Is Formula 1 doing too well?
It's circling the south of France this weekend, perhaps for the last time in the foreseeable future.
The famous race in Monaco is also on the brink.
In any case, the Formula 1 management is putting a lot of pressure in its favor, despite a very decent contract, and is at least demanding conversions.
Although the Monegasques pay an estimated 15 million euros for the field of drivers per appearance and finance the city-state's weeks of conversion to a cage.
Other European organizers are also facing an uncertain future because the competition is growing and providing convincing, countable arguments: 30 to 40 million dollars in appearance money.
The profit-oriented management of the American majority owner can hardly afford to turn down these tempting offers, for example from Qatar.
The tradition in Europe, passionate fans in abundance on the old continent or not: even the growth rates among the young audience and especially in the United States apparently leave little room for a more far-sighted business policy.
Formula 1 takes what it can get.
Audi and Porsche will have to wait
They could have announced (or had) the entry of Porsche and Audi these days.
The return of the sports car manufacturer and the participation of the Ingolstadt company in a team like Sauber is more than ready to be announced.
The Germans have long signaled their willingness.
And the International Automobile Association and the Formula 1 management seem to want nothing more.
With Porsche and Audi in the field, both the nominal and the real value of the series would increase in no time at all.
Each of the parties involved would benefit from a contract from 2026 onwards.
However, Audi and Porsche will only officially declare entry once the disarmament of the drive formula has been confirmed by all parties with letter and seal.
Formula 1 would do without the one of the two electric motors next to the combustion engine, which will never make it into series production.
Everyone agrees.
Warm welcome!
But unfortunately the devil is in the details.
Ferrari, Mercedes and Alpine insist on this.
They want a closer look before making a decision.
What does that cost?
Above all time.
The established have enough of it.
But with every day's delay, Audi and Porsche are losing a little more of the chance of circling as equals in 2026.
Such a tactic is legitimate, but not far-sighted.
In view of this game and in view of the world situation, the Germans could come up with the idea of calling off the project.
Formula 1 shouldn't afford that.