wouldn’t mind if he lost his popularity with LM, but that’s besides the point.)
      I’m quite sure the US does have quite a couple of drivers with real talent. They may not have raced F1 style before, but that’s a different matter.

      1. This might not be a popular view but, I doubt there are many F1 quality drivers that are America just waiting to be brought to F1. F1 teams crave fast drivers no matter where they find them, and they are willing to pay what ever it takes to get them in their car and keep them there. That non are anywhere even given test drives says it all. Good drivers undoubtedly, but F1 standard and better that many local talent in F2 now, I doubt it

        1. Coventry Climax
          1st April 2022, 23:44

          @bonbonjai: And Stroll, Latifi, Schumacher are those fast drivers that F1 craves and get paid whatever it takes? It’s been worse and we have a reasonably strong driver group this year, but you make me laugh. Without a doubt, there are american drivers with at least that amount of talent. As I said, without experience in european formula style racing, such as F1, but that doesn’t make them un-talented, or not ‘real’, to use an apparently Domenicali-style word.

          1. Coventry Climax I think you are misinterpreting what Domenicali is saying. I highly doubt, at a time when F1 only wants to grow much more in the US market, that SD is claiming American drivers are un-talented or not real, and is being ‘massively degrading’ and I’m quite sure what he means is that F1 could use an American driver with a ‘real shot’ at succeeding in F1. We have seen in the past that drivers who haven’t come up through the European racing system to then graduate into F1 are like fish out of water, not really accustomed to European life style or racing style or F1 politics etc etc.

            I just think SD understands that talent is for sure there (in the US), but there is so much more to succeeding in F1 than just sheer talent. A lot of ingredients have to come together even for a European kid being groomed for F1, let alone someone from the US who is just as talented, but otherwise is quite unfamiliar with how everything works around the F1 world and it’s feeder series, not engrained in any of that.

            So I’m not sure why you would jump to the conclusion that SD of all people would be insulting American drivers. That actually makes sense to you? It’s really the opposite and that he would like to see an American driver who has a real shot, rather than a fleeting opportunity that might not have all the right ingredients for said American driver to have a fair chance at showing his stuff and really being a draw for American fans vs being unprepared and overwhelmed, in spite of his talent.

  5. Where is Scott Speed when we need him, right?

    1. @terrion His days are over.

  6. Cotd Neo vegas has things for children to do? Like what? Smaller precision targets for concert shooters?

    1. It depends on how young the kids are but there’s some stuff for sure older kids will enjoy. There’s lots of live shows at the casinos that are entertaining, go kart tracks, aquariums, the Mob Museum and Fremont Street has some attractions as well.

  7. Is Keith tweet a suggestion for the next reddit /r/place?

  8. That jalopnik article is interesting (though I think the changes to Spa have been fairly sympathetic to the 1980s version of the track, horrible bus stop chicane aside). If F1 went to brands hatch, for example, the whole infrastructure of the circuit would have to change – is this really what fans want?

    1. I feel the article raises a fair point. But I believe it CAN be done. Mugello wasn’t butchered for F1 and the changes made to Zandvoort were done retaining character I think…

  9. If Porsche will work with RBR it will the final nail on mercedes team. That was maybe a bad idea to let so many talents go to RBR.

  10. 2024 at the earliest.

    I like the Albert Park changes.
    However, I wish for T11-12 curbs elimination or at least the latter one to further improve lap flow.

    The Jalopnik post has valid points – some changes would definitely be necessary for the existing tracks mentioned since they don’t hold FIA G1, & those changes might take away character.

    Interesting COTD – I quite like the ‘Disneyland for adults’ reference & perhaps some stuff for children, but still predominantly a gambling city.

  11. People talking about losing classic tracks for new ones

    Noone talking about losing McLaren for Audi? I know it’s probably not going to be a rebrands but still.

    I would love to see VW brands in F1 but as their own teams. It would be such a waste if after all these decades persuading them to join F1 and all we get is a few engine supplies.

    1. @napierrailton I’d be sad to see them lose the McLaren identity and don’t think I could follow them in the future if they went fully with the Audi brand. Might have to actually stop following a team and just focus on the drivers instead. Unfortunately though it seems the current global economic outlook has forced McLaren’s hand. The performance problems of 2015-2018 really hurt them at a crucial time.

    2. Probably because there is initial scepticism that the deal really will take place – it’s pretty much an annual sport to claim that they are joining.

      After all, there were claims that a deal was supposed to be imminent back in November last year, and yet again in January this year – but despite the claims that the deal was about to be announced back then, those deals are still “about to be announced”.

      1. anon From the article I have read they hinted back in November that a formal announcement would not be made until early 2022, so it is erroneous to claim they keep saying ‘about to be announced,’ when it is likely moreso journalists that word it that way.

        It is not an annual sport for VW Group. From what I read when they last seriously looked at F1 it was when BE was in charge and they were no fans of him or his ways, plus there were many other factors that were not conducive to them entering such as the huge costs to try to compete in the hybrid era as a newby against dominant Mercedes for example. Their own diesel gate issue didn’t help.

        This to say the past is the past and does not write the future in stone. It’s now Liberty, with budget caps, better money distribution, better cars, and a direction for pu(s) that VW can get on board with. Much less expensive to play in F1 going forward, with much more chance of being competitive. I’m sure Liberty’s push to expand in the US doesn’t hurt either, as Porsche and Audi sell cars big time in North America. Sure I suppose there is still a chance their announcement might be that they will not be participating in F1, but that now seems very very unlikely.

        1. @robbie the point was that it seems to be the case that journalists write articles claiming that the VW Group is apparently on the verge of entering Formula 1 on a virtually annual basis. May I also remind you that, at the start of this year, you were already speculating over whom Audi, who were being cited as one of the brands to enter F1, would be forming supply deals with, as if the deal was already in place.

          Incidentally, since you are now here, it seems that you love to sing the praises of Liberty Media, but immediately disappear whenever there are events that might cause you to have some moral equivocation over them. Could you perhaps explain how the events in Saudi Arabia were supposed to have been so positive for the sport, and how that is supposed to have made it so appealing to the VW Group?

          Thanks to the actions of Liberty Media, the reputation of the sport has taken a sizeable hit both due to systematic complaints about the sport actively supporting sportswashing of the Saudi regime and to the concerns that the sport was more interested in putting money above the safety or welfare of those present. Perhaps you can explain how that is so wonderful for everyone?

          1. A typical anon post. Suggestions without basis.
            Liberty did some good things for f1. That’s not the same as liberty is good for f1.
            Compared with bernies empire they are way better.

          2. anon So first of all, if indeed it were the case that you are theoretically seeing annual verbiage from journalists, that is hardly the fault of VW Group, and does not mean that on an annual basis VW Group is in reality, shall we say by your implication, promising to enter F1 and then reneging. Rather, I think the reality is VW Group considered it before, but there were a lot of things that didn’t add up for them, and it seems now that F1 is completely different from their last real look, they are now much more interested and seemingly poised to enter. And I can certainly understand that as indeed F1 is in a lot better shape now for new entrants to consider it as a viable series to enter.

            I don’t recall speculating earlier this year on specifically Audi and who they might form supply deals with, but I think I speculated on the rumour of Porsche partnering with RBR, which seems to still be a rumour, and my main point is that it would have to be right for RBR, as they ideally want to be independent and be making their own pus by 2026 all in-house, but would consider a partnership if it made sense for them. Not sure why I need to be reminded of that, but whatever. Oh, perhaps you think November, January, and now are three different times when VW was going to announce something and didn’t, when in fact this is all the same effort VW is making to agree to enter F1 for 2026. They never promised an announcement in November, nor in January, nor are they promising anything now, but journalists seem convinced an announcement is imminent, and they point out how VW Group has been doing their due diligence for months. That’s just normal business practice, especially big business, and is not VW Group being flakey and wafting in and out of an announcement, unless you simply choose to see it that way.

            As to Liberty Media racing in Saudia Arabia, and your suggesting that shouldn’t be appealing for VW Group, I think that is a non-starter, as obviously there are many countries over many years that VW Group is well aware of, that have their issues and yet F1 still goes there. Suddenly now you are pulling out of your hat what, perhaps VW Group should take a moral high ground and not enter F1? That suddenly LM should be only racing in squeaky clean countries? Where would they race then?

            I can only assume you have stopped watching and supporting F1 for their horrendous actions that among other things will have only served to turn off the likes of VW Group from entering F1. They’re all so morally destitute from your tone, that I have to wonder why you watch. Meanwhile F1 couldn’t have predicted a missile attack 15km from the track while they were actually actively on track, and they had extensive meetings and required much reassurance from the promoters etc about the safety of continuing racing that weekend. Perhaps they shouldn’t have gone there at all you say? Ok, they have pulled out of Russia seemingly permanently, which should be reassuring to the likes of VW Group, and otherwise yeah, they’re still going to race in countries where they have raced for years, that perhaps they shouldn’t be. But you’ve been watching. Seems like only now, to support your point about ‘flakey’ VW Group, you’re on some moral high ground soap box pedestal of righteousness.

            So forgetting about the morality of racing where F1 races, which has been going on for decades, and debated, what is ‘so wonderful’ for VW Group now is that F1 is much more affordable, much more fair, and likely much more viable from an investment and promotion of their brand standpoint, as it is looking to be a much better product on track, with advancements coming in synthetic fuels etc etc.

          3. @robbie yes, I chose not to watch the Saudi race because I did not want to support the sportswashing initiative – you have a problem with that?

            You seem to be rather more intent on attacking me on a personal level than answering the question of whether you consider such sportswashing acceptable. You talk about the “extensive meetings and required much reassurance from the promoters etc about the safety of continuing racing that weekend” – but fail to comment in any way about the allegations that extreme pressure and even threats of retaliation were made by the authorities, with the Saudi authorities reportedly having already retaliated against other sports series whom they ended in disputes with.

            A lot of people here have been making it clear that they thought that the sport should not have gone there and that there has been an extremely cynical attitude from Liberty Media and the FIA towards the event – the ethics of going there in the first place, the complaints that those who have dared complain have been pressured into silence, the criticism that safety levels at this event have been accepted that would be ruled completely sub-standard elsewhere, particularly after we’ve already seen serious injuries caused to Formula 2 drivers in the support races.

            Is that to be ignored because it doesn’t produce favourable headlines for Liberty Media? Are you going to lash out at others as well who dared express similar thoughts?

          4. anon I have no problem whatsoever with whatever you choose to do in life. It’s none of my business. It is also none of my business why VW Group is seemingly on the verge of entering F1 in spite of F1 going to places like Saudi Arabia, and given that there have been issues with many countries over many years, China as one example, it is far bigger than for me to explain. Have you always boycotted the Chinese GP for example?

            If you think I have ‘lashed out’ well it wouldn’t be the first time that you have taken offence at some pretty benign comments. But you’re the one that turned it from being about VW Group entering F1 (or not) into being about F1 going to Saudi Arabia, and in short I would say that if VW Group is looking to enter then they don’t have a problem with where F1 races. I’m not sure what you are accomplishing by selecting which races not to watch based on where they are racing, if you still support F1 at other venues. In terms of the concept of sportswashing it seems to me that when F1 goes to such countries the opposite happens and the human rights issues and the debates arise every time they go, so I’m not sure that Saudi Arabia for example gets away after an F1 weekend having pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes as to their true reality.

    3. It would be a shame if McLaren changed it’s name but McLaren is no more related to the original any more that Redbull is Stewart or Mercedes being Tyrell. For sure they have the same name but the Bahraini sovereign wealth fund is not Bruce.

    4. Maybe Audi buys into McLaren like Mercedes did in the 90s.

    5. Mclaren has been 4 separate teams. The initial Bruce Mclaren team for a short time. Teddy Mayer team, Ron Dennis P4 team and the current iteration. It’s like losing Merc or Alpine. Williams was the one you are thinking of.

  12. Hasn’t F1 only to blame itself there is no real American talent in it? The system of progression to finally get a seat with a F1 team is very unattractive for american drivers. I think Keith posted a fine article on that on this site not too long ago.

    1. By and large the entry to Formula 1 has always been primarily through European feeder series and the changes they made to stop the Verstappen effect of young drivers being pulled early into F1 has worsened that. It’s a weird how they’ve cut so much testing from teams on budget reasons that it makes getting drivers from any series other than F2 much too higher a risk for the teams to take. It’s not a simple fix for the issue either as an expansion of feeder series might then cause further issues of only wealthy drivers making it into the sport.

      1. @slowmo very true, but to me all that says is there is room for Liberty to fund a North American F2 series (or maybe F2 of the Americas). In my opinion a large hole in the feeder ladder was created when Formula Atlantic died and nothing replaced it. So an NA F2 series on this side of the Atlantic would be a great way to get a US driver into F1.

  13. As a Skoda driver, I would’ve loved that brand to enter F1, put the classic Skoda Rally colors on the AlphaTauri, that would be great.

    1. Why not dacia?
      Or better… Trabant :)

  14. There is more to this.

    Talent needs to drive for a top team fighting for wins.

    I am certain Dutch would be less interested in Max fighting for P10 with Alpha Tauri.

    And top seats are very limited, while top talent is super rare.

    You need the conjunction of talent and money, to raise to F1.

    Who are the guys who managed? Max, Carlos, George. They are not all from UK, but certainly supreme talents with backing from a young age.

    I think Lewis Hamilton should find supreme talent in US, after he retires from F1, and sponsor some kids to greatness.

    Indy title should also count for F1 liscence.

    Top Indy drivers are probably good enough to make it in F1, atleast in midfield.

    1. When Max was driving for TR the amount of interest was about the same. In fact it less now as a result of paid tv.

  15. I really hope Audi and Porsche are entering some form of works teams.

    More seats, more room for new talent like Piastri.

    Maybe even Rene Rast !!

  16. I have no issue the track being vegas however I hate the idea or countries having more than one race, fair enough the 2020 season but not now. There’s more than enough decent circuits around the world without having to create a pop up circuit for a country that will already have 2 races. I know they’re in it for marketing and money but that continent has enough as does Europe and the Middle East, get a race in Africa seems more important than another in the States. And while I’m at it. Lets stop at 20 races and start alternating venues

  17. I would love to see an American driver back in F1, it’s not like they don’t have a big enough talent pool.

    Audi and Porsche’s F1 entry ‘to be approved next week’

    I Just heard this morning. The deal is that F1 must use sustainable synthetic fuels. Looks like Audi buying into McLaren with around half a billion. While Porsche will take over from Honda at RedBull in 2026.

    1. @johnrkh I might have read the same article, or similar. VW also needs to see MGU-H removed, which it sounds like was the route F1 was going to take anyway. Going to be fascinating to see how this takes shape. eg. Will Mac become a factory works team with an Audi Pu? Or will it be the same VW pu for both Mac and RBR? Hard for me to imagine RBR would want the same PU as Mac though, but then will there really be an Audi pu and a different Porsche pu? Perhaps.

      Anyway, what I also read was that it was unclear if Porsche would want to set up shop a Red Bulls Powertrain Unit, and might want to make pus in Germany where they already are, but I’m quite sure RBR are bound and determined to be making pu’s under the same roof as their car, so I lean towards RBR only partnering with Porsche if Porsche comes to them. Meanwhile I still haven’t read anything to suggest RBR won’t be building themselves up to be able to make their own pus for 2026 and therefore be independent of anyone else. A deal with Porsche will have to make sense for RBR and will have to constitute them being a works factory team.

      So the article I have read suggests that with all the talk and negotiation etc between F1 and VW, and the strong rumours of them finally joining, it seems if they decide not to it will be truly a big blow for F1, because if after all this VW is still not convinced to join, then who will? The future will look more bleak in terms of expansion of teams or pu makers, for there doesn’t seem to be another entity anywhere nearly as potent as VW Group poised to come in. The article talks of F1 losing a pu maker after 2025 when Honda will no longer be involved, and that is the last thing they would want (only three pu makers), but where I disagree with that is that potentially RBR might be a ‘new’ pu maker or a ‘replacement’ for Honda leaving, as again, RBR seems to want to ideally be making their own pus in-house by 2026, unless a partnership makes sense for them and it is technically still not them making pus. So to me if VW bows out, F1 will still have 4 pu makers, as RBR will still be (perhaps even moreso) on a path to make their own and presumably AT’s.

      Going to be fascinating to hear the announcement and hear what is in store for both Mac and RBR if the rumours are to be heeded. I don’t see what would stop VW Group from ‘just’ entering as their own brand new team either, although of course the wording in articles about this highlight both Audi and Porsche involvement. Lol perhaps one might form a whole team and the other be a pu maker. We’ll only know when we know.

      1. @robbie

        but then will there really be an Audi pu and a different Porsche pu?

        No I doubt it, the costs of developing two separate PUs would probably be seen as unnecessarily expensive. Also, much of the tech is shared in-house between the brands anyway. This needs to be seen primarily as a marketing exercise.

        so I lean towards RBR only partnering with Porsche if Porsche comes to them.

        I don’t think so for the same reason Honda didn’t.

        1. @johnrkh Yeah for sure I’d be surprised if Audi and Porsche both made separate pus, which to me makes for an interesting dynamic if, as we go by the rumours, Audi buys Mac and Porsche partners with RBR.

          Not sure what you mean by ‘reason Honda didn’t.’ What reason(s) are you referring to? Of course as we know it is a bit complicated as Honda had committed to pulling out of F1, and then there was the freeze, and then there was seemingly Honda so excited about RBR and their season last year that they want to continue staying more involved than they had previously suggested. In the article I read the author suggested Porsche might want to make pus in Germany and not at Red Bull’s Powertrain Unit. I say or perhaps they might be fine with doing that. Or perhaps RBR would insist they’d have to come to them, which is the way I lean if I go by what Horner has said about the direction they want to go. Perhaps there will be no partnership at all, and it is just a rumour.

          We’ll know when we know.

  18. johnandtonic
    1st April 2022, 12:29

    I do wish that F1 would move away from it Nationalist views and projections. F1 is not football etc where the teams are made up of people from that country. F1 Teams have a history which is more complicated and have been associated with many countries. Neither teams or drivers are supported/funded by their nation states and most teams are based in the UK and I suspect with mostly people from the UK. F1 should aim to be a world sport without boundaries. and getting rid of national anthems would be a good place to start. I would think they could be replaced by Team/Driver anthems which would create a better team identity and could be folded into the marketing/PR.

    1. Coventry Climax
      1st April 2022, 20:18

      That’s an idea I can support. I already said sometime ago that anthem’s with texts like ‘our country above all others’ (and let’s be fair, that’s almost all of them, as they generally date back from the ‘dark ages’) have no place in a series that claims to promote equality.

  19. Adam (@rocketpanda)
    1st April 2022, 12:34

    “F1 needs an American driver” – no, it doesn’t. It doesn’t ‘NEED’ a driver from any nationality, or a team from any nationality.

    1. “F1 needs an American driver” to fully leverage the USA’s commercial might. That’s what he’s saying @rocketpanda.
      It’s been the same with Germany, Spain and Brazil before, among other countries. Successful drivers from such locations open up many new marketing/commercial avenues.

      F1 doesn’t need them to survive, but it does need them to reach their growth targets.

      1. S Exactly. I appreciate how you said ‘successful’ drivers too, as the more successful the American driver is the more coverage the driver, the team, and F1 would glean from that in the US. A tall order as not many American racers are engrained in F1 and it’s ways, from racing in Europe etc. Might feel like a fish out of water at least initially anyway. But at least with this new chapter in F1, the chances are better than they have been in quite a while I would say, for an American driver to come in a make some waves.

      2. Charles Leclerc is from a minuscule country. Should he not be in F1?

      3. Coventry Climax
        1st April 2022, 20:25

        That explains why there’s no initiatives to get Saudi Arabian, Qatarese etc. drivers then. The financial potential in those countries is already expoited. Sportswashing works quite well.

  20. F1 talks about wanting an American driver and then when Michael Andretti comes along looking to enter the sport with Herta they give him the cold shoulder.

  21. If Sergio Perez can be at the top level of F1, then any other high quality north american driver can.

  22. North American he means. Mario Andretti was the only one with real talent. Michael Andretti was a flop. Who else? Eddie Cheever did ok but he grew up in Italy. The standard of racing in the US generally is inferior to Europe. Strange, really, when you consider Brazil, Argentina and Canada have all produced great F1 racers.

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