Max Verstappen is currently dominating the sport. However, he doesn’t seem to be happy with the FIA for enforcing the rules that they are. This has given Max the grand idea to buy F1 so he can enforce the rules going forward.
Max Verstappen has always been very critical of the FIA and its rules. This season, there were a lot of changes made for the Sprint Weekend. These changes have not sat well with Max Verstappen and the drivers. In a recent interview, Max Verstappen expressed his interest in buying F1 after his retirement.
“Sometimes it has too many rules that they have to take into account, too many politics as well to make a change or a decision. I would [like] the GPDA (Grand Prix Drivers’ Association) to have a say. I would like to be the owner of F1 if I could, but that’s not the real world.”
🗣️ | Max on FIA getting overall too political
“Sometimes it has too many rules that they have to take into account, too many politics as well to make a change or a decision.”
“I would [like] the GPDA to have a say. I would like to be the owner of F1 if I could, but that’s not… pic.twitter.com/MeKtJGrc0n
— RBR News 🇳🇱🇲🇽 (@redbulletin) November 10, 2023
Max Verstappen’s current net worth stands at $210 million. Although this is an insanely high amount, it is not enough to become the owner of F1. The commercial rights for the sport in 2017 were purchased by Liberty Media for approximately $4 billion. However, this value has been multiplied over and over in the past few years. The majority of this increase in value is thanks to Netflix’s Drive To Survive documentary.
The current value of F1’s commercial rights is now estimated to be around $20 billion. It’s fair to say that Max Verstappen cannot afford to pay this amount. Even to purchase 1% of the commercial rights, Max would have to completely deplete his resources.
Can Max Verstappen change the rules if he owns F1
Even in the small chance Max ends up owing F1 in the future, he will not be able to make too many changes. Purchasing the rights to F1 does not give access to all the rules and regulations. As owner of F1, Max will have to focus more on improving the value of the sport.
When it comes to the rules and regulations of the sport, they are controlled by the FIA. The FIA is in charge of developing the rules and regulations not only for Formula 1, but a number of other Motorsport all over the world. The owner of F1 can only suggest rule changes to the FIA but cannot enforce them.
Stefano Domenicali wants to revolutionise F1’s weekend format, sparking a debate so fierce that Max Verstappen has threatened to quit the sport over the issue… pic.twitter.com/2RkjQyS7U9
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) April 6, 2023
For a rule or regulation change to take place, the FIA will first put it to a vote. If the majority of the votes are for the change, it will pass and be implemented from the next season. Even if the vote turns out to be a draw, the change will be passed as the FIA will always be for the change. Although the FIA does come up with the rules and regulations changes, the F1 teams also play a huge part in the decision-making.
So even if Max comes up with the money to purchase the rights to F1, he will not have much power when it comes to the rules. A better option for Max would be to be the president of the FIA. This is very much possible as a number of former drivers and team representatives go on to become the president of the FIA.
Do you think Max Verstappen should be the president of the FIA? Post your answers in the comments section below.