FIA favouritism? Accusations fly over British bias in F1's power circles

 

The controversy surrounding the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix remains a defining moment in the debate over bias in Formula One (F1). The FIA’s decision to allow only five lapped cars to unlap themselves – contrary to standard procedure – enabled Max Verstappen to overtake Lewis Hamilton on the final lap to win the title. The FIA later admitted “human error” was a factor though it maintained the result was valid. This incident sparked widespread accusations of manipulation and inconsistency with some fans as well as pundits suggesting the outcome was influenced by commercial or national interests.

Critics argue that British media dominance, particularly through Sky Sports has shaped a narrative that favours British drivers and teams. Sky’s global broadcast feed is often accused of nationalistic coverage with figures like Adrian Newey and Verstappen highlighting how non-British championships like Sebastian Vettel and Verstappen himself have faced “demonisation” in the press. The issue, some day, lies not with individual journalists but with the structural bias of using a UK centric feed for a global audience.

Both Verstappen and Fernando Alonso have publicly questioned the neutrality of F1 coverage and decision making. Verstappen has remarked that he “has the wrong passport” for the sport, implying that nationality plays a role in how drivers are treated by the media and officials. Alonso, a two time world champion has echoed similar sentiments suggesting that non-British drivers often face harsher scrutiny and that Verstappen’s performance is sometimes undervalued despite his achievements.

Sky Sports F1, launched in 2012, is a UK based pay television channel that holds exclusive F1 broadcasting rights in the UK and Ireland until at least 2029. While its coverage is syndicated globally, the channel’s core audience remains British which naturally influences its tone, commentary and storytelling. This has led to criticism from some fans and drivers who feel that the global F1 narrative is shaped through a British lens.

Broadcasters for Sky Sports, Martin Brundle and Ted Kravitz have both faced backlash for perceived favouritism toward British drivers. The tension peaked during the 2022 Mexican Grand Prix when Red Bull boycotted Sky Sports after Kravitz suggested Hamilton was “robbed” of the 2021 title. Brundle defended Kravitz, stating, “face to face dialogue is the only way to sort out issues and disputes in the relentless crucible of the F1 paddock.” While Brundle denied any bias, the incident intensified scrutiny of Sky’s editorial tone.

In 2022, F1 introduced a ban on military flyovers as part of its sustainability push. However, the Red Arrows were granted an exemption to perform at the British Grand Prix with Silverstone stating they are “not classed as military aviation.” critics pointed out that the Red Arrows are fully integrated into the RAF command structure calling the exemption a symbol of inconsistency and national favouritism.

Imagery courtesy of Formula One via www.formula1.com

As F1 continues its rapid global expansion with races across five continents and a grid representing over a dozen nationalities – fans along with pundits are increasingly calling for a more internationally balanced media presence plus FIA decision making structure. Critics argue that the current landscape, particularly the dominance of UK based broadcasters like Sky Sports can unintentionally skew narratives in favour of British drivers and teams. The use of a single English language broadcast feed for many international markets has led to call for more diverse commentary teams, including voiced from different regions and backgrounds. Drivers like Alonso and Verstappen have publicly questioned the neutrality of coverage suggesting that non-British drivers often face harsher scrutiny.

The FIA has faced sustained criticism over inconsistent stewarding decisions, particularly in high-stakes moments. In response, the governing body has launched several initiatives such as a new Stewarding Department, led by Matteo Perini, aims to professionalise officiating by training full-time and part-time stewards rather than relying solely on volunteers. The FIA is also introducing multiple race directors per event to reduce individual bias and improve oversight. Some experts have suggested adopting live audio explanations of decisions, similar to cricket’s DRS system to enhance transparency.

With the 2025 grid featuring 20 drivers from 13 different nations and new races in regions like Africa and Southeast Asia under discussion, F1 is under pressure to reflect its global fanbase in its governance as well as storytelling. Teams like McLaren have embraced internal fairness with Zak Brown emphasising equal treatment of drivers as a core value. Fans are urging the FIA to adopt similar principles, including permanent stewarding panels, clearer penalty guidelines and greater cultural representation in decision making roles.