Sainz says F1 broadcast criticism was ‘blown out of proportion’

Carlos Sainz has moved to clarify his recent remarks about Formula 1’s television coverage of the Singapore Grand Prix, insisting that his comments were “blown out of proportion” after sparking widespread discussion online.

The Spanish driver had previously criticised the Marina Bay broadcast for focusing too much on celebrity shots and paddock guests rather than key moments of on-track action – including his own charge through the field and late-race heroics.

But speaking ahead of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas, Sainz said the reaction to his comments had taken on a life of its own.

“Blown out of proportion”

“I didn’t need an answer,” he told reporters when asked about F1’s official statement defending its broadcast direction.

“I think, like always, that my comments were a bit blown out of proportion. The fact that I mentioned the girlfriends or the WAGs, however you call them, it brought a bit of spiciness to the comment and went a bit more viral worldwide,” Sainz explained.

“And maybe what it should have been just a simple critique about… I think it is clear that in Singapore the broadcast didn’t do a good job.

“I mean, there’s other races where they do an incredible job and they show us incredible things and incredible track action.

“For me, Singapore was not good.”

“Everyone has their own right to say”

The 31-year-old said his remarks were intended as constructive feedback rather than personal criticism, and compared the broadcast’s off-day to his own performances as a driver.

“But the same thing, I have good weekends in my life where I perform at a very high level. On other weekends, I don’t do a good job,” he added.

“You guys analyse it, you give me a rating. I did a 4 out of 10 and then you tell me I did a 10 out of 10.

“Obviously, everyone has their own right to say. For me, Singapore was just not good enough and they missed way too much track action.”

A Missed Opportunity in Singapore

Sainz said the disappointing coverage was particularly unfortunate given that overtaking opportunities are rare at Marina Bay – a circuit where he helped provide some of the weekend’s standout moments.

• Read also: F1 defends coverage after Sainz’s ‘girlfriends on TV' criticism

“[It] doesn’t mean it’s a critique to them or the way they do their job. It’s just Singapore; it’s a shame that in a track where it’s so difficult to overtake, we missed so many,” he explained.

“I hope they didn’t take it personally or I hope they didn’t.”

While Sainz may have wished for less viral “spiciness,” his comments have reignited a broader conversation about how Formula 1 balances sport and spectacle – and how the show sometimes risks missing the very action that fuels it.

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