F1 will be made for the fans, not the teams - Carey

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F1 CEO Chase Carey reiterated his belief that the sport's future must be centered around its fans rather than the participating teams.

Carey is near the end of his first year at the helm of Formula 1, and claims that Liberty Media is "completely satisfied" with its current state of affairs, although the sport's CEO remains focused on the future.

"While month by month progress is important, what's more important is where we stand for 2020," Carey told Bild am Sonntag.

"That's when the long-term contracts expire and we can start with a new Formula One."

The American executive underlined however a vision of a sport which will be made "for the fans again rather than for the teams".

"The engines must be louder and cheaper and not so complicated. And we need more action on the track," he insisted.

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As ever, however, F1 politics is a murky world and Carey acknowledges that making all of the powerful players happy is a challenging task.

"There are some strong characters here," he said.

"But after my first year, I can see that everyone realises that some things must change. The most important is that one or two teams cannot win everything."

Carey also addressed the subject of race build-ups following last Sunday's spectacular pre-race show in Austin, insisting that preliminaries will never take precedence over the actual race.

"No, no -- not at all," Carey insists. "The race will always be at the centre. But a Formula 1 race also has to be an unforgettable event in every country.

"I can imagine race weekends with Formula 3, Formula 2 and Formula 1," he added.

"Then the young drivers get a lot of attention and can develop faster."

Carey also wants a few more races on the already bustling annual calendar, and will start by selecting "an Asian country" to replace Malaysia.

"And an extra race will be added in America in either Miami, New York or Las Vegas," he said.

As for Lewis Hamilton's likely fourth crowning, which could happen on Sunday, Carey once again praised F1's superstar for all his brings to the sport.

"He is the best ambassador one can wish for in Formula 1. He represents the sport in the best possible way."

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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.