Dutch commentator: "Just get rid of that calendar!"

Dutch commentator Olav Mol has let it be known that he does not agree with the decision to kick off the season in Austria, as much is suggested the last few days. The French Grand Prix doesn't seem to go through because of the coronavirus either and then Austria would be the first race of the season.

"It was difficult to get things done with both F1 and football, but now the windows just open", says Olav Mol in BNR's National Car Show podcast. "It's of course totally illogical to leave the whole Formula 1 world for the first race together from England, where several teams are stationed."

Mol doesn't like the fact that so many teams have to travel from place to place again. "Make sure that F1 doesn't have to travel all over the world literally", says the 58-year-old commentator.

If it is up to Mol, the risks are minimized. "You just have to throw away the calendar we have and start in England, then only three teams have to travel: Alfa Romeo, AlphaTauri and Ferrari."

"Two races at Silverstone is quite doable, three is a bit too much", says Mol. "Silverstone has several layouts, for example. Start in August. After that you can continue to the Netherlands, and then finish in Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Hungary and Austria." In that case, you don't have to travel all over Europe, which was the case on the original calendar.