new 2012 calendar 21 races

[Bullet]

I'm an F1 fan who enjoys the sport primarily by watching races. Why should I be dissappointed by 21 races? I'd like to work fewer weeks a year, races though... I think I'd rather see a few more.

[Prisoner Monkeys]

There's only twenty Grands Prix in 2012. The nineteen races of 2011 plus Austin and Bahrain make twenty-one, but Istanbul has been removed from the calendar, so that makes twenty races. Formula 1 cannot have more than twenty races without the consent of the teams, and the teams think twenty is the maximum possible. That number is set by the Concorde Agreement, which is up for renewal next year. If any more races are to be added, the maximum number will be renegotiated then. With New Jersey and Russia coming in, plus interest from Mexico, Argentina and South Africa, there's probably going to have to be some expansion of the calendar, since there are more races joining the calendar than there are with contracts that are soon to expire.

[call_me_andrew]

this is so stupid... less is more sometimes.

I do not believe this is one of those times.

Though on some of these Tilkedromes, practice is more interesting than the race itself.

[IceWizard]

I do not believe this is one of those times.

Though on some of these Tilkedromes, practice is more interesting than the race itself.

Agreed, although I think 20 is about the limit in terms of the balance between quantity and quality. Would be surprised if the schedule stays at 20 in future years though with New Jersey and Russia coming on board and places like Argentina, Mexico and South Africa knocking on the door for races.

[zako85]

I don't see a reason why all of those new and old venues can't be accommodated in some way. One simple way of doing this is to hold a race at some tracks only every other year or so. A lot of governments are willing to sponsor the F1 race because holding F1 race is akin holding Olympic games in terms of national prestige. However, the Olympic games last only two weeks and often won't return for 50 years. The F1 weekend lasts 3 days but could easily return every other year or every two years if there is enough interest. This arrangement could be problematic if the race track was built by investors who are anxious to recoup their investment. Those could be accommodated with a contract agreement that gives them a race every year for say five years, and then an option to hold the events less frequently.