Carlos Sainz and Nico Hulkenberg contradict Max Verstappen's opinion on drivers having a bigger say in what happens in F1
Carlos Sainz and Nico Hulkenberg believe F1 drivers need to have a bigger say in the sport, particularly on the sporting side, thus contradicting Max Verstappen's opinion on the matter to an extent.
Speaking ahead of the 2023 Las Vegas GP, both drivers felt that drivers needed to be involved in the ongoings of the sport especially when it comes to feedback. Verstappen felt that if he were the owner of the sport, he would not listen to the drivers, as they were not stakeholders.
The Dutchman said he would appreciate it if drivers were consulted on sporting matters as a bare minimum, but that they would have to 'deal' with the final outcome regardless. In matters trackside, the reigning world champion was very unimpressed with the track layout and was not interested in the glitterati of the hyped event.
Asked by Sportskeeda if drivers felt handicapped for not having a say in the sport, Hulkenberg said:
"Yeah, I mean, you know, in the history of the sport drivers have never had a say or weight on making the rules and stuff. But I think going forward, it would be good sometimes to involve the drivers or get our opinions and feedback on stuff because obviously, you have the Commercial Rights Holders’ view and how they see things, how things are for us.
"So, I think sometimes it would be quite beneficial for everyone to involve us perhaps a bit more. And going forward in the future, obviously right now we have no seat at the table, no power and it would be a nice thing to be part of it and a stakeholder. But yeah, that's probably a bit unrealistic."
Adding to the German’s opinion, Sainz said:
"I don't think we have any power but I think keeping the drivers happy and taking their opinions is important because if then the drivers are going to face the media and we're not going to be happy about our sport or the way we go, it's fundamental that the driver agrees and has some kind of opinion going forward.
"And yes, we might not have a vote but we have a very important voice and we all want to be aligned and in unison with F1 also. I felt a lot of coordination with F1 and FIA recently, a better job on that side. So hopefully moving forward it's the same case."
As non-stakeholders of the sport, F1 drivers have never had an involvement in giving input into the workings of the sport. After Liberty Media acquired the sport from Bernie Ecclestone, drivers have tried to align themselves with the interest of the sport.
However, with the calendars getting lengthier and more street circuits being added to it, drivers have had diverse opinions over the sport and its modus operandi. Many including Verstappen felt that the commercial side had overtaken the sporting side of the sport.
According to Hulkenberg, there has never been a case in the history of F1 where drivers have been consulted. However, he felt that sometimes, it made sense to involve driver feedback and opinions on certain matters.
On the other hand, Sainz felt it was important for the sport to align with the drivers, especially in matters where the direction of the sport is concerned. He believes there needs to be even more coordination between the drivers, sport management, and the regulatory body.
F1 drivers feel the Las Vegas circuit has many variables for everyone
Sergio Perez feels Red Bull could be on the back foot in Las Vegas due to cooler temperatures, whereas Lando Norris believes there are many unknown factors involved for all the teams. The Briton felt there could be a lot of opportunities for drivers as it's a first for everyone.
Asked what he felt about the layout of the new F1 street circuit, Max Verstappen's Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez said:
“I think it's a place that we have no idea how it's going to be. It's so different to the rest of the year, because first of all the temperatures, then it's all about keeping the tyres in the window, keeping them warm and I think that's going to be the challenge.
"So it's going to be very different to anything else that we've done this year. So I don't think we know how strong we're going to be so it will be an interesting one.”
On expectations from the race weekend and the track, McLaren's Lando Norris stated:
“I guess it feels a little bit different, just night race and a lot of glamour and all of this stuff. But inside it's just another race weekend. So yeah, concentrated and focussed for the weekend ahead. Opportunities for everyone because it's so different and a lot of question marks for everyone.
"So yeah, plenty of things to try and prepare for and be ready for – but also, with FP1, FP2 and FP3 a bit more time than what we've had the last few weekends with the Sprint races, to get our heads on things and making sure we're prepared before Qualifying.”
Unlike Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez has always had a liking for street circuits and has delivered some stellar performances on such tracks over the years. But Red Bull in general are not strong at circuits with low grip, which could open the door for other F1 teams and drivers to fight for the top five spots in the race.
An inaugural race often comes with its own set of hurdles but the Las Vegas circuit also has challenging temperature conditions, with cooler temperatures at night.