The contract renewal that confirmed Stefano Domenicali as CEO of Formula 1 Group for another five years was met with near-unanimous approval.
“The most important aspect for me was having the complete trust of Liberty Media’s leadership,” Domenicali said. “They gave me total freedom to shape the team and the system that will be needed to keep driving growth. On a personal note, I also appreciated the recognition from within the paddock.”
In Formula 1, receiving broad consensus is rare. Everything evolves quickly, and just two days after the contract extension was made official, Domenicali signed the new Concorde Agreement – the commercial framework defining F1’s financial future.
“The economic aspects are settled. What remains is the governance part, which also involves the FIA alongside the teams. That’s another key step because it guarantees regulatory stability. One thing we want to change is our approach: we need to be more strategic and less tactical on key issues affecting our sport. This requires FIA and team involvement.”
Motorsport: On strategic decisions, there’s been a lot of talk recently about different engine philosophies for the medium and long term. What’s your position?
Stefano Domenicali: “Two years ago I shared my strategic vision for F1’s future in an interview with Motorsport.com – and that’s exactly what’s now emerging. In Bahrain, we had a meeting with the FIA and all current and future engine manufacturers, including GM. I believe some pushed too hard. As future topics were being discussed, someone tried to push for an extension of the current regulations. That would have been totally wrong. We must respect those who’ve invested heavily in this complex and costly project – changing the rules now would send the wrong message. Questioning previous decisions on power units would be a huge mistake.”
MS: So it’s full steam ahead, no second thoughts?
SD: “Nothing prevents us from working to improve the package. The FIA, together with the manufacturers and teams, can always assess if there are areas for improvement. We’re on the brink of a major regulatory shift, and I personally believe it’s crucial that the system allows for a faster recovery if a manufacturer falls significantly behind. That’s an issue we must address quickly – it could happen to anyone.”
MS: Not an easy change, considering F1’s competitive nature...
SD: “We all need to think strategically. Having one dominant team for too long is bad for everyone. Our sport is growing incredibly and has become a global benchmark. We should be proud of that – but also cautious.”
MS: You experienced the 2009–10 period firsthand, when over half the manufacturers left F1. With the world economy still fragile, could that scenario repeat?
SD: “It would be naive not to consider that possibility, especially given today’s economic climate. Renault, after many years, has left F1. Let me be clear: major manufacturers are essential, but we’re also mature enough to know that if a severe crisis hits the industry, big automotive groups might have to make tough decisions. That’s why we must simplify and significantly reduce costs, while maintaining a technical link to road-relevant technologies – like sustainable fuels, which can complement EV offerings. These choices help manufacturers stay involved. And if a crisis forces some to pause their F1 programmes, we’ll be in a position to respond independently and find alternatives.”
MS: Simplification is a recurring theme – but often vague. What does it mean, concretely?
SD: “Fans of my generation need to rethink what creates performance and technological interest. Focusing on sustainable fuels is absolutely the right path. But – and this may sound provocative – having teams invest huge amounts in designing their own gearboxes no longer makes sense. The performance gains are minimal. Fans no longer see it as an exciting area of development. We need to identify areas where technology and entertainment overlap. Many things that once seemed cutting-edge no longer justify major investment. We must have the courage to accept that the landscape has evolved.”
MS: From mid-2024, flexible wings have been a hot topic again – technical controversies are back.
SD: “I’ve lived through many of those: Malaysia ’99, the double diffuser, FRIC, mass dampers, F-ducts… all part of F1’s story. I used to be hands-on with technical and sporting regulation debates almost every Sunday. Years ago, there were far broader grey areas than today – but F1 people still know how to push everything to the limit. Personally, I feel today’s controversies are relatively minor. In fact, it’d be nice to have a bit more of that again – they’re the spice of the sport.”
MS: Has the Las Vegas model lived up to expectations – or, as some say, has it underdelivered financially?
SD: “It’s been a big success. But as with any new project, you can’t expect to recoup investment immediately. If we judge the event itself, Las Vegas has clearly been a win for F1. Beyond the media exposure, it helped us secure commercial deals that would’ve been hard to land otherwise.”
MS: Is it a showcase for the ‘F1 system’?
SD: “Absolutely. I won’t deny the costs for the local community have been high. Starting this year, the Las Vegas GP is fully under our central management – the organisational team now reports directly to us. We’ve revised the structure to accelerate ROI. We want more involvement from local investors. The economic impact of the Vegas weekend has been massive for two years running – bigger than the Super Bowl. The local community has seen huge financial benefits. We must keep investing and believing in the project. Let’s not forget: while we’ve made great strides in the U.S., there’s still huge growth potential – we must keep increasing our visibility.”
MS: Is Africa on hold?
SD: “That’s not the right word. Before taking that step, we need guarantees on three fronts: investment that benefits the community beyond F1’s presence, infrastructure (not just a circuit, but hotels, roads, airports), and an economic base that can support the event long-term. We’re not on standby – we’re working to assess what’s still missing before we can say, ‘Okay, let’s go.’ But we’re not there yet.”
MS: What has Hamilton’s move to Ferrari brought to F1?
SD: “Speaking as an Italian living abroad, the interest it generated has been massive – it’s given F1 great visibility. Of course, it’s still a sport, and attention depends on results. That will take time. Lewis spent many years at Mercedes, where he developed certain relationships and technical understanding. Those dynamics aren’t guaranteed to be the same at Ferrari. We need patience. He won the sprint in China, but one less-than-perfect weekend and people’s opinions shift again. We should all be more measured. In Japan, many expected a McLaren 1–2. In Bahrain, people predicted a boring race. In both cases, they were wrong – people jump to conclusions too fast.”
MS: On that note, some called the Japanese GP boring, others praised the intensity and lack of tyre degradation.
SD: “You’ll never please everyone. Suzuka was a very intense race – if you were watching the timing screens, it was extraordinary. But there were no overtakes, and I get that many fans crave more on-track action. That’s valid. That’s why we pushed for two mandatory stops in Monaco and asked Pirelli to keep using high-degradation tyres.”
MS: Can you strike a balance between degradation and race intensity?
SD: “We’ve got two fan groups – the hardcore experts, and the newer fans without deep F1 knowledge. It’s on us to explain our sport better. It may seem obvious, but it’s not second nature. We have to do a better job at communicating what’s going on. That said, on-track action remains the most compelling part.”
MS: F1 has reinvented itself with a new generation of drivers. Do you agree they’re top quality?
SD: “Yes – I think what we’re seeing is exceptional. It shows the junior categories are working well, which is great news for the sport. I also think these drivers deserve protection. In Melbourne, I made a point to support Hadjar, and look what he’s done since. I think Lawson deserves support now after a tough start. We need to remember their human side. Andrea Kimi [Antonelli] is doing really well – he’s only 18 – and I’m pleased with how Mercedes is supporting and protecting him. It’s nice to see he remains grounded, still a young man with his family by his side on debut.”
MS: In the end, F1 approved an 11th team.
SD: “The Cadillac project will help us make a bigger impact in the U.S. market. The conversations we had evolved – the second proposal was much stronger than the first. Now it’s up to the project to move forward, pick two solid drivers, and deliver. Having a heavyweight brand like that will benefit the system – and could even pave the way for more races in the United States.”
MS: Will the calendar stay at 24 races, or could it increase?
SD: “Confirmed – the maximum will remain 24.”
