Wolff no fan of racing at 'oversized supermarket parking lots'

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Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff says Formula 1 should take a few of the characteristics of the old-school venues it visited this season and adapt them to the sport's modern circuits.

Formula 1's initial 22-race 2020 schedule was taken apart and rebuilt following the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The changes led to a European-centric calendar and to the addition of two new venues - Mugello and Portimao - and the return of the Nürburgring and Imola classic tracks.

Drivers unanimously praised the unexpected additions, underscoring the circuits' challenging layouts and the wide-spread use in some cases of gravel traps instead of wide and forgiving asphalt run-off areas.

Wolff would like to see a few of the characteristics of the novel venues visited by F1 this year applied to the sport's modern circuits.

"I’ve always been very vocal about that I disagree with the direction we have taken on racing on oversized supermarket parking lots because it takes the factor of the driver, his skill, away," said Wolff.

"Therefore, I really like racing in Imola, I like racing in Mugello and the tracks where you really analyse if you make a mistake.

"I think we need to bring gravel back to make sure that when you're flying off that you can’t rejoin without any damage to your car."

Read also: Spa-Francorchamps circuit set to undergo €80 million facelift

After last month's round at the Mugello, FIA race director Michael Masi stated that gravel were unfortunately "not the solution everywhere."

But Wolff thinks F1 can do a better job adding some old-school aspects to modern tracks.

"I think you probably can adapt most of the circuits to that kind of standard but these classic and historic race tracks will always have soul," he added.

"And now you can say that from the modern circuits – Bahrain has a soul also because we’ve been in Bahrain a long time and these guys have been partners to F1 for a long time – but maybe we need to adapt the circuits in exactly the way I’ve described.

"Again, I am not a circuit designer, I am just giving you my feedback from an ex-racing driver and based on the TV pictures that I’ve seen from Mugello, Portimao and Imola."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.