© Peter Casey/Imagn
While Formula 1 is as popular now as it’s ever been, the global racing series is starting to see its recent popularity growth level off.
Fans who came to the sport thanks to Netflix’s “Drive to Survive” series are beginning to move on to the next fad, and F1 is desperately searching for ways to keep them around.
Unfortunately for long-term fans, this means potential short-sighted changes to the sport in order to appeal to a younger audience.
Formula 1 CEO Discusses Shortening Races To Keep Younger Fans Entertained
While meeting with members of the media ahead of this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix at the legendary Monza circuit, Formula 1 CEO Stefance Domenicali floated the idea of shortening races because, as he claims, younger fans get bored with long races.
“We’re seeing on many of our channels that highlights do very well,” Domenicali said. “For those of us who grew up with the current format, everything is fine as is, but there’s a large segment that only wants to see the key moments.
“Things are going very well today, but precisely for that reason we must not rest on our laurels. We need to think about the next step.”
Drivers And Fans Speak Out Against Shortening F1 Races For Younger Fans
To some degree, Domenicali has a point. It’s the same reason baseball implemented the pitch clock and platforms like TikTok, as well as Instagram reels, have flourished.
But herein lies the problem. What happens when those fans move on to the next trendy thing, and you’ve alienated the diehard fans that have stuck with you for years? Will you be able to bring those fans back into the fold?
Drivers, including two-time champion Fernando Alonso, were quick to speak out against the potential change.
“I will be in front of the TV when that happens, so, I don’t know. I don’t think it’s a problem with the sport, so probably it’s not needed to change,” Alonso said. “…Football matches are a little bit long; when I sit in front of the TV, I’m not watching the 90 minutes concentrated. I go to the kitchen, go back, I mean there is always some moments of distraction.
“But no one is talking about having 60-minute football matches or something like that. It’s a problem of the society and the kids, but not the sport, so probably it’s not needed to change.”
But Alonso wasn’t alone. Many fans discussed the absurdity of the proposed change.
“You know what else is popular? When a racing series’ YouTube channel uploads FULL RACES, whether it’s from years ago or just the past week,” one fan posted on X. “This obsession with trying to make the entire weekend nothing but TikTok highlights is what’s *actually* putting fans off the sport…”
“Does everyone have ADHD? F1 races are not too long. And if you are a Motorsport fan, why would you want shorter races? I don’t get it. Spend all that money and you are in a rush? Talking about the same fans that started watching F1 because of Netflix?” asked another.
There are undoubtedly benefits, especially financially, to Formula 1 adding new fans in recent years. But the sport risks cutting off its nose to spite its face by catering to those fans over ones who have been around far longer.