Sebastian Vettel supports Max Verstappen’s request of reducing the workload on Friday, as the Grand Prix weekends are still exhausting.
In 2022, F1 removed Thursday as the press conference and adjusted it with Friday’s free practice sessions. With this, they intended to reduce the number of working days for the teams at the venue.
However, this hasn’t benefitted the drivers. On contrary, their days on Friday have only been extended with so much happening. Therefore, Max Verstappen argued that the workload for drivers should be reduced on Fridays.
The current world champion ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix talked about the work pressure drivers go through on Fridays now.
“Thursday is very long, which officially is not really a day anymore, but for us, it’s the same amount or even more on a Thursday and even more on a Friday, where you come in early,” said Verstappen.
“Coming in early is not a problem, but your whole day is longer, so with going to more races you would like to have a shorter weekend but actually now with more races we are also having more days we are at the track and doing stuff. That definitely needs to change.”
Lewis Hamilton relaxed and making jokes about the bright lights in the press conference room ahead of track action 😎😎 #SaudiArabianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/pKPYVCAL1Y
— Claire Cottingham (@Cla_Cottingham) March 25, 2022
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Sebastian Vettel backs Max Verstappen’s request
Verstappen got an ally for his demands in former Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel. The German race driver argues that the purpose of slashing Thursday from Grand Prix weekends was to make things shorter, but it hasn’t resulted in that.
“So we need to improve. We can improve. The main thing is you want us to be excited if you have the same questions for an hour. It’s not going to be.
“We’ve been all been to the TV pen and basically our excitement is not at its peak. We need to find a better way,” he added. Now, with two of the prominent drivers speaking against Friday workload, it remains to be seen what will F1 and FIA will do about it.
Also read: Sebastian Vettel tells what was more hurtful than 2018 title heartbreak
