Aston Martin requested geographical grouping in 2022 F1 calendar

Aston Martin team principal Otmar Szafnauer has confirmed the team "asked" Formula 1 to consider grouping races geographically.

F1 has had to be fluid with its scheduling through the Covid-19 pandemic with races being postponed, cancelled or added to the calendar at late notice.

For 2022, a season hoped to mark a return to a more 'normal' schedule after two Covid-affected years, F1 will contest a record 23 grands prix.

Speaking prior to the official announcement of F1's 2022 calendar, Szafnauer explained: "We have asked [about geographical grouping] but there is a lot that goes into doing the calendar.

"It’s not just as simple as trying to write them down in a more convenient geographical order."

With the addition of Miami, the sport will make three separate trips across the Atlantic with Miami, Canada and the United States GP all separated by European events.

Despite the outcome, Szafnauer backed Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali citing the various challenges that go against geographical grouping.

"Stefano and his team do the best they can, with a lot of inputs," Szafnauer added.

"These days one of the big inputs is still due to Covid and some of the considerations there.

"I think some of the locations we are going to were driven by some countries wanting to be later on in the calendar, hoping that Covid would be past us.

"So when you have those types of constraints, I think they have done the best they could with the constraints that we have today and hopefully those constraints won’t be the same in the future and we can do a better job."

Related

Latest F1 News

Driver suggests Newey tempted by 'enticing' offer from F1 rivals

• April 17, 2024 19:42

F1 News & Gossip

Alonso hints at another EXTENSION to F1 career

• April 15, 2024 17:57