Mercedes boss Toto Wolff: “It doesn’t matter where we race most of the fans”

Toto Wolff isn’t worried about the disappearance of the Formula 1 classics and says fans won’t be alarmed either. The Las Vegas Grand Prix was announced last month and with it the United States currently has three races in the country.

Formula 1 is trying to gain a foothold in the United States. The sport’s popularity grew with the Netflix documentary series Drive to Survive. From next year there will be three races in the country and fans fear that this will eventually come at the expense of traditional racetracks, such as Spa-Francorchamps or Monaco. If the sport, which is in the hands of the Americans, actually chooses new paths over the classics, then the Mercedes team boss does not expect any problems from the fans.

“The site plays a supportive role for the viewer”

against Motorsport-total.com “It’s great to have two more events in America in addition to Austin,” says the Mercedes man. “Especially with Miami and Las Vegas, things haven’t gotten much better.” So he looks forward to new jobs with great enthusiasm and does not share his interests with the Formula 1 fan. “For viewers, the venue is just a supporting role anyway,” says Wolff. “For most fans who follow Formula 1 on TV or on social media, it doesn’t matter where we race. That’s my opinion.” He gives a comparison: “Baku isn’t a traditional race, but it’s a great place. And the local fans love it. And you see that here (in Melbourne), there’s a lot of demand.”

Not only financially attractive circles

The Formula 1 race will be left to the owners of the first category of motorsport. He’ll balance keeping traditional fans happy, but he also wants to give a helping hand to newcomers. Stefano Domenicali, CEO of Formula 1, is hoping to strike that balance and according to Wolff, he is doing well so far. “I think Stefano does an excellent job of balancing new and interesting locations that are not only financially attractive but also serve to attract new audiences,” says Wolf. So he can only draw one conclusion: “Stefano has done a really good job so far.”