Ferrari see red over 2014 race calendar
YEONGAM (South Korea) — Ferrari have slammed next year’s proposed Formula 1 calendar, saying the schedule is “almost impossible”, and have urged authorities to reduce the number of races by at least two.
YEONGAM (South Korea) — Ferrari have slammed next year’s proposed Formula 1 calendar, saying the schedule is “almost impossible”, and have urged authorities to reduce the number of races by at least two.
Ferrari team manager Massimo Rivola said the mid-season sequence of Monaco, New Jersey and Montreal, with only one week’s break between each, would cause a major logistical headache.
“It’s going to be almost impossible to do it,’’ Rivola said at the Korean Grand Prix yesterday.
“I’m still hoping we come back to the 20 races as per the current sporting regulation. At the moment, the calendar is not the best calendar possible in terms of logistics.
“For sure there are some good commercial reasons behind this that I am not aware of.”
The draft calendar for next year includes 22 races. However, there is a huge question mark over whether the Korean Grand Prix will be staged next year. This is because its organisers want a significant reduction in the race’s hosting fee if it is to continue beyond this year.
The race made a reported deficit of US$37 million (S$46.1 million) last year, and struggled to attract sponsors and spectators, with the track located about a four-hour drive south of Seoul, near the regional port city of Mokpo.
The New Jersey and Mexico races are also listed as provisional.
Extra races aside, next year will also see the re-introduction of in-season testing, a move which will further stretch teams’ staffing levels and cost control. Rivola said the freight and logistical costs are not necessarily easier on the major teams because they have more equipment and people to transport.
Sauber, a smaller, independent team, are also looking towards 2014 with trepidation.
“For us the biggest headache is definitely personnel because we, as a small team, have to cover all races, tests and even demo events with the same number of people, the same crew,” team manager Beat Zehnder said. “The more events you have, obviously the more difficult it gets.
“Then the triple-header; we would have to start packing up on Saturday in Monaco to make it to Jersey.”
Andy Stevenson, team manager for Force India, said the planned four in-season tests will cost the team an additional US$8 million, and said the team might skip one or more of those sessions unless more funding is forthcoming. AP