Carlos Sainz suggests key F1 CHANGE could give the sport Olympic status

Carlos Sainz, Ferrari, F1, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Sainz suggests key CHANGE could make F1 an Olympic sport

Carlos Sainz has opened up on some fascinating thoughts

Originally written by Chris Deeley. This version is a translation.

Wednesday 19 June 2024 20:00

Carlos Sainz has suggested that Formula 1 could become an Olympic sport in the future, if it changes one key aspect.

F1 has been dominated by Max Verstappen and Red Bull since the beginning of the 2022 season, with Sainz being the only non-Red Bull driver to have won more than one race since the beginning of 2023.

Speaking on the Nude Project podcast, the Spaniard proposed a format where all of the drivers on the grid were given equal cars - as opposed to the regular F1 season where pairs of drivers all drive for different manufacturers.

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Sainz's suggestion may technically make the sport permissible under the Olympic Charter, which states: “sports, disciplines or events in which performance depends essentially on mechanical propulsion are not acceptable.”

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The 2024 Olympics begin in Paris on July 26 and run through to the closing ceremony on August 11, with 329 events across 32 sports.

Meanwhile, back on the track, Sainz has already become the only driver other than Verstappen to win a race in both 2023 and 2024, sitting fourth in the standings behind the Dutchman, his team-mate Charles Leclerc and McLaren's Lando Norris.

The Australian Grand Prix winner is expected to make an announcement on his future in the coming weeks, as he will be unceremoniously ousted from his seat at the end of the season to make way for the incoming Lewis Hamilton.

Red Bull Max Verstappen Formula 1 Carlos Sainz