Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has publicly said that most followers of the sport are not especially interested in the technical fine points and instead simply want to watch overtaking on track.

His remarks came after a season in which leading drivers have repeatedly criticised the direction of the 2026 regulations, even after adjustments introduced for the Miami race in May. Max Verstappen, in particular, has condemned overtaking created by differences in power unit deployment as artificial and a long way from the traditional craft of racing.

Domenicali’s comments underlined what appears to be a gap between long-time followers of the championship and newer audiences, many of whom arrived through the Netflix series Drive to Survive. The F1 chief shared his view during a media call on Wednesday, when he was asked about the absence of battery charge information in TV graphics that could provide more context to wheel-to-wheel battles on track.

“I think that the truth is exactly the other way around,” he said. “Because no one is interested in how you drive your car. People are interested in whether you are overtaking or not. That’s the vast majority of the people. I agree with you that certain people are focused on this thing, and that is very important. It’s like when you were opening the DRS, people that were not interested in what was the point to pass.”

Domenicali referred to a conversation he had on the issue with a Hollywood legend in Budapest the previous weekend. “I had an incredible and interesting discussion with George Lucas on Saturday,” he said. “And he was giving me an incredible view on how the new fans are watching F1. And I think that it gave us an incredible clearance to see how we can really simplify things, because the new fans are not understanding the truth — what is behind the scenes. They are fascinated by the fact that there is a lot of action.”

“So I think, on that there is definitely the need for the ones that are so focused on that to have the right information. But for the vast majority of the people, trust me — they just want to see what is happening on the track. They’re not interested in the angle of throttle, or the passages of brake pressure on how you can overtake a driver.”

He pointed to Verstappen’s spectacular double overtake on Liam Lawson and Lewis Hamilton in the Hungarian race as an example. “For example, an incredible overtaking of Max and Lewis, in Turn 1 in Hungary,” he said. “These moves are a piece of what, if I may say, these people just want to see, and just be connected to the quality of the drivers. At the end of the day, this is a skill that the driver can have, on how you can maximise the performance of your car — no matter if it’s braking, accelerating, using power that is done by the electrification or not. That’s what I think is happening. Of course, for a niche of our fans, this data is relevant; and of course it is available. But as I said, for the vast majority of fans, that’s what we receive as an information.”

Domenicali also played down any frustration he may have felt over the continuing criticism of the rules from drivers — especially Verstappen, with Oscar Piastri also being very outspoken in recent weeks. “We are not here to put the tape on the mouth of anyone,” he said. “I mean, the beauty of our sport is that everyone can have an opinion, but the opinion is an opinion. There is someone that has the duty to have a line. There are certain drivers that prefer, of course, certain things, that I think that in the process we have highlighted the need to be constructive in that respect.”

“You know very well how much I respect our jewels that are the drivers,” he said. “But of course, they need to understand that there is one path that we need to take together. And the fans as a priority — on top of everyone, even me — that they can have a personal opinion. But I have the duty to make a summary on what is the best for the sport. But I think that the situation is very strong, very solid with all the stakeholders today. So we need to look ahead and make sure that the sport is growing, as I said, all together in the right way.”

Domenicali also dismissed the suggestion that Verstappen could walk away from the sport. “I have an incredible relationship with him, so I think that F1 is big enough for him to be part of us,” he said. “But, of course, he will decide his future the way that he prefers to do, and the sport will look ahead. My opinion is that Max will stay with us — and I really hope so, and that’s what I’m thinking. As I said, the sport is big, much bigger than anyone else. All of us.”