The Formula 1 calendar is dominated by circuit races over street circuits such as Monaco, Saudi Arabia, etc. And while the street circuits’ popularity due to the excitement provided is growing in one section, it’s deteriorating in the other. And leading the section to not favor the street circuits is the king of the street circuits, Max Verstappen himself, who believes that the F1 cars are too big for the streets, and thus the Dutchman himself favors old-school circuits.
But the same opinion is not shared by Mika Hakkinen, a two-time F1 world champion. The Finn considers the sport to be a luxury and believes that the urban centers provide a better experience for the fans, as he advocates for more street racing.
As quoted by Formulapassion.it, Hakkinen said, “Formula 1 is Formula 1, it is a luxury business and people can enjoy an incredible atmosphere. So, I think it is fantastic to have races in the cities. It offers more challenges for teams and drivers, but we drivers are paid to accept these challenges and offer a great show to the fans.”
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With the return of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, which is expected to be a grandiose experience for the audience, came some concerns from the drivers about the road’s quality. However, Mika Hakkinen sticks to his strong opinion on street racing, which Max would certainly not like.
Batting for Vegas and other street circuits, he added, “We know that road circuits require compromises, large buildings cannot be moved, huge hills and camber changes in curves cannot be had. Compromises must be made. Life is the same thing. We can’t have everything we want.”
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Whether or not the F1 goes into expansion toward street racing remains a mystery. But according to Max, street circuits like Monaco, despite requiring less overtaking and racing, must be valued alongside the regular ones.
What did Max Verstappen say about street circuits?
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Max Verstappen is the kind of man who will never shy away from voicing his opinion. Over the years, we have seen him express his thoughts without any filter. And the same goes for his thoughts on the street circuits.
In a conversation with Viaplay: F1 Talks and quoted by Sports Illustrated, the Dutchman said, “I think we’re getting more and more street circuits, which I don’t enjoy in a Formula 1 car. A Formula 1 car is not designed to drive on a street track. A Formula 1 car comes alive in proper high-speed corners. I understand a few street circuits a year – it’s exciting – blah blah blah, and it’s good. But not too many.“
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As is evident from his driving style, Max prefers to race hard. He doesn’t like being held by anyone, neither the driver nor the track. With F1 cars getting bigger as time passes, it’s understandable to have a dislike for streets that present no challenges.