Why F1 is happy to take on another triple-header

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F1 2021

Why F1 is happy to take on another triple-header

F1 recently scheduled France and two races in Austria to run back to back

Ian Parkes

Sunday 30 May 2021 11:00

F1 team principals have declared the recent addition of another triple-header to the calendar as "the right back to back" despite past criticism of such scheduling.

Team bosses have previously made their opposition clear in relation to triple-headers due to the demands placed on their staff, notably those who travel.

This season the original calendar featured a trio of three races in succession after the summer break in August.

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Following the cancellation of the Canadian GP, and in particular, the Turkish GP that had been set to replace the event in Montreal, F1 opted to draw up another triple-header.

The French GP will now take place a week earlier than originally planned, followed immediately by two races in Austria.

On this occasion, the team principals are accepting of F1's persistence to stage a record-breaking 23-race calendar.

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto said: "Luckily enough we were made aware that Turkey would probably be cancelled in time not to send or ship any material there, so in terms of logistics we didn’t incur those costs at the time.

"What we are adding is another European race which, in terms of logistics, is certainly the easiest, and double races in Austria, in terms of logistics, is pretty easy.

"The way the calendar has been shuffled is helping the current logistics and the costs as well, so overall, it’s great and fine."

Mercedes' Austrian boss Toto Wolff added: "We can cope with it. Austria, obviously, for all the teams there is no better place to be. Ten days in Austria, in the mountains, it's the right back-to-back."

Seidl sides with Wolff and Binotto

McLaren, especially, has been critical in the past of triple-headers, but team principal Andreas Seidl can understand F1's thinking in this instance.

“To be honest, from the team perspective, I am actually happy that we do a triple-header, with two times at the same location," said Seidl.

"It just reduces the stress and the workload, especially on the mechanics, quite a lot. That is why we are in favour of this race calendar at the moment.

“We simply have to accept this year that it is again a very special year, with the pandemic still being full-on. We have to be flexible and adapt to the circumstances that are around, and from our point of view, we are happy that.”

Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi concurred. He said: "It’s unfortunate we have to move France forward. It’s changing our plans a little bit.

"But all things considered it’s still not that bad. Canada was overseas for us, so switching to a European programme is not that big of a deal. It’s pretty easy to adapt to that."