FIA at full capacity: 25-race F1 calendar a logistical barrier
10/14/2024 10:24 AM
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem says the governing body is currently maxed out in terms of its human resources devoted to Formula 1, insisting a 25-race calendar would be a significant logistical hurdle.
As demand for more races grows – Argentina being the latest to express interest in hosting a Grand Prix – F1 and its stakeholders are considering whether expanding beyond the sport's current 24-race agenda is sustainable.
While the current Concorde Agreement allows for up to 25 races per season, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has indicated that there is no rush to hit that limit.
"I think 24 is the right number", he explained on F1's Beyond the Grid podcast. "I would say this is the number which we should target to be stable for a long time."
Ben Sulayem agrees, stressing that the FIA is operating at full capacity with 24 events.
"You cross a barrier where you need two teams, we can't have [more]", he told Motorsport.com when asked about adding an extra race to the docket.
"Logistically, then I have to have two teams."
Beyond the operational strain on the FIA, Ben Sulayem raised concerns about the impact on drivers and teams.
"Can the drivers take it? I just want to know," he added. "Let's just be sensible and logical about it. Can the drivers take it physically and mentally? This is a question I will ask the drivers. And what about the teams?"
"As for the FIA, we cannot do it with this one team. We have to have a rotation of two teams, when it comes to the staff on the ground."
Ben Sulayem acknowledged that Formula One Management (FOM) has been thoughtful about managing the calendar and hasn't pushed to expand beyond the 24-race limit.
"They never came back and said: 'Oh, we need more.' No way they did. What they are after is quality and that's why we have this good relationship with them."
Ultimately, while Ben Sulayem emphasized that FOM has the contractual right to expand to 25 races, it is clear that both sides are being cautious about overloading the sport.
"I mean, I will not stop [them] to go to 25, because it is their right, OK? [In the end] it's up to them," he said.
"But they are the ones who don't want to add [more races at the moment]. Because they know that it becomes [a matter] of fatigue then. So they have their own reasons [for keeping the amount of races on 24]."
For now, it seems both the FIA and FOM agree that sticking to a 24-race calendar is the most practical option, balancing the sport's growing global appeal with the physical and operational realities of managing such an intense schedule.
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