Teams against a 22 Grand Prix calendar
As Bernie Ecclestone and FOM continue to bring F1 to new destinations, with Mexico and Azerbaijan leading the way, this increases the number of races on the calendar. However, the teams do not wish to see the 2016 season peak at 22 races, as could be the case.
This season, Formula 1 teams are taking part in 19 Grand Prix, a number that is expected to increase in the coming years with the return of Mexico in 2015, the addition of Azerbaijan in 2016, and possibly New Jersey in 2016, bringing the total number of Grand Prix on the calendar to 22.
According to *Auto Motor und Sport*, during the signing of the Concorde Agreements, the teams agreed with the FOM on a limit of 22 Grand Prix races per year. While more races would initially seem to mean more revenue for the teams according to the German publication, 21 Grand Prix races would actually be the financial limit for the teams, who do not wish to participate in more than 20 races per year.
The boss of the Sauber F1 team, Monisha Kaltenborn, expressed concern about a possible increase in the number of races per year and the impact it may have: « I think we should be careful not to saturate the year with too many races. We know what it implies for our staff. We might have to restructure things again, so I think we need to be cautious before implementing these steps. »
Monisha Kaltenborn referred to the fact that, given the current team structure, adding new races might require them to rethink logistics or consider multiple teams taking turns depending on the races. This logic is confirmed by Scuderia Ferrari’s director, Marco Mattiacci: « It is clear that extending the championship to more races means more investment on our side, so it opens other discussions. »
