Sebastian Vettel fears for exhaustion within teams in record-breaking 2021 schedule

Sebastian Vettel

Vettel fears for exhaustion within teams in record-breaking 2021 schedule

New season is set to feature three triple-headers and 23 races

Nicolas Quarles van Ufford

Sunday 1 November 2020 09:44

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Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel has voiced his concern over the impact the record-breaking 23-race Formula 1 calendar is likely to have on teams and families.

F1 has planned a 'normal' schedule for next season - Covid-19 permitting - sprinkled with double- and triple-headers, and including a planned debut for Saudi Arabia.

While Vettel, who swaps Ferrari for Aston Martin in 2021, believes the drivers can cope with the demands, he is worried for those involved in supporting an F1 team around the globe.

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"To be honest with you as a driver, we are probably on the better side of things," said Vettel. "It’s even a lot harder and starts to be probably too hard for the working staff.

"All the mechanics, all the logistics squad and so on that come to the racetracks to set everything up, run the show, literally, and then have to dismount everything, I think the stress on those people is a lot higher.

"I think that’s probably the bigger burden to take in terms of time."

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto echoed Vettel's concern, explaining there will be a plan in place to have a rotating set of personnel throughout the season to prevent exhaustion within the team.

"As Seb said, the increasing amount of races, it’s tougher and tougher, logistics, mechanics, engineers," the Italian added. "We will certainly plan a turnover for all the people that we can.

"I think that’s the best way, to make sure that we are somehow going through the entire season doing the right level of efficiency, concentration and focus."

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