Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz has expressed his dissatisfaction with the way races are broadcast live. According to the racer, too much importance is given to the reactions of the drivers’ girlfriends and celebrities at key moments of the competition.
Sainz, who starred in an impressive comeback in the Singapore Grand Prix, achieving a tenth place after starting from behind, regretted that this performance was not covered in the live broadcast. The race, according to the driver, lacked emotion to a large extent due to this omission.
Live coverage also overlooked Fernando Alonso’s intense fight to catch Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari in the final laps. Instead, the broadcast focused primarily on the battle between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris for second place.
Although television broadcasters control the coverage around the live sessions and the race, the images on the track are managed by a global signal directed by Formula 1 itself.
It’s common for broadcasts to show the reactions of brides, family members, and celebrities in the garage, something that Sainz considers an outdated approach to sports coverage.
“I understand that if there’s an overtake, a very tense moment in the race, it’s understandable that the production team wants to show a reaction if they’ve seen it has worked in the past… but [they should only do it] if the competition is respected and the important moments of the race are always shown.”
Carlos Sainz“Last weekend they didn’t show any of the four or five overtakes I made at the end. They also didn’t show Fernando’s pursuit of Lewis… a lot of things were missed,” he added. Sainz suggests that Formula 1 needs to reconsider where the line is drawn between sport and spectacle. “The other thing is fine, but we must not lose sight of the main thing. For me, they go a little overboard showing celebrities and girlfriends,” he added. “Sometimes there are so many VIPs in the paddock that you can’t even walk. We move around by bike or scooter [in the paddock] because otherwise, you just can’t get around.” Formula 1 will continue with the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin on October 19.
