Max Verstappen has suggested Formula 1 should keep many of the new 2020 tracks on the calendar at the expense of other races.
Due to Covid-19, the sport was forced into a heavily-revised schedule based predominantly in Europe, with five venues (Mugello, Nurburgring, Portimao, Imola and Istanbul Park) taking the opportunity to make one-off returns or debuts.
The reaction to those circuits was largely positive, even if drivers weren’t too happy with the lack of grip in Portugal and Turkey, both of whom resurfaced their tracks shortly before F1 arrived.
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And Verstappen was certainly keen to see them get another chance to host a race in the future.
“We have had a few good races. Portimao was cool, I just hope we have a bit more grip if we would ever come back there,” he was quoted by RaceFans.
“Imola was nice, I think the track was very old-school. Nurburgring I also enjoyed so there are actually a few which could replace some Grands Prix we have on the calendar.”
With a place available on the 2021 schedule, after Vietnam was dropped, Verstappen was asked which one circuit he would pick to fill it.
“I would go for Imola,” he said. “It’s a bit more old-school, you are running with some corners all the way up to the gravel so if you would go too wide you’re off. Mugello was nice as well.
“But like I said it’s better to remove maybe a few of the ones we have now and then add these back in.”
Another option could, of course, be to simply add them in addition to the normal F1 calendar, but with the schedule already at a record number in terms of races, Sebastian Vettel believes there is a tipping point.
“We have a large following, not just on track, but also on the screens and at some point, obviously, you saturate and people probably don’t want to see another Formula 1 race on the weekend,” he suggested.
“But that’s not for me really to think about. I think far more important is whether the teams will be able to make 23 races because it’s quite a bit of an effort.
“It’s not just the one and a half hours you see on Sunday, it’s a lot more work behind the scenes.”