Jones: “New destinations do not harm F1”

For several years, the Formula 1 calendar has seen the addition of several countries to develop the image of Formula 1 internationally under the impetus of Bernie Ecclestone. And while some believe that Formula 1 might lose its soul by straying too far from Europe, the 1980 world champion Alan Jones thinks that these new destinations are not a bad thing for F1.

After the return of Malaysia, the arrival of Bahrain, China, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, India, and the return of the United States as well as the upcoming entry of Russia, Bernie Ecclestone has contributed to developing Formula 1 in new countries, particularly in Asia. But this may not be over yet, as Mexico and South Africa are reportedly candidates for a return to F1, as is France.

Alan Jones believes that the arrival of new countries or the return of F1 to certain countries is a good thing for continuing to promote and develop the Formula 1 World Championship.

Well, I don’t know anything about South Africa. But I think the more new places there are, or the more you can go to new destinations, it won’t hurt, because it puts F1 in front of people who a) haven’t seen it in a long time or b) have never seen it, Alan Jones told the site YallaF1.

The addition of new destinations still poses a problem: how to manage a greater number of races. Indeed, 2012 will be the year with the most races in a while, with 20 Grand Prix planned.

With the future arrival of a Grand Prix in New York and Moscow and the return of France, more and more alternations are being put in place – notably between Belgium and France, even though nothing is official yet, and possibly also between Valencia and Barcelona, although nothing seems to be finalized there either.

With the influx of new races, some Grand Prix disappear – like Turkey – and others still try to keep a foothold in F1 by agreeing to an alternation to host Formula 1 only every other year.