Carlos Sainz is furious — and this time, it’s not about tire degradation or pit strategy. The Williams driver is taking aim at something far more fundamental: how Formula 1 presents itself to the world.
After putting on a storming drive from the back of the grid to finish tenth at the Singapore Grand Prix, Sainz opened social media only to realize that hardly anyone saw it. Why? Because the international broadcast — the same feed watched by millions around the world — chose to linger on celebrities, drivers’ girlfriends, and VIP reaction shots instead of showing what was happening on track.
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The chase that no one saw
For context: Sainz had been disqualified from qualifying due to a DRS technical infringement, meaning he started from the back. What followed was a relentless fight through the pack, full of daring overtakes and on-the-limit racing. Fans who checked live timing knew something thrilling was happening. But the cameras didn’t follow.
The same thing happened with Fernando Alonso, who clawed back a 40-second gap to Lewis Hamilton in the closing laps, coming within 0.3 seconds before the finish. The battle never made it to screen. Instead, viewers got long shots of Max Verstappen’s predictable duel with Lando Norris — a battle that had already plateaued.
It wasn’t just a missed shot. It was a missed story.
The FOM feed under fire
Formula One Management (FOM) controls the main race footage used by broadcasters worldwide. Every fan — whether they’re watching in Madrid, Tokyo, or Austin — sees the same international feed.
That means if FOM decides to cut to a celebrity sipping espresso in the paddock or a driver’s partner biting their nails in the garage, that’s what the entire world sees. It’s an editorial choice, one that F1 says is meant to make the sport more relatable and entertaining for casual viewers.
But to drivers like Sainz, it’s starting to feel tone-deaf.
Speaking on Spanish sports radio El Partidazo de COPE, he said, “I don’t mind those shots, but we shouldn’t lose sight of what matters. In my opinion, there’s too much focus on celebrities and girlfriends. Maybe it was funny once, but not anymore.”
A sport losing its essence
Sainz’s frustration runs deeper than airtime. His point is about identity — what Formula 1 has become and what it risks turning into.
He continued, “Last weekend, none of my four or five overtakes at the end of the race were shown. Neither was Fernando chasing Lewis. A lot of the good stuff was missed. The main characters aren’t celebrities or lovers — it’s the drivers.”
That line stings because it’s true.
Formula 1 has leaned heavily into entertainment over the past few years, with the Netflix Drive to Survive effect drawing in millions of new fans. It’s worked — ticket sales are booming, social media numbers are soaring, and paddocks now resemble red carpet events.
But as Sainz pointed out, “These days there are so many VIPs in the paddock that sometimes it’s impossible to even walk. We use bikes and scooters just to move around.”
For veterans and purists, the spectacle is starting to overshadow the sport.
The balance between showbiz and sport
F1’s problem isn’t attracting celebrities — that’s been happening since the Senna era. The issue is airtime. When battles for position get swapped for crowd shots of actors and pop stars, something’s gone wrong.
Sure, there’s commercial logic. Sponsors love it, social media loves it, and casual fans eat it up. But long-time viewers — the ones who tune in for racing — are left asking why the cameras keep missing the action.
Even broadcasters have started to quietly grumble that they’d like more control over race coverage. But since FOM holds the keys to the feed, local stations can only commentate over what they’re given.
In short: the drivers are putting on a show, but the spotlight keeps drifting off them.
Sainz’s message: “Don’t forget who the stars are”
There’s a certain irony here — Sainz drives for Williams, one of F1’s most storied but underdog teams, and his strongest message yet isn’t about performance but principle.
His critique is more than self-serving. It’s a warning. Formula 1 has never been more popular, but it’s also never been more performative. The balance between sport and spectacle is wobbling.
And when the cameras start caring more about who’s watching the race than who’s racing in it, maybe it’s time for a pit stop — not for the cars, but for the coverage.
Because as Sainz reminds everyone: “We’re the stars.”
