Charles Leclerc believes that 24 races is the limit for an F1 season
When asked about the benefits of the summer break, Charles Leclerc believes it helps recharge the batteries. With seasons getting longer and longer, drivers and team members need to rest. The Monegasque hopes that the F1 calendar will not be overcrowded.
This is a question that comes up often. Are there too many Grand Prix races in Formula 1? With 24 races this year, the drivers are going from one race to another at a frantic pace. This year, there are three triple headers. That’s three races in three weekends.
The drivers, who have just returned from the summer break, have mentioned the benefits of it in seasons that are increasingly longer. “Yes, I think it’s very important, these breaks. It’s a demanding program, 24 races, more than ever. Which is very difficult for many team members who work long hours and are at full throttle for three weeks. The summer break is important. We have another long break after Singapore. And personally, I think that this year, the schedule is a bit more balanced with more breaks. And I’m sure that for the team members involved who have the toughest tasks, it’s really appreciated and it’s positive,” Nico Hülkenberg said during a press conference.
24 courses and no more
On his side, Charles Lerclerc nuanced his statements. He considered that it was difficult for him to complain about a busy schedule. It’s primarily his job. And he has a certain level of comfort: « We travel in the best possible way,” he emphasized. « We stay in wonderful hotels and we also have a program adapted to an athlete. We therefore try to go to bed relatively early and to sleep as much as possible. And everything is done for our well-being.”
Beyond his personal case, he has above all thought about all the little hands that help him perform. They are all the mechanics, the engineers who work either on the circuits or directly in the factory. These people have much busier schedules than the drivers and perform more demanding tasks. « They arrive at the track much earlier, they leave much later. And so it is much more difficult. »
It is primarily on this aspect that Charles Leclerc wanted to assert that 24 Grand Prix in a season should be the limit. « As a driver, I can’t complain. But I think that it is the maximum or the ideal limit. More would be excessive. »
