F1 ready to drop current races to make way for new grands prix

F1 chiefs are facing a growing number of requests from new locations to hold races, as Qatar and Las Vegas are set to become permanent from next year.

It comes as grand prix racing is fast approaching the maximum number of 25 races that is allowed under the terms of the Concorde Agreement.

But, while there is some scope at the moment to expand without dropping any of the current grands prix, F1 CEO Domenicali reckons that some existing venues are going to have to make way.

That could mean them being dropped from the calendar entirely, or only appearing on a rotational basis with other venues.

Asked whether new additions to the calendar had prompted F1 to think about some races being replaced, Domenicali told selected media - including Motorsport.com’s Italian website - in Bahrain: “The process has actually already started.

“There are some promoters who have expiring agreements, and probably some of the current grands prix will no longer be part of the calendar. Others will remain but in a different form, such as rotating between different tracks.

“Soon the choices we are making will be announced, and you can expect some new grands prix. However, it is still not easy to plan everything in advance.

“If we take for example China, we will have to try to understand what will be the situation regarding the COVID issue in the future, as we did last year in view of 2022.”

China has been left off the calendar in recent years amid the pandemic

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

While some current venues have secured long-term contracts, with Bahrain recently announcing a new deal until 2036, others are still up for discussion.

It is understood that France, Monaco, Belgium, and Mexico have yet to conclude deals beyond this