Defending Max Verstappen, Christian Horner Accuses FIA’s Laughable Rules for Fans’ Boredom

Well, it seems like the world of Formula 1 can never just cruise smoothly around the track without a few bumps and sharp turns. Remember the days when every US kid dreamt of becoming the next NBA or NFL star? Well, courtesy of “Drive to Survive,” many might now be shifting gears and dreaming of taking a victory lap akin to Max Verstappen himself.

The Miami Grand Prix saw a storm of fans, with attendance shooting up from 240,000 in 2022 to a whopping 270,000 this year. But wait, before you jump into your racing boots, here’s the twist in the tale: ABC’s live broadcast for the Miami race lost a quarter of its viewers from last year! Ouch! Last year’s viewership was a history-making 2.6 million, the largest live F1 audience in US history. This year? Not so much.

Races in the Max Verstappen Era

Now, if you’ve been snoozing through the F1 rulebook (and who could blame you?), Sprint races are shorter contests meant to add a little more vroom to the race weekends. The idea? More entertainment. The reality? According to Christian Horner, perhaps not so much. Now, let’s stir this cocktail a bit more.

When probed about the effectiveness of Sprint races at the Mexican GP press conference, Horner responded, “I think it’d be interesting to look at the data at the end of the year of how popular have the Sprint races been because, at the end of the day, it’s all about the fans. And the reason we do Sprint races is to try and provide more entertainment, to create a more attractive event.”

There’s no denying the fact that innovation is critical, but like a misfiring engine, it sometimes needs a bit of tweaking. Horner didn’t mince words regarding some of these aspects, especially the parc fermé rules, branding them as a “bit of a joke.” Describing it, he stated, “Parc fermé is a bit of a joke. You get one session to set your car up and then the engineers may as well go home at that point.” Horner emphasized the need for more jeopardy and incentive in Sprint races, suggesting that the sport needs to better cater to the drivers, teams, and above all, the fans.

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As F1 gears up for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, one thing is clear: the sport is echoing the need for change and innovation. And with the fans at the center of it all, Horner’s message is loud and clear: “What is it that they want?” 

And now, you may want to hold on to your helmets, because Horner is spilling some beans about Sergio Perez’s future with Red Bull too.

Christian Horner clears the air on Sergio Perez’s Red Bull future

Firstly, let’s squash that paddock gossip: Sergio Perez doesn’t need to finish P2 in the 2023 Drivers’ standings to keep his spot at Red Bull in 2024. Talk about setting the record straight! Horner firmly stated, “There’s no pre-mandate like that.” No pressure then, Checo, but maybe a little less time in the simulator and a little more matching that Verstappen pace, eh?

Speaking of Verstappen, he’s leaving some rubber and smoke on the track, winning the US Grand Prix with an 18-second gap from Perez. But let’s not be too harsh; Perez did manage P4 even after a hefty three-day simulator run, which, according to Horner, he’d never done before. Perhaps a case of ‘too much of a good thing’?

And while we’re sipping on this F1 tea, Horner hinted that the talent pool at Red Bull is looking rather inviting. With names like Daniel Ricciardo, Yuki Tsunoda, and Liam Lawson floating around, there’s no dearth of potential teammates for Verstappen in the future. “We’re certainly not short of options,” teased Horner, eyebrows probably raised, looking forward to 2025.

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Ending on a silver lining for Perez: Remember when Lewis Hamilton got discharged from his P2 finish in Austin due to that plank wear debacle? This meant Perez didn’t just maintain but increased his lead over Hamilton for that P2 spot. Now, that’s some spicy F1 drama for ya!

So, as the engines rev up for the Mexican Grand Prix, all eyes will be on Perez. Can the local hero thrill the home crowd? Grab your popcorn; this is going to be one heck of a show!