Red Bull boss Christian Horner: Formula 1 at 'breaking point' with 22 races
- Rob Fleming
- 23 May 2023
Christian Horner, Red Bull's team principal since 2005, has voiced concerns over the ever-expanding Formula 1 calendar, stating that the sport has reached a "breaking point".
Christian Horner, the Team Principal for Red Bull, has expressed concerns about the current state of Formula 1, stating that the sport is already at a "breaking point" with the extensive number of races on the calendar.
With the recent cancellations of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix and the Chinese GP, the 2023 season has been reduced to 22 races, which is still an overwhelming schedule.
Horner, who has been with Red Bull since 2005, when there were just 19 races in a season, believes that the current mileage covered by teams is "insane".
Speaking at the Financial Times: Future of the Car conference, Horner said, "You do reach a point where you wonder where you get saturation, and 23 races is an insane amount of racing and mileage that we have to cover in a season."
The idea of adding more races has been met with mixed reactions from teams. Horner suggests that instead of continuously expanding the calendar, it would be better to focus on competition among existing venues. "I think it's better to have competition for the existing venues than to just keep adding more and more, because you do get to a point, a breaking point, which I don't feel we're that far from," he added.
Although Horner believes that 18 races would be an ideal number for a season, he acknowledges the importance of F1's expansion to new venues.
He highlighted the challenges faced by fans and F1 personnel due to the demanding travel schedule. "It's brutal, that travel schedule. I think you get to a point where, [at] 23 Sundays a year, for people to go and take two hours out of their Sunday afternoon or evening it's a big commitment to follow a whole season," he said.
As the Monaco Grand Prix approaches this weekend, Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez recognize the significance of a strong qualifying session on the renowned challenging circuit. Limited overtaking opportunities make qualifying crucial for their pursuit of victory.
