Former Ferrari driver Alain Prost pinpoints F1 choices he doesn’t agree with. Prost pinpoints F1 choices he doesn't agree with.

Formula One has gone through many changes during the last years: more races have been added on the calendar, there is less testing allowed and Formula is trying new formats like the Sprint Qualifying concept.

Former Scuderia Ferrari and Formula 1 legend Alain Prost shares his thoughts on the matter in the podcast ‘Prost in the Paddock’, discussing first of all the number of Grands Prix this season. In his time there were about sixteen events during a championship, now that number has increased to twenty or more. “I think the reason for more races is obviously to get more money. It’s always a question of compromise. We lost some big sponsors, when I was there we had the cigarettes, the alcohol, so we lost this big amount of money. We need to get some revenue, so that was the reason. Increasing the number of races is not stupid at all, but there is always a limit.” – he explained.

“We need to understand that some people in the top teams are there for a long time. They want to spend more time with their family. With travelling all the time, that is very difficult. I’m not really in favor of so many races. We have to be careful that we don’t have too much.” -the former Ferrari driver added.

The initial plan of Formula One was to run 23 events in the 2021 championship, yet that number has been reduced to 22 due to the effects of the pandemic. As a result, several races had to be cancelled and were replaced with other venues located in countries with less restrictions.

Alain Prost wants to see fewer races, but more test days. Currently Formula One teams have only one official testing session scheduled before the start of the championship, making it difficult for preparations to take place in ideal conditions:

“And going back to the number of races, I would say maybe twenty races? Twenty-one races maximum, but I would go back to testing during the year. I would make different regulations to have test teams because it is easy to do that. The advantage of testing is that you can test the things on the track, you make the drivers exercise. You can use young drivers to be able to see exactly what they have, you can invite sponsors to the testing,” Alain Prost concluded.