Formula 1 is having a moment. Its global popularity is soaring off the back of a wildly successful Netflix docuseries, Drive to Survive, and the launch of glitzy races in Miami and Las Vegas. It is even drawing attention away from other sports. The most significant move of European football’s January transfer window was Lewis Hamilton’s announcement that he is off to Ferrari next year. A pivot towards entertainment has created a new generation of fans. But will it come at the expense of the racing itself?
The Formula, by Joshua Robinson and Jonathan Clegg of the Wall Street Journal, immediately establishes that Formula 1 is all about rules. It is governed less by an administrative body than by its dense rule book that seeks to determine precisely what designers can and can’t do with their cars. Competitive advantage lies in finding a loophole within the rules. This, the authors argue, is much more consequential than hiring the best driver.
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