Worrying F1 'trend' could spell the END for drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen in Hungary — Photo: © LAT Images

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Worrying F1 'trend' could spell the end for drivers like Hamilton and Verstappen

Windsor fears Hamilton and Verstappen-like drivers will be no more if the trend continues

Cal Gaunt

Tuesday 30 January 2024 20:57

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Renowned F1 journalist Peter Windsor has raised concerns about a concerning trend within the sport.

During a recent interview with YouTube creator Cameron on The F1 Hour, Windsor expressed criticism towards the growing emphasis on constructing new street and hybrid street circuits featuring elongated straights.

He highlighted the potential departure of purist fans and, more significantly, the diminishing platform for drivers to showcase their exceptional skills, casting doubt on the production of talents comparable to the likes of Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

Windsor worries drivers of Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton's ilk will no longer be produced in F1

More and more street circuits, most recently Madrid, are being added to the F1 calendar

Windsor: Standards will drop

“The problem is that the standard of driving will go down because the very great drivers will have fewer and fewer opportunities to show the difference in skill level," he said.

"For me, there’s nothing nicer than watching a Max Verstappen or a Lewis or a Charles [Leclerc] or an Oscar [Piastri] displaying a talent that is above the ordinary. And that may well go, the opportunities to do that may well go with this trend.”

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In his detailed analysis, Windsor pointed out F1's increasing dependence on DRS and high-speed braking corners to inject excitement into races.

Vegas illustrates Windsor's concerns

Max Verstappen was initially critical of the Las Vegas Grand Prix

He also expressed concern over the sport's reliance on strategic camera angles to enhance the viewer experience, cautioning that this approach might have adverse effects on F1 in the long term.

Windsor then put a spotlight on the Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit as a prime illustration of his concerns, stressing how purist racers, including Verstappen, initially criticised its introduction.

However, even Verstappen's viewpoint shifted after he emerged victorious in the inaugural race.