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The future of F1 - What Domenicali revealed to us [ad-free video]
Added 2025-08-11 14:19:26 +0000 UTCYou've heard our podcast interview in which Stefano Domenicali answered your questions about the future shape of Formula 1 - now here's the video rundown of the key things we learned from the conversation, available ad-free here on Patreon.
Comments
A fascinating interview and summary. I've been involved with oval racing a little, and one of its great appeals is the championship holders/leaders starting at the back. It's a badge of honour for the gold roof to line up last. While the idea is superficially appealing, I can't see how it can work in F1. In the golden days of oval racing, when Stu Smith or Barry Lee etc - were starting at the back in their respective disciplines and working their way through, dirty air was not a thing. Speeds were also quite low compared to now and certainly compared ot F1. Unless F1 becomes less aero-influenced, which seems unlikely unless we mandate they all race Vanwalls, then any reverse grid race will just result in loads of post-race interviews about dirty air, not good racing. As such, it seems like a red herring, something that gets talked about every few years but never happens. What would be good is a support race of identical Alan Mann Racing Escort Mk1 TCs started in reverse championship order. Oscar P at the back and Doohan on pole. The driver's natural competitiveness would come out, and it would be even more fun than BMW M1 ProCar. Sadly, I suspect insurance would prevent that from happening today. It would be great to see the F1 drivers in identical machinery of some sort at least once a year, say, instead of a sprint at one GP a year. F1 has always been and should always be as much about engineering, what Mark Donahue made famous, as the Unfair Advantage, as it is about drivers. That's why many F1 fans are as interested in designers as they are drivers, and why Chapman, Newey, etc, are almost as well known. Speak to JYS about Derek Gardner, for instance, and it won't be a one-liner... Lastly, I'd love to see a return to free engine up to xxx size. The difference between a Forghieri-penned flat-12 and a Cosworth V8 or 4-cylinder Hart Turbo was another source of interest, and the fact that each made a different noise was great. I've never really understood why it was mandated that they all had to have V10s, or V8s etc. I can't see how that cut costs, but maybe I'm missing something...
John Lakey
2025-08-12 12:50:29 +0000 UTCGearboxes shouldn't be standardised, or at least the casing shouldn't. Its core to the packaging concept of the car. Regarding V8s. Encouraging a higher rev range is more important than the cylinder count. A low revving flat plane crank V8 will sound no better, or possibly worse than a V6.
Chris M
2025-08-12 12:03:33 +0000 UTCReally appreciated this interview and the opportunity for us to ask questions direct to Stefano about the sport we all care so much about. There were lots of great questions and insightful answers - thank you to the team at The Race for making it happen and to Stefano for giving up his time to answer our questions. However, I came away a little sad that there wasn’t any question around some of the ethical considerations of the sport (e.g. F1’s Net Zero 2030 commitment, diversity and human rights). It’s such a rare opportunity for our voices on the ground to be heard by power, so if they don’t hear questions or concerns from us in these areas then they will never matter to them. (This isn’t me being salty at my question not being read out btw, I would have loved to have heard one question on this topic from any of the members)
Mike Bowker
2025-08-11 16:15:22 +0000 UTC
