Alonso agrees with Verstappen criticism: 'You start stressing everyone'

The Formula 1 calendar in 2024 will consist of a record 24 Grands Prix, the FIA confirmed last week. More GP weekends means more money for Liberty Media, but for drivers and mechanics it means yet another week away from home in an already busy year. Like Max Verstappen, Fernando Alonso is vehemently opposed to this development.

Alonso made his debut on behalf of Minardi in 2001 in a 17-race season, while in 2003 there are only 16 races. In 2005, there are nineteen once, but in the seasons that follow, the F1 circus always only does seventeen or eighteen. Next season, of the 52 weeks in a year, as many as 24 will be raced.

The two-time world champion understands why it is chosen to host more GPs today. "I think I understand all the benefits of having 24 races, and the reason behind doing so many races, there is a lot of interest, a lot of demand, so it's good to go to new countries, new races, this year is going to be Vegas, a few years ago it was Qatar, it's great to open the sport to new countries, and there is more revenue for everyone, so I understand that", he states to GPblog and others.

Many weekends away from home

However, there is one big but in this story and that is the welfare of everyone who has to be there week in week out to perform to the maximum, away from family and children. "I think for team members, 18, I think it's a good number already, more than 18, 19, you start stressing all the mechanics, you guys, media, everyone is just on the back foot from February to December."

Alonso does not consider himself pathetic. Anything but, because he says he himself is treated with velvet hands as a driver. But a Formula 1 team consists of hundreds of employees. "We drivers, we have all the comfort, and they try to take care of us as much as they can, the team, so we cannot complain too much, but I understand it's hard for everyone else," the Spaniard concludes.