The expanding Formula 1 race calendar, set to reach 24 races in 2024, is sparking concerns about its impact on the sport’s popularity and sustainability. Max Verstappen, the dominant force of the 2023 season with 19 wins, expressed his reservations about the grueling schedule. “It’s too much for me, but we just have to deal with it,” the Red Bull driver stated, hinting at the possibility of ending his career post-2028 contract if the trend continues. “More things need to fall into place for me to decide whether I stay longer or not, but all these things definitely don’t help,” Verstappen added, pointing to a broader issue affecting drivers’ decisions.
Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher is also voicing concerns, particularly highlighting the health implications for the sport’s personnel. Speaking to Sky Deutschland, Schumacher reflected on the intense 2023 calendar and the strain it placed on the teams, especially after the Las Vegas race. “24 grands prix next year is too many,” he asserted. “I don’t know anyone who didn’t get sick or caught a cold after that trip. It was just too much. And I hope the organisation understands this.” Schumacher urges F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali to take these issues seriously, hinting at the need for a more sustainable approach.
Another dimension of the problem, as Schumacher points out, is the potential oversaturation of F1 for the public. With families dedicating hours every weekend to watching races, Schumacher fears a decline in the sport’s appeal. “Families have to watch the action for hours on end every weekend, 24 times a year,” he said. “They’re just wasting their weekends.” He reminisces about the days of fewer races and more tests, which allowed for a balanced media coverage and audience engagement. “But now the topic of Formula 1 is so oversaturated that the media devotes less and less space to it,” Schumacher noted, particularly in Germany where F1 coverage has dwindled.
The former driver warns that continuous expansion could lead to viewership fatigue. “At some point, viewers will simply say ‘We can’t watch because we have a family holiday, we have a wedding, we can’t watch Formula 1 all the time’,” Schumacher added, highlighting a potential tipping point for F1’s audience.
