Todt answers those who are critical of increasing the number of F1 races to 25
F1 News
For the first time in Formula 1 history, the circus will make 22 stops on the journey around the globe. But F1 and Liberty Media insist there is room for more races, despite a growing number of voices who are against that opinion. Jean Todt says the critics must consider people who work more for less money.
The 2021 rules and regulations seemed to suggest we'll soon have 25 stops on the global tour every year. Todt supports the extension and highlights how lucky the Formula 1 personnel is to be involved with a sport.
“I think it will be a long process before being close to 25 races. Probably so much emphasis on speculating and assessing 25 races, and at the moment we should concentrate on 22, which is the situation. Now about what it does represent, here, I may have a different point of view. I really feel that and I include myself, we are so blessed to be in a world where we love what we do. We have the passion. We are privileged. Whoever is in F1 is privileged," Todt is quoted by Motorsport.com.
"Of course, you have some duties. When I was in other positions [as Ferrari team principal], I was working 18 hours every day, seven days, six or seven days a week, because I had passion, I wanted a result. Then, of course, the family, if you have a beloved family, they will understand. And you don't do that for all your life. Believe me, I do a lot in the other activities in my life, where I see people, if they are blessed, they get $30 a month. Being blessed in certain countries. So we should not forget that.
“We should be decent, and thinking that it does happen. You have an eight billion population [globally], and you have 800 million people [not able] to eat, to drink, to get a vaccination. We're here to talk about F1, but we must not close our eyes and forget what is happening, for other people, for other communities."
In 2020, Formula 1 will return to Zandvoort for the first Dutch Grand Prix since the '80s. The Vietnam Grand Prix will make its debut on the F1 schedule while we only cross-off the German Grand Prix from last year's list.