Governance of F1 in 2021: Towards a shock of simplification?

In the endless saga about the Big Bang 2021, the sporting, technical and financial aspects have taken center stage for months but we should not forget that the major structural overhaul announced and expected also includes an essential political aspect. The spawns of the F1 indeed aim to reform a mode of governance that the pilots had described, a few years ago, as “obsolete and poorly structured”.

Remember that it is based on a convoluted circuit to say the least which includes the following main stages: FIA working groups, F1 Strategic Group, F1 Commission, and finally the FIA ​​World Motor Sport Council. In this complex, not to say ossified, system, the power of some to cause harm is particularly strong and the risks of blockage are omnipresent.

F1 2021. Coming soon. pic.twitter.com/Bej5Xc6InP

- Formula 1 (@ F1) October 31, 2019

For example, it is enough for the Strategic Group, where not all the teams have a say, to decide not to study this or that proposed law for the text not to reach the Commission. We had confirmation in Mexico that the 2021 governance project would move towards an abolition of the two chambers mentioned above, which would be replaced by a unique assembly which would bring together 30 votes distributed as follows: 10 for the teams, 10 for the FIA ​​and 10 for the FOM.

In this same desire for fluidity, unanimity would no longer be required to adopt last minute changes during the current season or the following campaign. Once the April 30 deadline has passed, “only” 28 votes would be needed to ratify short-term regulatory changes.

If we consider that the FIA ​​and the FOM have aligned positions, this would mean thata majority of 8 out of 10 teams would be sufficient to get measures adopted. However, we saw it again with the qualifying races project, votes in F1 are often decided by one or two votes.

As to famous veto Ferrari and its possible disappearance, it remains surrounded by a certain vagueness, but we feel that behind the criticisms of the rivals of the Scuderia, this means of blackmail suits some people, in particular Mercedes et Red Bull, whose positions join Maranello when it comes to maintaining their supremacy on the grid.