Report: F1 bosses wants more than 21 races 2019 onwards

Following Malaysia's departure from the F1 calendar this year, F1 marketing chief Sean Bratches is said to be working with Ross Brawn to add more races for the upcoming seasons. For the 2018 season, it has been confirmed that there will be 21 races, with France and Germany rejoining after Malaysia's departure.

It is has been reported however, that F1 bosses are aiming for more than 21 races from 2019 onwards. The aim behind the additional races is to re-establish Formula 1 in various core areas in Europe, along with extending its reach in the US, Asia and Latin America. In an interview with Motorsports.com, Bratches said that they will work with the teams in regards to where they will go.

“But our view is that we'd like to go above 21 and we want to be a little bit more proactive and go on the offensive in terms of the markets where we go. [Going beyond 21 races] takes a toll, both physically, emotionally and economically. We have to work closely with our partners on the team front to find out what the high water mark is and what makes sense for everyone,” added Bratches.

With more races, the pressure also increases both on teams and management. Bratches said that a solution would be to reduce the number of back-to-back races. The move could also lead to having a shorter winter break or a reduced summer break. Apart from reducing back-to-backs, F1 is also trying to avoid clashes with other sporting events due to the increased number of races.

"We don't want to have too many back-to-backs. We're trying to align these things better by territory - the European races, the American races, the Asian races.” “We are very interested in doing what's best for fans, to the extent that there are opportunities to avoid circumstances where there are competitive sports going on,” Brathes further added.

For those wondering which tracks will be added to the 2019 calendar, officials have yet to make an announcement. 

Source: Motorsport.com