Max Verstappen, Dutch driver for Red Bull Racing, responded to a statement made by Silverstone regarding the difficulties of selling tickets for the upcoming British Grand Prix. Silverstone was able to attract a record 480,000 spectators during the previous Formula 1 race weekend, thanks to the post-Covid boom. However, it seems that the number of attendees will decrease this year as the track has decided to limit the total number of spectators. Stuart Pringle, managing director of Silverstone, highlighted that the dominance of Red Bull in Formula 1, especially with their ground effect cars, is a contributing factor to the decline in ticket sales. Verstappen, who has achieved an impressive 10 consecutive wins, including a victory in the last British GP, has faced tougher competition this season but still maintains a significant lead in the championship with six wins in nine races. Pringle acknowledged that the post-Covid momentum was not exclusive to motorsport or Formula 1, but believes that the predictability of the same winner and the lack of uncertainty in the sport have affected its appeal. While the dominance of a British driver in previous years was more favorable for British promoters, the current dominance of Red Bull has presented greater challenges.
When confronted with these words, Verstappen argued that Pringle should consider Silverstone’s own shortcomings instead of pointing fingers at others.
“I don’t believe it’s my fault. This current Formula 1 season is incredibly exciting, with multiple teams fighting for victory,” Verstappen stated.
“If a promoter can’t fill all the seats and blames someone else, they should first examine their own actions and identify their mistakes.
“Because in other places, they seem to have no problems filling the stands.”
Pringle suggested that Silverstone could not lower ticket prices due to the financial demands imposed on the circuit to cover the F1 hosting fee.
“As a promoter, you also need to establish the right pricing strategy for tickets. If you lower the price, things can move faster,” he added.
“But we have considerable expenses to cover, including the promoter’s fee. So, it’s about finding a strategy that works, and we are quite confident in ours.”
However, Lewis Hamilton, who has won at Silverstone eight times, believes that his hometown and other locations around the world are excluding the average spectator due to high prices.
“We should keep an eye on ticket prices,” Hamilton warned. “They are incredibly expensive and inaccessible.
“The sport may not appreciate me saying this, but I’m thinking about the fans and their families.”
