Stefano Domenicali insists he won’t resort to ‘manipulation’

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has stressed the importance of fairness and sporting integrity amid calls for officials to halt Red Bull’s dominance.

Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has dismissed the idea of implementing in-season regulation changes to address Red Bull’s dominance in the sport. 

Red Bull has enjoyed a dominant start to the 2023 season, winning all seven races with remarkable ease. 

However, this has led to predictable outcomes during grand prix weekends, prompting criticism of the campaign for being unexciting.

In an interview with the Beyond the Grid podcast, Domenicali clarified that Formula 1 has no plans to introduce changes while the 2023 season is still underway. 

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He emphasised that the sport should not be seen as resorting to manipulation.

“This is not correct and this is not fair. I’m not envisioning at all, this kind of approach,” Domenicali stated firmly.

When asked about the possibility of maintaining the regulations to allow teams to converge, Domenicali expressed support for continuity. 

“I think that’s the right approach because the rules have been changed not many years ago, and therefore, this will happen for sure,” he explained.

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Red Bull’s dominance began in the 2022 season when new technical regulations were introduced. 

Before that, Mercedes had been the leading force in Formula 1, and 2021 witnessed a thrilling title battle between Mercedes and Red Bull.

Recently, Red Bull’s two-time World Champion Max Verstappen suggested that F1 should lengthen regulation cycles to produce more exciting seasons like 2021. 

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However, Domenicali dismissed the idea of providing teams at the bottom of the standings with additional wind tunnel time, as it would alter the sporting framework and be deemed unfair.

“F1 has always been a sport where there have been cycles, where teams were very dominant and then some others came into the equation,” Domenicali explained. 

He emphasized the objective of shortening these cycles in the future, striving for competitiveness and unpredictable seasons. As both a commercial rights holder and a sports enthusiast, Domenicali expressed his desire to witness such changes.