On the wall of one of the upstairs meeting rooms at Formula One’s flash new offices in St James’ Market hangs an old black and white photograph of Spa-Francorchamps.
It is a wonderfully evocative image. A throng of fans, some of them standing uncomfortably close to the action, with only a hay bale or two for protection, watch as the machines thunder down the hill towards Eau Rouge. Drivers’ heads protrude from open cockpits, old-school helmets and goggles perfectly visible. Not a ‘halo’ in sight. Martini and Ferodo banners adorn the trackside.
In front of the picture, wearing a crisp white shirt and purple tie, sits Formula One’s chief executive Chase Carey. The moustachioed American, who has...