In the realm of F1, the tides of power have shifted. FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, has made a statement that could redefine the landscape of the sport. His words, a stark contrast to the previous stance, have sent ripples through the F1 community, leaving fans and critics alike in anticipation of what’s to come. Sulayem addressed the current dominance of Max Verstappen and Red Bull in the 2023 season.
The Dutch driver and his team have been on a winning streak, with Verstappen clinching victory in seven Grand Prix, and his teammate, Sergio Perez, winning the remaining two. This dominance has led to some discontent, as fans are growing weary of the monotonous race outcomes. Sulayem, commenting on the dominance, said, “This year, we need to say the truth: Red Bull did a better job than the others, it’s a fact. But I would be imprudent to say the championship is finished. We cannot intervene in the performance of the teams. I am sure what we did in terms of financial regulations will help to minimize the gap on the technical side.”
Now, 7 weeks after the statement, Sulayem has reassured Red Bull and Co. about being tackled. He stated, as quoted by F1 Maximaal, “Talking about what is good or bad is very complicated. Was it good when Mercedes dominated? Now it’s Verstappen’s turn, and it’s Red Bull’s turn.” (translated by Google)
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He further added, “Are we going to punish those who are doing well? No, the other teams just need to do better. Nobody is stopping the rest from doing better. We can’t punish people for doing better than the rest or working harder. That’s unfair.”
This hands-off approach by the FIA president not only underscores the competitive spirit of Formula 1 but also sets the stage for an interesting dynamic in the races to come.
Domenicali’s Comments and Unraveling the Dominance of Max Verstappen
Seven weeks ago, F1 boss Stefano Domenicali’s ‘no can do’ comment sparked a wave of controversy. Today, the FIA President’s apparent snub of Lewis Hamilton in favor of Max Verstappen’s unbridled dominance has sent shockwaves through the sport.
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The controversy stems from the 2021 changes in regulations, which disproportionately affected low-rake cars like Mercedes and Aston Martin. Fans and experts alike have questioned the fairness of these changes, as they seemed to favor high-rake cars like Red Bull. This, coupled with Red Bull’s breach of the cost cap rules in 2022, has led to an outcry among Hamilton’s fans, who feel the FIA is biased towards Verstappen and Red Bull.
Domenicali’s recent comments have only added fuel to the fire. He suggested that Red Bull’s dominance was simply a result of them doing a better job at developing a car. However, fans argue that the FIA has a history of intervening. For instance, when Mercedes brought new innovations, such as the Dual Axis Steering system. This perceived bias led to an uproar, with fans accusing the FIA of favoritism towards Red Bull.
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As the F1 season progresses, the controversy surrounding Domenicali’s comments and Red Bull’s dominance show no signs of slowing down. Only time will tell what’s next.