Is F1 calendar rotation a cash grab or a sensible move? Our writers have their say

After the announcement that the Belgian Grand Prix has signed a new four-race contract over the next six seasons, it has dedicated to Method 1’s deliberate rotational system.

F1 will head to Spa-Francorchamps in 2026, 2027, 2029 and 2031 however will miss out in 2028 and 2030 as a part of its new deal that begins after this 12 months’s version.

It has triggered the give attention to F1’s race rotation plan and what it means for the way forward for sure races and the outlook of the calendar over the following few years. Our writers supply their views.

Rotation greatest coverage for variation and stops races being priced out – Ben Hunt

The Spa-Francorchamps calendar announcement is lastly one to have a good time.

The Belgian GP’s place on F1’s future calendars on a rotational is nice information for the collection and its followers.

It’s comprehensible that F1’s house owners are eager to tie up circuits to profitable multi-year offers working into the lots of of hundreds of thousands of {dollars}, however one Belgian GP each different 12 months over a 10-year season ticket within the stands on the Qatar GP appeals any day.

Liberty Media must have stability in placing the calendar collectively, which is already at breaking level with 24 races.

Sure, it must generate cash, however it additionally has to supply leisure and respect F1’s DNA and its historical past.

These escalating charges for internet hosting F1 races are comprehensible given the championship’s world attraction whereas it’s now a confirmed strategy to give smaller international locations, equivalent to Bahrain, some important world profile. Having an F1 race actually appeals, however it additionally needs to be proper for the collection.

By the identical token, we must always not dismiss these tracks as a result of they’ll not afford to decide to such long-term and expensive offers. By having them on a rotational foundation not solely provides selection to the calendar by mixing up the venues, it additionally permits tracks to stay related.

The rotational idea will improve the probability for circuits equivalent to Imola, that sees its contract with F1 expire this 12 months, to stay a part of the championship. It may even pave the best way for a rotational return of the French and German GPs and even the Malaysian or South Korean races.

The variation is optimistic and, offering the calendar is constructed in the proper approach with a combination of latest and conventional circuits, then this can be a good, cost-effective strategy to embrace extra choices.

Welcome to the topsy-turvy world of late-capitalism F1 – Stuart Codling

The steward on the Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Heathrow requested the place I’d come from. I mentioned, “Qatar.” She palpably WTF’d. Even for the nationwide airline, Doha is thought to be a hub; no person truly will get off there and stays off.

Besides, maybe, for these of us travelling to the Qatar Grand Prix – or, a few years in the past, to soccer’s FIFA World Cup. The stadiums expensively erected for the latter objective now lie unused however, it appears, completely illuminated at evening. To cross via this curious alt-Disneyland the place cash is seemingly no object is to be reminded the place the vast majority of the world’s capital now resides.

Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15, Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38

Picture by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photographs

Calendar rotation is the primary stage of countries clinging on to the idea of their tier-one standing being pushed out in favour of these with deeper pockets. Does F1 actually need the 2 grands prix in Saudi Arabia that are absolutely coming subsequent, consigning one other deluded tier-two nation into irregular-regular GP standing?

No matter your opinion, the choice is pushed purely by the stability sheet after twenty years by which one set of vulture capitalists leveraged the F1 enterprise to the hilt earlier than promoting as much as a brand new purchaser which additionally has money owed to service. Races which don’t have any central authorities backing are actually struggling to afford the asking worth.

This starvation for money explains why a industrial rights holder which noisily proclaims its dedication to being internet zero by 2030 would like you flew to, say, Qatar, reasonably than drive/practice/coach to Spa-Francorchamps. It’s an epic feat of doublethink.

You would possibly echo the feelings of Discipline of Desires and say “In the event you construct it, they [the fans] will come.” However don’t neglect it took almost 20 years for the Chinese language Grand Prix to change into an in a single day sell-out…

Rotation wise methodology to maintain calendar manageable – Jake Boxall-Legge

If F1 may have its approach, then there could be 30 races on the calendar – if no more. How very dare the personnel behind the championship be topic to phenomena equivalent to fatigue, damage, and sickness! If solely we may make use of robots…

There appears to be a tacit settlement that 24 races is absolutely the most an F1 calendar may be, earlier than it begins to push individuals in direction of breaking level. One would possibly argue that, while you take a look at workers retention and the necessity for rotation all through the paddock, that that is already past the purpose at which individuals begin to fold. What was flawed with 16 races? Ah sure, the profitable internet hosting charges that jingle merrily into the championship’s bulging purse.

Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing RB20, 1st place, Sergio Perez, Crimson Bull Racing RB20, 2nd place, drive up the grid after the end

Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Photographs

And F1 nonetheless desires to succeed in extra international locations world wide. Getting a grand prix in Africa is the primary precedence, and there are nonetheless extra rich regimes but untapped throughout Planet Earth that might inject dubiously acquired capital into the coffers. However F1 can not afford to lose its European heartland, nor can it lose its forged of basic venues that the groups and drivers all love visiting.

Rotational races are one of the best compromise to maintain valued circuits in F1 at a lowered fee, and to take care of a considerably manageable calendar dimension. Spa-Francorchamps is, for some cause, universally liked and could be missed by giant swathes of the fanbase if it was to retreat from the schedule altogether; having it in rotation not solely offers it an opportunity to remain on the calendar, but in addition permits one other ‘at-risk’ grand prix to stay a part of the circus.

This is not NASCAR; F1 would not want 36 races to remain related. In a great world, round 16-20 of one of the best circuits must be sufficient to make sure the championship nonetheless retains regularity with out oversaturation. However, as you will discover, this is not a great world – as such, rotation is the following neatest thing.

Followers proper to be upset, however brace for extra – Filip Cleeren

The choice to maneuver in direction of alternating Spa and one other race from 2028 onwards has sparked frustration amongst followers, they usually have each proper to be upset. Spa-Francorchamps is without doubt one of the few true crown jewels of grand prix racing, rightfully named in the identical breath as Silverstone, Monza, Monaco and Suzuka. It feels flawed that a type of races will now drop off the calendar, even when simply intermittently. And whereas the Belgian Grand Prix cannot boast the identical industrial package deal as among the new youngsters on the block, it’s of the utmost significance that F1 retains that stability between previous and new, conventional programs and road circuits.

F1 will argue that it’s nonetheless safeguarding that stability, and that its contract renewals of Suzuka, Monza and now Spa are an indication of it not dropping sight of the historic pillars of its championship. Whereas inclined to agree, for now, however relying on which venues will take part 2027 or past, the collection is embarking on a course that begins stretching that idea.

In the event you take a glass half-full strategy, we do get 4 extra races at Spa and its organisers have been rewarded for his or her persistence and need to make their occasion belong in Liberty Media’s imaginative and prescient of what F1 must be. The native authorities deserves credit score for its monetary backing, recognising the worth of the race for its financial system and world attraction. Till not too long ago it was most actually not a provided that Belgium would keep on the calendar in any respect.

Stefano Domenicali, CEO, Method One Group, on the grid with a visitor

Picture by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Photographs

F1 followers who’re aggrieved by the apparent draw back to this announcement could need to take a deep breath, for that is simply the beginning of what F1 intends to do. With a tough restrict of 24 races, rotation shall be inevitable if the collection needs to develop to new markets, whether or not within the Far East or Africa. Naturally it will not be the Center East, which presently hosts 4 profitable races and is engaged on a fifth, that must make concessions. It will likely be the “previous world”, as F1 chief Stefano Domenicali calls Europe’s heartland, that must pay a worth. Such is the best way of the world, and F1 isn’t any totally different.

Such a technique is logical for an organization that intends to construct up the worth of the collection and switch a revenue. One does marvel what is going to occur if F1’s recognition bubble finally bursts and it’ll have alienated its authentic fanbase. However in the meanwhile, we’re not there but.