F1 debuts new press conference format but one key thing stays the same

Bahrain Grand Prix

F1 debuts new press conference format but one key thing stays the same

Press conferences have taken on a whole new look for the 2023 F1 season

Ronan Murphy Sports Journalist

Sports journalist covering European football, motorsport, etc.

Thursday 2 March 2023 16:36 Updated: 19:17

The new season of Formula 1 brings with it new cars, new drivers and – this year –a new format for the drivers' press conference.

The ensemble media gathering now includes a host, a sofa and an American chat show feel.

As usual on the Thursday before a race weekend, two groups of five drivers will line up for the press conference, while the other ten drivers will have to appear before the written press and other media in the 'TV pen'.

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For many years the drivers have been sitting on a chair with a microphone [and sometimes a desk] during the press conference to answer questions from the journalists present, but that has changed for this season.

Talk show format

From this season, that traditional format has been overhauled with the pre-race event moving more and more in the American direction. The new-style press conference looks a lot like a typical American late night talk show.

It may take some getting used to, but as F1 attempts to take over America, this could prove to be a shrewd move.

There had been suggestion a few years ago that this format could be tried, but coronavirus impacted the planning at the time.

f1’s gonna regret changing the press conference format solely because of max verstappen and his inability to keep his mouth shut
— av¹ | 🇧🇭 (@maxplaining) March 2, 2023

Now, we get to see the new chat-show style approach, but so far it has not been without its problems.

Drivers are used to talking to each other when they're not the centre of attention during press conferences, which was not a huge issue in the old style.

However, now with everyone on the same couch and a host asking questions to everyone, there's a lot of chatter happening – a bit like a bold class in high school!

thank you f1 for getting a couch for the press conference pic.twitter.com/vCXfPsYLfn
— Sem¹ (@Semmieeef1) March 2, 2023

As this was the first attempt, maybe these are just teething problems, but knowing drivers like we do, it might be hard to keep them in line and stop the background chatter!

The real talking, though, will take place on the track this weekend – starting with free practice from 11.30am GMT on Friday.