Verstappen Backs His F1 Criticism: 'My Salary Didn't Grow Because Of The Sport Growing'

Friday, 08 December 2023 at 17:00

Updated at Friday, 08 December 2023 at 18:42

Red Bull Racing Formula One driver Max Verstappen explained his earlier criticism of the sport and its leaders.

F1 has grown a lot throughout the last few years. Much of this growth can be attributed to the owners of Formula One - Liberty Media company, which has done an incredible job in marketing the sport.

However, as the company tried to grow the sport even further, it started to make decisions that upset some of the 20 drivers on the F1 grid.

One of them has been Max Verstappen, who explained his main problem is that F1 is becoming more of a show than a real sport and is starting to attract the wrong type of fans.

The Dutchman said he, as a kid, went to multiple sporting events, and the fans were passionate and understood what was at stake.

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But as F1 tries to evolve races into bigger shows, it starts to attract fans who don't understand the sport and just come to races because it's cool, have a few drinks, and get wasted, as the 26-year-old described it.

On the other hand, Formula One is a business, and just like other businesses, it needs to keep growing to stay relevant, and Verstappen recently said he can understand that perspective as well.

"My salary didn't grow because of the sport growing. I fully understand [F1's position], and you can look at it two ways: the business side and the sport side."

The triple World Champion clarified he would give his own opinion from the perspective of a driver when he's asked to comment on these issues, and that opinion has nothing to do with the business perspective.

"Of course I understand their side as well, but I am just voicing my opinion on the performance side. We are not stakeholders, so I just go with it, and they decide what they do."

On the other hand, the Dutchman said he would behave in the same manner if he were the owner of the sport and said he would do what he thought was the best for the sport, just like current F1 leaders do.

"I would do the same if I was the owner, I wouldn't listen to the drivers, it is my sport and I would do what I want if that was the case, but when I am asked a question, I want to try and answer it in an honest way."