Domenicali dismisses F1 purists as growth continues

Stefano Domenicali has again defended modern Formula 1 by suggesting many newer fans simply do not care about the technical details that traditional followers complain about.

Speaking to De Telegraaf at Zandvoort, the F1 CEO rejected the idea that criticism of the 2026 regulations, particularly energy management, reflects the wider audience.

"On social media, you often only hear the negative stories," he said.

"We see and hear very different sounds."

Domenicali pointed to the rescheduled Bahrain GP at Sepang as evidence that F1 remains commercially healthy.

"After a few weeks, the stands are already sold out and 1,500 tickets have already been sold for the Paddock Club. That’s unprecedented," said the Italian.

"That shows what the strength of Formula 1 is at the moment."

He then made a revealing distinction between traditional motorsport followers and the broader modern audience.

"There are diehard motorsport fans talking about ’clipping’ during a Formula 1 weekend, but there will also be many who think at a clip that it’s something to put in your hair."

It is consistent with Domenicali’s increasingly commercial framing of criticism - that the sport is growing, therefore dissatisfaction among long-time technical purists does not necessarily represent the audience F1 is now targeting.

"With negativity, we don’t get much progress," he insisted.

"The figures show that our business is growing. I also take the people who are critical seriously, but it is my job to look at the big picture."

Domenicali also believes some of the divide is generational.

"I think Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton talk differently about the current regulations than teenagers like Kimi Antonelli and Arvid Lindblad."

"That’s why it’s good to have everyone’s input."

He compared the current resistance to earlier changes that eventually became accepted. "Previously, there have been so many times when drivers thought: what is this?"

"Take the other way of shifting in the past or the arrival of the Halo on the car. Now we don’t know any better."