Australian Grand Prix chief Andrew Westacott has told Formula 1 figures to “get used to” the race being held as a standalone event.
Traditionally, Melbourne hosts the season opener and is part of a doubleheader either with Bahrain or China, but this year saw the race move to third on the schedule with a two-week break on either side.
During the weekend, several drivers and team bosses criticised that change, believing the 25,000km round trip from Saudi to Australia and then to Italy for the next race at Imola was wrong.
“To come here for one weekend, I think for everybody, it’s a massive time change, it’s expensive,” said Red Bull boss Christian Horner.
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Mercedes driver George Russell added: “Having Melbourne in between races, especially as a standalone, is too tough for the teams and everybody.
“People came out on Saturdays and Sundays to get acclimatised to the conditions, to the time zone change, and it’s just too much. I think it needs to be thought about more.”
F1 technically began 2022 with a triple-header as Jeddah followed the final pre-season test and Grand Prix in Bahrain over three consecutive weeks.
But Russell argues it would have been better for F1 to do two doubleheaders.
“There’s no reason why we couldn’t have done a back-to-back with one of the Middle Eastern races,” he added.
Happy to be back in the land of kangaroos and Danny Riccs. G’day Melbourne! ?? pic.twitter.com/eIz1WDrPTv
— George Russell (@GeorgeRussell63) April 5, 2022
“It feels like another doubleheader for all of the teams with the amount of time that they spend in this part of the world.
“As the season is getting longer and longer, we need to find a better balance.”
However, Australian GP chief Westacott was quick to respond, telling Reuters that F1 had “better get used” to a standalone trip to Melbourne and “have got to stop whinging in some respects”.
When it was suggested to him the race could be moved later in the year, when F1 is set to visit Asia again, Westacott replied: “We’ve proven that we can have success both opening the season and coming in after a couple of races.
“The time for Formula One in Australia is early in the season.”