Does Formula 1 have a British bias problem?

Earlier this month, Sauber took another step on its journey towards becoming an Audi factory team by revealing plans to open a technical center in Bristol, UK. Though the facility won’t act as its new HQ, the team says it will give them vital access to “the world’s largest motorsport expertise and talent pool.”

At a time when F1 is spreading its wings, expanding its fanbase, and racing at new circuits all over the world, it’s curious that the vast majority of its teams continue to be located in one place. With Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso also having slammed the British media for playing favorites, one could also argue that Audi's move will fan these flames even further.

For its part, Sauber has issued a statement saying that setting up in the UK is an important to ensuring Audi hit the ground running when it enters the sport full-time in 2026.

“Recognized as the birthplace of Formula One, the UK is home to most F1 teams and around 25,000 industry professionals,” the statement said. “By creating this new facility, Sauber Motorsport aims to strengthen its presence in ‘Motorsport Valley’ and establish a platform to collaborate with top experts and attract local engineering talent for the Audi F1 Project.

“This initiative is a key component of the Audi F1 Project’s long-term strategy to enhance and expand its technical capabilities.

“Sauber Motorsport is currently evaluating potential locations within ‘Motorsport Valley,’ including Bicester, Silverstone, and Milton Keynes. The goal is to have the UK Technical Centre operational by summer 2025,” the statement added.

Of the seven F1 teams based in Britain, only McLaren, Williams, and Aston Martin race under the Union Jack. Based in Brackley, Milton Keynes, and Enstone, respectively, Mercedes, Red Bull, and Alpine race under the German, Austrian, and French flags.

As the successor to Minardi, VCARB operates from Faenza, so it flies the Italian flag alongside Maranello-headquartered Ferrari. Though it develops its car closely with Ferrari, Haas is registered as a US team, due to its American owner: Gene Haas.

Following Audi’s announcement, it’s worth asking why it has chosen to fellow many of its competitors to the UK . The outfit’s talent claims hold a lot of water; after WWII, Britain became home to many out-of-work engineers and disused airfields, and this love affair with motorsport has blossomed ever since.

F1’s first-ever grand prix was also hosted at Silverstone in 1950. While the location of the race has switched to Brands Hatch, Brooklands, Aintree, and back, the UK has remained at the heart of the series.

Additionally, there's a logic to setting up where teams are succeeding. No F1 team has won the constructors’ title from outside the British Isles since Ferrari, who triumphed in 2008. When you consider that Mercedes has made a massive success of working from Brackley, but continuing to manufacture back in Germany, Audi could be onto a winning formula.

In the competitive world of F1, the draw of Britain’s ‘Motorsport Valley’ may be too difficult for many to resist. But the allegations of UK bias go beyond location and nationality. A number of F1 drivers have accused the media (and even race stewards) of outright favoritism.

At last season’s Mexican Grand Prix, Verstappen was slapped with two ten-second time penalties for incidents involving Lando Norris. At the time, he suggested that this tough punishment was dished out due to him having the “wrong passport.”

Later, former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya said he “identified so much” with the Dutchman’s words and alleged that the media plays a similar role in villainizing other non-British drivers.

Montoya said: “I get angry when I watch F1 because it is so biased towards British drivers. They claim to be neutral, but they are not.

"I watched the Qatar GP in English. Lando made the mistake of not lifting, and they, the commentators, go. ‘It's outrageous that he gets a penalty.‘ Or if Lando makes a mistake, they say, ‘Oh, that’s very rare.’

“When Checo Perez spins. Looking at it from the outside, you ask, ‘He spun, but he doesn’t have any drive in the car. Did he really just spin, or did something fail in the car when he gassed it?’ But automatically the British commentators go, ‘He just spun. It's just a lack of talent. He shouldn't be driving.’”

With the likes of Alonso and Adrian Newey also saying that the media needs to rethink its coverage around British drivers, the Colombian is certainly not alone in his views. Looking to the season ahead, we could be in for another titanic title battle between Verstappen and the likes of Norris, Russell, and Hamilton... so there may be more allegations of bias to come.