Long wait for result is turn-off
FORMULA 1
BY NEIL MOXLEY
DAVID COULTHARD has called for Formula One’s fans to be put first, after the explosive fallout from a controversial title-clinching race in Japan showed no sign of dying down.
Reacting to the drama of last weekend’s rain-affected Japanese Grand Prix, which ended with Max Verstappen securing his second consecutive world crown, the Scot believes clearer, joined-up thinking is needed to help the sport prosper.
The conditions in Suzuka dictated events that ended with Red Bull furiously thumbing through the rule book as they attempted to work out if the Dutchman had won enough points to be crowned champ.
Verstappen himself was conducting trackside interviews when the big decision was made and Coulthard, a respected pundit with Channel 4, said: “There’s a much bigger picture here – I say that with all due respect to budget caps and conversations about whether GP cars can go racing in the rain.
“We are in the entertainment business. Last week, we knowingly sat waiting for the tide to go out before the boat was launched. We knew the rain was coming – that was a little bit silly.
“And, yes, what happened after the race keeps people engaged and gives us all something to talk about. But, in pure sporting terms, it’s bad.
“There is still a disconnect between the teams, the commercial rights holder Liberty, and the FIA.
“Better communication among them is the way to serve our fans.
“Sometimes we have been waiting hours to get a result from the stewards.
“People switched off their televisions and computers all around the world last week and went to bed before the official result was announced. That just can’t be right.”
David Coulthard is presenting F1 Grand Prix
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