The British 'bias' in Formula 1

The Red Arrows, however, were exempted – seemingly at the last minute. “I am pleased to say that Formula 1 has confirmed this much-loved tradition can continue at Silverstone in 2022,” said Silverstone Circuits managing director Stuart Pringle in a statement, going on to explain that the Red Arrows “are not classed as military aviation and, as such, do not fall into the category of those displays that will no longer be permitted at Formula 1 events.” The Red Arrows first performed at the British Grand Prix in 1966.

Given that the display team is part of the RAF and piloted by RAF officers, the reasoning appeared spurious to many fans: “Typical UK. Playing with words and rules. One rule for them and another for the rest. This is supposed to be good for the environment, and the UK goes against it,” commented one user on our website. “British bias once again,” said another. On social media, perhaps unsurprisingly, the response was even more vociferous and forthright.

When we started reporting back in 1924 Britain was very much an also-ran in global motor sport

It is not just the fans that detect a less than impartial element to F1 and especially the media that covers it. Last summer Fernando Alonso broke cover to declare that the disproportionate number of British journalists covering the sport led to the creation of an atmosphere where other nationalities were seen as the enemy.

“I have the impression always that when things become a little bit spicy or tense on the title fight… this sport, it is a British environment,” Alonso said. “You know all the teams, they are British, most of you guys, the journalists, or the media attention, TV crews, everyone is from the UK and understandably there is a little bit of preference of your guy in your country who can be competitive and keeps winning. It was what I felt when I was racing and it seemed like I was the bad guy when I was trying to fight against British guys.”

Alonso may have a point. Thanks in part to the massive growth of digital coverage, which uses video overwhelmingly in English, F1 does indeed speak with a British accent although as the events in Abu Dhabi attest, media bias is not the same as actual bias. And the fact that so many teams are based here is a reflection of the skills, facilities and opportunities on offer, rather than any bending of the rules.

In any case, readers of this magazine will know it was not ever thus. When we started reporting on motor racing back in 1924 Britain was very much an also-ran in global motor sport which was dominated early on by France, Italy and Germany. It was not until the arrival of the fresh young racing teams like Cooper and Lotus that the centre of gravity began to swing across the English Channel. So scornfully described by Enzo Ferrari as garagistes, perhaps those teams are still influencing the sport in ways they wouldn’t have imagined at the time.

Then again, I also happen to remember that not so long ago the FIA was generally rumoured to stand not for Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, but Ferrari International Assistance.

Victory for Sébastien Loeb and his co-driver Isabelle Galmiche in the World Rally Championship has got 2022 off to a flying start. Not only was the Monte-Carlo Rally a classic in its own right – the fight between Loeb and Sébastien Ogier, two of the all-time greats, going down to the final stage – but it also offered hope to millions that age doesn’t have to slow you down. At 47, Loeb is still winning rallies, not to mention performing backflips on the podium.

But it also highlights an endearing aspect of motor sport that many had thought lost. Loeb is semi-retired and his co-driver Galmiche is a 50-year-old maths teacher. In an era of ever younger and more performance-focused elite professional sportspeople, a combination of vast experience, phenomenal pace and flawless co-driving meant a middle-aged retiree and a part-time co-driver were able to win the world’s most famous rally. Impossible n’est pas français!