The 2024 British Grand Prix is going to be the most expensive race of the year. With a soaring price of £350 ($442) per person, wallets have been set on fire for many. But it seems Red Bull No. 1, Max Verstappen finds himself in the middle of this chaos as well. Not a single day goes by without drama for this man! Apparently, Verstappen was reportedly causing the ‘unreasonable’ spike in ticket prices at Silverstone. While some agreed with these allegations, some asked, “Does this make any sense?”

Now dispelling all assumptions, the ex-Ferrari boss absolved Verstappen of any blame. He revealed the true culprit behind the expensive tickets, and it wasn’t the Dutchman. Peter Windsor informs that Silverstone is not underwritten by the local government or the British Government. “They [organizers] have to make this race work or at least break even in a logical way and the only thing they can do is that through gate takings because they don’t have any rights really to any sort of title sponsorship or circuit advertising,” Windsor claimed. Silverstone offers more hospitality than some circuits, but still not enough, making its ‘business model’ challenging.

Despite not being under the supervision of any local or federal government, the British Grand Prix has thrived. Unlike the French or German GPs. Peter Windsor spoke on his YouTube Live: “But Silverstone [bless them] continue to put on that race. And the money that they’re charging is maybe they won’t get a capacity crowd but it’s probably still the light price.” Moreover, Windsor implied that Silverstone’s price is for compensating for the fewer sponsors, clearing all allegations from Max Verstappen’s register. This sudden rise in the prices came as a surprise to the viewers, but who in the first place blamed Max?

Max Verstappen held as the reason for the pricy tickets of Silverstone?

Stuart Pringle told Autosport that Max Verstappen’s dominance over Lewis Hamilton in F1 might have reduced ticket sales. Noting it as a reason why prices have gone up, he also mentioned that the rate increase is somewhat an aftereffect of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, defending Verstappen, home hero Lewis Hamilton said: “But if there is a strong likelihood of the same winner, and the jeopardy is taken out of the sport, it does take the edge off it.” 

Meanwhile, Max came out to rescue himself and bluntly retorted: “It’s not my fault!” These allegations by Pringle seem more pointless than making any sense. If this were true, why did similar conditions not occur during Hamilton’s dominance or Michael Schumacher’s dominant era? F1 has mostly been a one-man show. The majority of the World Champions have had a prolonged period of dominance over the rest of the grid, which makes Formula 1 special. Like any other sport, there this high competition, but ultimately, the dominant side always wins. And right now, it is Max Verstappen’s era!

The controversy over high ticket prices at the 2024 British Grand Prix has shifted with insights from the ex-Ferrari boss and Peter Windsor. Despite early blame on Max Verstappen, it’s now evident he wasn’t at fault. Silverstone’s financial model, relying heavily on gate revenue due to sparse sponsorship, highlights the circuit’s challenges. Moreover, the upcoming race weekend on British soil is sure to unveil more drama and progress in the sport. What are your takes on this? Comment your thoughts below.