Verstappen balks at longer weekend: 'It's gotten even tougher'

With the press conference on Friday morning, the goal of Formula 1 was to shorten the race weekend a bit. According to Max Verstappen, however, nothing came of this in practice and it has actually become heavier for the drivers.

With an F1 calendar getting fuller and fuller, the noises from the paddock are increasingly clear that it might be too much. However, Liberty Media wants to continue to expand and so they looked at a different format for the race weekend. The official press conference was therefore moved from Thursday afternoon to Friday morning, in order to shorten the weekend.

F1 drivers make long days

On Thursday the drivers no longer have to attend an official media session, but they will still be present on the circuit. According to Verstappen little has changed. At the press conference prior to the Grand Prix of Imola, the Dutchman even states that the weekends have become heavier.

The drivers are still on the track on Thursday for other obligations and on Friday they make a longer day. Where they normally only had to do two practice sessions on Friday, now a press conference has been added in the morning. Sainz agrees with Verstappen and also states that F1 should look at this again.