Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner believes Formula 1 teams would cope with a 25-race schedule if organised properly.
The sport’s new majority shareholders have spoken about a desire to increase the number of current Grands Prix from 20/21 up to 25, while also highlighting the need for quality over quantity.
But, in Montreal, Fernando Alonso spoke out against the potential expansion, claiming he would retire if that was to happen.
“I’m not opposed to a few more races,” Steiner said, offering his view. “What I wish is that the races are more bundled – that we stay in one region and are not going back and forth to Asia, where you go back for one week and then back the next.
“How big the area you group together, I don’t really know. It needs to be studied of how many F1 races an area can take.
“For instance, I think it would be difficult to have a race in Abu Dhabi and then another one the next week in Bahrain because we are very close together there. But a few more races, if it is well organised, will not be that much more time away for the teams.
“In general, I have nothing against getting up to 25 races.”
Another major concern some have aired is the increased workload it would put on team personnel who are already travelling for eight months of the year.
Considering how Haas would cope, Steiner, who said a race in South Africa would be his wish, claimed: “We just need to plan and maybe relieve some people.
“Maybe not all the people will want to do 25 events, but I think it can all be managed and if we do it cleverly, it is not so much more.
“For sure, there is more cost involved because you travel more,” he added, “you need more car parts because you run more. But, in general, if we’ve got enough time to get prepared properly, we always find a way to make things work.”