The TV coverage of Formula 1 is causing dissatisfaction: After the Singapore Grand Prix, fans and experts accuse those responsible of not showing enough of the action on the track – and instead showcasing celebrities and the drivers’ girlfriends too often.
It is said that the strong comebacks of Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz (the Williams driver moved up from 18th on the grid to the top 10) were hardly visible on television. Now Sainz himself is demanding that the focus should be more on sporting competition again.
“It’s become a trend now, it must have worked for them at some point that people found it interesting to see our friends, well-known personalities on TV, their reactions and so on,” the Williams driver ponders about the reasons.
But he even shows understanding. “I understand that it’s okay to briefly show your reactions during an overtaking maneuver or a very exciting moment in the race,” Sainz admitted in an interview with the Spanish radio show El Partidazo.
Sainz: TV director “missed a lot” in Singapore
“If the production team has seen that it worked in the past, then they will do it again.” In his opinion, however, a limit was crossed in Singapore because sporting competition took too much of a back seat.
“As long as you respect the competition and always focus on the important moments of the race, it’s all fine,” says Sainz. “But last weekend they didn’t show any of my four or five overtaking maneuvers at the end of the race, nor Fernando’s pursuit of Lewis. They missed a lot.”
The Williams driver draws a clear conclusion: “The other thing is good, I understand that. But you shouldn’t miss the most important thing,” the Spaniard makes clear. “To me, they’ve gone a bit overboard with showing celebrities and girlfriends.”
With his criticism, Sainz speaks from the hearts of many fans. Already during the Singapore weekend, numerous viewers complained on social media that the FOM (Formula One Management) management decisions came at the expense of the sporting excitement.