Lewis Hamilton has criticised Formula One’s plan to have short races next season, saying the idea “makes no sense”.
F1 announced earlier this week that the maximum distance for next year’s grands prix will be reduced by nine miles, the equivalent of three or four fewer laps depending on the circuit.
“The races should be longer because they are physically easier than ever before,” Hamilton said before this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
“This is supposed to be a sport which is the most physically and mentally demanding, and there are some where you are on the edge.
“But that is where you want to see athletes, right on the edge of performance and pushing their bodies further, pushing the levels and pushing the boundaries.
“So shortening, I don’t think, makes much sense to me. If you think about this weekend, we have the C3, 4, 5 [tyre compounds] that can pretty much all do the race distance.
“So we have a lot of races where it’s only a one stop. It’s not particularly challenging.
“They’re making tyres that just seem to go longer. So for me, there’s been many races where I wish we had more laps. It’s the opposite that I would be asking for [which] is longer races, to be honest.”
Fernando Alonso backed Hamilton’s stance, claiming traditional tracks such as Silverstone, Suzuka and Spa will be “killed” by the changes.
“We had Silverstone, an incredible circuit. It’s not fun anymore. We had Spa, that was semi-embarrassing to go through. Eau Rouge, Suzuka, the 130R. There were some circuits that were killed this year,” Alonso said.
“So, I think with the lessons from this year there is still maybe some scope to learn from those. And have a better sport next year. And that’s my conversation that is ongoing with Stefano [Domenicali, F1 CEO], Mohammed [Ben Sulayem, president of the FIA] or the teams in general.”
‘I want to go – I love going to the Middle East’
F1 was forced to cancel races in the Middle East this season because of the US-Iran conflict, but the campaign is scheduled to finish with rounds in Qatar on November 29 and then in Abu Dhabi a week later. Imola has been placed on standby if the races cannot take place.
Foreign Office advice says the situation in the region “remains unpredictable” and that there is “a risk of more attacks and unforeseen escalation”.
However, Hamilton hopes F1 presses ahead with ending this season in the Middle East, despite the ongoing conflict and despite some of the sport’s 2,000-strong travelling circus expressing a wish not to attend.
“I personally want to go. I love going to the Middle East,” he added. “From what I have read, things seem OK out there, but I don’t have all the information, and I don’t know what the risk levels are.
“I trust in Stefano to make the right decision for the sport. And I do hope we get to go there.”