There are extra Formulation 1 races than ever, and subsequent season there can be much more, with 24 races, probably the most within the sport’s historical past.
This yr’s Formulation 1 schedule, at 23 occasions, ought to have set the document, however the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was canceled due to the intense rainfall that devastated the area. That occasion, on the Imola circuit in Italy, will return on Might 19, 2024, and would be the seventh race of the yr.
Additionally returning to the calendar is the Chinese language Grand Prix, which was final held on the Shanghai Worldwide Circuit in 2019. Formulation 1 and the Chinese language race’s promoter have a contract by way of 2025, and subsequent yr’s Grand Prix can be on April 21, the season’s fifth race.
“Now there’s lots of people actually into racing and Formulation 1 who can’t wait to return there — additionally myself — for the Grand Prix,” stated Zhou Guanyu of China, who drives for Alfa Romeo.
The opposite 22 Grands Prix from the 2023 calendar have all been retained, with 15 exterior of Western Europe, the place the vast majority of the game’s personnel are primarily based. The season will start on March 2 in Bahrain and conclude on Dec. 8 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
“There may be big curiosity and continued demand for Formulation 1, and I imagine this calendar strikes the correct steadiness between conventional races and new and current venues,” stated Stefano Domenicali, the chief govt of Formulation 1.
There was motion towards regionalizing the calendar to cut back journey and help in sustainability, with some occasions, notably in Japan, Azerbaijan and Qatar, shifting within the schedule to ease journey.
Nevertheless, there are nonetheless some awkward journeys. The three occasions in the USA stay separated, with Miami the sixth spherical on Might 5; Austin, Texas, the nineteenth spherical on Oct. 20; and Las Vegas the twenty second spherical on Nov. 23. Australia, the third spherical on March 24, is much from different occasions, however Japan is the following race, on April 7. Canada, the ninth spherical on June 9, is, like Australia, by itself amid a string of European occasions.
Some drivers are resigned to the expanded schedule.
“It’s too many [races] for me, however we simply should take care of it,” stated Max Verstappen of Purple Bull after the calendar’s launch in July. “I believe it’s a bit extra logical the way in which it’s deliberate a minimum of, so I assume that’s higher for everybody.”
Lando Norris of McLaren additionally famous the variety of races.
“I’d say 24 is lots,” he stated. “If I needed to put like an ideal quantity, I’d say it’s in all probability nearer to twenty. For the lives of mechanics, engineers, everybody that travels, they’re away from their households, children and so forth, for thus many days, extra days than us as drivers are away, so it’s harder for them.”
Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin first raced in a Grand Prix in 2001, when there have been 17 occasions, six of which had been exterior of Europe.
“I perceive the advantages of 24 races, the explanations behind it, there’s a whole lot of curiosity in Formulation 1, a whole lot of demand, so it’s good to go to new international locations, new races, and there may be new income,” he stated. “However I believe for workforce members 18 is an efficient quantity. Greater than 18-19, and also you begin stressing the mechanics, the media. Everyone seems to be simply on the again foot from February to December.”
Groups rotate workers members when attainable to offer them a while off. There may be additionally a nine-day winter manufacturing unit shutdown when the websites that work on the vehicles have to be largely closed, in addition to a 14-day August recess. Drivers and others are additionally aware about oversaturation, notably with the addition of the dash races which have been held the day earlier than the principle race at six Grands Prix this yr.
There may be additionally the steadiness between retaining the historic venues, akin to Monaco and Silverstone in England, and searching for new ones. Formulation 1’s occasions within the Center East all have contracts stretching into the 2030s, however many older European occasions are on shorter offers and others, akin to France and Germany, have been discontinued. Monaco and Italy have contracts expiring after 2025, whereas Belgium’s contract expires on the finish of this yr.
The game is “trying to develop their calendar an increasing number of, and you may see a whole lot of the brand new venues which can be coming to Formulation 1 are fairly industrial venues, like Miami, or Vegas this yr,” stated Stoffel Vandoorne, who raced in 2017 and 2018 for McLaren and is now an Aston Martin and McLaren reserve driver. “They’re large locations that they’re going to, and I believe that’s effective, completely effective, however I nonetheless suppose there must be a mixture of each on the calendar, to retain these races, like Spa [in Belgium], like Suzuka [in Japan], which can be the correct old-school tracks.”
Including races is nothing new. Saudi Arabia and Qatar had been added in 2021, Miami in 2022 and Las Vegas this yr. Every promoter pays a internet hosting price to Formulation 1, boosting its revenues, which in flip will increase prize cash for groups.
Underneath the Concorde Settlement, which binds collectively Formulation 1, the F.I.A. and the groups, the annual restrict for Grands Prix is 24, however different venues are nonetheless being explored.
Formulation 1 has lengthy been searching for a return to Africa because it strives to have a spherical on most continents. The Kyalami circuit in South Africa final hosted a Grand Prix in 1993.
