F1 warned against "ridiculous" 25-race calendar

Bottas, Mercedes, F1, Russia — Photo: © LAT Images

Formula 1

F1 warned against "ridiculous" calendar

F1 has condensed 23 races between March and November next year

Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale

Saturday 6 November 2021 19:40 Updated: 20:15

Lance Stroll has warned F1 against implementing "ridiculous" 25-race calendars due to concerns over the welfare of personnel travelling with the sport.

The 2022 schedule takes in 23 races in a condensed season between March and November, with an extra two races previously determined as the desired cut-off for the sport in terms of event numbers, with provision to do so in the Concorde Agreement.

Criticism has been rife over the use of triple-headers to complete schedules, none more so than the current three-race run of Mexico, Brazil and Qatar, with little time for staff in F1 to return to families between races.

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Stroll spoke eloquently in Austin over the pressures of the scheduling on mechanics and engineers but asked how he personally felt towards packed seasons, he responded: "I am looking forward to it.

"I love racing and I am always excited to go racing, there is nothing I would rather be doing than racing.

"Just in general, F1 as a business, I understand there is a motive financially to increase the number of races and expand as a sport, go to as many countries and races as we can all around the world.

"But I think there has to be a balance, thinking of the mechanics, the engineers, all of the personnel in F1 that have got families at home and travel around the world and dedicate a lot of their time to go racing.

"I think there still has to be a balance where F1 takes a break and gives the chance to people to go home, see their families, spend some time doing other things and then we come back and take racing very seriously."

Citing the potential expansion of the calendar, Stroll added: "I just don't think it should become out of hand, ridiculous, 25-race calendar seasons.

"It looks like it is heading that way but I think F1 should also think about the personnel, their families and give people the chance to take a bit of time.

"It is intense, travelling around the world is probably a lot easier for us drivers. We show up and kind of do the fun part of driving, it is great and I love it.

"I feel the same now as I did at the beginning of the season because I love racing but just thinking about everyone in F1, the engineers, mechanics, personnel - it is important to think about the big picture."