Verstappen Returns, a Promoter's Lament, and Persona Non-Grata?!
Hi there! Welcome to Track Limits, a weekly F1 newsletter where we break down the major headlines and dive into the questions, trends, and topics that spark our collective curiosity. Nothing is off-topic and a little fun is always part of the mix!
Good evening!! This season is proving to be far more exciting than we initially expected! Not only are multiple teams fighting for podiums, but drivers are actually disappointed with second place!
For the past few seasons, P2 was the height of a team's ambition. Now, it’s back to being the consolation prize for those making mistakes. Luckily for Verstappen, teams have fumbled more often than not, keeping him ahead in the championship. But for how long?!!
There is one major downside to European races that is hardly discussed, and that's the lackluster off-track shenanigans it produces! With everyone flying home between races and circuits being in the middle of nowhere, it’s difficult to get any fun, chaotic, or unhinged antic out of these drivers and teams.
Nevertheless, we received some intriguing updates about the movie produced by Brad Pitt and Lewis Hamilton. Reports indicate that the budget has soared to over $300 million, making it one of the most expensive films ever - talk about pressure! Apple has also confirmed the movie's release date, which falls right in the middle of a triple-header. Clearly, whoever made this decision didn't care to look at the F1 calendar. Why not wait until the summer break when everyone is desperate to cure their summer break sadness?!
The only positive news about this movie seems to be that Hans Zimmer - the legendary film score composer and two-time Oscar winner - will be scoring it. If this is the reason for the ginormous budget then I’m all in!!
Mercedes decided to take their drivers and team principal sailing in Barcelona. Despite the goofy-looking pictures that came out of it, their visit to the INEOS Britannia was actually fascinating. Mercedes’ applied science division teamed up with the sailing team through INEOS Sport - a partner of Mercedes - to combine top talent from both Formula 1 and sailing for the America’s Cup. This team of over 100 designers and engineers ended up developing the INEOS Britannia at Mercedes’ headquarters in Brackley.
Strangely enough, the Alpine drivers were also spotted on a boat that week, but far less context was given to why they were there! A quick search, however, revealed that Alpine also teamed up with a sailing team earlier this year. Honestly, I wasn’t aware of this crossover between F1 and sailing, but I can get on board with it - no pun intended!!
McLaren and Red Bull have found the perfect recipe for getting the most engaging social media content out of their drivers. Either have them compete in silly games or make them answer random questions. This week it was time for the latter one, and the amount of insights we got is insane!! Verstappen doesn’t want people to talk to him about cars - I would be annoyed as well. Norris’ top dating activity is a boat trip under the stars - I mean are we surprised by that?! Perez feels very strongly about people sending him voice notes - the question seems to be how long is too long?!! And Piastri believes Norris is the driver most likely to DM a celebrity - can’t help but agree with him!
Lastly, some miscellaneous shenanigans! Leclerc’s girlfriend finally made her social media accounts public and people lost their s*t!! Stake continues to perfectly encapsulate Bottas’ vibe in the most unhinged and brilliant videos. Albon released a new limited edition collection featuring his pets - the best F1 merch ever!! - and even organized a treasure hunt around London for fans! McLaren partnered up with Levi’s for a denim collection with patches and all! Piastri unveiled his stunning U.K.-inspired racing boots - designed by a fan - for the upcoming British Grand Prix and Hamilton read a bedtime story for BBC’s CBeebies Bedtime Story. Honestly, he has the most soothing voice ever!!
Verstappen Returns?!
Since Norris’ maiden win in Miami, Red Bull has been under increasing pressure from the British team. The victory not only reignited the title fight this season but also led to several intense wheel-to-wheel battles between Verstappen and Norris.
The tension peaked at last week’s Austrian Grand Prix when the two clashed, resulting in punctures for both drivers and ultimately forcing Norris to retire from the race. While heated battles are expected when a championship is on the line, this incident has led many to question whether Verstappen’s signature and controversial driving style has made a comeback, and if that's beneficial or detrimental to the sport.
THE CONTEXT:
To many new fans, Verstappen is known as a calm, confident, and extremely competent driver. This has undoubtedly been the case for the last three years, during which he drove as an unchallenged World Champion in cars that allowed him to maintain double-digit gaps over his closest competitors.
Despite the talent required to consistently stay ahead of the pack and remain focused while driving alone for 60 or 70 laps. This dominance allows a driver to experience an unusual level of tranquility, leading to post-race comments like, "Lovely weekend!"
But as this era of technical regulations reaches its end, the development gap between the dominant team and everyone else is closing up and for the first time, Red Bull is faced with competition. This pressure at the front has exposed the fact that the Austrian team is indeed fallible and that Verstappen's driving style hasn't really changed, despite claims to the contrary in recent years.
He is uncompromising in battles, prepared to go to the limit, and moving under braking is still an issue. It's so quintessentially Verstappen that, before he joined the grid, this was part of Formula One’s gentlemen's agreement. However, due to repeated incidents, the restriction of moving under braking was added to the sporting regulations.
This, though, hasn’t dissuaded him from pushing the rule to the limit, making real-time policing almost impossible for the FIA and turning any wheel-to-wheel battle with the Dutchmen into a nearly inevitable collision. But let’s be honest, it’s also what makes Verstappen so exceptional and races with him exciting.
What has changed since 2021, is that Verstappen now finds himself battling against his peers and friends for the first time. Unlike before, when drivers were just cordial with each other, the current crop of drivers seems to genuinely appreciate one another. Not only are there childhood friends among them, but many have formed close friendships over the years - Norris and Verstappen are a great example of this.
More than likely, this has been possible in part because they haven’t been fighting each other for a championship - at least not in F1. But as older drivers retire and these younger athletes secure seats in top teams, we’re going to see close championship battles among them. And it’s evident that none of them is happy with second place or willing to concede any space on track - which should absolutely be the case!
So how will this shift in competitiveness impact their interpersonal relationships? How will they navigate this complex and somewhat unnatural dynamic where their close friends are also their main rivals?
Will it mean the end of bromances like Lestappen, Piarles, Yukierre, and Norstappen? I hope not, as it has become one of the most interesting and fun parts of F1 and its fandom!!
A Promoter’s Lament
Just weeks before the British Grand Prix, Silverstone’s managing director disclosed that tickets were still available for the upcoming race. Among the key reasons cited was the absence of a British driver fighting for the championship and Red Bull’s dominance.
As expected, this ignited a heated online debate. Even the drivers themselves challenged this statement, suggesting that the promoter consider other factors that may be affecting ticket sales.
WHY IT MATTERS:
On-track dominance doesn’t necessarily lend itself to exciting racing, not at the front at least. This, however, doesn’t mean that the sport and the experience of going to a race are automatically ruined. Whether you are a newcomer or a seasoned fan, most people attend races to fuel the senses and share their love for motorsport with fellow fans.
Would it be amazing to have wheel-to-wheel battles and unpredictable winners every single race? Absolutely!! However, attributing a dip in sales solely to dominance overlooks the complexities of purchasing decisions, ignores the socioeconomic context of the past four years, and conveniently absolves both Formula 1 and the promoter of any responsibility.
A key concern within their sphere of influence, which fans have attributed to their decision not to attend this year’s event, is the price.
Although Formula 1 does not directly set ticket prices for each event, it influences them through the fees it charges promoters and the expectations it informally places on the type of event they should organize. This has resulted in high variables costs associated with hosting a Grand Prix in addition to the already high fixed costs of maintaining a circuit, making it challenging for some promoters to remain in business. So, when F1's popularity surged a few years ago and demand for tickets soared, promoters likely saw an opportunity to boost their profit margins. One of the reasons why ticket prices have increased and new pricing strategies were adopted - including by Silverstone.
Last year, the British circuit implemented dynamic pricing, which was met with a lot of backlash from fans. In short, it means that the promoter doesn’t set a fixed price for each seat but instead lets ticket demand determine the price. One of the main issues with this strategy is that promoters can artificially inflate ticket prices with the pretext that they are matching the prices charged on the secondary market to tackle ticket touting. But more than anything else, this ends up pricing out a vast majority of fans who actually want to attend.
As such, it appears that the reported drop in sales at the circuit is likely not due to a lack of interest in Formula One. Instead, it seems to stem from the inability to find an effective pricing strategy that balances accessibility for middle-class "aspirational" fans while maintaining the sport's luxury experience status. All the while creating a profit margin that allows promoters to do more than just break even.
Interestingly, many brands in the luxury market have been doing this for decades. While there is both science and art to catering to these different target audiences simultaneously, it doesn't have to be this difficult! Especially considering that Formula 1 can easily create a broad product ladder, offering diverse experiences to different customer segments.
Moreover, this approach helps Formula One insulate itself from the fluctuations of the hype cycle and economic slowdowns, at the same time as it fosters relationships with key consumers, crucial for its long-term growth.
As such, Formula 1’s lack of strategy and industry guidance on this issue is concerning. A quick look at the sport’s recent past shows that focusing solely on high-net-worth consumers and raising prices when championships are exciting was an unsustainable approach. So why would it be a good idea now?! Why not follow for example Wimbledon’s strategy and intentionally keep primarty tickets low?
Persona Non-Grata?
The former Renault team principal Flavio Briatore - who was previously banned from Formula 1 due to his role in the Crashgate scandal - has been appointed by Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo as his Executive Advisor for the Formula One Division.
According to the press release, he will predominantly focus on top-level areas of the team including scouting top talents and providing insights on the driver market, challenging the existing project by assessing the current structure, and advising on some strategic matters within the sport.
ZOOMING OUT:
Leadership profoundly impacts every facet of a team and company, from the culture, the brand’s reputation to investor relationships.
Despite a proven track record of winning championships and possessing the skills and experience that could benefit the French team during this critical moment, the numerous downsides to appointing an individual with such a controversial history should have outweighed the short-term advantages.
After all, we are talking about issues like the erosion of team morale, rising turnover rates, the questioning of the team’s ethical standards by stakeholders, reputational damage to the brand, investors losing trust in leadership, the team being classified as a high-risk investment, and potential increased scrutiny from the regulatory body.
These are not minor downsides. They have the potential to significantly impact the team’s long-term position, affecting not just on-track performance but also its commercial viability and financial stability.
Even if the team was set fast on bringing someone like Briatore on board, there are ways to communicate this to stakeholders that would minimize the inevitable controversy and help manage their concerns. Things such as acknowledging the significance of the issue, providing clear information about the scope of his involvement, addressing stakeholders’ questions, and demonstrating the team hasn’t changed its commitment to upholding ethical standards.
However, this was far from what happened! The appointment was communicated in a very casual manner, and when leadership was pressed for details they displayed a certain level of annoyance and proceeded to state that “We don’t care about the past.” Briatore himself further fueled concerns by using profanity to answer a valid question about the controversy surrounding his return to the sport.
All of this has led to an overwhelming consensus that this new development in the Alpine saga is anything but awe-inspiring. It more than likely signals Renault's lack of confidence in the Formula One project and a possible shift in the team’s culture.
The question that remains is whether this is a desperate attempt to rebuild Alpine after a year-long shuffle of senior personnel and a significant drop in the world championship standings, or if the appointment is a strategy to salvage what's left of the team so Renault can sell it without incurring a loss.
Either way, it’s odd the French manufacturer would choose one of the most controversial figures in Formula One for the job. Perhaps as concerning, is how no major figure in F1 seems particularly bothered by his return or the message it conveys about the sport.
This week’s recommended content!!
🗞 READ
Inside the Formula 1 CEO’s Private Dining Room | F1 prepares for Las Vegas GP’s second year: ‘Now we have a playbook’ | The fascinating potential knock-on effects of Sainz’s Williams/Sauber/Alpine decision | Mercedes Formula 1: Tech, AI And Balancing Budget Caps | Magnussen Could Save His F1 Career - But Should He? | Formula 1’s love affair with MotoGP | How Sainz could have beaten Piastri to P2 in Austria
🎧 LISTEN
Beyond The Grid: Flavio Briatore | Team Torque: The pole was never touched | The Business of Formula One with Mark Gallagher | F1 Explains: How helmets are made, with Bell Racing | Small Torque: Reacting to the biggest F1 stories this year | F1 Nation: What does Max + Lando clash mean? How did Russell earn his stunning win? | Inside the series growing future F1 champions
Photo Credit: Reuters, Formula 1, Reuters