The Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix weekend in 2025 was supposed to be a premier showcase of speed, strategy, and drama.

However, instead of breathtaking action on the track, millions of viewers worldwide witnessed an unprecedented television “disaster.”

The F1 TV director made a series of baffling decisions, missing not just one but numerous decisive moments, culminating in the epic battle between Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.

This left fans furious and prompted Alonso himself to voice his criticism. The question is: How could a multi-billion dollar racing series with the most advanced technology make such amateurish mistakes?

A Stolen Spectacle: The Alonso vs. Hamilton Battle

The highlight that should have been celebrated most during the race was Fernando Alonso’s “unbelievable” performance. From a massive 30-second gap behind Lewis Hamilton in the final laps, the Spanish legend masterfully closed it to just 0.4 seconds. This was a moment of genius, a combination of supreme driving skill and relentless determination, especially as Hamilton was struggling with a malfunctioning brake system, forcing him to cut corners just to maintain his position. Viewers worldwide were promised a nail-biting showdown between two of the greatest drivers in F1 history—a spectacle every fan wanted to see, a fairytale story of pursuit and pushing limits.

But what happened? Instead of witnessing every meter, every heart-stopping moment of this chase, the audience was forced to stare at… Zak Brown, the CEO of McLaren, celebrating his team’s championship. Time and again, the broadcast cut away to meaningless shots of fans in the grandstands, long-concluded team celebrations, or even… the drivers’ girlfriends. David Croft, the veteran Sky Sports commentator, couldn’t hide his frustration live on air, exclaiming that viewers should have been watching the Alonso-Hamilton battle instead of crowd shots. When even industry insiders have to call it out, it’s clear the problem has become serious.

The fans’ disappointment wasn’t just confined to social media rants. They felt “cheated.” One fan bluntly criticized, “TV direction prioritizing footage of fans in the grandstands over Hamilton with no brakes trying to hang on ahead of Alonso on track. No wheel knowledge detected again from TV direction.” Another was harsher: “F1 TV race directors showing Zak Brown for about an hour instead of showing us Hamilton vs. Alonso at the end. Just do your job!” These words weren’t just personal frustrations; they were the collective voice of a wounded community.

An Uncountable Number of Missed Moments

The Alonso-Hamilton battle was merely the climax of a long series of errors throughout the race. More specifically:

Kimi Antonelli’s Overtake: Kimi Antonelli’s spectacular pass on Charles Leclerc was completely missed live. Viewers only saw a replay so much later that the Sky commentators didn’t even realize it was a different battle.
Carlos Sainz’s Comeback: Carlos Sainz delivered an incredible performance, rising from the back of the grid to score points. However, this journey was almost entirely “invisible” on screen, leaving viewers clueless as to how he achieved it.
Lance Stroll’s Midfield Fight: Lance Stroll overtook both Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon in what should have been an exciting midfield battle, but once again, the TV director completely ignored it.

One fan sarcastically summarized the outrage: “One singular thing happened this race and Alonso finished 0.48 seconds behind Hamilton and we ain’t even see it. Thank you Formula 1 TV direction. Well done.” This biting sarcasm said everything about the community’s level of disappointment.

The “Driver’s Girlfriend” Obsession and “Orders from Above”

One of the most irritating aspects for fans was F1 TV’s “obsession” with close-ups of drivers’ girlfriends. “Didn’t see any action but plenty of drivers’ girlfriends this weekend. Priorities, I guess,” one viewer commented. These shots, often featuring partners looking uncomfortable in the paddock, add no value to the viewing experience. Fans turn on their TVs to watch racing, not to see people who clearly don’t want to be on camera forced into awkward shots.

The issue became so glaring that one fan speculated it might be an “order from above.” “It’s such a noticeable thing that it has to have been an order from higher up. We went seemingly years without this and now it’s there all the time.” If true, this points to a flawed strategic direction from the organizers, prioritizing peripheral elements over the core essence of the sport.

Direct Criticism from Fernando Alonso

The frustration wasn’t limited to the fans. Fernando Alonso himself, the legendary Aston Martin driver, publicly criticized the broadcast quality after the race. He posted on social media, urging Formula 1 to “fine-tune the main coverage and bring all the on-track excitement to the fans.” When one of the sport’s icons has to speak out, it’s a clear sign that the situation has become dire.

Alonso made another sharp observation, sarcastically noting F1’s focus on his team’s radio messages rather than the on-track action. “Why are we hearing radio messages about drivers being frustrated when we could be watching the racing that’s causing that frustration in the first place?” His question was entirely valid. The technical capability to show multiple battles simultaneously, such as split-screens or picture-in-picture, exists and has been used before. Yet F1 TV chose not to use it when it was most needed, opting instead for boring shots of cars in a procession.

A Chronic Problem for F1 TV

In reality, the issues with TV direction are not unique to Singapore. It’s a problem that has persisted throughout the 2025 season. Fans regularly complain about missing overtakes, battles, and dramatic moments because the cameras are focused on team principals, celebrities who have no idea what’s happening, or random crowd shots.

The problem is exacerbated by the constant zooming in on cars until they fill the screen. This not only negates the sense of speed that makes F1 spectacular but also makes the racing look slow and dull. Basic principles of camera work are being ignored in favor of gimmicky shots that add no value. F1 already faces an image problem with many calling its races boring. When F1 TV misses 90% of the actual exciting moments, it makes the sport look even worse than it is.

Singapore, with its street circuit nature at Marina Bay, offers limited overtaking opportunities. This made it even more crucial to capture every single battle and dramatic moment. Instead, the TV director managed to miss almost all of them. Fans who pay premium prices for F1 TV subscriptions deserve better. They are paying to watch Formula 1, not to see awkward shots of people who don’t want to be on camera.

A Costly Lesson and the Path Forward

Other racing series, with smaller budgets and less advanced technology, still manage to capture the action effectively. There is no excuse for Formula 1, with all its resources and global reach, to consistently miss the most exciting moments of its races. The job of a TV director is to find and show the action, not to avoid it.

The contrast with other sports is stark. A football broadcast never cuts away from a goal-scoring opportunity to show the manager’s wife in the stands. A basketball broadcast doesn’t focus on celebrities when a crucial play is developing. Yet F1 seems to think it’s acceptable to miss the most important moments of a race to show people who have nothing to do with the actual competition.

The missed Hamilton-Alonso battle will go down as one of the biggest TV direction failures in recent memory. It was a perfect story: two of the greatest drivers in F1 history engaged in a desperate fight to the finish line, with mechanical drama adding extra spice. It had everything a Formula 1 fan could want, except the ability to actually watch it happen. The fact that they finished just 0.4 seconds apart after such drama made it even more special.

The race’s aftermath further proved how dramatic the battle was. Hamilton received a 5-second penalty for repeatedly exceeding track limits, which dropped him behind Alonso in the final results. This penalty was a direct result of his desperate attempts to stay ahead while dealing with brake failure. It was a perfect story that was completely missed by the broadcast.

Formula 1 needs to fundamentally rethink its approach to broadcasting. The sport has incredible stories unfolding every weekend, but they are being lost because of poor editorial decisions. Until these changes are made, F1 will continue to frustrate its most dedicated fans while failing to attract new viewers who might be interested in the racing. It’s time for F1 to listen to its fans and put the race back at the center of every broadcast.