F1 season could expand to 30 races with Las Vegas and Africa options
Stefano Domenicali believes that the Formula 1 season could be busier in the future
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Your support makes all the difference.Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali has confirmed that the sports’ calendar could be expanded to as many 30 races a season.
F1 will hold a record 23 Grands Prix in 2022, but with surging popularity, particularly in previously untapped, large markets, Domenicali believes there is appetite for expansion.
Las Vegas has been widely tipped as a potential future host city and the F1 CEO has confirmed that a visit to Nevada could well be on the cards.
With significant interest in other territories, including on the African continent and in China, Domenicali believes that the sport may need to extend itself beyond the 24 races a season permitted by the Concorde Agreement.
That agreement runs until 2025 but the former Ferrari chief has outlined his hopes to further populate the calendar.
“I think there is potential to go to 24,” Domenicali told Sky Sports. “I would say there is potential to go to 30! In terms of the interest we see all around the world.
“It is up to us to try to find the right balance considering what are the venues which would like to be in F1, what are the historical values we need to see on the calendar.
“We need to be balanced, we need to see what are the other opportunities. And very soon we are going to tell everyone what is our strategy to develop that market.
“Not only Las Vegas, there are other cities that are interested in Formula 1. On top of America, on top of China, I think there is a potential also to be in Africa soon. There is a lot of interest there. For sure that’s another area that so far is missing in the geography of our calendar.”
The Kyalami circuit in Gauteng, South Africa, last hosted a Grand Prix in 1993, and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has expressed a desire for the race to return.
The only new destination in 2022 is Miami.
The Florida city will hold a race on a purpose-built temporary circuit around Hard Rock Stadium.
Alongside calendar expansion, adding an extra team or two to the grid has also been discussed.
Domenicali has suggested that there is significant interest from parties wishing to become a manufacturer, including Michael Andretti.
The former professional driver is a member of the famous American Andretti family and has publicly stated his desire to form a F1 team having been knocked back in his efforts to purchase an existing outfit.
Domenicali has suggested that he will be careful to ensure that adding another team is right for the sport, and does not consider if paramount to growth.
“There’s not only Michael Andretti,” revealed Domenicali. “He is maybe the most vocal one, but we have more than four or five requests to consider an extra team to be a part of Formula 1.
“I have to be very honest, today F1 with 10 teams, with the competition on the track, is very, very solid. There’s complexities that need to be considered if other teams can be added.
“Therefore I don’t think it’s the most important element to grow F1, to be honest.”
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