F1 facing serious questions about its future - Horner

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Red Bull's Christian Horner believes that Formula 1 is facing some crucial decisions regarding its future as the automotive world itself embraces change.

As F1 works to define its regulation framework beyond 2020, the sport will hopefully usher in a long-term period of stability, and prosperity.

But the complicated exercise will require crucial discernment and foresight from F1's thinkers in order to preserve the sport's relevance for at least an entire decade, according to Horner.

"Formula One is effectively at a crossroads with the new regulations," Insists the Red Bull Racing boss.

"Because those regulations theoretically come in 2021 and there will be probably an eight to ten-year life on those engines, so what we are looking at is actually is Formula One's relevance pretty much up to 2030.

"Now, by 2030 how many people are actually going to be driving cars?" he added.

"Are they going to be autonomous? Are they going to be electric? The world is changing so fast in that sector.

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"So Formula One has some serious questions that it needs to answer today in the choice it makes for the engine for the future.

"What is Formula One's primary purpose? Is it technology or is it a sport and entertainment, and man and machine at the absolute limit?"

As he ponders the future, Horner is betting on the latter concept and approach.

"I sense that with the new ownership that has come into Formula One that creating great entertainment, creating great content, the noise, the sound, the exhilaration of seeing the drivers as the star is of absolute primary concern to them.

"So I hope that with the opportunity there is with the regulation change that is being discussed at the moment, that the fundamental aspects of cost, performance and attractiveness to the fans, therefore the noise, the acoustics of these engines, are a key factor in the set of regulations they come up with.

"And I think that in turn will produce good racing, reduce costs and bring back some to the appeal that engines of a bygone era used to produce."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.