Mercedes propose staff race bans for 2024

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Mercedes propose staff race bans for 2024

Discussions are ongoing with the FIA to cap the amount of races staff can work at

Tyler Rowlinson

Monday 11 December 2023 20:57

Mercedes Technical Director James Allison has revealed that discussions have begun to introduce a race cap for all F1 personnel, amid concerns of staff struggling to cope with the amount of races in a season.

The 2024 calendar is scheduled to feature a record 24 Grand Prix and with drivers and engineers both suffering the effects of Abu Dhabi, there are concerns that the addition of more races is not sustainable for those involved.

Mercedes driver George Russell has previously spoken about how team members should not allowed to do every race during a season, citing that people were struggling with the constantly changing climates and time zone shifts.

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And Allison has echoed these concerns and has said that a dialogue has begun to tackle the issue with the financial constraints of the cost cap.

George Russell has previously said that F1 personnel should not be allowed to do every race

The 2024 F1 calendar is set to feature a record 24 Grand Prix

Mercedes call for staff cap

He said, as per motorsportweek.com: “When you consider there is also winter testing to be done, if you’re one of the travelling folk, then that is more than half the year spent on the road, and in a mode of working that is quite tiring, and quite demanding.”

“All the people back in the factory who give live support to that as well are having to take that burden on their shoulders."

Allison has proposed that a cap for all F1 personnel (excluding drivers) of 20 races would help tackle the issue of staff fatigue – a cap that Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff and the drivers’ race engineers would also have to respect.

James Allison has proposed a cap of 20 races for all F1 personnel

“Let’s say in a 24-race season, it would mean that no individual – other than the drivers – would be allowed to do all 24 races, a cap imposed, maybe at 20 races, let’s say, just plucking a number from the air,” he explained.

“It would mean that everyone previously going to have to do the full slog would only be able to do 20 of them, and the teams would have to find it in themselves to put alternative methods of coping with the absence of each member of that travelling community four times per year.

“That will be an interesting set of gymnastics to cope with.”

Mercedes George Russell James Allison