[Race] How many races should be in an F1 season?

[crmalcolm]

This thread has been created in the 'Predictions Contest & Fun' to hopefully avoid the debate(s) about where F1 races should be held, and the motivation for holding certain races.

The question is simply this - if you could design your 'perfect' F1 season in length, how many races would you include?
Please feel free to add comment below if you wish - but hopefully any debate about real-world choices is kept elsewhere.


But firstly, a bit of background for interest:
The first races to be run to F1 regulations were held in 1946. An era when racing motivation was much different to today, and when most drivers only competed in a small selection of races. There was no championship to speak of, and each race was a standalone result. Sometimes more than one F1 race was held on the same day in different parts of the world.
From 1947, a selection of races were classed as the Grandes Épreuves - but there was still no formal championship.
1950 saw the inaugural FIA World Championship of Drivers which consisted of 7 races, alongside a number of other races through the year giving a total of 24 races.
1953 saw the Championship being run to Formula Two regulations, and as a result a high number of GPs were seen - up to 44!
The shortest F1 year in history is arguably 1966. 9 Championship races along with 4 non-championship races meant that only 13 races were held.
The following years saw between 15 and 20 races in a year, with the 1977 season seeing the longest championship to date (at the time) of 17 races between 9 January and 23 October.
1981 saw the first FIA Formula One World Championship run over 15 races, with a single Formula Libre race also seeing Formula One cars competing.
1982 was the first time that all races featuring Formula One cars counting towards the WDC, with the championship consisting of 16 races.
Since then, the number of races has steadily increased to reach the peak of 24 races planned for 2023.

So - how many races should an F1 season have to be the 'right' length?



I have summarised in a table below for reference. These are the races that are considered part of each year's Formula 1 Calendar - with the notable cases of the Indy500 and Formula 2 included where they were part of the championship.

[crmalcolm]

Note - I have not summarised the table referred to in the OP - it was too clunky.

[steve_r]

Far be it for me to say anything negative about my lovely fellow 10-10thers - but people who love F1 enough to enroll with a motorsport forum, and post on it for years discussing all things F1, to then complain that there will be too many races.... well, I don't get it.

I voted 51, but for the good of my marriage and for the good of the poor old mechanics and team personnel who have to travel from track to track, I would settle for about half of that figure!

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by steve_r

I voted 51, but for the good of my marriage and for the good of the poor old mechanics and team personnel who have to travel from track to track, I would settle for about half of that figure!

[S griffin]

I voted 19, although I can probably cope with 20. Anymore than that and it's just too much

[Aysedasi]

16. Then we can add in a few more WEC races.....

[Anyopenroad]

Originally Posted by steve_r

Far be it for me to say anything negative about my lovely fellow 10-10thers - but people who love F1 enough to enroll with a motorsport forum, and post on it for years discussing all things F1, to then complain that there will be too many races.... well, I don't get it.

I’m not here for F1, I’m here for Endurance and Rallying. F1 could cease to exist tomorrow and it would have zero negative effects on my life, in fact it would liberate the motorsport I do enjoy, whereas with 24 races it rides roughshod over everything else.

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by steve_r

but people who love F1 enough to enroll with a motorsport forum, and post on it for years discussing all things F1, to then complain that there will be too many races.... well, I don't get it.

The actual on track action, while important, is just one part of the experience for me.

I want these teams back at the factory developing their cars, driver development and training programs, off season vs regular season pursuits, back at base doing all the small things we find so fascinating etc etc.

Like other sports, there is more to it than just the games. imo, more time to work on other aspects of their craft makes the teams more competitive and therefore the races better.

16-18 races for me.

[crmalcolm]

Interesting results so far. The majority seems to be centering around the 18 race mark - with a couple of outliers.

Will see how it pans out - but the size of the theoretical (according to 10-10ths pollsters) perfect F1 season length is beginning to emerge.