“Everyone would like to go ahead with the plan” – F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali optimistic about the success of the 2021 season, and suggests rotations in the upcoming seasons.
Formula 1 will have a record 23 races this season, in a period of nine months. This hectic, exciting season will be overseen by new F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, who has taken over the reins from Chase Carey. He was speaking to Martin Brundle on the record numbers of races, and the possibility of reduction and rotation in the upcoming seasons.
“Twenty-three races is a very important number of races, no doubt. In terms of quantity, in terms of attention, in terms of the dedication of the people, there could be two positions in that respect, someone can say there are too many, some others that it is not a problem.”
“I would say that this equation will solve itself by the fact that if we’re able to deliver an incredible product, we may go to a situation where we can go back to a fewer number of races, and then maybe the chance of a rotation is possible for certain grand prix, keeping a focus on different areas.”
Stefano Dominecali bacelona 2013 pic.twitter.com/NcQZkvCUBm
— Rick Van Dyk (@DykRick) May 12, 2013
Stefano Domenicali in touch with all Grands Prix
The F1 supremo also confirmed that all races will go ahead as planned, barring Vietnam, and probably China. He also added that very few or no spectators would be allowed in the grandstands, as a reaction to the after-effects of the pandemic. A “flexible approach” is what the former Ferrari man is relying on, which saw the season-opening Australian Grand Prix postponed towards the final phase of the season.
“What I can share is that I’m personally in contact on a daily basis with all the organizers. We know the pandemic is still there, that’s why we changed the place of Australia in the calendar. But so far the information we have is that everyone would like to go ahead with the plan.
“Of course, we need to be flexible enough to understand that maybe in the first part of the season we may have some events with no public or with restricted numbers of the public. But what I can assure our supporters, our fans, is that really we want to make sure that the season is there, we have a commitment and we want to take that on board.
“We have possible alternatives in case of, but so far no one has given us different information to what we have shared. There is no reason to lie, there is no reason to say something that is not right and correct. This is what we know today, but we know how the pandemic has evolved so we need to be ready for a flexible approach on the season.”
