F1 should think about shorter GPs, says Button
Jenson Button believes that Formula 1 should offer a shorter race format than at present, in order to attract a younger audience, even if the discipline's die-hard fans are likely to be disappointed.
To encourage a younger audience to watch Formula 1 Grand Prix, future retiree from the discipline, Jenson Button, believes that the race format should be reconsidered.
For the Briton, the majority of viewers don’t want to stay in front of their TV for more than an hour and a half to watch a race: « People have a rather short attention span. We are like children; we can’t sit and do just one thing for that long. We need to move around and do something else. Even I can’t sit in front of the TV for an hour and a half to watch a movie; I have to be active. »
Of course, long-time fans may not like this change of format, and the 2009 world champion is aware of that: « There will always be long-time fans who have been watching Formula 1 for 10 or 20 years, and who will always watch a full Grand Prix, but that doesn’t align with who we will be in the future. It’s the young fans we need to attract. And trying to attract them with something that lasts an hour and a half is very difficult. »
But the revolution in Formula 1, a highly conservative sport, is not an easy thing to undertake: « It’s difficult because Formula 1 remains Formula 1, and changing that would be a shame because it has always been that way. But we need to move with the times if we want this sport to remain relevant, » continues Button.
The eternal debate about boredom during Grand Prix races remains open: When I watch Formula 1, I see exciting races, the Briton specifies. But other people watch and say, “Okay, there are only a few overtakes and in an hour and a half of racing, there’s only 10 minutes of action.” That’s why I find it exciting because when the overtakes happen, it’s impressive to see that the driver has done everything to achieve it. But 10 minutes of action in an hour and a half is too little for some, and I can understand that.
Jenson Button is a big fan of cycling, so he allows himself to draw an analogy between this sport and Formula 1: « I have never watched a stage of the Tour de France, but I have recorded a stage to watch the last 10 minutes. Short races, fast-paced sports, that’s what’s trending right now. » concludes the McLaren driver.
