Olympics news: F1 stars involved in talks over competing at the Games

Nico Hulkenberg, Fernando Alonso, Max Verstappen on the podium — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 at the Olympics

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Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Sunday 4 August 2024 10:57

Some of the biggest stars from Formula 1 have opened up over discussions of motor racing becoming a feature at the Olympic Games.

The legendary event is the talk of the sporting world in August, with the latest edition taking place in Paris largely during the F1 summer break.

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It is perhaps inevitable during a period of no on-track action that the idea to bring motor racing to the Olympics has taken a major focus.

Ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix in July, the likes of Fernando Alonso, Oscar Piastri, Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly and Nico Hulkenberg discussed together the prospect of the idea becoming reality.

Fernando Alonso

"I think we represent our countries in a way every two weeks. This is not an Olympic sport yet, but ideally it will be nice to have it in the future for sportsmen and racing drivers to have the possibility, but I think it's quite unlikely because we have the machine with us.

"Even if you try to organise a go-kart race with exactly the same go-karts, it will never be exactly the same, probably. So, yeah, it is a very unique sport."

Oscar Piastri

"I mean, more or less the same as what Fernando said. I think with motorsport being so unique in terms of the car and the equipment and the team around you providing such a critical element, it's very, very difficult to even that out 100 per cent, on any playing field.

"And I mean, I think a good thing about our sport is, yes, of course, we take a lot of pride in representing our countries, but I think we take a lot of pride in that in most cases, the best of the best, regardless of your nationality or your background can make it to the top. So yeah, I mean, I think it's a cool idea in theory, but I don't know how you'd do it in practice."

Alex Albon

"Yeah, I'd say the same. I wouldn't mind it. I don't think we would be the ones to be karting, though. I think there’s much quicker, much younger kids that would take it. Maybe Fernando not. I think he's still karting quite a bit, but I don't think I should be the Thai karter. I think there's quicker ones out there.

"But I love the concept of it. As these guys have said, it doesn't really lend itself towards an Olympic sport. But maybe just like Mazda MX-5s and everyone driving around. That would be a lot of fun. But that would just, I think it would be too fun."

Pierre Gasly

"Yeah, same comments to the guys. I just remember, like, Bercy, you see this footage from when the guys raced and that's pretty cool. I remember as a kid, I really enjoyed watching and finding it very inspiring to see Lewis… I remember all the big names at the time.

"I was a kid, and I found it very cool. So probably doesn't work in an Olympic type of format, but maybe a one-off race. Not even every year, but once in a while could be a fun event to organise. Yeah, that's probably it.

Nico Hulkenberg

"Yeah, I think it's pretty hard to implement motorsport and racing into the Olympic system, because also, obviously, it needs a lot of space. I mean, with karting, less. But if you talk real cars, tricky. I haven't thought of it much. Maybe yes, maybe no."

Written by

Dan Ripley - Global Editor

I've been a massive F1 fan since the mid 1990s and continue to study the history of the sport long before that. As an experienced motor sport reporter covering F1, MotoGP and the LeMans 24 Hour race, being part of GPFans has allowed me to work with a diverse team with all sorts of different backgrounds in watching the sport and given me a greater appreciation of F1.

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