Editor's Desk: Reading into the 2024 Formula 1 calendar

Formula One Management (FOM) and Liberty have been pushing for more races as they look to milk their cash cow of a sport to the max.

So now we are looking into a 24-race season in 2024, three of which are in the United States alone (Austin, Miami, and Las Vegas) with China returning after a four-year Covid-induced hiatus.

Looking at the 2024 calendar, we find that there will be five double-headers: Bahrain - Jeddah, Emilia Romagna-Monaco, Hungary-Belgium, Netherlands-Italy, and finally Baku Singapore.

There are also three triple-headers: Spain - Austria - United Kingdom, Austin, Mexico, Sao Paulo, and the most gruesome, Las Vegas - Qatar - Abu Dhabi.

And as much as I would like to watch F1 every weekend, 24 races in one season is too much, especially if you look at it from the perspective of those working in the sport, of which I am one now, and while I do not have to travel and spend time away from my family, Paul Velasco and I reach the end of the season almost running on fumes, the only thing that keeps us going is out passion for Grand Prix247 and F1.

Now look at the situation from the teams' employees' point of view as well as that of the on-track media delegates who spend most of their year on the road.

That is not easy and takes a toll on people, something George Russell touched on last December in the aftermath of a tough trip from Las Vegas to Abu Dhabi, which were double-headers in 2023.

Then comes the subject of sustainability F1 has been trumpeting about with their Net Zero 2030 initiative, something they are now considering a basis for the induction of new tracks.

While the cars have gone hybrid and will be soon running on sustainable fuels, it is a well-known fact that the 20 single-seaters only play a very small role in F1's emissions. The bulk of those comes from all the travelling around the world and the commute of fans to tracks.

Not only has the impact of travel not been addressed, it has now increased with 24 races and the arrangement of the races timewise and geographically to make the travel more efficient will mean that we have double/triple-headers, the impact being on the people.

Again, I would love to watch F1 every weekend, and the off-season is a tough one to pass, but 24 races a year? That is too much.