Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says interest in hosting races is so high the series could hold 32 grands prix.
The 2023 F1 calendar was originally supposed to include 24 races, the maximum permitted under the current agreement between the teams, F1 and FIA. However the cancellation of the Chinese Grand Prix cut the number to 23.
A job advert posted by F1 last year indicated the series is looking at a potential future expansion to 25 rounds. Speaking at the SportNXT conference in Melbourne this week, Domenicali indicated the series would be able to accommodate more than the current maximum.
“We could have already today more than 30, even 32 grands prix, because everyone wants one,” Domenicali claimed. However he said the series is satisfied with the current limit of 24 rounds.
Part of the calendar expansion has come about because F1 has added a third race in America this year. A new race on the Las Vegas Strip Circuit will join the Miami Grand Prix, which was introduced last year, and the United States Grand Prix in Texas which has been part of the calendar since 2012. Domenicali pointed out this was a rapid development given that “around three years ago we were considering if we were even going to stay in the US.”
The sport has enjoyed rapid growth in America, thanks in part to the success of Liberty Media initiatives such as the Drive to Survive Netflix series. This has brought a new generation of viewers to the sport. “One in three fans that go to the grand prix are going for the first time,” said Domenicali
F1’s decision not to replace the Chinese Grand Prix means there will be a four-week gap between this weekend’s race and the next round in Azerbaijan. Domenicali previously said F1 decided to leave the slot empty because “the economic benefit of a replacement race was not worth the logistical and sustainability considerations for F1 and our teams.”
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
2023 Australian Grand Prix
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at RaceFans…