# F1 Analogy Again...sorry **URL:** \ **Category:** 🚨 EC Podcasts\ **Tags:** spin-cycle\ **Created:** [October 13, 2026, 2:03pm UTC](https://community.escapecollective.com/t/f1-analogy-again-sorry/6034 "2026-10-13T14:03:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chris\_cochran](https://community.escapecollective.com/user_avatar/community.escapecollective.com/chris_cochran/32/12018_2.png) [@chris\_cochran](https://community.escapecollective.com/u/chris_cochran)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 2:03pm UTC](https://community.escapecollective.com/t/f1-analogy-again-sorry/6034/1 "2026-10-13T14:03:07Z")
I’d urge @Jonny_Long and @Ronan_Mc_Laughlin to take a close look at the history of F1 safety and Sir Jackie Stewart - of course the UCI has to make changes BUT the driving force behind those changes could (and perhaps if we want it to actually happen SHOULD) be riders. In the 1960’s F1 was enormously dangerous with multiple driver deaths every year. The FIA didn’t want to change a thing - it was the drivers refusing to race and near constant protests after Niki Lauda’s horrific burns that forced the change. The UCI (and ASO) will do nothing meaningful without the threat of NO RACING and televised protests…that is sadly how change is going to happen. ---
**Author:** ![Ronan\_Mc\_Laughlin](https://community.escapecollective.com/user_avatar/community.escapecollective.com/ronan_mc_laughlin/32/4965_2.png) [@Ronan\_Mc\_Laughlin](https://community.escapecollective.com/u/Ronan_Mc_Laughlin)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.escapecollective.com/t/f1-analogy-again-sorry/6034/2 "2026-10-13T14:44:59Z")
Agreed, although I’d argue the FIA/F1 changes didn’t come for a long time after Lauda’s horrific crash. Unfortunately, it took the loss of Senna and Ratzenberger in that one tragic weekend before the drivers refounded the GPDA and forced through meaningful safety changes, which to their credit, F1 and the FIA have continually evolved and improved ever since. The rider protest at the weekend had me thinking of Monaco 1994 and the refounding of the GPDA. This is where I wanted to go with the conversation on yesterday’s podcast, but that conversation deserves a podcast of its own. It’s a topic I’ve touched on previously, one that I may return to, but I just hope the UCI can recognise and learn from F1’s safety advances before any more riders are lost. > **[Enough is enough: Four (fairly) easy safety fixes the UCI should make right now](https://escapecollective.com/enough-is-enough-four-fairly-easy-safety-fixes-the-uci-should-make-right-now/)** > > Yellow cards and 5 km rules are merely sticking plasters; the sport needs these effective safety interventions. ---
**Author:** ![chris\_cochran](https://community.escapecollective.com/user_avatar/community.escapecollective.com/chris_cochran/32/12018_2.png) [@chris\_cochran](https://community.escapecollective.com/u/chris_cochran)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 3:00pm UTC](https://community.escapecollective.com/t/f1-analogy-again-sorry/6034/3 "2026-10-13T15:00:05Z")
You are absolutely correct - I was thinking about Jackie Stewart complaining about the Nordschleife and completely forgot about Senna and Imola/Monaco '94 - which certainly moved the ball forward another leap. ---
**Author:** ![Blair\_Cabot](https://community.escapecollective.com/user_avatar/community.escapecollective.com/blair_cabot/32/6756_2.png) [@Blair\_Cabot](https://community.escapecollective.com/u/Blair_Cabot)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2026, 7:34pm UTC](https://community.escapecollective.com/t/f1-analogy-again-sorry/6034/4 "2026-10-14T19:34:11Z")
I 100% agree. Unfortually, I think it’s going to take something career-ending happening to one of the big names of men’s cycling to drive any changes. ---
**Author:** ![Chanh-Duy\_Tran](https://community.escapecollective.com/user_avatar/community.escapecollective.com/chanh-duy_tran/32/7192_2.png) [@Chanh-Duy\_Tran](https://community.escapecollective.com/u/Chanh-Duy_Tran)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2026, 10:57pm UTC](https://community.escapecollective.com/t/f1-analogy-again-sorry/6034/5 "2026-10-14T22:57:22Z")
Tangentially related: I’d also be interested in knowing whether F1 could be useful for growing pro cycling as a business. ---
**Author:** ![JC1979](https://community.escapecollective.com/user_avatar/community.escapecollective.com/jc1979/32/2145_2.png) [@JC1979](https://community.escapecollective.com/u/JC1979)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2026, 8:07am UTC](https://community.escapecollective.com/t/f1-analogy-again-sorry/6034/6 "2026-10-15T08:07:36Z")
> [@Chanh-Duy\_Tran](#): > > I’d also be interested in knowing whether F1 could be useful for growing pro cycling as a business. Unlikely. F1 takes place on circuits, where it’s relatively straightforward to restrict and thus charge for access, and for a long time now it’s been under the control of a single promotor. Cycling is arguably a little more like WRC, who do manage to charge for access to some degree, but who struggle with similar issues concerning televising the events (too big of a distance/too large an area and an event that takes too long of a time period to be able produce a compelling video proposition to attract anyone but the biggest fans. Road cycling could, in theory, move slowly towards an F1 model, but in many ways it would be a different sport. The biggest obstacle to anything moving forward with cycling is the way the UCI constantly butt up against race promotor, rather than work with them. F1 really started to grow when FIA worked with F1 promotors and teams, rather than just trying to police them. ---
**Author:** ![JC1979](https://community.escapecollective.com/user_avatar/community.escapecollective.com/jc1979/32/2145_2.png) [@JC1979](https://community.escapecollective.com/u/JC1979)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2026, 8:09am UTC](https://community.escapecollective.com/t/f1-analogy-again-sorry/6034/7 "2026-10-15T08:09:25Z")
> [@Blair\_Cabot](#): > > I 100% agree. Unfortually, I think it’s going to take something career-ending happening to one of the big names of men’s cycling to drive any changes. Exhibit A for your point would be Senna. If we lost Tadej, stuff would suddenly happen. But equally if Tadej decided to use his position, take and organise a stand, we might also see changes. ---
**Author:** ![Simon\_Lockwood](https://community.escapecollective.com/user_avatar/community.escapecollective.com/simon_lockwood/32/2206_2.png) [@Simon\_Lockwood](https://community.escapecollective.com/u/Simon_Lockwood)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2026, 8:16am UTC](https://community.escapecollective.com/t/f1-analogy-again-sorry/6034/8 "2026-10-15T08:16:33Z")
I remember in a documentary from years ago, Jackie Stewart said when he started in F1 there was a greater chance of being killed racing vs racing and retiring !!! ---
**Author:** ![chris\_cochran](https://community.escapecollective.com/user_avatar/community.escapecollective.com/chris_cochran/32/12018_2.png) [@chris\_cochran](https://community.escapecollective.com/u/chris_cochran)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2026, 1:25pm UTC](https://community.escapecollective.com/t/f1-analogy-again-sorry/6034/9 "2026-10-15T13:25:15Z")
This is EXACTLY my point. When riders stop riding dangerous races - the UCI will make changes because their business model will be in jeopardy. Until then, the deaths have no impact on the racing business model and nothing will change. I would argue the riders are the only means to force change and until they step up nothing will happen. ---
**Author:** ![Geoffrey\_Stone](https://community.escapecollective.com/user_avatar/community.escapecollective.com/geoffrey_stone/32/1050_2.png) [@Geoffrey\_Stone](https://community.escapecollective.com/u/Geoffrey_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2026, 5:37pm UTC](https://community.escapecollective.com/t/f1-analogy-again-sorry/6034/10 "2026-10-15T17:37:38Z")
How much does the UCI make from races it doesn’t organize? I don’t think it’s much outside of a sanction fee that covers commissaires. ---
**Author:** ![chris\_cochran](https://community.escapecollective.com/user_avatar/community.escapecollective.com/chris_cochran/32/12018_2.png) [@chris\_cochran](https://community.escapecollective.com/u/chris_cochran)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2026, 5:41pm UTC](https://community.escapecollective.com/t/f1-analogy-again-sorry/6034/11 "2026-10-15T17:41:08Z")
UCI/ASO - doesn’t really matter - I don’t anyone is going to push for real reforms until the riders absolutely demand it. They control the sport. The first time a unified peloton refuses to race, everythign changes.