Triple Formula One champion Max Verstappen said on Wednesday the sport was “way over the limit” with the number of races on its calendar as he prepared to start a record 24-round season.
The 26-year-old Red Bull driver starts on Saturday as clear favourite, chasing his fourth successive championship, but even with his streak of success has found the calendar expansion to be wearing thin.
“From my side I’ve said it before — this is not sustainable,” Verstappen told reporters at the Bahrain International Circuit. “I love racing a lot and I do it a lot also outside of Formula One.
“But, if people in the sport start shortening their careers because it’s too much I think that’s a shame and so hopefully of course we can have a look at that for the future.”
Formula One’s popularity has soared in recent years, driven in part by the success of Netflix show ‘Drive to Survive’.
The sport’s commercial rights holders Liberty Media have capitalised by adding new venues in the Middle East, some returning classics in Europe and three races in America, with Miami and Las Vegas joining long-time fixture Austin.
Teams have begun to rotate personnel to cope with the demands of such a long calendar while pre-season testing this year was reduced to just three days.
Spain’s double world champion Fernando Alonso, 42, a veteran of the sport who made his debut in 2001, echoed Verstappen and recalled the days when the calendar featured less than 20 races.
“When I started we had 16 races, then it was 18 at some point, and then I think when Liberty [Media] came it was like a message that we have 20 one season and that was absolutely the limit, 20 races,” the Aston Martin driver said. “And now we are up to 24 and this is not sustainable for the future.
“Even the world champion thinks this is a little bit long, the season. Imagine for the rest of us, we go to the races in the second half for nothing, there is no incentive to fight for anything.”
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz agreed, adding F1 becomes watered down with too many races.
He said: “When I look at football, I really like the Champions League because you don’t get it that often and the highlight of having a Champions League match that connects people for that day.
“I think Formula One is risking being too constant having one race every weekend and losing that appetite of everyone switching on the TV to watch Formula One and F1 needs to remain exclusive, needs to remain a sport where everyone is looking forward to the race and not something you can get used to by switching on the TV or radio and a league match every weekend.”
Similarly, Lewis Hamilton said it should be quality over quantity, and the global impact should be considered.
“I think we are on the limit already, maybe already over it but I think we just have to be conscious of quality verses quantity.
“We also have to think about the impact on the world with the more races we put on this circus traveling everywhere. Sustainability should be at the heart of the decisions that they’re [Formula One Management] making moving forwards.”
