Stefano Domenicali, the President and CEO of Formula One, believes that the Formula 1 calendar should consist of 24 grand prix races, dismissing claims that this number is excessive. The expansion of the F1 calendar has been a topic of discussion among teams and drivers, with concerns raised about the well-being of team members. However, Domenicali argues that with the growing popularity of F1 and the increasing competitiveness, 24 race weekends is not the limit. He compares F1 to other sports like football and basketball, which entertain their fans more frequently, suggesting that F1 has less content to offer in terms of quantity. Despite the differing opinions, Domenicali remains optimistic about the current situation and believes that everyone involved in the sport should be satisfied.
“Excessive of what? When the sport is as exceptional as it currently is with numerous potential victors, enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting the next race. I mean, we have a field that is more tightly packed than ever before.
“Today we are discussing intervals of 0.078 or 0.093 seconds. That’s less than a tenth for a lap of over four or five kilometers. Distances similar to those seen in a 100-meter sprint. 24 races is a satisfactory number.
“Each of our events possesses its own distinctiveness. I mean, the Monaco Grand Prix was certainly not the most thrilling grand prix in history, but we achieved one of the highest TV ratings worldwide.
“We aim to maintain a favorable equilibrium between established and emerging races. Despite the fact that there are numerous other countries vying to host a grand prix.”
Thailand and South Korea are just two nations expressing interest in hosting a GP in the near future. However, with increasing pressure from drivers and Domenicali’s apparent commitment to preventing calendar expansion, an alternative strategy is required to provide new territories the opportunity to captivate the world through F1.
“We are contemplating a rotation system,” stated Domenicali. “It is probable that we will initiate this in Europe.”