The longtime McLaren team member, who is now retired, experienced the team’s most successful years alongside legendary figures like Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. While Formula 1 has gained immense popularity worldwide due to the intense 2021 season, which featured a gripping battle between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton for the championship, it is important to acknowledge that history does not reflect eight championships for the British driver.
In recent years, particularly in the United States, the sport has experienced significant growth thanks to the Netflix series “Drive to Survive.” This surge in popularity was not hindered by the dominance of Verstappen and Red Bull in the subsequent two years.
Referring to Liberty Media, the commercial rights owners of Formula 1, Ramirez expressed his disillusionment to Motorsport Total: “I am deeply disappointed. Formula 1 has always been a sport, but now it seems like a technology race with sporadic sporting events on Sundays. The focus has shifted towards entertainment. Winning the F1 world championship has become the sole objective for all teams.”
During Ramirez’s time, winning a Grand Prix was a monumental achievement. It was an incredibly challenging feat, with some teams spending a decade in the sport without a single victory. Ramirez personally celebrated each Grand Prix win by spraying champagne, recognizing the significance of such accomplishments.
Ramirez is part of a growing group of Formula 1 enthusiasts who believe that the FIA, led by President Ben Sulayem, and FOM, headed by Chief Stefano Domeniclai, are engaged in a power struggle for ultimate authority in the sport. He stated, “The mentality has changed, and I no longer enjoy Grand Prix racing. F1 has become a battleground between FOM and the FIA. The FIA sets the rules, which are overly complex and difficult for the average person to comprehend. Small rule changes can result in significant grid penalties, making it challenging for teams to navigate.”
Ramirez lamented the absurdity of grid penalties related to power unit (PU) issues, which have accumulated over the years. He emphasized, “There were instances where drivers received penalties that were impossible to enforce, such as being pushed back 20 positions on the grid. However, with only 20 cars on the grid, regardless of the penalty, you will end up last. It is incredibly difficult for teams to make sense of these rules.”
The veteran Mexican motorsports enthusiast did not stop there: “The thing that upsets me the most is that I still love racing. I watch every single race because it is my passion and my life. However, I am no longer interested in the rules. If you were to ask me how heavy an F1 car is, I would simply say ‘not heavy enough.’ If you were to ask me how long an F1 car is, I would reply ‘very long’ or ‘far too much.’ The rules no longer captivate me, but I still enjoy watching the races.”
“In my younger days,” Ramirez reminisced. “I used to have all the rules memorized. The small yellow manual where all the rules were written. That was my responsibility, I had to do it. But nowadays, I don’t have to anymore, it doesn’t interest me.”
Critiquing the blame culture in F1 caused by regular racing incidents, Ramirez highlighted, “I don’t comprehend the fact that the FIA no longer accepts racing incidents. We are talking about motor racing. A driver in the lead who doesn’t want to be overtaken, and a driver behind him who wants to overtake. There will inevitably be a collision.”
“But according to the FIA, someone has to be at fault, and if it is someone’s fault, they will receive an additional five or ten seconds or have to enter and exit the pits. So, all these rules accumulate penalty points. If you have ten or twelve points, you will miss a race. I don’t know how to explain all these things, but in my opinion, they should not be a part of Formula 1, it’s absurd,” concluded the former McLaren employee, now 82 years old.
From 1984 to 2001, Ramírez served as the coordinator for McLaren under the management of Ron Dennis, earning the nickname Mr Fix-it for his ability to handle various aspects of the team.
During his time at Woking, he witnessed firsthand the infamous rivalry between Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna in the 1980s. Ramirez often acted as a mediator between the two F1 legends at that time.
According to the Source grandprix247.com