A top research analyst has labeled Max Verstappen as “the biggest risk” facing the Formula 1 industry.
The Red Bull driver’s dominance over the previous two seasons is a long way from the highly competitive 2021 title fight and is not at all what fans were promised during the Drive to Survive era.
Verstappen is, in fact, “the biggest risk” to Liberty Media’s Formula 1 empire, according to a research analyst.
Max Verstappen’s hatred of the limelight a ‘risk’ to F1
Verstappen does not chase attention, unlike a lot of other World Champions. Verstappen prefers the surroundings of his Monaco home, where he can spend time with family and participate in sim races, over high-profile events and hanging out with celebrities.
He told TIME magazine, “I have no desire to be able to hang out with famous movie stars.”
“I watch other sports, but I don’t really have any strong passions for anything.”
Due to Verstappen’s passion for racing, Kelly Piquet, his girlfriend, has occasionally filled in as a substitute childminder.
Piquet admitted, “There have been moments when I’ve thought, ‘Okay, time to switch off.'” “You need to gently remind people that there are other things to do and that the sun is shining outside.”
Verstappen has won 17 of the 20 races he has competed in this year, and as a result of his success on the track, fewer people are reportedly watching the sport.
Therefore, Barton Crockett, a senior research analyst for Rosenblatt Securities who covers Liberty Media, the parent company of Formula One, thinks Verstappen poses a threat to the sport’s growth, even though Red Bull and Verstappen’s dominance is likely to continue.
Even though Verstappen is excellent, Crockett stated that he currently appears to be the biggest risk to the company.
However, it’s not like F1’s appeal has drastically decreased. It made $2.57 billion in revenue last year, up 44% from the previous year, and Las Vegas anticipates 105,000 attendees per night for the three nights of the event.
Additionally, it’s expected to have a greater economic impact than the Super Bowl, which will take place in the same city the following year.
Verstappen though is unfazed by the suggestion that domination leads to less interest.
“The NBA survived when the Chicago Bulls were dominating,” he says. “At the time, or even afterwards, people are like, ‘Oh, that was amazing.’ If you are a real fan of the sport, you should be able to appreciate a team doing very well.”
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