Carey: Quality, not quantity, the main factor behind 25-race season
- Published on 02 Jan 2020 15:06
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- By: Dieter Rencken & Coilin Higgins
F1 CEO Chase Carey assured that it will be a matter of 'quality over quantity' if Formula 1 looks to move towards a 25 race calendar in the future.
For 2020, Formula 1 will have it's the biggest season to date, with 22 races set to take place over the year, with Vietnam and Zandvoort joining the calendar next season.
Carey spoke about the possibility of a 25 race calendar in the future but promised that races would not be introduced just for the sake of adding race numbers to the calendar.
"We don't have a number as a goal," Carey assured. "We actually put in place the ability to have 25 [races]. As I said, we have been equally clear, it's a matter of quality, not quantity."
"We are not here to try and fill the slots. I think we care deeply about it. That's why we put the effort in to try and take the wear and tear of a three day weekend.
Carey looks to fix the 'wear and tear' of race weekends
Carey went on to explain how a 25 race weekend could be achieved in the future, through a number of race and testing format changes.
Carey explained how Thursday's will be scrapped from the format in 2021, allowing such things as the driver's press conference to be worked into Friday's schedule to create a slightly shorter three day weekend.
Carey also said that reducing the eight-day pre-season testing to six days for 2020 onwards will also help towards creating space on an already tight season calendar.
"It's still a central part of the three day weekend but we are just trying to take a bit of the wear from it. We are trying to modify Friday to reduce the wear from the weekends." Carey added
"We are also looking at reducing the winter testing for this year drastically and trying to introduce some in-season testing. To manage the wear and tear I think there is more we can do to manage that."
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Replies (7)
Login to replyf1dave
Posts: 782
"Quality over quantity" More like "Money over anything"
Bernie would be proud!
Sparky1
Posts: 15
I agree. It is all about money for Carey and Liberty. Next will be 30 races with 2 day weekends. These jerks are trying to turn it into Indycar or Nascar spec series. I’d rather have Bernie.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Nah, while I don't like the prospect of 25 race seasons, I prefer Liberty over the old fox any day. Honestly, they good changes of late were all down to Liberty, while the old codger was busy milking F1's coffers dry. Of course they want to make money, the whole world these days are about money, but I feel they've mostly been good for F1. So far at least.
Pistonhead
Posts: 556
25 races is sh#t. Simple as.
Here's my radical (actually to me its common sense) plan to improve the spectacle;
1. Stop racing at any track where you cannot overtake.
2. Stop racing at any track where you can only see 500 people in the stands.
3. Increase fastest lap to 2 points.
4. Increase points scoring positions to x12
5. Change dates of events (where possible) to increase the chance of inclement weather
6. Change start times in 2/3 more events to increase greater temperature variations during races - day/night racing works brilliant as far as I'm concerned.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
1. Agree to some extent. I think some of those track merit a place on the grid, but many could go and wouldn't be missed
2. I honestly don't care how many people I can see on-track, but I agree that venues with low attendance should be axed. But F1 should really cut the ticket prices, which might boost mean attendance in general
3. Disagree, since that'd make it worth more than getting P10. Increase the places what can get the point instead to outside of the top 10 to top 12-15 instead
4. Definitely agree on this one. A more nuanced point system would be nice
5. Definitely agree on that one. Japan's placing is a disaster
6. Could work, but depends vastly on the track and locations. In some places, this just wouldn't work
f1ski
Posts: 726
Allowing more pre season testing at tracks that give a realistic picture of racing conditions thru the season and less practice sessions would reduce the wear and tear on the mechanics and teams. If they want to add to the spectacle of racing bring back refueling. they could "locally source" fuel in the name of being greener.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Refuelling doesn't make sense in a time where everything "needs" electrification, snd F1 need to justify itself politically on a regular basis as is. It would also be bad from a safety perspective. And sourcing locally sounds good, but wouldn't work as the engines and fuel mixes are so deeply codeveloped these days as is. Local sourcing would require yet another pu regulation revamp.