Are F1 Girlfriends Getting Too Much Screentime?

After the 2025 Singapore Grand Prix I sat down, watched the world feed back at double speed and then at normal speed with a stopwatch. Why? Because Carlos Sainz’s comments about broadcasts favouring celebrities and girlfriends over on-track battles created a storm online—and as a photographer who watches entire races closely, I wanted to test whether the headlines matched the reality.

The raw numbers from Singapore: how much screen time did partners actually get?

It’s tempting to react emotionally to headlines claiming “endless shots” of partners and WAGs during races. So I did the boring but necessary thing: counted shots and timed them. Here are the facts from the world feed used by broadcasters worldwide (Sky, ESPN, Canal+, etc.). Keep in mind: the race broadcast ran for 1 hour and 41 minutes—6,060 seconds.

• Total on-track broadcast length: 1 hour 41 minutes (6,060 seconds)
• Shots of partners during the race: Rebecca Donaldson in the back of Carlos’ garage for 8 seconds; Lando’s partner Magui for 7.8 seconds. Total = 15.8 seconds.
• Other off-track cuts during the race: Lance’s sister and her husband for 7 seconds; Toto Wolff for 15 seconds; McLaren pitwall shots six times totalling 36 seconds; single shots of Fred Vasseur, Bono, Peter Bayer and Aston Martin’s team principal for ~7 seconds each.
• Total non-track, personality/context footage during the race: ≈86 seconds—about 1% of the broadcast.

In plain terms: during the live racing, partners accounted for a tiny fraction—around a quarter of 1%—of the coverage. That’s not nothing, but it’s far from the endless parade that many online comments implied.

Park Firme after the race: where the numbers tell a different story

Post-race is a different context. Park Firme, podium celebrations and driver interviews are inherently personal moments, where family and partners often take centre stage because they are the visible emotional connection for viewers. In Singapore the post-race window showed George Russell’s partner Carmen on screen five times over 24 minutes for 31 seconds total; Magui appeared briefly for three seconds.

That longest shot of Carmen in Park Firme actually pulls back to reveal me as I was talking with her about photos I’d taken earlier when George came over to celebrate. It’s worth remembering that Russell had no other family at the event, so cutting to Carmen was a natural directorial choice for a human reaction shot.

Why broadcasters show partners and family at all

The answer is simple: emotion and context sell. If something dramatic happens to a driver, their partner, mum, dad or close friend is usually the fastest to show visible emotion—joy, tears, disbelief. Those reaction shots help viewers connect with the human side of what can otherwise be a very mechanical technical sport.

That human connection is why cameras are trained on key people in garages, hospitality suites and Park Firme. It’s a deliberate editorial choice designed to broaden the story beyond lap times and telemetry. And honestly, when a driver hugs their partner after a big result, that’s the moment many fans want to see.

The most important critique: what on-track action was missed?

Carlos’ more important grievance wasn’t just about partners being shown—it was about missing pivotal on-track battles. He pointed to his own four or five overtakes in the closing laps and, critically, Fernando Alonso’s stunning pursuit of Lewis Hamilton in the final two laps. That Alonso–Hamilton run is the kind of live action many viewers expect to see in real time.

“I cannot believe it. I cannot fucking believe it. Is it safe to drive with no brakes?”

That quote—Fernando’s incredulous radio audio as he watched Hamilton nurse a car that was effectively on the edge—captures the drama. To me, those last laps were television gold and, in hindsight, they became one of the most discussed sequences from the race.

The director’s dilemma: celebration vs. track drama

The director has a brutal job. You have dozens of cameras (pitwall, garage, grandstands, in-car, heli, drones), multiple audio feeds, and thousands—if not millions—of viewers with differing priorities. Do you cut to Park Firme because McLaren fans will lose their minds? Or do you stay on the track where an unexpected pass is unfolding?

Directors can’t predict every dramatic event. A tyre blowout, a lock-up, or an overtake can occur in fractions of a second. While there are replays, the emotional live reaction often lives in the immediate cutaway. Cut away at the wrong moment and you cop criticism; stay on-track and miss the celebration, and a different group complains. It’s an impossible balancing act under pressure.

Practical broadcast solutions I’d like to see

After rewatching and timing, I came away with a few pragmatic suggestions that could improve viewer satisfaction while keeping the emotional content that broadens F1’s appeal.

• Picture-in-picture for reactions: Broadcast a small, persistent corner box with a live reaction feed of family/partners. That gives viewers the option to watch both without interrupting on-track coverage.
• Limit slow, intrusive zooms: Long, creeping zooms into partners or family members are the shots that irritate people. If you must cut, keep it short and meaningful—avoid drawn-out close-ups during live racing.
• Pre-position reaction cameras: If broadcasters want reaction shots, dedicate a few fixed cameras to key people for the entire race. Yes, it’s an investment, but it increases the chance of having a genuine emotional moment to cut to.
• Use replays smartly: If a director cuts away and misses a crucial on-track fight, come back quickly with an on-screen replay that’s threaded seamlessly into the narrative (with contextual commentary).

Comparison: Monza vs Singapore — the context matters

To make sure Singapore wasn’t an outlier, I rechecked Monza. The Monza race broadcast lasted 64 minutes and had four cuts to family/partners during the race. Specifics:

• Two crosses to Rebecca Donaldson
• Esteban Ocon’s partner Flavy Barla on screen for 6 seconds
• Max Verstappen’s partner Kelly Piquet on screen for 7 seconds
• Total partner screen time during the race at Monza was roughly double Singapore’s in absolute seconds, though the race itself was shorter.
• Post-race at Monza, Kelly Piquet had three appearances totalling 26 seconds over 19 minutes.

The takeaway: reaction shots are not unique to one race or one driver. They vary by race length, what’s happening on-track, and who’s present in the paddock. The perception of “overexposure” often comes from a few memorable cuts rather than a systematic trend.

Reality check: world feed and editorial responsibility

Remember, the sky/world feed is distributed to multiple broadcasters—so the choices made in that feed are amplified globally. The production team is primarily British but producing a world feed for ESPN, Canal+, and many others. That makes editorial decisions even more impactful.

Formula One management has responded publicly, saying they try to balance on-track action with context moments showing reactions from friends and family. The statistics above show less than 2% of coverage is non-track during races—hardly evidence of wholesale prioritisation of partners over racing. But perception matters, and a few slow zooms can leave a lasting impression.

FAQ: Are partners shown more than before?

There has been an increase in reaction-focused coverage as F1 pushes storytelling beyond the cockpit. However, my timed analysis of Singapore and Monza shows partner reaction shots are brief relative to total race coverage—often less than 1–2% during racing windows.

Do broadcasters deliberately ignore important on-track battles?

No. The evidence suggests missed moments are usually editorial choices made under time pressure, not deliberate omissions. Directors juggle many feeds and sometimes prioritise celebration or reaction shots; replays help catch what might have been missed live.

Would picture-in-picture fix the problem?

Picture-in-picture is a practical solution that would satisfy viewers who value both human reaction and continuous on-track coverage. It requires extra production capacity but would dramatically reduce complaints about “missing” moments.

Is it invasive to film partners in garages or hospitality?

Camera placement is typically respectful—no bright lights on partners and often set a few meters back. However, prolonged close-ups or slow zoom-ins can feel intrusive; limiting those would reduce discomfort.

Should viewers expect changes?

Possibly. Broadcasters monitor fan feedback and F1 management has acknowledged the need to balance context with live action. Small production changes—like PIP or fewer prolonged zooms—are feasible and likely to be considered.

Is this issue worth worrying about?

In the grand scheme, no. The total time partners appear is small, and the debate speaks more to viewer expectations about what constitutes “must-see” live TV. There are bigger issues in the world than a few reaction shots—but improving the viewing experience is always worthwhile.

Conclusion: balance, not bans

As a photographer and a fan, I understand both sides. Reaction shots humanise the sport and provide memorable moments; missed on-track battles frustrate hardcore fans. The statistics tell a clear story: partner coverage during the race is minimal in absolute terms. The perception of overexposure, however, often stems from a few prominent cuts and intrusive zooms.

My recommendation to broadcasters is simple: keep the human moments, but be smarter about how they’re presented. Picture-in-picture, shorter cuts, and pre-positioned reaction cameras would preserve emotional storytelling without sacrificing live racing drama. If the industry can get that balance right, more viewers will feel like their expectations are respected—whether they’re watching for the engineering, the strategy, or the human stories behind the drivers.