By David G. Firestone
So the last few weeks have been very hectic, and I simply didn’t have the time to devote to The Driver Suit Blog. I will be covering some of the stories that either happens, or ones that I haven’t gotten to for this week, except for the anti-trust suit, as I feel it deserves it’s own column. This week, non-NASCAR stories.
First is a Formula 1 story that, at least to me, makes no sense whatsoever. Back in September, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has banned F1 drivers from swearing during races. In explaining his reasoning, he stated the following:
‘We have to differentiate between our sport – motorsport – and rap music. We’re not rappers, you know. They say the F-word how many times per minute? We are not on that. That’s them and we are [us]. I know, I was a driver. In the heat of the moment, when you think you are upset because another driver came to you and pushed you. But also, we have to be careful with our conduct. We need to be responsible people. Because imagine you are sitting with your children and watching the race and then someone is saying all of this dirty language. I mean, what would your children or grandchildren say? What would you teach them if that is your sport?’
Known profanity enthusiast Max Verstappen was, well, less than enthusiastic over the new ban. “A lot of people say a lot of bad things when they are full of adrenaline in other sports, it just doesn’t get picked up,’ he said in the pre-Singapore Grand Prix press conference on Thursday. I couldn’t even say the f word… It’s not even that bad. What are we 5-year-olds, 6-year-olds? I guess the world is changing a bit, but I guess it already starts with no broadcasting it. Or, not giving the option for people to hear it in general. That would help a lot more than putting bans on drivers.”
I’m taking Verstappen’s side here. Drivers in F1 have so much to focus on while racing, that expecting them to “mind their language” while driving isn’t a smart move. Let them race, and if they get frustrated, it happens. Sometimes drivers curse. It happens.
I’m also sick of this whole “protect the children” bullshit that populates some areas of culture. I shouldn’t be expected to to change my life for your kids. Your children are YOUR problems, not mine, not ours, yours! You, as a parent, are responsible for everything they eat, read, play with, watch, or interact with until they reach adulthood. Stop expecting the rest of the world to do it for you!
Now sticking with something else Formula 1 does that makes no sense, we discuss 2025. Apparently, F1 is eliminating the fastest lap bonus point for the 2025 season. Why? Why would you eliminate a bonus point? I’m a proponent of bonus points, since they encourge drivers to push themselves to perform better. The more points, the better! Why not encourage drivers to succeed?
I was against the idea of the new NASCAR point system that eliminated the points for laps led. I was against the idea of the NHRA eliminating bonuses for setting speed and ET records. I’m against this too! Sanctioning bodies should encourage performances, since it gives drivers and fans a better experience! I don’t get this logic at all!
Speaking of not getting logic at all, let’s talk about IndyCar. Last year, the disastrous race at Thermal was introduced. The racing wasn’t great, the attendance was embarrassing, the purse was cut in half, and nobody, and I mean NOBODY thought this could get worse. The race was an embarrassment.
Well, Marshal Pruitt of Racer.com has discussed that IndyCar s making a return to Thermal in 2025. As Pruit discussed:
“The non-points $1 Million Challenge was a first for Thermal in two regards as network television was brought to the facility to broadcast the event, and with the need to include IndyCar’s followers in the venture, the circuit opened its gates to fans for the first time by making a maximum of 2000 tickets available for purchase.
Initially listed at $2000 apiece, few tickets were sold, but weeks prior to the event, a 75-percent price drop was applied as new sales went for $500 per ticket; those who bought tickets at the full $2000 level were refunded the $1500 difference.
Although attendance figures weren’t provided, an estimated daily crowd in the low hundreds was seen at the event, and with plenty of lessons taken from the experience, Thermal is targeting the sale of 5000 general admission tickets which RACER understands could be set at $450 apiece for the Friday-Sunday event set for March 21-23. If all are sold, it would allow the club to generate north of $2 million and cover most of the sanction fee paid to Penske Entertainment and other event-specific operating costs.”
To quote comedian and actress Jamie Andrews: “If at first you don’t succeed, WHY? WHY AGAIN?” Nobody liked this! Teams, drivers, fans, sponsors, EVERYONE HATED THIS! Why bring it back? You couldn’t sell over 1,000 tickets of the available 2,000, so why would you think you could sell 5,000? Is this really anything else more than a glorified tire test?
IndyCar has a number of issues, and this doesn’t help with their public image. I liked the idea of Penske taking over, and that I thought he would improve things. Looking at the totality, this was false hope! He took the worst race of 2024, and thinks bringing it back for 2025 will somehow work this time? Seriously?
The sad thing is that there is a lot of room for IndyCar to grow, but if they keep up on the current path, it will continue to shrink! I’ve seen the TV numbers! No growth is happening! It’s almost like IndyCar is following the AEW method of doing the same mistakes repeatedly, and expecting the fans to unconditionally support them! Well, if things keep going this way, they will lose, not grow. That’s just a fact.
Alright that’s enough for this week, next week, NASCAR stories.
Sources Cited:
Max Verstappen hits back after F1 drivers are given ‘swearing ban’ by FIA president
https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/41850538/f1-scrap-fastest-lap-bonus-point-2025
https://racer.com/2024/10/24/plans-coming-together-for-full-indycar-race-at-thermal-club/
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