Stefano Domenicali does not believe that the new package of regulations will immediately lead to more exciting races from next season. With a set of new rules, the FOM and the FIA want to increase the tension in the sport, but according to the CEO of Formula 1, it will be some time before the rules have an impact in the sport, he says.
Domenicali looks back on his first year as a Formula 1 manager, later believing his first year was a massive feat. “There were a lot of challenges, especially because of the pandemic. It was a great championship, but it was a huge task to bring 22 races together.” Sports 1. “Fortunately, we were rewarded with a great fight between Lewis (Hamilton, editor) and Max (Verstappen, editor).”
Formula 1 is growing in popularity all over the world and viewership is growing exponentially, especially in the United States. There really is a boom in the United States. This is of course nice and very important to us. Hopefully, from 2022 onwards, the new rules will bring more excitement and fights, sparking more people’s interest in the sport. Of course that would be great.
A fairer fight but since when?
A new Concorde agreement will enter into force next season. In addition to setting a budget cap for more equitable opportunities, the cars underwent a major regulatory overhaul to make it easier to overtake. So a lot is being done on the show and Domenicali expects the races to get even more exciting. ‘I expect a lot from him, yes. New rules allow cars to race close to each other. The battles are getting more intense. It’s something that sports need.
However, Domenicali is also cautious when talking about 2022. The rules are new and there is a lot of uncertainty with them. “I don’t think the rules will guarantee right away that we see a very exciting fight from the first moment. Interventions take time to do their job. So I think you need to be patient as well. The gaps between teams are narrowing, that’s for sure.”
