Domenicali settles: '24 races the right number for F1 calendar'

The F1 calendar will remain at 24 races if it is up to F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali. The Italian says 24 races is the perfect number. With that, the CEO has slightly downsized from previous statements. Domenicali also reveals that a rotation principle is a serious consideration.

So says the F1 chief at Beyond The Grid, F1.com's podcast. Domenicali indicated back in early 2022 that 30 races could easily be added to the calendar. He did recognise the logistical problems and the pressure that would be put on employees and drivers. Recently, Domenicali said he thinks 24 races is the right number.

This year the GP of China and the Imola GP did not go ahead, bringing the calendar to 22 races, but in the future there should be a stable calendar of 24 races. Domenicali: "What we want to do next year is 24 and I think 24 is the right number."

"It’s the number that is required within the market," the CEO continued. "I would say it’s the right balance between that, the complexity of the logistics and of the people that are working. I would say this is the number which we should target to be stable for a long time."

One of the bigger pitfalls of organising the F1 calendar remains the balance between historic circuits and new (often street-) circuits. Competition in Europe is cut-throat. Not only between existing circuits, but also with new organisers such as Madrid.

Domenicali expects a rotation system to provide the solution in Europe: "In Europe, I am expecting to see races where the rotational principle could be applied. There are already talks with some of them and this is something that in the next two years we are going to clarify formally"