Sergio Perez says he will stop racing in Formula 1 if the calendar continues to get bigger, as Liberty Media look to expand the schedule to 25 events.
There are 23 races scheduled this season, should the Russian GP be replaced by a double-header in Singapore, with next year’s calendar set to feature more events as China returns and Las Vegas makes its debut.
Liberty Media have long talked about having a calendar with 25 races, or more, and that could happen from 2023 unless current venues are dropped.
“We have so many races,” Perez told The Athletic. “We have simulator sessions for each race and we have a lot of partner events.
“We don’t really have time for our family at all. If the calendar is expanded even further, then I will certainly no longer participate.”
Are there too many F1 races?
The argument of quantity versus quality is the big question for F1 here as squeezing in a 25 events into 40 weeks from March to November is a big ask.
It feels like F1 is right on the limit of what is possible, and don’t forget, the drivers have the easy job of being the last to arrive at a race and the first to leave.
Think about the hundreds of team personnel who have to arrive a day earlier to set the F1 circus up, before taking everything down. Repeating this over 23 times a year is difficult, something Perez clearly understands.
“Of course there’s a big demand [for more races],” continued Perez. “But on the other hand, more races are a no-go, at least for me.”
