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Formula 1 takeover ‘underestimated’ by Liberty Media

Formula 1 takeover ‘underestimated’ by Liberty Media

07-02-2019 14:25 Last update: 14:50

Bevan Youl

Red Bull boss Christian Horner believes that current Formula 1 owners Liberty Media ‘underestimated’ the task that it is running F1.

Liberty Media acquired ownership of Formula 1 back in January 2017 and have been trying to put measures into the sport to make it more enjoyable for both drivers, constructors and spectators alike.

They’ve brought the introduction of the Hanoi GP in Vietnam from 2020 but there have been some failures, such as the Miami GP and high-profile promoters threatening to leave, that have proved to Horner that the company ‘underestimated’ the sport’s needs.

Quoted by The Guardian, Horner said: “I think they absolutely underestimated what they were taking on.

"They will accept it was a mistake to rush through the front wing change for this year.”

Liberty wanted to improve racing for 2019 so made changes to the regulations of aerodynamics on F1 cars, increasing the size of the front wing whilst simplifying the intricate details at the same time.

"Taking a front wing and saying it will make racing better is quite a naive and ultimately expensive approach," he said.

"Formula one has a different appeal. You can't just apply a US-sports approach to something that has been established for 60 or 70 years as a global world championship.

"You can window-dress and promote a movie as much as you like, but if the film doesn't have the substance or isn't exciting, people won't watch it.”