“Sitting out every alternate year is not our agenda”– Australian GP boss rejects idea of F1 becoming a rotating part of calendar

Australian GP has hosted F1 since 1966, aside from the last two years due to Covid-19. However, next year they might not be on the calendar.

The 2022 F1 season is going to be the busiest one in the history of the sport. However, the Australian GP boss does not seem very happy with the calendar.

Next year, F1 will take in 23 events across 36 weeks. Melbourne will host the third race after two back-to-back races in the middle east. The plan is also to limit the number of races per season from 2023.

So far, 20 races have been decided. Of which,  it’s been suggested that 15 Grand Prix would enjoy a permanent position on the calendar, with five rotating through new or lesser markets.

Concerned about the five rotating positions, the Australian GP CEO said, “that might apply to a permanent circuit in the European heartland. But we believe in continuity. The annual nature of our event is what’s needed.”

“There’s a level of understanding and reliability, and a level of underpinning that it does to a whole ecosystem. The notion of sitting every alternate year out, or rotating with other states is not on our agenda. We want it every year because it is such a great asset for Victoria.”

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Australian GP must take place every year

The CEO of the Australian GP, Andrew Westacott, listed off several points why the F1 event is crucial for Victoria. From economic benefits, tourism to creating confidence in investors for new businesses, Westacott said F1 brings Melbourne alive.

He said, “there’s a level of shape and logic to the calendar that F1 creates every year, it’s just extra time in an aeroplane because they know everything else very, very well.”

“So I’m unbelievably firm on that. We’ll have it every year, and I wouldn’t expect that the ‘every year’ is going to include anywhere other than Albert Park, Melbourne.”

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