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F1, as an all-around product, has improved drastically in the last decade. The racing is better, the competition has improved, and finally, the sport has cracked the American market. Drivers' popularity has moved past Europe, but they are also famous worldwide. Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Fernando Alonso, Daniel Ricciardo, Lando Norris, and others are now global personalities.
A multi-pronged approach has fueled F1's growth. The introduction of DRS has improved overtaking capabilities (even though it is still somewhat artificial), new cars can follow others closer, and most importantly, Drive to Survive has done wonders to bring in new fans in droves.
However, some areas need improvement and potential changes that could make F1 a better sport. The following section will dive into three changes that could take it to greater heights. While much more can be done within the sport, we're looking at a marked improvement if these three changes are made.
1) A more transparent and efficient FIA
The FIA's proactiveness regarding the sport's safety has been credible and worthy of praise. There was no compromise regarding human safety, and audiences saw several changes after Jules Bianchi's tragic passing.
Even in the last few years, FIA has stepped up regarding safety, as seen with the halo's introduction in 2018. The roll hoop will be strengthened in 2023 after Guanyu Zhou's horrific crash at Silverstone last season.
While the organization deserves praise in one context, the FIA is inefficient and lacks transparency. This has been a massive issue that blemishes the sport's image.
The aftermath of the 2021 F1 Abu Dhabi GP was handled poorly and became shambolic. The 2022 F1 season had its fair share of criticism with the 'Jewelry-Gate' saga involving Lewis Hamilton, and the FIA failed to neutralize the situation.
Off-track nuisance aside, poor stewarding was once again in the spotlight. Many drivers, including Pierre Gasly and Fernando Alonso, called out the stewards for questionable decisions made during the season.
The governing body must be held to the highest standards for a sport to function better. That's not the case right now, and it hurts the sport's image more often than not.
2) Reduced performance gaps between teams
Expecting Haas to fight for wins and championships is an almost foolish pipe dream. However, a one-off podium win is not too lofty of an ambition. One of the more significant issues with the sport at the moment is that the improved reliability of an F1 car has stopped the one-off shock wins and podiums that were a staple of prior decades.
In the turbo-hybrid era, wins and podiums have been dominated by the top three teams on the F1 grid - Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull. This can change if the field spread in the sport can be reduced.
In 2022, Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull were in a class of their own, followed by two midfield teams (McLaren and Alpine) and the last group of five teams.
There is a clear and defined performance gap in all three groups, which is unsuitable for the sport because it kills the unpredictability factor. It also destroys the scope of any driver making a difference with superior performance that beats the grid of better cars. As seen with George Russell, a stronger car can make a podium driver.
If the gaps between these groups are reduced, just like in the 2021 F1 season, audiences will get better, more entertaining, and crucially unpredictable racing.
3) Action against F1 fan abuse
One of the biggest menaces of the sport has been the growing fan abuse and polarization. While F1 fans have always had a wild nature, as has been the case with motorsport fans in general, the abuse in the last few years has mushroomed significantly. One of the big reasons for this sharp increase stems from social media interactions.
If it were confined to social media, it would be one thing, but the abuse trickles down to the track where drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are booed mercilessly, and their crashes are cheered. This is highly demoralizing because the sport's ethos is slowly being murdered this way. There is no reason to cheer when any driver crashes.
While the FIA has made some statements regarding efforts to combat unruly behavior on track, there needs to be more clarity on how the regulators hope to stem the problem at the source. F1 fans deserve a safe space on and offline to cheer on their favorite teams/drivers and be critical of others. The sport needs immediate measures, as toxic fanbases can alienate people.
