F1 star hits out at driver WAGs on TV after Singapore Grand Prix complaints

Williams F1 star Carlos Sainz has criticised F1's use of drivers' girlfriends and partners during TV coverage of the Singapore Grand Prix.

Cameras pointed to guests in the garages at various points of the race last Sunday, while coverage of on-track battles such as the late charge of Fernando Alonso on Lewis Hamilton appeared to be missing.

Reactions from Sainz's partner Rebecca Donaldson, Lando Norris' girlfriend Magui Corceiro and golf star Lily Muni He were all among the paddock guests that appeared on the broadcast, while Kimi Antonelli's overtake on Charles Leclerc was not shown until around five laps after the event.

Many fans took to social media to voice their concerns about the increasing interest in the drivers' girlfriends and partners rather than racing action, before Sainz himself called the TV director out for the camera shots.

One user on X said: "I fall outside the target range of 18-35 and don't give an F about the WAGs, I'm here for the racing," while another complained: "I hope it stops. I've had enough of it."

"They really have to cut out those shots during the race, unless there is a safety car out there," another user commented, while one caveated that with the fact that some viewers do like the background stories of the drivers, saying: "Why stop with partners? We want to see more of the pets of drivers."

F1 defended their coverage of the event with a spokesperson telling GPFans: “We always focus on giving our fans the best possible footage of the race and never compromise the key focus - the racing on the track.

“Our team does a great job of covering a highly complex situation with multiple cars at different point on a track and also provide great context moments of the grandstands, high profile guests and the locations we race at.

“We are always in pursuit of excellence and improvement in what we deliver.”

Sainz unhappy with TV coverage

Sainz told Spanish radio station El Partidazo de COPE: "It’s becoming a bit of a trend, which must have worked for them once upon a time when people found it interesting to see our girlfriends, to see famous people on TV, the reactions.

"I understand that if there is an overtake, a very tense moment in the race, it is understandable that the production team might want to show a reaction shot if they have seen that it has worked in the past, but [they only should] if the competition is respected and you are always showing the important moments of the race.

"Last weekend they didn’t show any of the four or five overtakes I did at the end. Nor did they show Fernando’s pursuit of Lewis, they missed a lot of things.

"The other [thing] is fine but don’t lose sight of the main thing. For me, they go overboard a little showing the celebrities and girlfriends."

Sky Sports F1 do not decide on the camera shots that are shown in the UK, with there being a global TV director who displays the images to fans all across the world, and David Croft appeared baffled by the decision not to show Hamilton and Alonso's last lap battle during the live Sky F1 broadcast.

READ MORE: F1 driver salaries: What stars including Hamilton and Verstappen earn

F1 HEADLINES: Historic Hamilton disqualification looms over Ferrari star as FIA verdict divides drivers

READ MORE: Zak Brown's 'master plan' in tatters after McLaren driver disagreement

READ MORE: Alpine confirm F1 driver decision for 2026

Related