Domenicali fires back at critics: ‘Formula 1 has no problems’

Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has a message for the skeptics, the armchair engineers, and the doom-mongers: stop overthinking it!

In a sharp rebuttal to the chorus of concerns surrounding the sport’s 2026 technical regulations, Grand Prix racing’s chief is digging in his heels, insisting that the pinnacle of motorsport is thriving despite the "philosophical" hand-wringing from the media and the paddock.

While critics – including championship leader Max Verstappen – have voiced loud frustrations over the future direction of the sport, Domenicali isn’t just dismissing the negativity; he’s denying its very existence.

‘Great shape’ and the engineering trap

For those suggesting that the recent raft of rule tweaks ahead of the Miami Grand Prix are a frantic attempt to fix a broken system, Domenicali has a firm reality check.

“I think this is not a problem of resolving the problem of Formula 1. Formula 1 has not any problems, Formula 1 is in great shape, just to make sure that is clear to everyone,” Domenicali told The Race, effectively drawing a line in the sand.

He argues that the friction often cited by pundits is a byproduct of getting lost in the weeds of technicality – a "blind spot" that the average fan simply doesn't share.

“And the vast majority of fans have been, since the beginning, very positive [about] what they see in terms of race action.

“You [the media] are the experts on this matter. But we are getting sometimes too philosophical or too technical in things that the vast majority of people do not perceive,” he added.

Domenicali believes the debate belongs in the garage, not the headlines.

“So I do believe that this focus will stay in the right forum, because it's the nature of F1 to discuss and be able to improve. But it shouldn't be at the centre of the focus for the vast majority of fans,” he explained.

The numbers don't lie

If the narrative is one of a disgruntled fanbase, Domenicali points to the box office as his primary witness. With grandstands packed and tickets a rare commodity, he sees a product that is selling better than ever.

“It's very simple. You check it. Sold out every race. First things that everyone with their eyes can see. It is amazing,” he said.

When pressed on whether those sales were merely a hangover from previous hype, he was quick to fire back: “No, no, no. Even now, so far is all good. So I don't see this negativity. We have data that our people can give you in terms of real numbers. It is all positive.”

His frustration with the "engineer mindset" became even more evident as he defended the sport's entertainment value.

“You are getting too [into the] engineer [mindset], and that's why sometimes we miss the spot of: people want to have action, want to see things that are creating the right place to fight for something,” he countered.

Protecting the business

Domenicali isn't claiming to be deaf to the paddock's whispers, but he is clear about who holds the pen when the rules are written.

While he acknowledges the role of the FIA in coordinating the next steps, he views his defensive stance as a necessary shield for the sport's commercial health.

“It is the nature of someone who wants to protect the business to react if they see that there are things that need to be taken in a different direction. The approach will not change, but I think that the focus should now be really on what has to be done,” he said.

Read also:

• Don’t expect surprises: FIA’s Tombazis cools hype over F1 changes

As for whether the latest tweaks solve every grievance? He remains candidly indifferent: “If you're asking me also, if this will be enough to answer other questions that were posed before. Maybe yes, maybe no. I don't know. I don't have that answer.

“For sure, there will be a focus within the teams, the drivers, and the FIA, who is the one that has to coordinate everything, that has that responsibility as a regulator, to think, what could happen in the next couple of years?”

Closing his defense, Domenicali challenged the media to stop "shooting the sport in the foot" and instead look at the gravity the F1 brand still pulls.
From Max Verstappen's involvement in other series to the hype surrounding rising stars like Kimi Antonelli, he sees F1 as the sun around which all other racing orbits.

“So personally, if there is something that I would say, ‘it is negative’, I would say I have no problem to say that. We're always listening. You know me very well, so I'm listening. But someone has to take the decision. I mean, we are not here that we can offer only one product," he concluded.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing how this championship will finish, because there will be a lot of action on the track.

“[It] will be fascinating for you to explain... we have the duty to explain that in a very positive way, because otherwise we will shoot ourselves in the foot, that this doesn't make any sense. But that is not the defensive position."

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook