Prost says expanding F1 calendar 'not stupid at all'

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Alpine special advisor Alain Prost says that increasing the annual number of races on F1's calendar would make sense for the sport given its current economic environment.

Formula 1 is on course to complete its first ever 22-race season, with its agenda set to expand to 23 events in 2022 according to a draft calendar circulating on the internet based on recent comments from F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali.

While teams and driver regularly vent their frustrations over the sport's relentless schedule or grueling triple headers that often leave crews out on the road for weeks on end, adding more races is financially profitable for Formula 1.

In the past, commercial rights holder Liberty Media has alluded to the season swelling to 25 rounds at some point in the future, an increase that Prost sees as a positive for the sport.

"I think the reason of having more races is obviously to get more money because we lost some big sponsors," said Prost on his podcast Prost In The Paddock.

"When I was there, we had the cigarettes, we had alcohol at the beginning and we lost this big amount of money.

"Obviously we have the constructors. But in the end, we have also smaller teams without the involvement of constructors.

"We have a boat, we have a package, and we need to get some revenue, some commercial revenues, so increasing the number of races is obviously not stupid at all."

Read also: Domenicali teases early details of 2022 calendar

However, the F1 legend and four-time world champion also recognized the need to put a limit on the calendar's expansion.

"There's always a limit," said Prost. "We need to understand, also, that some people in top teams are there for a long time and they want to spend more time with the family, and they are travelling all the time, everywhere, and [it's] very, very difficult.

"I'm not clearly in favour of so many races. We have to be careful that we don't have too much."

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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.