Sainz says F1’s packed calendar weighs most heavily on team staff

At the FIA’s Thursday press conference ahead of the United States Grand Prix, Carlos Sainz warned that three triple-headers in a row would be tough for everyone, especially the people working in F1 teams. Team members could have only three to five days at home each month, the Williams driver said; drivers, he added, were in a more privileged position.

Sainz acknowledged the appeal of more races: if he were a fan, he said, he would welcome more F1 on television, and he remained motivated to race as many times as needed. But he cautioned that too many events in succession could make the sport feel more like the Premier League than the Champions League, with audiences perhaps paying less attention.

Sainz said the GPDA had been told, roughly, that 24 or 25 races was the limit the championship was willing to reach. He was unsure whether that would remain the case if more offers to expand the calendar came in.