Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has warned that some classic European venues will have to accept hosting a race every second year as part of the sport’s ambitious agenda to add new grands prix to the schedule.
A record-breaking 24 rounds were scheduled for 2023 before the cancellation of the Chinese and Emilia-Romagna grands prix, both of which are expected to return next season.
There has been speculation that F1 has been considering expanding that number to 25 or beyond when it negotiates new commercial deals with the teams in the next two years.
Currently those agreements limit a season to a maximum of 24 rounds.
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But speaking to F1 podcast Beyond the Grid, Domenicali suggested the calendar had maxed out.
“What we want to do next year is 24 and I think 24 is the right number,” he said. “It’s the number that is required within the market. I would say it’s the right balance between that, the complexity of the logistics and of the people that are working.
“I would say this is the number which we should target to be stable for a long time.”
But Formula 1 is also actively targeting new races to add to the schedule. A street race in Madrid appears close to being finalised, and the sport also wants a race in Africa, the only inhabited continent without a grand prix.
There are also rumours of potential bids from South Korea, Nice and Colombia and possible plans to revive the race in Vietnam.
Any successful bid would have to come at the expense of another event to fit within the 24-race limitation.
Domenicali said he was preparing the ground to have heritage European racetracks make way for new venues by switching to a rotating contract, whereby they would host a race every second year, sharing their slot on the calendar with another event.
“Today we have a worldwide calendar,” he said. “But in Europe I am expecting to see races where the rotational principle could be applied, but not two [countries] in the same year.
“There are already talks with some of them, and this is something that in the next two years we are going to clarify formally.
“That‘s another great sign of the state of the health of Formula 1.”
Rotating contracts have been used before in F1. The German Grand Prix alternated between the Hockenheimring and Nürburgring from 2008 until 2014 before the deal fell apart, with neither venue able to build momentum to make their events profitable.
Organisers of the axed French Grand Prix at Circuit Paul Ricard have already signalled their willingness to host a race every other year as a way to break back into the schedule, while Belgium and the Netherlands have been mooted as logical partners given their geographical proximity.
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Domenicali denied that the sport was neglecting its roots by minimising the number of European events.
“I‘m laughing when I hear people that are saying Formula 1 is not respecting historical races,” he said. “It’s absolutely the other way around.
“For sure it’s very important that the historical races have their own personality.
“What we want is to use this incredible moment, where Formula 1 is growing, to make sure that everyone is doing the right thing. It’s a matter of understanding that the world is evolving.”
Domenicali suggested threats to drop races were a negotiating tactic to convince race venues to spend big on new infrastructure to ensure the fan experience is consistent between events.
“Historical races will always be part of the calendar, but there is the need for some of them to recognise the changes that they have to make on the infrastructure, for example,” he said.
“The fans are coming more and more with different needs. If you do not give them what they deserve, it’s not historical anymore, is it?
“Two years ago when there was discussion that Belgium is out of the calendar — and, by the way, the answer was Belgium is in the calendar — but they reacted very well. They invested in infrastructure that is related to the best experience that we want to give to the fans.”
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Formula 1 is hoping to set a new benchmark for fan experience with the Las Vegas Grand Prix in November, which the sport itself is organising in conjunction with local city authorities rather than having a local promoter run the event, as is the case with other races.
Domenicali said he recognised the pressure was on to practice what the sport has been preaching to other promoters in standing up the event.
“It will be another experience where everyone wants to be, in a place that is iconic,” he said.
“It’s a place where there is a lot of expectation, there is a lot of demands, and we need to make sure that will be seen as the event of the year.
“It’s really an incredible challenge, but I’m sure there will be an incredible postcard that we’re going to share all around the world.”
Formula 1 is yet to release its 2023 calendar. Last year’s running order was published in late September.
Saudi Arabia is expected to open the season, with either Australia or China following. The sport is attempting to secure a switch for the Japanese Grand Prix from its usual late-September window to April to group together more of the races held in Asian time zones.
