Will Power labelled Formula 1 a ‘joke’ and said it should look to emulate IndyCar, which he thinks has the toughest field in single-seater racing.
Power‘s the reigning IndyCar champion and sits eighth in the 2023 championship, but was also an F1 test driver for Minardi in 2005.
Unlike F1 but similar to Formula E, IndyCar teams have a spec chassis and only provide the engine for their machinery.
“F1’s a joke as far as competition, but not as far as drivers,” Power told NBC Sports. “They have amazing drivers. And I feel sorry for them that they don’t get to experience the satisfaction we do with our racing because that is the top level of open-wheel motorsport.
“I think F1 would be so much better if they had a formula like IndyCar. I love the technology and the manufacturer side of it. I think that’s awesome. But from a spectator watching, man, how cool would it be if everyone had a Red Bull?
“IndyCar‘s so tough, an amazing field, the toughest field in the world, and people need to know it, especially compared to Formula 1.”
You know Verstappen will win every race
F1 is set to welcome a host of manufacturers to the grid in 2026, in what’s being hailed as a constructor boom by in the sport.
Joining Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, Alpine, Aston Martin and Alfa Romeo on the grid will be Audi, Honda, Ford and potentially General Motors/Cadillac.
However, Power said F1‘s place at the forefront of the automotive industry is outweighed by the predictability of its races.
“You simply know Max is going to win every race if something doesn’t go wrong,” Power added. “Imagine being a guy coming out as a rookie, and you probably could win a race. It would be really cool to see. But you know that would never happen with the politics over there.”
Where is the next F1 2023 race?
With the F1 circus finished in Spain, the next race is the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix which will be held at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal over the weekend of June 16-18. That’s the same weekend that IndyCar heads to Road Amerca for its next round, just across the border.
