At the end of September, the FIA presented the first draft of the calendar for the 2023 Formula 1 season, which later became definitive after the approval of the teams. Next championship will be the longest ever, with the number of races rising to 24 from 22 this year. A schedule that is too busy, according to some teams. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff was the spokesperson for the common thinking of the teams, convinced that a staff rotation on track will be necessary to be able to complete the season.
On the other hand, Stefano Domenicali is satisfied. The F1 chief executive officer believes that 24 races is ideal for the sport:
“23-24 races is a good number,” said the former Ferrari boss – “Starting from this number, the races are then assigned to various countries. Let’s be clear, with 24 races the maximum number is reached” – Stefano Domenicali pointed out.
These are numbers which were unthinkable just ten years ago. Yet Stefano Domenicali is convinced that Formula 1 must necessarily follow the needs of the market: “We used to have 15 races, but the situation was different. Now the interest in Formula 1 has grown a lot and we hope it will continue to increase. The market, at the moment, requires this number of races.” – the Italian added, as reported by f1ingenerale.com.
Stefano Domenicali also believes that 24 races are not an excessive commitment for teams and drivers: “It is about the right balance between demand and the quality of what we offer. If the number of GPs were to become excessive, I would immediately reduce it. I believe that with 24 races we will have a good championship” – the former Ferrari boss continued.
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The 2023 Formula One season will be marked by the debut of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, as China and Qatar return on the calendar. As for the criteria which will be taken into consideration to assign races, Stefano Domenicali believes it is necessary to find the right balance.
“It’s about finding balance. A third of the races should be in Europe, another third in America and the Middle East and the last third in the Far East.”
However, there are other criteria, often linked to financial aspects: “The financial aspect is very important in defining the calendar. There are a lot more offers than the available dates. This is why we also take into account the beauty of the track, the activities dedicated to fans and the investments that the organizers are willing to support”. – the F1 chief executive officer concluded.
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