Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton and Co. will drive 23 Formula 1 races in the coming season. There has never been so many Grand Prix in one year. While there will again be no race in Germany, the race in Miami is a new addition to the calendar as the second Grand Prix in the USA alongside Austin.
Formula 1 announced the calendar on Friday after the World Motorsport Council approved the plans. The season starts on March 20th in Bahrain. The final is already planned for November 20th in Abu Dhabi to avoid a date collision with the soccer World Cup in Qatar (from November 21st). Qatar is moving into the plan for the first time this year as a replacement for the canceled race in Australia. It will then be used regularly from 2023 onwards. Because of the soccer World Cup, Qatar will not host a race next year. The Chinese Grand Prix will not be there again in 2022. Instead, the racing series stops in Imola.
In total, there should be two races on three consecutive weekends. These so-called triples are particularly stressful for the team’s staff. “Everyone who works in logistics, including all mechanics, has to be on site much earlier than we do,” said Mercedes sports director Toto Wolff recently: “And they don’t travel as comfortably as we do, everything has to be considered.” It is important to weigh the sales targets of the premier class and the burden.
Formula 1 wants to come to 22 races this year. This number was also a novelty.