Do F1 Broadcasts Prioritise Celebrities Over Action?

Margarida Corceiro, Formula One

The Singapore Grand Prix continued the trend of showing driver’s partners during the race instead of prioritising action.

F1 broadcaster’s continue to overlook the midfield and its action, choosing to show Lando Norris’s partner Magui Corcerio or Charles Leclerc’s partner Alexndra Saint Mleux.

Carlos Sainz managed to achieve ten overtakes on the street circuit, an impressive feat yet none were shown on the main broadcast.

Whilst some fans are interested in the driver’s partner’s and family, it does not override the want to watch racing action. They should keep the partner’s for practice sessions or red flags if they must show them, but not when there is action on track.

Ignoring the midfield during the race isn’t a new thing for broadcasters, but when they are prioritising people over the sport itself that’s when it becomes an issue.

One F1 fan said: “It’s a bit much in my opinion, especially when we’re not even seeing action in the midfield during the broadcast. I do wish there was more of a focus on the actual racing and less of a desire to show partners, celebs, etc. They all seem lovely, just not what we’re tuned in to watch.”

Carlos Sainz has even said the coverage goes “overboard showing celebrities and girlfriends.”

If a driver himself thinks this, surely the broadcasters can too, and understand fans don’t want to see celebrities or partners during the race, they want to see the on track action.

Especially since most celebrities shown have public Instagram’s which fans can access whenever they want if they desire to see more of them.

Having an interest in who the driver’s are dating is not the main problem, there is evidence of a demand for the WAGs, from fan edits on TikTok to fan accounts on Instagram for popular couples, but this part of the fandom should at the very least be yellow flagged once it’s lights out.

By Cleo