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George Russell believes 24 grands prix next season is unsustainable for all involved in F1.
Mercedes driver Russell was one of the many who finished this year’s campaign unwell, as he suffered “a big fever” throughout the penultimate weekend in Las Vegas before enduring a hacking cough across the final event of the year in Abu Dhabi.
The conclusion to the 22-race calendar has been criticised by many, particularly given the timezone difference to Las Vegas for the teams based in the UK and Europe who were then forced to work into the early hours of the morning given the schedule.
Three days later, the same personnel shifted forward 12 hours to accommodate the race at the Yas Marina Circuit.
Next season stretches to a record-breaking 24 races as the Emilia Romagna GP at Imola returns after its cancellation this year due to localised flooding, whilst China ends a five-year hiatus following the Covid pandemic.
Unfortunately, the year concludes with a triple-header, opened by Las Vegas followed by races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Russell appreciates the drivers “have it best” and are “in a very fortunate position” given the first/business class flights and five-star accommodation they enjoy throughout the year.
The Briton, though, feels that the calendar has to change geographically for 2025 in light of what has been experienced this year.
“Everybody up and down the paddock – I’ve got so many mechanics who are ill, people in the engineers’ office,” said Russell.
“They have really struggled with the constant timezone shifts, the body not knowing where you are, eating at different times, staying in different hotels, different environments, different climates. The body’s getting confused.
“I think there are talks for next year about personnel being regulated, that they can’t do every single race. I think that would be a good thing.
“I don’t think it’s sustainable for 4,000 people, I think it is, to do 24 races a season, especially when you see how geographically it still doesn’t make a huge amount of sense.”
The calendar falls on F1 to organise, and CEO Stefano Domenicali, in particular, with the Monaco Grand Prix the starting point as it takes place on the final weekend in May.
The Canadian GP follows a fortnight later given its set-in-stone contract from which it will not move, whilst Bahrain and Abu Dhabi pay a premium for being the first and last races respectively.
Speaking in a recent interview, which included Speedcafe, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said “the best solution” would be “working the calendar better”.
He added: “If you look at the calendar for 2024, I’ve asked before, and said to Stefano, you cannot go on like this.
“When it comes to the pollution, for the environment, it’s huge, but more than that, it’s the fatigue on the staff, and it is fatigue.”
Asked as to his ideal number of races for a year, Ben Sulayem said: “We’re stretching it, but is it about the number or logistics?
“Maybe the number is right if you say 23. Twenty-four is next year, 22 is better, but then there are the logistics.
“I believe the sequence could be better, with Las Vegas close to Austin. From the commercial side, they don’t have to worry about that. Of course, we are looking at the sporting side.
“Going from Austin to Las Vegas, then Mexico and Brazil, and then Qatar and Abu Dhabi. That’s it.
“You can’t go to one, and then all the way over there, then here, then back.”
