Criticised by Drivers and Fans, F1 Defends Its TV Coverage
Singapore, 5 November 2025 – After a wave of social-media and paddock complaints, Formula One Management has gone public to defend the single world-feed that almost 100 million viewers receive every Sunday. At the centre of the storm sit two Spanish drivers—Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso—who argue that race directors miss on-track moments or, worse, cut to a celebrity instead of a pass.
Sainz: “Too many girlfriends, not enough action”
During the Singapore Grand Prix Sainz charged from the back of the top-20 to the points, yet none of his four overtakes made the live feed. “It feels like production thinks people want to see our girlfriends or celebrities. Sometimes we miss attacks for that,” he told Spanish radio network Cope . Fans have compiled clips showing the director switching from a duel to a reality-TV star in the paddock.
Alonso, king of censored radio
The double champion’s gripe is radio censorship. After a scrap with Hamilton in Mexico his line “Oh fucking hell, mate” was partially bleeped while other drivers’ audio stayed intact. “When you criticise Race Control you are cut. When you praise FOM you are played on loop,” he joked .
FOM’s reply: we follow the story
Dean Locke, FOM’s head of broadcast, called media to Austin to explain the process:
- 1 200 video sources (helicopter, drones, 40 track-side cameras)
- 20 audio engineers filtering 1 500 radio messages per GP
- A three-second window to decide on a cut or mute
“Our job is to tell the story in real time. Sometimes a VIP’s emotion reflects the climax of a narrative,” he said, adding that 90 % of team radio is aired unedited .
Why show celebrities?
Audience research commissioned by FOM shows that “celebrity reaction” segments increase 16-24 engagement by 18 % and boost social sharing. Netflix proved that the Drive to Survive docu-series widens the fan-base; the live team wants to replicate that cocktail in real time.
Editorial duty or driver protection?
Locke stresses that some cuts protect drivers: an un-assessed crash, political statements, personal insults. A mute button can be hit if an engineer fears a word that would trigger an FIA fine. “We are not censorship, we are an ethical filter,” he summarises .
Fan backlash: #ShowTheRace
During the Mexico GP the hashtag #ShowTheRace trended worldwide. Amateur videos of unseen passes have clocked 12 million views. A petition asking for an “alternate pure-race feed” gathered 45 000 signatures in 48 hours.
Fixes under study
FOM is considering:
- A “driver-only” stream on F1 TV Pro with no cut-aways
- In-car multiplex (up to six screens) from 2026
- A “no-celebrity” button for third-party broadcasters
No revolution for 2025
For this season there will be no overhaul. Locke promises only “more transparency” on directorial choices and a hotline for teams to flag a driver in the middle of a duel. “We can’t please everyone, but we can explain.” Whether drivers and fans will settle for explanations when the start lights go out in Austin remains to be seen.
Sources
- RaceFans – How F1’s TV director chooses team radio, 4 Nov 2025
- ESPN – Sainz: F1 race broadcasts too focused on girlfriends, celebs, 8 Oct 2025
- F1i.com – F1 defends coverage after Sainz criticism, 11 Oct 2025
- GPToday.net – F1 director breaks silence after coverage outcry, 4 Nov 2025