'American Entertainment Style' F1 Comes Under Fire after Red Flags in Australia

Formula 1 is facing plenty of backlash from the sport's traditionalists after the show overtook the sport at the Australian Grand Prix.

F1 champion and Melbourne winner Max Verstappen warned earlier in the weekend that he "won't be here long" if F1 pushes ahead with initiatives like the proposed Sprint format shakeup for qualifying.

"This does not help in my decision to continue after 2028," Verstappen was also quoted as saying by European outlet De Telegraaf.

Now, Formula 1 is facing widespread negative feedback after multiple red-flag periods and grid restarts—one of which with just two laps to go—turned the excitement into a farce.

"This is going to degenerate into big discussions," said Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg. "From a fan's point of view, an entertainment point of view, you can completely understand it. From the driver's point of view or from the team's point of view, this American entertainment style is sometimes frustrating."

And not just frustrating, but also potentially very dangerous.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said: "I think the restarts are great and I am generally in favor of providing good entertainment. But we have to sit down and determine under what exact conditions a race is interrupted and when it is with a Virtual Safety Car, a Safety Car, and a red flag."